I am caught up in magic of green
Vast space, a beauty never seen
Before by eyes trained for block and asphalt,
As if lack of adventure was not my fault.
My heart is at peace in these skyscrapers,
Trees, I mean, tall with purpose
Of shade and silence as sunshine tries
To make contact with my eyes.
So I touch each tree trunk like a little boy
Filled with whatever fantasy can employ.
I do not want to go back to where I live,
This place holds the truth in which I believe.
I am lost in places where I am at peace
But night falls on a man on his knees.
ABOUT PRINCE MENSAH
Prince Mensah is a member of the Wine Glass Court Poetry Group. He is a resident of Columbia, MD and has been a poet since the age of seven. He is originally from Ghana, West Africa and has had his works published in One Ghana, One Voice Journal, Munyori Journal, UNESCO's Other Voices International Project, Dublin Writer's Workshop and the Owl of Adisadel College. 'Nature' is from an soon-to-be published anthology called 'Via Dolorosa'FIVE QUESTIONS FOR PRINCE MENSAH
1. What inspired you to write 'Nature'?
I was walking through a column of trees in Centennial Park, Columbia, MD when the thought to write this poem struck me. I realized how much peace I found in nature more than every other thing that I thought would give me peace.
2. How do you find the perfect words to illustrate your state of mind?
Before I sit to write a poem, I tend to create phrases that buttress my ideas. I manage to inculcate them into the poem, in order to satisfy both peripheral and emphereal truths in the scenes being described.
3. Is there any hidden meaning in the poem?
I dislike leading people to conclusions. A poem is like a jar in a circle of artists. Each artist would draw a unique portrait of the jar. So I intend not to poison the purity of perspective.
4. What is your opinion about the state of poetry?
Poets have to use technology to advance their art. I think playwrights and novelists are far ahead when it comes to that. Poets must channel their work through the Internet, because a web presence translates into a ready readership that would support one's writing by purchasing books of poetry. To me, the state of today's poetry is like a person dying of thirst by the banks of a river. There is no use to be a struggling writer in this information age.
5. Can you tell us about how Wine Glass Court Poets has impacted your writing?
My colleagues at Wine Glass are brutal with the truth and that makes me extremely conscious of lazy words. This group has sharpened my output and outlook as a poet. I think it is only a matter of time before the literary world realizes this hub of great poets.
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