New Poetic Work By Ethiopian Immigrant Promotes Respect, Courage And Cultural Sensitivity

McLean, VA - "The Healing Conscious" tells the story of an Ethiopian immigrant boy on his fascinating journey to America and adulthood. Author Kifle Bantayehu, a 23 year-old second-generation Ethiopian immigrant, recounts this poignant tale in poetic format. His inspirational collection of poems reflects the final words and thoughts of a dying man who traveled across the world, raised a family and became successful-finally fulfilling the American dream.

These poems, written in a uniquely modern style, reflect a journey of sacrifice, courage and strength. "The ideals of cultural preservation, respect and love intertwine with each person encountered along the narrator's journey and serve as inspiration to all people, regardless of race religion or sex," states the introduction of the book.

Bantayehu says there have been very few work works of poetry written and published by Ethiopian authors. And he feels as though he's breaking new ground for this genre of literature by combining the English language with Ethiopian culture.

"The Healing Conscious" is available for pre-order at Borders and Barnes & Noble. It's also available online at Amazon.com and books.lulu.com at discounted pricing.

Part of the proceeds from book sales will be donated to Ethiopian Children's and Orphans' Association, Inc. (ECOA), 46664, Africare, the African AIDS Initiative and other organizations working to promote HIV awareness and helping those affected in Sub-Saharan and East Africa.

Bantayehu says he wrote the book-which is based on the lives of his parents- to tell the compelling story of an immigrant, who through much pain and sacrifice, was able to leave his homeland of Ethiopia with an equally-strong and motivated woman, and raise four children in the best possible environment for education, opportunity and happiness.

"Although, there are many wonderfully unique stories and novels depicting the lives of immigrants in America of backgrounds ranging from Italian, Irish, Chinese, and English, there has been little said of the sacrifices and contributions of the Ethiopian immigrant community residing in the United States," Bantayehu said, explaining his motivation. "Not only do we, as Ethiopians, possess over 2,000 years of a rich, cultural heritage, but we are a loving, caring and hard working people from whom the values of family, sacrifice, respect and camaraderie can be learned."

"The Healing Conscious" is meant to inspire immigrants and others to have faith in their dreams because anything is possible. It also seeks to stir cultural consciousness and sensitivity. Many people and the world community at large, don't take the time to understand a culture or society other than their own, Bantayheu says. And stereotypes, misconceptions, and hatred arise from our lack of knowledge.

"Whether Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim or any other ethnic or religious background, we all breathe the same air, feel fear, feel joy, shed tears, laugh, and love," he says. "Those innate qualities make us human."

Given the fears and prejudices that have arisen from the September 11 tragedy, "The Healing Conscious" promotes important principles for the entire global community to embrace and practice.

For more information about the book, please contact Kifle Bantayehu via phone / fax at (703) 628-3229 / (703) 448-0515 or email at kifle@globalcbp.com Additional information may be located at the following website: www.thehealingconscious.com.

About The Author

Kifle Bantayehu is a second-generation Ethiopian born in the United States in 1980. He grew up in Mexico, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and the United States. In 2002, he received his B.A. Degree from the University of Virginia and currently resides in Virginia, USA. He is a Distinguished Member of the International Society of Poets.

