Sea Never Dries

By John Coomson

Nature can never be understood, unless nature explains itself. One cannot see, unless it is revealed unto the one to see, and to carefully observe whatever one sees before one can understand the mysteries of nature.
Efua Nyame Tsease sat to lament on her life, from the beginning to date.
Both her parents had died before Efua grew up. She was brought up by her aunt, and she didnt know anything until one of her cousins told her one evening when Efua was about fifteen years old.
Efua Nyame Tsease had married twice and she had lost both two wealthy and respectable men to death. Out of the two marriages, she had had several miscarriages, and she had lost six children through stillbirths, and deaths a few hours or days after birth.
Why shouldnt death count me next to the passing out of souls Suicide must always be a forbidden seed. It can never be a blessing to anyone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Nov 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477242261

John Coomson

John Coomson was born in Ghana in 1955.He attended Entumbil Catholic School, Ghana; Takoradi Polytechnic, Ghana; and London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom. He has lived and worked in Ghana, Nigeria, Italy, Germany and the United Kingom. He is married with five children.

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CONTENTS

SEA NEVER DRIES

NANA KWAW MBIL III

WE ARE QUITE WEALTHY

HWEPE

WE ARE INNOCENT

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

SEA NEVER DRIES

Nature can never be understood, unless nature explains itself. One cannot see, unless it is revealed unto the one to see, and to carefully observe whatever one sees before one can understand the mysteries of nature.

Efua Nyame Tsease sat to lament on her life, from the beginning to date.

Both her parents had died before Efua grew up. She was brought up by her aunt, and she didn’t know anything until one of her cousins told her one evening when Efua was about fifteen years old.

Efua Nyame Tsease had married twice and she had lost both two wealthy and respectable men to death. Out of the two marriages, she had had several miscarriages, and she had lost six children through stillbirths, and deaths a few hours or days after birth.

Why shouldn’t death count me next to the passing out of souls… Suicide must always be a forbidden seed. It can never be a blessing to anyone.

Behold, O’Lord; for I’m distressed. My bowels are troubled, mine heart is turned within me, reciting some passages in the Bible to herself.

There is none able to make me understand life. My heart is now faint; mine eyes run down with tears day and night. My liver is poured out of me, for there is no strength in me, and I see no help coming, neither is there anyone to tell me the cause of my miserable life, since I have not been the only orphan to live.

Nso Nyame Yε had remained a great and loyal friend to Nyame Tsease, even at a time when every other person became fearful of Nyame Tsease, due to her parents, husbands and children. Even her aunt and cousins feared to move closer to her.

Men became fearful of her, and they avoided talking to her. Young people refused to greet her and many parents advised their children not to go near to her.

The Lord will not cast forever, Nso Nyame Yε told her friend. He will one day have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. There is an old saying that ‘after rain comes shine, and the weather would not be cloudy forever.’

Nso Nyame Yε went on by quoting to her friend from the previous Sunday’s sermon. The Story of Job, that God blessed him more than he had before. After that Job remembered not again of those bitter pasts.

But I am not Job, Nyame Tsease murmured. I can’t compare myself to someone who was pleased in the eyes of God, before problems befell him, she sobbed. I have done no work in the church that can please God. I am only a listener with no commitment to any particular work or group, she continued.

Besides, Job had his wife to comfort him, and even to encourage him to curse God and die, rather than to continue to live and suffer. But here I am, she cried out bitterly. Just like a tree of no other species.

Conditions are not permanent, Nso Nyame Yε told her friend. While there is life there is hope. Even the rains of Noah’s time came to an end.

Efua Nyame Tsease and Adjoa Nso Nyame Yε participated in a communal labour of which the chief of the town and many elders were also present. The two friends moved together all the time, yet Efua Nyame Tsease’s loneliness appeared on her face.

Later the chief complained about Efua Nyame Tsease’s quiet attitude to an elderly man, Kwame Brempuon. The lady was always too quiet and moody, he said. He had talked to her, or she had greeted him, few times, when he the chief went round sometimes.

Efua would be sitting alone quietly but when he asked of her well being, she responds that she is well; sometimes she responds by the grace of God. She sounds religiously, but the mood doesn’t express enjoyable life. It is quite obvious that she responds to greetings with a forced smile. The chief then asked Kwame Brempuon if he knew of Efua’s husband and his profession. Kwame Brempuon reminded the chief of Efua’s life to date.

Is she? I do not remember that she is the one. But she is very lean, how come?

Nobody wants to talk to her except of the other lady she is walking with, Kwame Brempuon said, pointing to Nso Nyame Yε. The only friend she has.

This is strange and quite painful, said the chief.

True, but Nyame Tsease takes consolation in the church, where many other people shout for emotional satisfaction and they forget about their sorrows for the time being.

Oh, the chief said. But a man would take alcohol to kill that sorrow, until he is uselessly dead and gone.

Later that evening, the chief sent someone to go and call Nyame Tsease to come and see him in the palace.

The chief asked Nyame Tsease how she had been living her life and what she had been living on. It was terrible, and the chief was sad, yet his face showed no difference. Efua Nyame Tsease felt sadder but she could not shed tears in the chief’s presence.

The chief, Nana Kwamena Ansah, had three wives and he did not intend to take on another one. He was not scared about whatever myth surrounded Efua’s problems, yet he had long decided not to marry another wife. He was getting older and a fourth wife would not serve any purpose.

But the chief promised Efua that he would take care of her other needs of life so that Efua did not think about too many things. He gave her some money. Efua thanked the chief and asked for permission to leave.

The chief employed Efua on his farm. Any work, for which the chief required extra hands, he made sure Efua was among them, and she was paid handsomely.

There were rumours that the chief was marrying that dangerous woman. Efua Nyame Tsease never wanted to see a man again for the rest of her life, not to think of pregnancy and childbirth. It would remind her of the past.

But Nso Nyame Yε advised against that. It is only a man that can give the best comfort you need. And so when God gives courage to any man to come to you, never resist. You have experienced a lot and so whoever comes forward, you should pray over it and give him a chance.

That would be like sifting a grain of gold, out of sands of nonsense, Efua replied.

Poor Efua’s thinking diminished gradually, when she started working for the chief, and people respected her especially because of her closeness to the chief.

For the next three years she was reclaiming her beauty and she was becoming younger and younger. And she was possessed with self-confidence.

Men began to draw closer, but for fear of her past, no one wanted to go beyond casual greetings. Also, the fact that she was close to the chief, people were cautious in their dealings with her.

It came to a time that Efua became pregnant, and she couldn’t hide it any more. Her stomach was protruding.

People wanted to know who was responsible for the pregnancy, but Efua would not tell. Not even to Nso Nyame Yε. Efua would only tell people, "I thank