Essential Nature

By Ali Ibrahim Karim

Essential Nature, is a powerful collection of poems that tackles various social issues, with a specific focus on gun violence. The book provide a thought-provoking exploration of these themes, inviting readers to reflect on the essence of life and the impact of voilence on individuals and communities. Essential Nature captures the essence of human existence and exposes the devastating impacts of gun violence. The poems create an evocative  emotional connection with readers, shedding light on important social issue and offering a call to action for change. This powerful collection serves as a catalyst for reflection, empathy, and collective effort towards building a better future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ali Ibrahim Karim
• Release date: May 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224159628

Ali Ibrahim Karim

As one of 11 boys, Karim’s life in Ghana changed dramatically after his mother passed away. He was just eight years old. He went to live with an uncle and his conscientious studying paid off with a scholarship to the University of Damascus. Ever since he was a teenager in Ghana in the early 1970’s, Ali Karim was fascinated by the United States. But it would be another 40 years, into his late 50’s and over thousands of miles traveled all over the world before he would make it to the U.S. and become a citizen. His journey to the U.S. took him to Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Iran, China and Japan before finally arriving in 2004. Six years later, he met the “amazing 1199 member” who would become his wife. She encouraged him to get a job at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. He started as a housekeeper and studied to become a Patient Care Associate. Since working at Mt. Sinai, he has committed himself to providing empathic care to all he comes into contact with patients, families and co-workers. He began to involve himself with art coloring while taking care of a patient who was on a one-to-one on the KP4 Women’s Health unit and he recently displayed his work at the GYN Ovarian Cancer fair in September of 2018 and 2019.He started writing poetry sonn after that and to date, he has written five poerty books including this one.

Book preview

1.  Gun Violence

Guns of strife doth roam the land,

Their bullets pierce with deadly hands,

Innocent lives taken in a flash,

A senseless act, a brutal crash.

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Families shattered, hearts in pain,

Tears that fill like bitter rain,

Oh, how our world has lost its way.

Let us search for a better day.

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May we find a way to end this plight,

To walk together in the light.

Let us come together, hand in hand,

And build a world where peace shall stand.

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May the guns of war lay down and rest,

And in their place, a world be blessed,

A world where love and hope abound,

And gun violence forever be drowned.

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Innocent souls, lost in a flash,

Their stories silenced; their dreams dashed.

Bullets flying, guns blazing,

A world where fear and pain are amazing.

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The smoke clears, the bodies fall,

Their loved ones left with nothing at all.

Empty beds, broken hearts,

And a nation torn apart.

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How many more must suffer this fate?

How many more must bear this weight?

We must stand up, we must unite,

To put an end to this endless fight.

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Let us raise our voice, let us shout,

For a safer world, without a doubt.

Let us put down our weapons, let us pray,

For the victims of this senseless display.

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No more tears, no more pain,

No more lives lost in vain.

Let us join together, hand in hand,

To make a world that we can all understand.

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Thunderous cracks and screams,

A life that shatters into broken dreams,

Bodies cry out in pain and fear,

As violence grip the atmosphere.

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A world where the guns speak louder,

Than the voice of mothers and fathers.

Its bullet is the arbiter of fate,

Over the innocent and the great.

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What price do we pay for our freedom?

When lives are taken in continuous random.

Our hearts filled with sadness and grief,

As we strive to find some relief.

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We pray for a world that’s more just,

Where guns can never ever cause so much dust.

Where children can go to school without fear,

And no more families shed a tear.

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May love and kindness reign in our land,

And never again shall gun violence take a stand.

May this be our hope, our fervent prayer,

For a better world, for a tomorrow that’s fair.

2. Cellphones & Youth

In our hands, we hold the key

To a world beyond our reach,

Through screens that constantly glow

Our youth’s attention is breached.

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Our minds are drifting away

From the world that surrounds us

As our gaze locks on to screen,

The real world becomes less thus.

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Our fingers swipe and tap away

In a never-ending trance.

We’re caught up in a world

That offers instant gratification, but no chance.

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No chance for real connection,

No chance for true face-to-face.

As we lose ourselves in technology,

Our social skills start to fade away.

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The world is at our fingertips,

But we’re losing what’s real and true.

The cellphone holds us captive

And we don’t know what to do.

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Perhaps it’s time to put it down,

To take a breath of fresh air,

To open our eyes to the world again

And show that we really care.

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For we are only young once

And youth is meant for the living.

