I was born on a beautiful spring morning, in the grand scheme of things; i danced with the God of love.
I have being called here for what purpose? To Grow into what? To grow into evil? A monster or a beast? Or is life simply about wealth, power and fame?
Am i just a seedling that developed into a shoot, bearing the true leaves of a total woman growing into tomorrow to discover my own paths?
Two miles that way, that is. A voice said ‘you will be growing into what you are; you will be growing into you.’
It’s less about growing up and more about growing into me.
So, with the boost of unending pending future, i see a time in which things will fall into place.
Being perfectly me by being imperfect. A coming-of-age…
Is it only about being worthy of the highest trust? Is it about growing into resilience?
Or is life just about giving a positive impact? Is it all about growing into my full potential and growth, growth, growth?
Is it the power of being a high quality person- being human; loving myself; loving God; loving humanity and be full grown. That way, I would be whole; I would live a life in full.
It’s less about growing up, and more about growing into me.
And all about Growing Into Soul and giving birth to the great things and letting them grow, letting them bud, nurture and harvest living foliage into forests that grows to the sky… humanity is my sun.

-Ayo Ayoola-Amale

Copyright © growintopeace2016• All Rights Reserved

THE 25th INTERNATIONAL POETRY FESTIVAL OF MEDELLIN, 2015
THE POWER OF POETRY
The international poetry festival of Medellin celebrated 25 years of bringing poetry to the people- A cultural revolution of healing decades of pain from the Colombian wars from July 11th to July 18th, 2015 and I was there as a guest poet and coordinator of the World Poetry School. I am the 7th Nigerian to be invited to this wonderful festival. The Nigerian Poets who have attended as guest poets are- Odia Ofeimun 2000, Wole Soyinka 2005, Toyin Adewale 2006, Niyi Osundare, Obi Nwakanma, and Chris Abani.
The festival promotes cultural networking and exchange. The cultural networking is evident in a multitude of the different continents and countries represented at the festival. The event is an opportunity to celebrate poetry and culture as well as provide a platform where we are able to underscore the diversity of cultures- the creative perspective of poets themselves, as well as the perspective of different cultures regarding the reading and performance of poetry. Poetry is the foundation and culmination of all the literary genres that provide the basis for understanding and exploring the essence of culture. The festival organizers realize that their role is to create truly meaningful development possibilities in Colombia, healing, reconciliation and peace. The festival provides a space for the audiences to get acquainted with poetry from different continents. This gave the poets the opportunity to create an enriching dialogue; the festival allows the poets to create a fascinating intellectual exchange with other poets. We met, listened to and interacted.
The audiences were ecstatic with fire. The amphitheaters were full- always!
The festival gave a wide platform for expression and exchange between all the participants, and the poets and audiences. There were poetry readings and performances in different parts of Medellin, Bogota, Cali – all over Colombia.
WOW! It was a wonderful experience, I felt like my heart exploded open with so much love, so much warmth, so much energy, so much poetry, and so much light beams! Poetry reached my soul.
GLAD YEARS IN MEDELLIN
Here in the garden of poems there are glad years of colours. Here poets
come in and the air is delighted. Here poems
grow on trees well versed.
Here sweet blend of flowers read with fire the lyrics of life.
Here poems sprout deep within Over there
they slept beside me
and the storm drowned.
©ayo ayoola-amale 2015
POETRY FOR PEACE
The 2nd World Poetry Summit for Peace and Reconciliation in Colombia within the framework of the 25th Medellin International Poetry Festival, between July 13 and 17, was celebrated around three themes: The tasks of poetry and art in the construction of peace, a new language and a new culture in Colombia; Poetry and Art: defense of the Earth and of all living beings and Poetry is the feasible impossible: global actions for changing life. The unrelenting building of peace is our responsibility- The responsibilities of building the peace of dignity and human respect serves a deep internal purpose.
There were in attendance, the Festival’s guest poets and audience from different parts of the world, researchers, peace and human rights activists, social leaders, journalists and intellectuals. A series of activities addressed to the general public, such as plays, concerts and conferences and lectures were also held.
The truth is that poets have an obligation to add value to lives through poetry- to leave this world better than they found it. In a world no one knows how to love anymore. Poets for peace shed tears of awakening, of love, of beauty and light. We teach others how to live. We teach the art of living.
I believe in vision with action. As a poet and peace builder, I get satisfaction from making progress by joining my vision with the right action.
Peace poems have the power to develop our humanity, to shift listeners into higher states of consciousness and empower them to tap into the splendor of unlimited potential. Through the powerful combination of life –changing poems, innovative mind sets and transformative processes, poets are providing pathways where people could be more prosperous, be inspired, have passion, meaning and fulfillment in their lives.
Poetry is the reflection of the world and humanity. Poetry is an art for the nurturing of the spirit.
The fact is that peace is enshrined within us loud as silence.
Let us continue to nurture each other’s humanity for when humanity flourishes, an awakened self develops and recognizes the richness of the human heart.

