As part of the 2021 Dear Poet project, students around the country and the world wrote letters to Kwame Dawes in response to a video of him reading his poem “New Year's Eve in Addis” aloud. Kwame Dawes wrote letters back to three of these students; their letters and his replies are included below.
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Dear Kwame Dawes 2021
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From Tre, Grade 9
Greetings Dr. Kwame Dawes,
My name is William, but everyone calls me Tre. Currently, I am in ninth grade and reside in Seattle, Washington. As a result of enrolling in an online English 9 Language Arts course at Pearson High School, I have had the fortune and pleasure of reading your poem, “New Year’s Eve in Addis.” While interested in this activity, I listened to and read 21 poems from various Poets; however, your poem resonated with me the most and motived me to write this letter.
As I listened to you reciting your poem, I find myself reflecting on the state of the world, the country, my family, and myself during these uncertain times. In fact, your poem makes me reflect on all that I have experienced throughout 2020 with the Covid-19 virus and loss of lives of millions of people, including my cousin, Edward William Brown; and participating in mandatory quarantines along with deciphering the civil unrest in this world. In this letter, I hope to share my feelings, how I relate to your work, and my overall thoughts about your poem, and ending with a couple of questions.
Starting with this stanza, “On New Year’s Eve, the shops are empty, the pavements are covered with the aromatic green of cut grass cut grass, and women sell bundles of the welcome carpets and dry firewood.” I can clearly imagine an environment where nightfall is setting in, and everything is closing for New Year’s Eve, and the need for firewood to create a happy ambiance and warm feeling. This description feels like the serenity, peace, and joy of living in my neighborhood and being at home with my family even though I know the pulse of the world is changing before my eyes daily.
Secondly, these stanzas “All sins, all errors, all wayward acts burnt away by flame; the smoke clogs the nostrils with the acrid reminder of failure. The penitents will bathe in soft rainwater, cover their skin with palms full of medicated powder, and the bodies will be robed in gleaming white- the cloth of hope.” It reminds me of New Year’s Eve and midnight service, where most are wearing their Sunday best outfits and white robes as they are being baptized, although not many folks attended church this year due to the threat of the virus and safety issues.
For me, New Years' is a time of gathering and worshiping God. Instead, I sat at home attending church on a laptop next to a fireplace with my parents because we could not physically worship in the church building due to the Covid-19 virus. However, the smoke from our fireplace compliments the good, online church vibes while experiencing the same setting as described in your poem. All of which preps us all to be in a good mood and line for the theology of forgiveness.
Next, “The past must enter the blood as ritual- that which remains is the gold and the precious silver of tradition-.” reminds me that I am an African American teenage male whose mother and father have bestowed in me a tradition wherein I rely on my faith and the power in prayer, i.e., reviving relationships, the newness of mind, penitence with each year I believe comes another 365 days to live better than the previous year.
Lastly, “The penitent does not make God; it is God who made the penitent; it is not for us to know the answer; questions are for those who have not yet learned the insignificance of the short time we are given here.” meant God is in control, life is too short, and tomorrow is not promised. The theology of forgiveness is important here too.
As we entered the new year of 2021, and as with every year, my faith and spirit are renewed as I pray to God for the new year and what changes are to come. This year my prayers were far more intense than years prior as I dream of the new norm. Yet, at the same time, it is my faith and prayer that have gotten me through this pandemic thus far.
In summary, I have two questions that I am hoping you can expand upon: one specific and one general. My first question is, when you referenced the term “Maskal” in your writing, were you speaking on the Ethiopian holiday or human settlement in India? Then my second question is, what was your inspiration for creating this poem?
In closing, your work of art is electrifying, intense, and a serious subject, as reflected in what I think you believe in. Thank you for sharing your masterpiece and allowing me the opportunity to express my appreciation. If time allows in your schedule, I look forward to your reply, and again, thank you kindly.
Respectfully,
Tre
Hello Tre,
What a thoughtful and moving letter you have written! Thank you for taking me into your world, for your description of your New Year’s ritual, especially how it was last year; and thank you for sharing some of your faith—all of this I found touching and meaningful. You have understood the poem well. In this paragraph, you capture what my intent was with such simple clarity where others have struggled:
Lastly, “The penitent does not make God; it is God who made the penitent; it is not for us to know the answer; questions are for those who have not yet learned the insignificance of the short time we are given here.” meant God is in control, life is too short, and tomorrow is not promised. The theology of forgiveness is important here too.
All I can say is that you are a wise young man. I am so sorry that you lost your cousin, Edward William Brown, during these times. I don’t think we will fully grasp how difficult and impactful and historical these last two years have been for all of us. And yet, you give me hope. Your faith, your deep connection and respect for your family, and your intelligence all give me great hope.
“Meskal” is a holiday in Ethiopia, celebrating the “Holy Cross”. The poem is referencing a public square in Addis Abba where I watched many track teams training every day, and where parades are held, and where people gather for these feast days and major holidays like the New Year. The Meskal holiday takes place in the same month as the New year’s celebrations in Ethiopia, which falls in September on the western calendar.
