Fortunate Kelechi Ekwuruke
Where do I return to at night?
When the lights go dim and the roads no longer bustle with the excitement of destination?
Anticipation has come to its resting place
My eyes have seen all that my ears were told I would encounter
I left my home and I am unsure if I can still recognize the road
They told me that what I would behold outside was greater
But only when it is morning
Only when the sun shines and lights the path
The sun has now returned to its home
Where do I go?
I exchanged my home for a dream sold to me with a no-return policy
Will Home still remember me?
If I bring her a gift, will she forgive me?
If I promise to restore all the years that were eaten
All the years that the land was abandoned with no one to till the ground
If I lay prostrate on the ground, with my heart to the earth
Will my heartbeat rejuvenate the soil?
Will new fruit come forth?
Perhaps the sun will have a reason to venture out of its home
To shine a bit brighter
If I return
- Return by Fortunate Kelechi
Fortunate is a gifted writer, academic scholar, youth advocate, and spoken word poet born and raised in Brooklyn, New York with Nigerian heritage. She is currently based in Chicago, Illinois where she is pursuing a doctoral degree in Human Development and Social Policy at Northwestern University.
Prior to her graduate studies, Fortunate worked with homeless children in New York City, an experience that motivated her to learn more about the larger structures involved in homelessness and the way it affects young people. During her masters program in Education, Culture, and Society at the University of Pennsylvania, she became interested in exploring the experiences of homeless children and youth in Nigeria, a country with one of the largest out-of-school populations in the world.
As an interdisciplinary doctoral student, her current research examines issues related to housing insecurity, adolescent development, education, and non-governmental organizations, primarily in West Africa. In addition to her doctoral work, Fortunate has also provided research and writing services to local and national organizations such as The Dikan Center in Accra, Ghana and the National Center for Teach Residencies in the United States. Overall, she pursues her research agenda with the goal of informing equitable education policies, programs, and interventions for the most vulnerable young people.
As a Spoken Word Poet, Fortunate actively seeks ways to use her gift and encourage others to do the same. In 2022, she was invited by The Destiny Trust Children Foundation (TDT), a Nigerian organization that provides shelter and educational support to housing insecure children and youth, to present a spoken word at the their 10-year anniversary celebration in Lagos. After the presentation, Fortunate collaborated with the TDT to create a short film using the poem titled Adanne’s Tale, a fictional depiction of the everyday life of a homeless girl in Lagos. The project was published to spread awareness of these realities and solicit for support.
Fortunate has also been privileged to speak at prominent events such as the annual RCCG The Americas Convention in Dallas, Texas and Garment of Praise hosted by Reverend Denzel Prempeh in Accra, Ghana. Her latest project titled “Holy” features international singer and songwriter Tomi Favored, with a unique blend of spoken word and spontaneous worship displaying the holiness of God.
She is also the founder of Poets Speak Louder, a faith-based organization dedicated to empowering young people to use their gift of poetry to positively impact our world. Since its conception, Poets Speak Louder has hosted virtual and in-person workshops with over 60 participants across different parts of the U.S., Canada, and Nigeria.
The Poetic Academic Blog
For my intellectual musings with a narrative twist.
So, the name might be self-explanatory: I’m a poet and an academic, hence “The Poetic Academic”. But what is The Poetic Academic Blog? Well, you’re about to find out. You want to know a secret though: I don’t exactly know myself [oops!], but I figured we could go on this journey together. The journey where I let my thoughts drive my fingers and surprise my eyes with the words on the screen. Now, let’s see where this journey will begin. Here goes something... [unintentional rhyming, but hey— there’s no denying that I am a poet].
