Tigrinya poetry

The American Way

I wrote this poem during the intense basic training at Fort Jackson on March 21-17. Some of the words are more clear to service members just because their related to the activities took place at basic training locations. Words like fall in, cover, toes on line and battle-body e.t.c. At the bottom of the poem are the seven Army Values. Who can guess which ones are they? No googling!

The American Way.
I got a wake-up calling, early in the morning
P.T run run all around, push-ups sit-ups and jumping
Hill side p.t field challenge your body
Army's strong, you're in the army.
Range four, where I started shooting my rifle
Engage on target, lock to the rear pull the trigger
Boom, boom, boom that's the nature of rifle M-4 enjoy the sound
Weapon on safe and change the round.
It's another day, at Fort Jackson Bay
Toes on line before Drill Sergeant come in
Making sure we have the correct number
Personal and weapon to stay away from trouble.
Few minutes later fall-in at the drill pad
If one battle-body have late half right...face we know what's coming next dropped on the ground
One two three waiting on you battle-body
One two three waiting on you battle-body
One two three waiting on you battle-body
When battle-body shows up the order is get-up and cover, one thing to remember you're on duty. You're an American soldier.
Army requires discipline, follow loyalty
Perform army manner selfless service is key.
Respect battle-body and honor higher rank bring personal courage learn integrity
"Always forward" DawgPound
Live the American way.

Who is June twenty?

According to a research from anonymous, refugee means "right less." Resource: anonymous#unknown. refugee is basically someone who has forced to leave his own country for various reasons. Many denied to practice their belief, others to escape war and natural disaster just few to call. 

I just don't understand why we have recognizing so many days for different occasions? Each and every one of us have a day to recognize. Whether it is birth day, marriage anniversary, or if you are like me you would recognize every day for being alive. The reason I ask is that on refugee day we don't really care about refugees, we care a lot how to celebrate the refugee day. We spend hundreds and thousands of  dollars on June 20th, every year. Imagine how many refugee days we have celebrated so-far. Second how we pick the date? Why June 20th from the other 365+ days of a year? these questions and more are listed on this poem.

Who is June twenty?

June 20th calling refugee day

how are they related and why?

did they born together unknown years ago?

or met each other on the way?

who can tell me?

why are they tied refugee and June twenty?

even though no one has a brief answer for me 

about June twenty

I will tell you about refugee please allow me

how cured in the wold and impacted many.

It all started when ideas divided and powers exasperated

humanity and love were disappeared

unfortunately it becomes worst.

 Boom, poem, poem not only the horrific sound

lives were killed. Families separated. 

Children got starved. Youngsters disabled.

Homes were destroyed, future just dared.

Forced and pushed to die

miracle happened life survived 

somewhere else displaced

with a new name REFUGEE called.

It doesn't make sense to talk about refugee here

shelter is provided food is everywhere

it does a meaning at the right place over there

people suffered in famine and hunger

death had limited its power

hopeless days counted leading to the dark future

at the end one has remained to tell the story of struggle.

Consider one thing to remember

we're mortals sooner or later

we don't need everything we have

I'm asking you to share not to give

love is all we deserve, love is all we deserve. 

Beauty is in Words!

Tecle Gebremicheal

I'm not a professional writer. I don't write to be a professional writer either. I just write to escape from ideas that bothered me in my mind. and... I would love to see your feedback. 

Where I'm from?

Well I was frustrated by the idea that we claim to be universal and yet our actions show more division, more hate and crimes. But in particular physical geographical divisions. The British said no  UNITY with Europe. Does this seems familiar with you? I'm sure it does. It was hot coverage on the media world few months ago. You may say who trust media anymore? well, at least trust B.B.C! British Broadcasting Corporation. In 2011, S. South become a country. I mean they were a country the only thing they got is just a border. what are they going to do with it, they will hire soldiers to keep the border. Now they have a border. In 2008, Kosovo itself from Serbia. And then Montenegro in 2006. 

East Timor achieved independence from Indonesia. Now at least they have a national holiday to celebrate. Palau is another country, I mean become another country in 1994. Palau is an island claimed to be different in culture and language from Micronesia. It's good to be different but not be divided.1993 Eritrea from Ethiopia and at the same year Czech Republic and Slovakia become two independent countries.

The motive behind all of this is seeking pride and identity. Isn't it enough to be from the earth? Isn't it beneficiary to know as many languages as possible? Isn't it better to have a wide distant border than claiming to have a tiny country? The problem is that the transition is always life costly and bloody tragedy ending. I'm from the earth, my house wall is the only border to the wide world that I know. Out-side my house I will not allow border to limit me. Where I'm from? is the next poem. 

