Prêmio Claudia Ann Seaman
golden spirits
Myla Manu-Arkhurst
Westerville, Ohio, USA
Westerville Central High School
Poetry
"This piece was previously published in Teen Ink Magazine, April 2023"
my country was built
on foundations of gold.
from the very dawn of time,
we have been one
with the earth and the sky.
the power of Ɔbɔadeɛ — the Creator —
has given us divine strength and
undying fortitude
through his universe carved
ever so carefully.
the grace of Asase Yaa — the Earth Mother —
has given us divine knowledge and
unyielding forbearance
through her galaxy cultivated
ever so considerately.
in our time of need,
the Gods listened to our pleas.
in our time of need,
the Gods responded to our plights.
my country breathed
on foundations of gold.
from the sky descended
the very omnipotent soul
of our nation.
in the form of a stool,
our spirit laid.
Sika Dwa Kofi: all parts living, dead, and not yet born.
my country flourished
on foundations of gold.
the stool’s surface shone
as if touched by the sun itself.
a perfectly pure
incandescent persona.
within the stool laid
the might of the forest
and the repose of the desert.
to us Akanfoɔ
the stool manifests
the royalty of the heavens
and the dignity of the stars.
my country overcame
on foundations of gold.
the stool cannot be touched
and yet touches
every corner of the cosmos:
it is everything and everywhere,
in each moment.
throughout time it has remained,
and throughout time it will stay.
it has withstood the oppression
of the Aborɔfo
and the opprobrium
of the World.
It is our everlasting star;
its soul speaks to us all.
Sika Dwa Kofi
embraces us all.
and through it,
our golden spirits
shine.
my country was built
on foundations of gold.
EDITORIAL PRAISE
If you’ve never thought much of stools before, “golden spirits” will grant you an entirely new perspective on them with its shining spirit and triumphant declarations. Glittering with the tale of a prosperous Ghanaian nation and cosmic symbolism, this piece leaves readers wondering what could’ve been for the generations before them.
Myla Manu-Arkhurst is a rising junior from Ohio that enjoys writing in all genres. Myla has won a variety of local writing competitions and participated in a number of international programs, including the Yale Young Writers Workshop. Myla is also a passionate reader, researcher, and violinist that hopes to one day go into law.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR