LIVING IN THE TIME OF HELTER SKELTER

By P. Sulon Dolo

The main aim of this poetry is to express some of the feelings that were created by the deadly Liberian civil crisis that led many dead, homeless and mentally disturbed, socially, morally, and economically imbalanced. The result of these conditions set heavy grief and frustration in my heart as the author of this book.
Most of the poems have emotional tones because of the mood and personal experiences of the writer. However, these poems are intended to bring consolation and joy in the minds of its readers in order to let out bad feelings. I am aware that negative feeling, which includes anger, contempt, guilt and fear, must be minimized, if not eradicated in our daily lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9798823022156

P. Sulon Dolo

Helter Skelter P. Sulon Dolo Over four decades, P. Sulon Dolo has worked as a classroom instructor, school administrator and educational director in Liberia and Ivory Coast. He has participated in educational seminars, conferences, and workshops in and out of Liberia. P. Sulon Dolo had taught at the William V.S Tubman High School and the Haywood Industrial Mission School in Monrovia, Liberia. He had taught English, and served as a Vice Principal for Administration and Instruction at the Dolokelen Gboveh High School in Gbarnga, Liberia. Dolo was Principal of the D.T. Woah Tee Public School in Gboamu, and the Victoria Tolbert Yancy Memorial Junior High School in Jorwah, Liberia. He was the District and County Education Officer for Bong County in Liberia. He served as Director of Teacher Education, Ministry of Education, Assistant Professor and Chairman of the Department of English and Literature at the United Methodist University, as Chairman of the Department of English and Literature, Liberia College, and at present as lecturer in this Department and at the William V.S Tubman Teachers College, University of Liberia. Dolo wrote Basic English and Grammar & Literature Study Guide. He has drafted a book in School Administration and Supervision. He is the founder and consultant of the Dolo Community School in Gbarnga and the Lumagnet Institute in Monrovia. Also, he is the Founder and Consultant of the Liberia Education Relief Services (LEDS), Inc., Liberia. P. SULON DOLO is an Assistant Professor of English and Literature, University of Liberia and elder in his local church. He holds BSc. degree in English Education; Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of Liberia, Master of Arts degree in Professional Studies in Education from the Virtual University, Austria, and candidate, Post Graduate Diploma in Education at the Indira Gandhi National Open University, India.

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© 2022 P. Sulon Dolo. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 02/13/2024

ISBN: 979-8-8230-2216-3 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-8230-2215-6 (e)

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Contents

Dedication

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Helter-Skelter

The Mourning Blood

The Signs of Nature

Planets Show Their Signs

Days to Live in Camps

Ascended Only to Descend

Look for Peace

Pardon Pot

Seek the Birds

Beautiful Mistress

Africa Sleeps

The Blue Sky

Thick Nick

What a Loss

Discipline Me

The Longest Night

June Nine

Peace Is Love

Happy Mood

The Gloomy Way

Songs iin Trees

Love a Pet

So Busy

A Writer

Tasted the Taboo

Palm Tree Falls

Still Have Joy

The Message Bird

Exile

Sweeping Broom

River Fish

Kola Nut

Melancholy

Death Took Him

Palm Oil

Lamb Departed

Joy for Child

Mandinka Drum

Loneliness

Dew on Hill

The Rain

Feeding Like Fowl

Playday

Still Gloomy

Dancing Thing

Little Child

Cowardliness

Daily Gossip

Hang Heads

Beach Sight

Dark City

Sky-High

So Strange

Telephone Life

Little Kids

Temperate Bird

Where Are They?

Only One Purpose

Culture Lost

All Equal

African in the US

Shadow and Character

Perplexity

French Fries

September Swept

Slump City

Little City

Hassle

I Have a Loving Father

My Susannah

We Were Like Animals

About the Author

Dedication

To my dearest wife, Lucy B. Y. Dolo,

My beloved mother, Swah Koko Dolo,

My adored daughter, Susannah Dolo.