Where I’m from?

“Where are you from?” a million times I was asked.

You are not from here are you? I have heard.

No longer lived where I belong

Where are you from ring in my mind every morning

Life started somewhere now I’m here

I don’t know my future, I replied

Lived there not forever I can’t stay

There begun the long journey

Firm foundation through the valley

Darkness, fear, and hunger was accompany

Walked me through to a now destination

Endless transportation mountains and trees, uphill

Oceans and rivers downhill wild animals’ regime in the jangle

Past has gone never will come bruise left to remember

Moved, gone-far reached nowhere.

Present is just past it is surviving anyway

Future waiting very near

But I’m tired nothing to admire

Everyone is stranger

Because I’m a traveler a passenger to nowhere

To answer your question where I’m from

Give me some time to study carefully

I will ask grandfather's about history

If they lived to long before the boundaries

Exist nothing but to divide the world into countries

I’m from the world, Europe and Africa

Asia, Australia, and America

The cold places Antarctica

But if you really want to know where I’m from

I’m from geography, science and biology

Knowledge is transformation I’m 21^st century

English, Dutch, and Germany

Love is where I belong, I’m from my family.

Beauty is in Words! I would love to see your comments, thoughts, and suggestions @ tgmichael8@gmail.com  

Tecle Gebremicheal

Spartans defeated, love won

I watched this movie few years ago. 300 Spartans, Spartan soldiers at the battle of Thermopylae. They fought with giant Persian army. This is particularly based on the movie, but the war is more complicated history. If you have seen the movie you already knew what I'm talking about if you not the poem would sound to you a little fantasy. The war end to the Persian victory. But there was a girl who suffered along the battle. She spent days and nights on the mountains looking after her lover at the end she got him back. I think he was the only one left alive from the battle field, at least on the movie. Thank you for reading.

Spartans defeated, love won

My love, you are a good soldier sword on your hand

Three hundred Spartans, a warrior behind

Heading to the battle field victory ahead

I have accepted to join the Spartan’s army again;

Great honor to a Spartan man

Dying for his love, people, and country, freedom may remain.

Replied with courageous words, I’m always proud of you!

I wish I would live in your heart on earth few years

Or I will die on your side; grave could be a good place for lovers

Victory shall be yours, my love

I am on the mountains like flying birds

Prying to the gods of Spartans,

They might bring you back into my arms

Then you will tell me stories, stories of the battle field

Watching twilight and we will own the night

Only you and I on the planet

Interchange our natural secret, fantasy is our world

I am a new born baby please untie my blouse

Wash my body with your soft hands

Touch all over; I’m a new born baby on your eyes

I will give you my life in front of the stars witness to our covenant.

After a long pause he asked, what my love? Looking at her blue eyes

Why is war out there?

Why is it proud to be Greece and Spartan?

I have been watching stars, birds, and fishes

In the last few days peace has upon them always

Unfortunately we humans kill each other to name victory

Freedom has to come temporarily

At the end we are all criminals of  history.

Beaut is in Words!

Amharic poetry

My friend told me a story, sad story. While he was young, too young to understand external love he was struck by the beauty a one of his age girl. If he could explain her at the time he would say he wanted to be with her every micro second of his life. Then I asked him "do you know why?" " I don't know. But I felt something that I would never experience somewhere else." Something must everything. Comfort, happiness, secure, welcomed, loved, supported and many more words to use as far as defining "Something" Later on they couldn't get together again and the only reason is just geographical distance. I wrote this poem to get relieved from this sad story.

የልጅነት ትውስታ                       

ያ’ኔ እውድሽ ነበር መሰለኝ

ይሄው ስር የሰደደ ፍቅርሽ

ዛሬ ገዝፎ ትዝታሽ ገደለኝ

አትጠይቂኝ፡ እንዴት አትበይኝ

ልጅ ነበርኩኝ እኮ ፍቅር ያልተረዳው

ቁጥርስ መች አውቅና መደመር መቀነስ

በሒሳብ ስሌት መጠየቅ መመለስ

ቁጥርን ከፍቅር ፍቅርን ከቁጥር ማጣመር

የፍቅር ጨዋታ ብትምህርት መቀመር::

ባይሎጂ ምን’ልበለው

በሰውነት ንኪኪ መጋል: መቃጠል ላፍ’ታ

ተላቆ መቀዝቀዝ የልጅነት ጨዋታ።

ያ’ኔ እውድሽ ነበር መሰለኝ

ይሄው ስር የሰደደ ፍቅርሽ

ዛሬ ገዝፎ ትዝታሽ ገደለኝ

ውቅያኖስ ላይዘልቅ ስደትን ላይገታ

ጠዋት ተዋወቅን ተለያየን ማታ

መጥፎ ግዜ ደርሶ ፍቅራችንን ገታ

አንቺ ከባህር ማዶ እኔም ባለሁበት

ትዝታ ሳይገድለኝ ብንገናኝ ምን አለበት

አዎ: ትዝታሽ ሳይገድለኝ ብንገናኝ ምን አለበት::

Beauty is in words!