Let’s not let technology dictate

The one life we’ve been given.

3.  An Ode to My Daughter-in-Law

In the hearts of mountains, where echoes dwell,

There blooms a flower, a tale to tell,

Meryem, daughter-in-law fair and bright,

A beacon of love, a guiding light.

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Her laughter dances like the breeze,

Whispers of joy, a tender tease,

In her eyes, the wisdom of the ages,

A soul pure, written on ancient pages.

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Her presence a melody, a gentle song,

In her embrace, all troubles belong,

With grace that softens the hardest stone,

Meryem, a queen on her throne.

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From her hands, kindness flows like a stream,

In her dreams, a vision of beauty gleam,

A daughter-in-law, a treasure rare,

In her heart, love beyond compare.

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Meryem, in you, the world finds hope,

In your love, we learn to cope,

Ode to you, my daughter-in-law divine,

In your light, may our souls intertwine.

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4.  Mr. & Mrs. Karim

In a quaint village nestled by the sea,

Lived Mr. and Mrs. Karim, a bond so free.

Their love was a symphony, sweet and pure,

Each glance, each touch, an ode to endure.

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Mr. Karim, with eyes as deep as night,

A soul as gentle as the morning light.

His words a melody, soothing and kind,

In his arms, Mrs. Karim found peace of mind.

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Mrs. Karim, a vision of grace and charm,

With a heart so tender, a love so warm.

Her laughter like music, a joyous tune,

In her husband's embrace, the stars and moon.

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Together they waltzed through life's twists and turns,

Through sunlit days and moonlit yearns.

Their love a story written in the stars above,

A testament to the enduring power of love.

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So, raise a glass to Mr. and Mrs. Karim,

In their love, we find solace and whim.

May their bond be eternal, steadfast and true,

A poetry of love, forever anew.

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5. Fast Food

In plastic seats we sit and wait

For burgers, fries, and all things great

A quick fix for our hunger pains

But oh, the cost to our health gains.

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The grease and salt fill up our veins

As we indulge in these fast-food chains

Our stomachs may be full for now

But what is the cost? Oh, tell me how.

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Our bodies suffer, our hearts grow weak

As we continue this fast-food streak

Our wallets may be happy for a time

But our health will decline, oh so divine.

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So, as we sit and wait and munch

Let us not forget the deadly punch

That fast food lands upon our frame

And let us opt for healthier aim.

In a world that moves at a frenzied pace,

We look for food that's quick to face.

Fast food joints abound on every street,

Where we can grab a sandwich or a treat.

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The burger, fries, and soda combo,

Is popular with kids, young and old.

Indulgence is the name of the game,

But at what cost to our health and frame?

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We line up, we order, we gobble up,

Our senses lost in the frantic rush.

But beneath the grease and salt and fat,

Lies a longing that we cannot combat.

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We crave the comfort and convenience it brings,

The instant gratification of simple things.

We turn a blind eye to the truth we know,

That fast food is the foe of health and flow.

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We've traded taste for speed,

And in doing so, we've sown the seed

Of sickness and disease that we cannot ignore,

For our bodies will suffer more and more.

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So, let us make a conscious choice

To choose go slow and listen to our inner voice.

For food is nourishment that fuels our mind and soul,

And fast food is an illusion that we need to let go.

6. Health Care

In the halls of life's delicate balance,

Health care stands as a beacon of solace,

A gentle touch, a soothing presence,

A symphony of healing, a resolute essence.

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With hands adorned in compassion's embrace,

A pledge to mend, to heal, to erase,

The ailments that afflict, the pain that resides,

The frailty and suffering that life often hides.

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Oh, Health care, guardian of well-being,

A sanctuary where hope finds its meaning,

Amidst the chaos of uncertainty's haze,

You offer comfort, a guiding blaze.

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From tender cradle to aged twilight's glow,

You hold steadfast, helping mankind grow,

A healer's touch, a balm for the weary,

Restoring vigor, reigniting life's fury.

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You stand beyond the realm of gold and creed,

An equalizer for those in need,

In clinic's hush or hospital's flurry,

You navigate the depths of life's worry.

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Through battles fought with skill and grace,

The art of medicine brings solace, a trace,

Of miracles woven in science's thread,

Where broken dreams find pathways to mend.

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Yet, in a world where shadows may fall,

Health care faces trials, hearing the call,

To bridge disparities, to mend broken hearts,

To ensure