Your departure left me brokenhearted.

Foreword

I am fascinated to write the foreword of this book. I take the opportunity as a privilege to aid the patriot P. Sulon Dolo in this effort as my elder, former English instructor, and regional education director. I have come to discover that he possesses the unique qualities of integrity and honesty with a positive attitude and confidence in presenting himself as a diligent public servant. Over the years, he has always aimsed at satisfying the thirst of humanity through his spirit of fetching resources to promote massive educational development.

P. Sulon Dolo pens his emotions into a poetic work about wars, especially the ones that existed in his birth country, of Liberia. He attempts to seeknse out reasons why violence has life-long consequences to slow down every developmental initiative in any nation.

He considers that we live in an age where violence has become the recipe of our lives instead of promoting and utilizing educational opportunities. He thinks that if an urgent care is not unearthed, our society wouldill continue to experience the snares of athe high illiteracy rate, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, as well as mass homicide, and suicide.

He, also, underscores that nowadays, we are vulnerable to electronic gadgets; they have become our daily tasks;, spending precious times, watching violent events, instead of reading and reading. He discloses that scientists advise that the excessive use of these gadgets may cause unhealthy conditions: addiction and mental damage;, loss of interests in reading and writing;, and less interest in verbal communication and human interaction. Butesides, he still has confidence that we have much time to figure out how we can use technology to preserve and promote poetry.

Reading this book, you will find it easy to believe the view that patriots are born, and their contributions live forever. I am sure that P. Sulon Dolo’s contributions will live beyond our time. His metaphorical poems highlight that civil conflicts usually spread from one person to the other;, from one region to multiple ones. He provides a compelling core for every citizen to show unconditional and benevolent love for our nation and people.

I personally congratulate patriot P. Sulon Dolo and highly recommend his enormous work to readers as his contribution to our academic world.

Dr. Adventor Trye, Sr.

Minneapolis, MinnesotaUSA

Preface

Poetry is essentially important; it has been, and it will always remain as one of the main strings of our existence. Most social scientists concur that poetry conveys emotions in beautiful language or imagery about a person, idea, concept, or thing to enlighten our minds and appreciate the world we dwell herein. Also, they reveal that poetry serves as a therapeutic medium that heals our wounded hearts and enables us to acquire wisdom and knowledge.

The main aim of this poetry collection is to express some of the feelings that were created by the deadly Liberian civil crisis that ledft many dead and, homeless. Many were left and mentally disturbed and, socially, morally, and economically imbalanced. The result of these conditions set heavy grief and frustration in my heart as the author of this book.

Most of the poems have emotional tones because of the mood and personal experiences of the writer. However, these poems are intended to bring consolation and joy into the minds of itstheir readers in order to let out bad feelings. I am aware that negative feelings, which —includesing anger, contempt, guilt, and fear, —must be minimized, if not eradicated in our daily lives.

As the author, I used many styles, personal, but the narrative style to points out the evils humankind continues to experience.

It is my ardent hope that this book will provide you with athe sense of motivation, strength, and peace we strive to maintain in the importance of poetry.

P. Sulon Dolo

Gbarnga

Acknowledgments

Obviously, I am grateful to my Creator and my Lord, who gave me the wisdom, knowledge, and strength to write this book of poetry.

I remain humbly indebted to my parents for accepting the responsibility from God to bring me into this world and providing those needs that prepared me to be a useful citizen of the human community. I am grateful to my family and relatives whose time and resources I used to write this book.

I would surely bear the guilt of ingratitude if I did not recognize the diligent service of Mr. Darius Natt Gbaquie, who painfully and enduringly typed this manuscript, as well as Dr. Adventor Trye, Sr., who contributed poems and edited this book. Also, I am grateful to the editor and publishers at AuthorHouse for setting aright the publication of this book.

I stand delighted to recognize students at the University