Tecle Gebremichael,

My international nature

We're are living in a time that the word "border security" is active in the news more than ever. UK brexit from Europe is border security. In U.S it has even gone far a head, border security translated into physical huge border wall, (border wall security). We all know and agree which we claimed to be the unique creation on the planet and beyond ever existed, but we fail to be example as we supposed instead our pride either our undiscovered ignorance pulling us back to learn from the other lower class creations. If I had the chance to, I would rather be a fish, unfortunately now, I can only wish. Water covers about 3/4 of the earth's surface. Oceans are the largest part of it. Luckily fishes can travel in the oceans freely from corner to the other directions where ever their business is taking them. Unfortunately people don't. Do you know that wherever part of the world we are living now, in the near future we will have one destination together with everyone? yes, no matter where you living on earth your destination is a little hole somewhere you will no longer recognize. Our revolutionary global mind is just limited on media. Globalization is much more than Facebook, Twitter or Yahoo. It a change of mind. Understanding the necessity of human being and recognizing how short our days are. If history could undo and the world would spin back ward this is what would happen anyone belongs anywhere. The next poem is just my hope our world would be one day border-less peaceful international harmony. 

 My international nature!

The private place in the bath tub taking shower

Fighting with the cold water

After survival washed external, stood before the mirror

On the other side was a dark skin color of my African nature.

I heard words whispered to my ears in Tigrinya

A language of my origin, in East Africa where I was born.

Traveled far to a new world, where I belong

Never born to speak the language or play super bowl

I’m just a new comer, a visitor, to the place of world's favor.

But living here requires a new language

I had to change my tongue into Latin

English become my language beef burger my food,

This is home that I made.

My origin is European begotten

Proud to be GBR, Norwegian, and Poland

German, I repent on behalf of my fathers’ action

What they have done to Jews human beings.

I’m Rome, Italian ancestor “Buona Sera” son of colonization

Once occupied half the world but lost our own.

I’m Asian “Kaif Halak” peace be with you.

I believe in love hijab is just my tradition.

Chinese, I’m the beginning of verbal communication,

Japanese, victim of the world war disasters

I see it every night in my dreams

The bombs, gun shots, air strikes all the blood shade!

Struggling to survive trauma and yet scars on my face. 

I wish that have never happened.

I’m the 21^st century

Suffer everywhere everyone is weary

Information is my life, technology my family

I-pod my brother, my sister is I-phony

“I can” my ability, computer does the work

I’m pretending know everything

Wireless relationship good bye reality. 

Beauty is in words!

Tecle Gebremichael

Who am I?

Being part of a big family is blessing. But not always. I was born 3rd into a family of seven, which I wouldn't choose If I had the chance to. It's not that I hate my family but the way we lived has left a dark spot on my young life experience. I used to wear one type of close for years and years, never have shoes at age 8. I always dreamed to have enough food in my stomach. I shared drinking water with the animals that I looked after. regardless how hard living in that situation life was precious. I was blessed to have a mom her odor gives hope. A strong faithful. Everything that has a beginning has an end. As a fact of nature this life has come to an end to. This poem is part of that transition.

  Who am I?

Dreaming during the silent nights

Wonder my mind on the bright day’s lot thoughts

Endless questions never been answered

What could be my response, to my own request?

Who am I? How do I am existed?                        

Once I had a family somewhere else

I had a biological father

Allowed me to be called in his name

Like everyone, I played with my sisters and brothers

The smallest bread parted and shared

The love fed one another forsaken food

We grew up healthy integrated to the ill world

Even those hard times like an argument

It has dim flashback in my heart never lost

Once upon a time I was part of a family

Lived to short left with a story

Living departed in life memory.

The country origin holiday’s celebration

Absolute cultural foundation

The strong neighborhood participation

Unique community once sacrificed for his religion

Then what happened?

When does this life end?

How did I become alone in my own land?