I was in Ethiopia a few years ago on a writing assignment for the BBC. The time there coincided with the New Year’s celebration and it was a revelation to me to see the city turn into a sea of white and yellow, with the burning of grasses and incense, making the event such a massive communal celebration. I followed the penitents to the outer courtyards of the cathedral in central Addis, where I also bowed and said my prayers. It was as if I had traveled back to the time of the early Christian church. Of course, this makes sense, since the Ethiopian church predates most European encounters with Christianity.
I wrote the poem for the same reasons I write all my poems. To someone how keep a record of experience, and to help be understand how I am feeling and thinking about what is happening inside me and around me. Writing poetry teaches me things about me, and this is a gift it offers me every time. I am especially thankful when it also touches others—then it becomes an even more useful gift.
It has been wonderful “meeting” you, Tre. Thanks for your kind words. And I trust you will continue to think, write, and yes, pray.
Sincerely
Kwame Dawes
From Danny, Grade 12
Dear Kwame Dawes:
Hello, my name is Danny. I attend Bishop Kenny High School and I am a senior this year. I will be heading to UCF for college to continue my education journey. This senior year I am taking AP Literature and poems have been a hot topic all year. Poems are often hard to understand, but my teacher has been really helpful in helping me understand them better. This year we were given the opportunity to write our own poem in class and writing my own has helped me notice how poems come from the heart and mind. Your poem, “New Year's Eve in Addis”, really spoke to me because I believe New Years is a time for change. The poem flowed perfectly and had my attention from the beginning till the end. The line “The past must enter the blood as ritual” really stood out to me. I have never thought of the idea that the past must go through body and mind for us to change. In order for change you must realize the past. Also the line “The penitent does not make God; it is God who made” really got me thinking. It shows how us humans (the penitent) does not decide what God wants or who he is, because God is the one who created us. Your poem makes a simple time like New Years into a complex event. The poem opened a lot of new doors for me to think about and am really glad that I stumbled upon it.
The poem has left me with so many questions and would love to get the answers to some. I would love to know, what inspired you to write this beautiful poem? While writing the poem, what emotions did you feel? Did anyone help give you ideas for the flow of the poem? I have many other questions, but if I listed all of them we would be here for a very long time. I would like to thank you one last time for this amazing poem. It did not only make me appreciate poems more, it also made me realize poems are a masterpiece of both art and literature.
Sincerely,
Danny
Hello Danny,
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful letter. It always means a great deal when poems I have written trigger thoughts and ideas in other people. You picked out passages in the poem which speak so much to the heart of the poem and I really admire that. I wrote this poem after I visited Ethiopia several years ago. I was on assignment with the BBC to write a piece for radio on the life of Haile Selassie, the past emperor of that country who had spent some time in England during a really disturbing period in the 1940s when Italy was attempting to occupy his country. My time in Ethiopia coincided with the New Year's celebration in that country. In the Ethiopian calendar the New Year lands on September 11th or 12th in the western calendar.
The celebration is quite stunning. The city is strewn with a yellow flower that is associated with the period and people dress in full white as they move through the city. Ethiopia's Christian Church dates back to the period of the early church and it also has an ancient Jewish tradition. I wanted to remember the beauty of the celebration and the spiritual meaning of the celebration as well. Sometimes I make poems to commemorate moments that are important to me. The more I practice my writing skills, my command of language, my command of poetic techniques, the better I get at writing poems that flow with the music and rhythm that I want. Of course, I can't recall exactly how this poem came together, but I am very pleased with the way it reads for me. Thank you for your kind words and I wish you all the best as you go on to college.
Sincerely,
Kwame Dawes
From Harrison, Grade 9
Dear Mr. Kwame Dawes:
My name is Harrison, and I am currently a 9th grade student at East Brunswick Technical High School. I am writing this letter regarding your poem that I read and listened to “New Year’s Eve in Addis” this past week. My teachers Mr. Solomon and Mr. Yurkiw posted poems for our review and your poem spoke to me. The poem was so descriptive with smells and visuals, I felt like I was there while you read this poem.
Are the rituals that you describe on New Year’s Eve still occur in Addis? Did you visit Addis on New Year’s Eve to be so descriptive on the events and smells? When you describe the smells of green cut grass and the bonfires, I feel warmth. I am not sure if this was a feeling that you were trying to describe however that is how I felt.
I love to paint and express myself through art. I feel that you did that with this poem as well. You painted a picture of Addis on night of celebration with visual and scent references throughout the whole poem. I also felt hopefulness of the poem with what a New Year will bring. It was the same hopefulness that you could feel at the end of 2020 with the new year of 2021. That the whole world will have forgiveness and forget all that was bad in 2020. Your words describe Addis however I feel that can be used for any location or any person and they will have those same feelings on New Years Eve.
