Golden ; A Poem written by
S Kojo Frimpong & Manuella Makafui Kudjo
S Kojo Frimpong
In the land of the blind,
The one-eyed man is king.
In the land of the deaf,
Can we find the one who hears with only one ear?
Anybody can become king,
Only if everyone plays dumb.
But silence has a price to pay,
It is golden.
The price of our silence crowned a mad king—
One who can see, hear, and speak,
Yet is very blind, deaf, and dumb.
How can a kingdom strive?
Manuella Makafui Kudjo
When the king is more blind than the blind,
When the king is more deaf than the deaf,
When the king is more dumb than the dumb,
How can a kingdom strive?
When the king is more dead than the buried man,
And refuses to listen, see, and hear
From those who can see, hear, and talk,
All because the mad king perhaps thinks
He is better than the rest of his people.
King, listen!
The deaf pleads.
King, see!
The blind man begs.
The dumb man signs,
And together they cry, King, think!
Even the madman makes his point—
Why have a voice, sight, and hearing
When you cannot think, reason, and lead?
You lead your people to doom
With your foolishness.
If I cannot see, hear, or talk,
At least I can think.
But, unfortunately, my great king
Has a voice, eyes, and ears—
Yet he cannot think.
Why have eyes, ears, and a mouth
When it is the mind that controls them all….
What happens when it ceases to function?
Golden – A Poetic Reflection on Power and Silence
Golden is a thought-provoking poem co-written by S Kojo Frimpong and his student, Manuella Makafui Kudjo, from Brilliant Greenwich International School, a distinguished private institution in Gbetsile Bumper, a suburb of the Kpone Katamanso constituency. Known for its commitment to academic excellence and the nurturing of young talents, the school provides a strong platform for students to develop their creative and critical thinking skills.
Manuella Makafui Kudjo, a gifted young writer in her final year of junior high school, has a natural flair for poetry, with several unreleased works awaiting publication. She collaborated with her teacher, S Kojo Frimpong, a renowned Ghanaian poet, writer, and author with over five years of experience in the literary world. Frimpong is the author of Blurred Lines and Illusions (2020) and has been featured in the Cupid Anthology of Poems (2016). His works, including a collection of poetry and prose, are showcased on his blog, Poems From The Graves (skojofrimpong.blogspot.com). In 2016, he was shortlisted for the Ghana Writers Award and has also been featured at the Ghana Poetry Festival.
Beyond his literary achievements, Frimpong has been featured on major media platforms such as ModernGhana.com and NewsGhana. He is also a verified freelance journalist on Muck Rack, further solidifying his influence in the literary and media space. Additionally, he has been featured twice on the Citi FM Writers Project show, a prestigious literary program hosted by Martin Egblewogbe. Egblewogbe, a senior lecturer in Physics at the University of Ghana, is a co-founder of the Writers Project of Ghana and director of Pa Gya! A Literary Festival in Accra. He is also the author of acclaimed short story collections such as The Waiting (2020) and Mr Happy and The Hammer of God and Other Stories (2012).
At its core, Golden explores the intoxicating nature of power, illustrating how those in authority often become blind to reason, deaf to advice, and disconnected from even their closest subordinates. The poem also delves into the power of silence—how, in some instances, withholding one's voice can lead to greater blunders than speaking out. It raises critical questions: Does power serve us, or do we become its prisoners? And when faced with truth, is silence truly golden, or is it a hidden curse?
With its rich themes and deep introspection, Golden is a compelling piece that challenges readers to reflect on leadership, influence, and the consequences of silence. It is yet another testament to the literary prowess of both S Kojo Frimpong and the promising young poet, Manuella Makafui Kudjo.
S Kojo Frimpong
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