Maybe I had dreamed,

I am not sure if I had lived.

Maybe I had dreamed

I am not sure if I had lived.

Beauty is in words!

Tecle Gebremichael 

Amharic poetry

Just to introduce myself as a multilingual person, I'm posting this Amharic poem. I don't really write a lot in Amharic but I have quiet few that proves my Amharic skill. I wrote this poem to a gorgeous brilliant beautiful women that I only met her one time in my life, one night. I can remember her face but never knew her name. A lot to learn from her even though she didn't spoke a word.  She has disappeared by the power of light in the morning and never come back. Please help me to find.

ሳታየኝ ያየሁዋት

ሳታውቀኝ  አወኳት ሳትወደኝ  ወደድኳት

እኔ  ብቻ  ፈለኩዋት ሳታየኝ  አየሁዋት።

      መነጋገር  የለም  ድምጽ  አይሰማ

      በግልጽ ላንተያይ በጨለማ

      ምስክር የሌለበት  ከተማ: ሳታየኝ አየሁዋት

      ፈቅዳሊኝ  ሳትስማማ።

ሲነጋ ሁሉ ጋሃድ ሆኖ: እንቅልፍ ሲርቀኝ በኖ

ቀትር ለምን መጣ? እስዋ  እኔን  ልያሳጣ

ጸሃይ  ደመቀች እሳ  ከኔ  ራቀች

ምስልዋ አይታየኝ ቀልምሶ

ብርሃን አጥፍተዋት ደምስሶ

አየሁዋት ላላያት መልሶ።

       በቃ፡ እሱዋ ርቃ ሄዳለች

       አሃዱ ብለን ፍቅር ሳንጫወት

       ባገሬ ባህል ጎጄ ሳልጋብዛት

       ቡና ሳንጠጣ ቄጠማ ጎዝጉዘን

       አባይ ዳርቻ ድንጋይ ተንተርሰን

       በፋፋቴው ቃና የፍቅር ወላፈን

       ሳልገልጥላት የውስጥ ይልቤን

       አይቸ ሳልጠግባት ድንገት እልም አለች

       መልሳ ላትመጣ ከአይኔ ተከለለች።

ስትራመድ አላየሁዋት ክንፍ ኑራት አልበረረች

ሳታየኝ ያየሁዋት መች  ገና ተፈጠረች

ሳታየኝ ያየሁዋት መች  ገና ተፈጠረች።     

Tecle Gebremichael 

Beauty is in words!                    

Hate is a killer!

I have a habit of self-evaluate in many directions each year. A year ago I asked myself if I clearly understood the difference between hate and love. Not only on this specific topic, but at all topics it is always hard to self-evaluate. Difficult to fall on the truth when we found ourselves failed. I want to use this opportunity to ask you politely with HUGE respect to do self-evaluation on this topic.
Ask yourself, I know you love most but why do you hate, even the smallest-percent possible? Where did it come from? what's your gain? You don't have to share just for self assessment. I believe recognizing self-weakness is a half way to change. I know I have changed a lot since I held a meeting me and myself about this a while ago. 
you have something to share I will never get busy to read.

 Hate is a killer!

I love, but I hate more

I was smart enough to understand love

What does it look like to give care 

In a community sharing one another

To give love and receive more;

But it didn’t last long.                              

Everything went wrong

Hate has come into power

Followed with abuse and murder!

Drought and suffer everywhere.

The worst is, I don’t see better,

We should go back to the beginning

In the near future,

To find the secret of peace

Respect and Love one another.

Beauty is in Words!

Tecle Gebremichael

Endless Discovery

I never scared new adventures. I believe the world was given to me. So far I traveled few places. I saw the world from the shore to the other end. It was an opportunity to learn a lot. Moreover an opportunity to know that I don't know nothing.
George Bernard Show once said that "Forgive him, for he believes that the customs of  his tribes are the laws of nature"
I wish we all are open to each other to learn from one another. To benefit from our differences. Tell me your ideas at the end. But mine is wide open. I will travel the world as much as possible. To see the beauty every corner holds.

Endless Discovery

After a long journey over the oceans

reached hollow space far somewhere else

wild-life untamed places

open wide forest and dense.

            Pure and bright rivers over the hills

            tall mountains and dales

            covered white-snow during nights

            in the morning, it slowly melt

            left tears beneath the rocks.

I discovered panoramic vistas of the open range

I lived for moment then moved,

when the season changes

I went to another world

wherever the spirit arranges.

Beauty is in Words!

Tecle Gebremichael