Against All Odds — Eritrean Millennium Poems by Reesom Haile

“The Next Generation,” by Reesom Haile

Reesom Haile

Well traveled and knowing many languages,
The next generation arrives.
Let’s rise to the occasion.
Welcome, Vielkomen, Bien Venue, Ben Venuto!
Let’s bathe your tired feet with hot water
And serve the best injera, vegetables, meat and drink.
Take this warm, white gabi to wrap yourself in.
Let’s walk the mountains and valleys
Given to us, we give them to you —
History and culture to read,
A legacy to satisfy your needs
And to share, even with strangers —
On one condition:
Don’t give it all away.


injera — traditional bread
gabi — traditional blanket/cloak

(English translation by Charles Cantalupo)

• Introduction
• Desta, by Reesom Haile
• Our Language, by Reesom Haile
• Knowledge, by Reesom Haile
• Learning from History, by Reesom Haile
• The Next Generation, by Reesom Haile