Edwin
Janney
We both carried our backpacks,
In which our lives were rack packs,
And as our trash we unloaded,
Our lives we deeply unfolded.
Poet, Writer, Journalist and Business Consultant, Edwin Janney was born to Jeriel Kotey Dsani a building engineer and Augustina Norkor Dsani a Social worker and dress designer in his native Ghana Africa, in the very early sixties. Over the years, Edwin has developed a broad world outlook due to extensive travel and exposure to varied cultures worldwide.
He has a Master of Arts (MA) Degree from Patrice Lumumba University (Moscow), now Russian Friendship University, in International Journalism and a master’s in business administration (MBA), from Strayer University in Virginia USA. He has long been living as a naturized US Citizen for several years in the United States.
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In a powerful debut of his poetry, spanning a period of over 45 years, Edwin features poems of great breath, taking on the issues of race, slavery, African and other global social and political issues. Also, in his poetry, he renders an extended voice to the themes of love, nature and environment, dedications to notable events and heroes, life in the diaspora reflecting on events in the past from his native beginnings, as they relate to the present, faith, inspiration, and issues of present times.
Brought ro me
Edwin Janney
“My admiration and reverence for most of our African traditions, paying attention to the impact of slavery and its symbols in Africa, colonialism and the contradictions and challenges of the post-colonial and independent Africa, issues of world peace, were issues of prominence to me as a young poet in some of my earlier and even later writings.”
An earlier exposure to American culture in the late seventies and the challenges as a teenage foreign exchange student, living in Mauston Wisconsin, in a rural suburban farming community had an impact on the teenager.
Being the only black high school student living with a white host family, exposed the young poet to rural American culture in this part of the world. Some of his earlier views on race, and his identity as an African outside the continent took roots with this experience. Notable amongst his poems at this time were: “The Ambassador”, “Carpet On my Head”, “The Seasons”, “ Speed Ball” and more…
Edwin: “Despite my admirations for the changing seasons, quite distinct from what I was used to, I grappled with the exposure to a different culture and environment, but it was a terrific living experience thanks to all the people who believed in love for the human race”.
In The East
As a student, in the then Soviet Union (USSR), during a very interesting transformational period from the mid to late eighties through the early nineties, the stories of other international students in Patrice Lumumba University, then hosting students from over 125 countries, mainly from Asia, Latin America, Caribbean and Africa gave much impetus to his poetry.
Quite significant to his writings were the firsthand accounts of the reality of the liberational struggles of student friends from conflict-stricken areas in Africa and other parts of Asia and Latin America, providing the subject for some of his poems like: “Fight on Nanubian Sister” “Farewell Samora” and others.
Honoring several invitations by international students to recite and present poems of inspiration to uplift them on occasions of commemorations to events in their fight was quite sobering to the poet. This environment as well ignited his passion for
music, as he learnt to play the guitar and participated in several musical presentations to accompany his poetry recitals.
This was also the “Berlin Wall” era when cold war tensions between the leading superpowers, United States and Russia were at its peak, with an imminent threat of a nuclear confrontation. The cry for nuclear disarmament, strategic arms limitation and for world peace was echoed in his poems amongst which were: “SALT”, Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty?”, “We long for Peace” and the “A Wall Crumbles”
"In witnessing the erected Berlin Wall in my travels by train during summer vacations to England through Poland, Eastern Germany, West Berlin, East Berlin, Eastern ‘Germany, France or Holland crossing the English Channel to Liverpool or Dover, contradictions of life on either side of the wall, was a glare picture of cold war tensions. I was privileged to be a part of this time in history, as well to witness the fallen wall”
The Wild West
The dream of pursuing the highest aspirations, goals and ideals, yearning for the equality of opportunity in America like most immigrants, brought the poet riding further west from the east to the USA, after six years of living and learning in Russia. Very significant in his view are his poems dedicated to some events in American history he was privileged to witness. The poem “911”, and his recent poems on the coronavirus pandemic that hit America are notable amongst several.
“The effect of the coronavirus pandemic that hit the world and threw America is disarray during an election year 2020, revealing some of the vulnerabilities of this society, provided the theme for “Corvid 19”, “On the Bench”, “Pathogens of Today”, and “Susceptible.”
According to the poet, realigning one’s perception and pursuits to existing or evolving trends in the ever-changing world, particularly in the redefinition of the American Dream to most immigrants living in America is paramount. The poet believes that there is in life always an opportunity to witness the beginnings of certain landmarks and events, and if privileged to be around long enough, revisit such, reflecting on their impact on today’s life. This opportunity is as well significantly reflected in his writings.
Faith
“Everything I had been taught since childhood growing up in a Christian family started becoming real, at one point when I finally gave my life to Christ and embarked on a path to develop a direct and personal relationship with God. I realized however as this new relationship with God unfolded, that one must be humble to learn about who God is.” In my poems “My Maker”, “In your Room”, “Such Days Will Come”, “Break Throughs”, Pieces of the Puzzle” and more, I understood that, one must also learn, His divine will, promises and purpose for our lives as we navigate our way through the challenges of this new life.”
This new experience, introduced Edwin to a vigorous church and Christian life. Being very active in church and related social activities, his particular interest rested on teaching the youth, Sunday school lessons and interacting with them on all levels, as well as enhancing his innate abilities in music. The kinship of music and poetry runs deep. Added to his faith in God, his reliance on rhyme and his unique rhythmical flow, features prominently in his writings giving much expression to his poems, resulting in an authentic aesthetic response from his audiences during his presentations.
Dedications and Celebrations
A good amount of his writings are dedications to friends, family, heroes and landmarks of great significance in his view. Having experienced six plus decades of life, as he continues to express his views through poetry, Edwin looks forward to a continues enhanced experience, fulfilling a strong desire to add his voice to history and share his poetry through more live presentations in poetic events, as well as through social media, as a means to inspiring many in times as these. He is certainly open to invitations to accomplish this.
I prefer not to say, “THE GOOD OLD DAYS” but to profess, “THE GOOD NEW DAYS AHEAD"