Kwesi Brew: The Mesh
We have come to the cross-roads
And I must either leave or come with you.
I lingered over the choice
But in the darkness of my doubts
You lifted the lamp of love
And I saw in your face
The road that I should take.
We have come to the cross-roads
And I must either leave or come with you.
I lingered over the choice
But in the darkness of my doubts
You lifted the lamp of love
And I saw in your face
The road that I should take.
I am trying to contact Kwesi Brew.We met in the 70,s when he was ambassador to Lebanon. I was a stray Australian living in Ghana.
You can reach him by writing to: PO Box AD111, Adisadel, Cape Coast, Ghana.
I hope that helps.
I so much love “The Mesh”. Each time I recite it, it strikes a cord in me and it has different meanings to me. I remember it whenever I am in the valley of decision at any point in my life. At times, I recite it as if I am addressing Jesus when I am in tight situations because His love overwhelmes me and conquers whatever situation I happen to find myself in at such times.
Do u have more inspiring poems as this? I would love to have them pls.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers.
I have always loved creative writing in all forms! I am deeply moved by the diction and the thoughts and feelings behind them plus the imagery that is created in the mind. Thank GOD for such talented and truly intelligent Poets.
The Brew familly of Cape Coast annouces with deep sorrow,the dead of Kwesi Brew the poet which occurred on the 30th July 2007.Burial takes place on the 20th October,2007,at Christ Anglican Cathedral, Cape Coast.
I had to study this poem and other poems inside out when i was school in Adisadel some years ago and i must say it was a wonderful experience..poetry is just too magnifique
is kwesi really dead?
We are going to miss you as students. You are such a gifted person from God sent down to bless us through your wisdom in poetry. At the crossroads there is nothing that one can do with the other but to part. Even though we do not have you anymore with us, we will always remember you when we take your ‘wisdom pieces’ to read both for wisdom and and the advice of a father 9since that is what you are to us. Your soul rest in perfect peace with the Almighty.
Its so painful that I didn’t get to meet this Illustrous Son of Ghana and Africa.
Rest in peace, Kwesi.
please let me know the reeal meaning of the poem and how to analyse and interprete it I am refering to the Mseh
Notes on the mesh by kwesi brew
i came across this poem about 15 or more years ago and it has been in my memory since!
This is absolutely fantastic! I will call this a classic.
Various times in life, we stop and consider our predicament. We feel indignant, furious and afraid. Poems like this help us to square our shoulders and say to our doubt, ‘enough’ and to our mountains, ‘move’ and they will hear and move.
Believe me, they will!
I like this poem very much as it says many things. As for me , the mesh means Messiah which is also meant to God or Christ who shows and shares His great love to all mankind. We all should followed the way of God or Jesus Christ.
Since childhood, the Mesh has been one of my favorite poems. Im so sad to learn Kwesi Brew passed away. May his soul rest in peace.
Not the response you are looking for but I am trying to locate Bunmi Aluko. We went to New Rea together.
My maiden name is Bola Ramos.
Poetry feeds my spirit & it opens to me a silent but engaging world deeper than the depths of seas & broader than the sky stretch. I have always loved “The Mesh” so much. It’s so simple, apt, straight-forward, short yet very striking & powerful. The ideas are sequential & the beautful imagery quickly transfers its effects to the feeling. I never knew, till today, that the writer of one of my favorite poems was snatched by the cruel, cold hand of Death. Oh Life why should humans only be made your transient guests! By your corporeal divorce the grave is richer. But rest, great messenger of Muse, in paradise across the gulf. Adieu Kwesi Brew!
How very, very sad. I have just come across this site, and just learnt of Kwesi’s death some 18 months ago.
Just like Rosemary Cameron (above) I was a sort of ’stray’ in Senegal in the mid-60s when Kwesi was ambassador there. He took me and the handful of other British volunteer teachers under his wing (much, much more generously than the British Embassy people, I have to say) and invited me when I was in Dakar to parties (lots of these), poetry readings and meals.
He made a big impression on me and I now very much regret not having kept in touch.
Rest in peace, Kwesi. You were a very special person.
(’The Mesh’ is a magnificent little poem)
I studied a poem titled “nation building” (I cannot remember the author nor the text). If anyone has an idea of it, kindly forward it to my mail address – akwetey2002@yahoo.com
have you any idea where the poet is from? or do you remember a line from it? there are hundreds of poems that are titled/touch on nation building…
In Kwesi Brew’s book, Return of No Return and other Poems, he has this brilliant one titled Fading Laughter, and I want to share it with all.
Fading Laughter.
It is not all laughter, all the time.
Who can laugh when the roof leaks
And the walls give way to floods?
Laughter is a seasoning of salt, and
Salt is not food but a seasoning for food.
Thay have their sorrows, these men of the land,
Poverty stalks them by the hour
And the kente is a flash in their lives:
handed down the rungs of years
From uncle to nephew through mother’s stream.
Times dintegrating fingers, have by stealth
Loosened the threads
Where the
Weaver of
Bonwire
Had joined
The strips.
The dyes in the colours, red, blue, gold and green
sapped by the devilry of age,
Have paled to where they can fade no more.
But to them, there is no matter for grief:
life has other gifts.
Culled from Kwesi Brew’s, Return of No Return and other Poems.
My appreciation is this:
We can not always eat our cake and have it. Somethings have to give for you to receive. Life is not always sweet. It has it’s bitter side. And like the men he described in his poem, they can’t be seen to enjoy when they have challenges facing them. However, even though they are poor, they ocassionally enjoy themselves nevertheless. That is when they will wear their age old, thread bare kente, the pride of our loom(ref Kwesi Brew, same book – Return of the native same book), when the ocassion arises. Kwesi Brew ingeniously metaphorises laughter to be salt which we all know is a spice and not the main meal, hence too much of it will spoil the broth. The morale here is that we can’t always be happy-go-lucky since there serious issues in life. However even if you lose your shine you don’t need to grieve for life has other gifts – laughter, smiles, dreams, aspirations etc.
I’ll put this up as a poem in its own right. Thanks for sharing, Yoofi.
I first read this poem when i was about 12,my cousin the very talented Ebifouh Kagbala showed it to me…it really is a classic,i’m not really an arts person but this one really got me thinking,it’s simple and yet very deep…GR8 poem by a great african
love this poem…i stumbled upon it at a time when i had to make a very crucial decision in life…hope u post other poems of K. Brew
the poem “the mesh” is very short but meaningful. Brew use this poem to preach the gospel as the bibel tells us we are the light of the world
please let me know the real meaning of the poem (theme, analysis) and how to analyse and interprete it. I am referring to the Mesh
the mesh
the best poem have red so far. keep it up