"I heard them saying my name." More beautiful work from the Great Globe Foundation.

My friends Julianna and Michael are in Dadaab working with refugees and were recently joined by poets from the Iowa Writer's Workshop, who worked with some of the refugees. You can read all of their work on their blog. I assure you that you will be inspired.

This poem really moved me because it speaks so beautifully about why it is important to collaborate and to share ideas and to SEE and HEAR people who may not have had the luxury of being seen and heard. It says it all. Ojullu Opiw Ochan asks "How do I start?" Please let him know that he has already begun and we are listening.

Guest of Iowa

by Ojullu Opiew Ochan

How do I start?

The sunbird set on the branch

Of a tree sucking the nectar from flowers.

When queen bee left the waxcomb

to collect the nectar and

carried it on her back legs.

It is the sweet day in my life.

The marking day of my future.

The image of my beautiful mother.

I saw the sweat coming out through

The holes of my hairs cascaded down

On my lap.

This day has reminded me about that day

I killed the Gazelle

The honourable guests of Iowa.

Not guests only, but poets

Not poets only, but professionals,

Not professionals only, but my furtherance,

Not furtherance only, But refulgent of

My future.

I saw them smile at me with

Their glistening heart

I heard them saying my name

I hear it from their mouth

I saw their happiness on their face

Saying “yes you are”, “you did it”

“it is your turn”.

I haven’t seen a professor in my life

Before. I keep asking myself many

Questions about a professor.

What kind of person he or she is?

But today all my questions have

Been answered. I saw them

I know them now! We exchange

With them

Guests of Iowa

This will be the great day in my life

The backbones of poets

The author of the world poetry

Yes they are

The breathtaking words they said

That kept me fidgeting

I was pent-up to speak

How do I start?