Staff Picks for Poetry Month: 25 Golden Words Vol 1: Inspirational Poems for Wisdom and Freedom by Kudo Eresia-Eke

 

The Right Decision

When you have made the right decision

In spite of ego

In spite of self

A peace descends

And a joy dances

In your heart. 

From 25 Golden Words Vol 1 by Kudo Eresia-Eke

Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke is an inspirational writer, teacher, and lyrical performance artist from Nigeria. Over the last few years, Sharon Forks library staff and patrons have gotten to know him better as Kudo, the friendly, soft-spoken, and contemplative poet who visits the library regularly to compose poetry.

Dr. Eresia-Eke’s poetry collection, 25 Golden Words Vol 1 was released in 2022 and his latest collection of poetry 25 Golden Words Vol 2 was released as an eBook this month. Both collections are filled with inspiring poems of precisely twenty-five words. While most of the poems have spiritual themes, others focus on everyday matters. 

Two of my favorite poems from 25 Golden Words Vol 1 exemplify the simple wisdom that abounds in Dr. Eresia-Eke’s poetry: 

Weak Strong

I am weak

When I always insist

On acting strong

But I am strong

When I know when to be

And when not to be. 

Kudo Eresia-Eke

 

As You Drive

Yes, you are who you are

You are what you think

You are what you eat

But most of all

You are how you drive.

Kudo Eresia-Eke 

Dr. Eresia-Eke’s poetry draws comparisons to Japanese Haiku for its strict adherence to form and to the 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic Rumi, whose insightful poems have remained popular for over eight centuries. I wasn’t surprised to learn that Rumi is one of Dr. Eresia-Eke's inspirations. 

I feel so fortunate to be able to get to talk with the emerging and established writers I've met at Forsyth County Public Library and I'm continually impressed with the talent and commitment of our writing community. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to Dr. Eresia-Eke about his writing journey, inspirations, and aspirations. He credits the muse for his inspiration and says that the ideas for his poems come to him at unexpected times—sometimes even when he’s in the middle of a conversation. He's not sure why the poems are always twenty-five words but he believes every artist is a channel for higher forces. The result is poetry that feels both accessible, profound, and timeless. 

When I asked him about his writing, it felt as if he was composing a new poem on the spot. 

“Writers, don’t blame the readers. Have we made it easy? The readers are your bosses. The readers aren’t serving you. Make poetry easy to access. Don’t bury wisdom. No one has time for that. Truth is simple. We are all savants." 

Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke

Though he’s always enjoyed writing, Dr. Eresia-Eke's career trajectory hasn’t been straight-forward. Despite being at the top of his class in chemical engineering, he says he felt unfilled. When he requested to change course, his professors insisted he continue the program for another year. But an additional year of academic success didn't dissuade him from seeking new ways to make a meaningful impact. Being an exceptional communicator, Dr. Eresia-Eke excelled in mass communication, political science, teaching, journalism, public relations, broadcasting, and management. In 2017, Dr. Eresia- Eke made a bold move and retired from a prestigious position at Nigeria’s largest oil and gas organization to focus on his writing. He began writing poetry, essays, short stories, and music. Speaking about his unusual career path, he adds, “I always did something I loved.” 

Viewing the recent book launch for 25 Golden Words Vol 2 on Google Meet last week, it became apparent that Dr. Eresia-Eke’s writing has earned him a devoted following. He was delighted and deeply moved when dozens of friends and fans participated in the virtual event by reading the poems that resonate most strongly with them and congratulating him on the new collection.  

Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke’s 25-word poems continue to draw fans globally from social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. Audio recordings of his poetry are available at audiomack. Dr. Eresia-Eke encourages fans to enjoy and share his work freely. Each poem can be appreciated by anyone seeking fresh perspectives, whether they view themselves as a typical poetry lover or not. What fascinates me the most is how I've found fresh insights with every rereading of both of the 25 Golden Words poetry collections.   

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist 

Forgive Yourself

Now that you've woken up

To the mess

You made yourself

That's progress

Go apologize

Forgive yourself

Learn the lesson 

And move on. 

Kudo Eresia-Eke