16 Towns

 Mesmerizing, unflinching, grounded!

When Charlotte and the Greats searched for inspiration,

And the feminine clarion calls resounded

There in the 16th town, you stood - worthy of the ovation.

Where standards fell, and self-service overgrew forbearance -

as how moss covers the fine and crystal earth;

It was said that the great women of old you had in semblance;

You reflected to all women what it meant to know one's worth.

There was the sword, there was the destitution

There came the moments of uncertainties, the isolation.

Yet your feet never waved; nor your faith a respite take.

For you knew your pride, your calling, your identity would be at stake.

 

~ Aduks

Time has aligned for this script to be sung out loud;

A story too hard to keep - for the sake of generations of girls to find life and confidence.

Thus I tell the story now of 16 Towns which once gathered under a clear blue cloud;

Gathered to flaunt their greatest assets, their ornaments, their affluence.

Some showed brilliance, others ego. Some prices, some tags, others jewelry.

Some paraded ease, girth and strength; some found worth in glasses and plastics.

As the day-end drew nearer, and the assets got flashier, one town yet to spew glory

gestured as near-victors. The 16th town! Might this have been all antics?

Yet here forward they came, radiant with the glow of an unmistakable sight.

A Damsel of Wisdom, A Pearl of Glory. A Woman of Virtue. A Queen of her own Light.

The vision would always come shy of explicit narration.

Simply put:  "There in the 16th town, you stood - worthy of the ovation."

 

"May your favors be abundant now and the future unseen.

May nations rise at your alluring presence and brilliant mind.

May your kindness of heart lead you to higher grounds.

And may the blessing of the Lord rest upon your home."

Mesmerizing, unflinching, grounded!

 

: "This piece is dedicated to my niece, Abena Aduwaa Amaning-Kwarteng on another 4th July - a day of personal gratitude as she grows older, better, more beautiful, and more blessed. 

Happy birthday Aduks!"

 

~Chibele