Juliana (The Translation)

Come near, come round,

My dear sisters

My dear brothers.

Come take a peek, and

Have a glance

Someone is claiming to be dead

And she looks like Juliana!

Here we are, straw on straw,

clutching at each one in the dark,

wondering if it’s true, and if it’s a fact

which is the ugliest in this news.

If what has been is what now is,

Then darkness is here and may never leave.

The pot is broken for the clan

The house is shaken, its fires long dead.

Hear the screaming tornado,

The boastful roaring hurricane:

at the workplace

in the market,

here by the hearth at home.

Esi Boah Bediako Dwemoh

Our beautiful singular Juliana

It’s true we shall all die one day,

Did you have to leave this soon?

Dear All-consuming Mother Earth,

Voracious, indiscriminate,

Carnivorous cannibal,

We wish this meat you would spit out,

Offer us back our Juliana:

Beautiful

Winsome

Joyous.

Kind and thoughtful Mrs. Dwemoh

Please listen, and listen good:

If you dreamt

You could skip town

Sneak out of our lives

And disappear,

Happy you’d finished

Your allotted tasks,

Then Mighty Mama, think again.

For us your task if not yet done.

Trainer of trainers

The teachers’ teacher

We know why

This noon in the tropics

Schoolrooms are silent

The children abandoned.

The wisest counselor

Accomplished crafter

Sower of hope and joy and peace

You cloaked us in love and habiliments.

Good Mother Juliana

Are you sure you want to leave?