AND ALL IS AN ANSWER.
The wholeness of dawn peels In this silence where cloak souls freeze solid.                                                                             A world we want and want not melts into barrenness In a courtyard toys trigger and communities spill from wombs
Jump numb, say evaporate, And storms full under by description, by no description.                                                            And all is an answer.
That heavy toy breathes at my side, sleeps with me. This scrum of appetite is dusk returning to dusk
Like a volcano, discharges “crash crack, create bridges, break bridges. Our hissing heavens, the gorgeous rubbles
Silent sky-high beyond and beyond drags its wings and tucks a few like fingers away.                                                               And all is an answer
A snowstorm running in wild terror and more snowstorms growing in, growing out into what all have grown.                    understanding that understanding is impossible, a heartbeat of a world that never had one nestles on hanging loose                                                                                                                                                                            crumbling and unending                                                                                                                                                                                 And all is an answer seeking to understand or understanding                                                                                                                                                                            the only war here is man.
©ayo ayoola-amale 2015
POETRY IS THE VOICE
Poetry is the voice. Poetry is the true voice. The true voice is the poet’s voice. Poetry is the thunder of singing hearts. Poetry is the dancing petal frothed in love. Poetry is the fingers of life bringing wholeness.
We need poetry. We really do. Poetry promotes literacy, builds community, and fosters emotional resilience. It can cross boundaries that little else can.
Personally, poetry makes me feel life! I am always very happy contributing to something greater than myself- happy to give birth to the great things and let them grow- to open to the true and joy of being. Just now I walked beneath the greening branches; within the infinite folds- I heard the true voice:
We awaken from drunken stagnation,
forgot that the self exists
and found the dawn.
-humanity is my sun.
©ayo ayoola-amale 2015

A seed becomes tomorrow. Once more we saw the marketplace. For now a muse of  centuries like lighted flowers sings in our hearts.    Others like fire. Others like buds. What else have we?

Here’s to a season filled with love, peace and joy!

Warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday.

Here is the world.  Here is the heaven. I wish to live right.

Caveman:  I ‘ve made my room in comfort, on anything and everything under the sun, let me have peace.

Voice: And on earth? No grief, your heart is wishful. Your room weeps with you and deaden the music within.

Caveman: Shut up boy!  Peace from the earth is what I am crying for. The very deep is weak and in despair.

Voice: Listen. Think about what you’ll say next, think about what you will do next. Think, think right.  It’s something you create.

Caveman: What this voice may be, is but a clinging grief.

Voice:  It’s a deeper understanding of why it’s important to go within.

Caveman: Am I drawn to the flame, me, my enemy?

Voice: Hmmmmm ….. just had another thought, of a life ending one minute at a time. Free the demons!

It’s what you are that infects the whole.

Caveman: My path is silent to others, I seek my life’s bliss.

Voice: Your path sunk low. You receive what you give. Will it produce contentment?

In every life, what creates peace?

Is peace from harmony infinity from peace?  Visit www.peacefromharmony.org

What is the world’s cry?  A struggle for survival. A struggle to flourish. A struggle for justice. A struggle for equal rights………………….

Is peace contentment?

Can you hear the world’s cry?

Why do we feed this pain?

Are we ready to take action for a future that we are destined to create?

Does the truth rest in peace?

Do peace workers  toil ‘to churn out’ sustainable peace?

Demonstrate your commitment to taking charge of the future.

Awake to peace. Be the peace!

– Ayo Ayoola- Amale esq.                                              copyright 2013

Let love sprout peace within our souls- to nurture others as we nurture ourselves, to nurture nature as nature nurture(s) us.

To hold dear our humanity. To care for humanity, animals, nature and the environment. To let the energy of peace elevate our heart. To become pure light.  To become human. To become free.

For with peace, we balance ourselves on the inside so it becomes infinitely easier to create all other beautiful thing in life that we desire.   Let the flow of peace be continuous- Peace is to cherish the world!

………….In some ways , I feel most alive when am writing.

Poetry helps me feel life.

I love to write.

To pour out my soul.

To let my sun shine out from me.

Giving this piece of myself to humanity, totally, truly.

I love poetry , it puts a smile in my writing.

For with poetry am fully charged .

I want to be nature. Normal is nature,poetry is nature, unblemished natural , even.

The very essence of my being define reality.

I am myself……..

Excerpt from a presentation titled: Poetry and how it helps me feel life

By Ayo Ayoola-Amale

dedicated to all poets on International World Poetry Day

21st March 2011