Thank you for reading my letter today. I enjoyed reading your poem and telling you how it made me feel and that with each new year, we should be hopeful for what is to come.
Sincerely,
Harrison
Hello Harrison,
Thank you so much for your letter for your thoughtful words about my poem. You really captured so much of what I wanted to convey, especially the smells and the visual sensation of being in that city on New Year’s. This was almost ten years ago. I was visiting Ethiopia on assignment with the BBC, and while there, as is normal for me, I wrote some poems, perhaps as a way to remember the experience. I write poems for many reasons, and that is just one. The experience in Addis stays with me. You may not know this but the Christian Church in Ethiopian was established around the time when the early churches in the Middle east and Rome were being established. It is an ancient Christian tradition and it also boasts an ancient Jewish tradition. So my poem reflects practices and rituals that are ancient and go back centuries. Yet it is all happening in a modern city. New Years in Ethiopia falls on September 11th on the western calendar. I am glad that the poem made you think of renewal, forgiveness and hope. I would say, that is spot on. I hope you keep on reading poems and enjoying them no matter what you do in life. And I hope that you will not stop writing poems.
Sincerely
Kwame Dawes
From Alejandra, Grade 6
Dear Kwame Dawes,
Most poems are an image. A moment. A butterfly in a field. Snow Falling down in a forest. They are easy to understand. Your poem, New Year’s Eve In Addis, had me staring at single lines. Wondering what it meant, how it connected to the whole poem. Why was that line there? How did it connect to the whole poem? I often caught myself thinking about the poem, reciting a single line in my head. Like when you listen to a song and you only know one phrase. Or like a good painting. It can’t get out of your head. Your poem paints a picture in my head, but if I were to draw it, I wouldn’t be able to, because there is so much detail. Hi, I’m Alejandra. I’m in sixth grade at Sidwell Friends School in DC.
One of your poems I saw that I found very interesting was African Postman. I found it interesting that the poem has a dedication, and a quote, which are things I’ve never seen in poems.
“for Solomon Emphiram Woofle
Son, who is dat?
Is de African Postman, Daddy
– Burning Spear”
I noticed that both those poems are in or near Addis Ababa. I’m wondering why the poem takes place in Addis Ababa, and what that has to do with the message of the poem. What connections do you have to Addis and how often does it influence your poetry?
I’ve always struggled with writing poetry. I tended to hold back on metaphors, alliteration, and all those fancy words that people use to describe what makes a good poem. I wouldn’t focus, and instead of trying to improve my poetry, I wouldn’t look at the feedback teachers gave me. Because of your poem, I have set new goals for myself to improve, and your poem keeps inspiring me. Your poem has really helped me with my poetry, and it will continue to influence my poems. I am very grateful for the influence and motivation that you continue to give me everyday.
Sincerely,
Alejandra
Hello Alejandra,
What a delightful letter from you about poetry and about your desire to keep writing poems. I especially enjoyed how you introduced yourself. Very clever. You have a good understanding of how to approach poems—sometimes the poem does not emerge clearly in one read or two reads. Sometimes, as you have discovered, a poem emerges as you think of each line and as you start to slowly (sometimes over a long time) connect these lines. And you analogy with song lyrics is perfect. Because we tend to “study” poetry at school, we tend to treat the way we read and appreciate poetry in the context of school, where time is an issue, where an exam at the end of a semester is an issue. Nobody gives you a quiz after hearing a song on Spotify. Nobody is waiting to find out whether you understand what it means, and so you are allowed to discover the meaning at your own pace. Sometimes it takes us years to suddenly grasp the meaning of a song. So I do like how you are approaching my poems, and I do hope you will spend a life time
Solomon Ephraim Wolfe is a man I met in Ethiopia several years ago. I was in Ethiopia working on a story for the British Broadcasting Corporation on the life of the late emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I, who had lived in exile in Bath, England during a war in which Italy attacked and tried to occupy his country. Ethiopia has the unique distinction of being the only African nation never to be colonized by Europeans. The people of Ethiopia proudly resisted this incursion for years. During his life Selassie had empathy for Black people around the world who wanted to return to Africa as their ancestral home. He set aside a large area called Shashamane outside of Addis Abba for these “returning” Africans. Solomon Wolfe was one of those men who was born in Jamaica and who had embraced the Rastafarian religion that worshipped Haile Selassie. I went to visit hm, and the poem tells the story of our meeting. The epigraph by Burning Spear is from a song called “African Postman”. Burning Spear is a famous reggae artist. I quote from that same song at the end of the poem, as well. I have written many poems about my journeys around the world, and this one is part of a sequence I have written about Ethiopia. That trip was extremely special to me.
I hope this help you have better context of the poem.
Thank you for taking the time to read my poems and think about them. “New Year’s Eve in Addis” connects me to the ancient Christian culture of Ethiopia. I hope you read more about that country and its complicated, beautiful and sometimes difficult history.
Sincerely,
Kwame Dawes