Liberian Literary Magazine
impress me, and am hoping
they will be brave to allow
other writers, and it can be
writers from other countries,
to help them, to look at their
work. Writers who have
succeeded are often very
busy, so it takes patience
and humility to get noticed
by a busy writer, so be
patient and lose your pride.
I have seen some fine
poems from writers like
Ralph Geplay and others,
and I am proud of them.
Hopefully, he will develop
into the writer he is meant to
be. Wayetu Moore is a
writer I’m looking to see
become a great writer. She
has time under her belt. I
could not list the many
younger writers I am proud
of, many of them. I don’t
want to say I am proud of
where we are at the
moment, but I believe
we’re putting Liberia on the
map.
I also believe that Liberian
writers need to read more
good writing. I am shocked
that
other
Africans,
including,
Ghanaians,
Nigerians, Kenyans, and
other Africans are the ones
teaching, reading, writing
and
publishing
critical
reviews
on,
doing
dissertations on my work,
and attending conferences
to present my works and
Liberians who want to be
writers are instead not
interested in what I have
done for their literature.
See, I am not looking for
recognition
from
my
people.
Promoting Liberian literature, Arts and Culture
No. I have my flowers
already, and I am not
greedy for recognition from
my own, but we need to
work together to help our
younger ones rise.
I have several books in my
library that I read regularly
when I find the time, books
by
Liberian
authors,
whether they are famous or
not, whether I love these
writers or not, I value them
because their voice is
essential to our literature,
and I celebrate their efforts.
I hope that one day, I’ll
find the time to work on my
bigger projects of unifying
our literature the way I see
it. In the meantime, I am
proud of what you and
others are doing.
15) Any last words?
Oh, gosh, I did not know I
would ever get to the end,
hahahaha, this laugh is for
you, Forte, you, hahaha.
You are some interviewer. I
love what you’re doing.
Here are my last words.
Congratulations to you and
to all of your staff, those
who have been helpful in
pushing this magazine. It is
always a pleasure to
interview with my people. I
have done so many
interviews for so many
magazines
across
the
world, I am always afraid of
interviews, so forgive my
delay.
For those of you who
misunderstand me, well,
what can I say? I do not
believe
in
negative
competition, so I say, let’s
23
work together. Let us be
one. I have a poem, “When
Monrovia Rises,” coming
out in the new book, and in
that poem, I say that we are
all one people. Your
success is my success. Here
is what I leave you,
something I have been
thinking
and
putting
together in my imagistic
mind: ---If you have a big
brother or sister who has
walked the path and
cleared the dew so you
can pass, do not try to build
a new footpath, clear your
brush
and
wet
your
garment to get to the same
destination
your
sister/brother has already
arrived. Walk that path,
take their hand, let them be
your bridge, do not burn it
down or build a new one.
We are where we are
because someone let us
stand on their shoulder to
see the top of the tree.
Don’t try to wait until you
are tall enough to see. I am
always learning, and I can
learn from you even if you
do not want to learn from
me. Thank you, and may
God bless your efforts and
may God bless Liberia and
Africa.
Patricia Jabbeh Wesley