kifle@globalcbp.com

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/12/dozens_get_in_the_rhythm_for_states_1st_poetry_festcid=0ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNGycn3xkGXgZ5CXbB8Ng1T9xiSSwQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=wJq9CimYrHUJimgurl=cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/10/11/1223769683_6525.jpg width=53 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Boston Globe/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/12/dozens_get_in_the_rhythm_for_states_1st_poetry_festcid=0ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNGycn3xkGXgZ5CXbB8Ng1T9xiSSwQDozens get in the rhythm for state#39;s 1st bpoetry/b fest/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBoston Globe,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By John M. Guilfoil LOWELL - To Susan Roney-O#39;Brien, bpoetry/b is a rock-solid constant in an otherwise unpredictable life. quot;bPoetry/b is so important, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.elpasotimes.com/living/ci_10698135cid=1256781577ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNGxKvknSt3cyffLHLjlwd0qYcZRagEl Paso doctor adds essays to bpoetry/b in 2nd collection/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEl Paso Times,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b specialist and self-taught writer who first exposed his private thoughts in quot;The Forgotten Garden,quot; a self-published bilingual collection of bpoetry/b. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/12700/Peter-Ross-Liquor-laureate-whose.4583408.jpcid=1256632370ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNE1nLNFwtKkhGB5eDcK9vQ-D-zV1QPeter Ross: Liquor laureate whose bpoetry/b is the toast of the town/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fScotland on Sunday,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;There are dedicated Felix Dennis fans mouthing the bpoetry/b as he reads it, but there are also, clearly, those who have come for a free piss-up. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1252024.htmlcid=0ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNGGh7a6dF8iIT6e3V4mJp1OMsgArQThe birth of bpoetry/b online/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNews Observer,nbsp;NCnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1From the exchanges, the excellent bpoetry/b Web site bPoetry/b Daily (www.poems.com) was born. quot;The law publishing business was one of the first to get involved b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/news/2008/10/11/review-play-s-poetry-a-hit-with-the-pre-teens-91466-22010553/cid=1256388882ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNG1LljmYrUv06t_vsUuUPr4qXgJ7AReview: Play’s bpoetry/b a hit with the pre-teens/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWalesOnline,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobrOct 11, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1DIC Edwards’ latest, and maybe even last, play for young people is all about bpoetry/b. But at the same time Boy, written for Spectacle Theatre, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7661413.stmcid=1255809502ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNHMDZjyjmISEf_tKWdwn5oy-8bW1gimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=lM21jy0HcMAJimgurl=newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45093000/jpg/_45093655_-3.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2BBC News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/weekinreview/12orr.htmlcid=1255809502ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNEqyMIQ5Og-dlfHin5Lnwpd8A5iLAIdeas amp; Trends Yet Once More, a Laurel Not Bestowed/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The only problem is that the first half of the 20th century is widely considered a golden age of American bpoetry/b — a judgment supported not only by critics, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Editorial/COUNTER_VIEW_Juries_have_to_look_beyond_literary_merit/articleshow/3582083.cmscid=1255809502ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNEkFFvnfZKtJc4e24IrFjBRmuXH1QCOUNTER VIEW: Juries have to look beyond literary merit/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTimes of India/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2008/10/08/mclemeecid=1255809502ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNG76YE7tZcRsn1AR-kbg94qd5rBHAIg-Nobel Thoughts/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInside Higher Ed/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2008/10/08/odds-favor-amos-oz-for-nobel-prize-in-literature/cid=1255809502ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNFU3yHYqdcEzErDbz-ylZ4tS9hgLAOdds favor Amos Oz for Nobel Prize in Literature/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrChristian Science Monitor/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255809502hl=ennobrall 1,406 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1011/1223676792355.htmlcid=0ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNGh64OkvhoYPVLKaemeTuyqVKNA5QbPoetry/b Ireland celebrates 30th birthday/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fIrish Times,nbsp;Irelandnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1THE IRISH College and the Irish Embassy threw a spectacular 30th birthday party for bPoetry/b Ireland, featuring readings by leading Irish writers. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/oct/12/realism-lure-billy-collins-poetry-20081012/%3Fsubscriber/nationalcid=0ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNHX37E1NoBZ7lpO0HBpAa914ASSGwRealism is the lure in Billy Collins’ bpoetry/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fArkansas Online (subscription),nbsp;ARnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1BY JANET MASLIN THE NEW YORK TIMES Ballistics, by Billy Collins, 112 pages, Random House, $24 The poem is called “Old Man Eating Alone in a Chinese b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_10699267cid=0ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNG6hmTtNmkFLHfxvQZ5fCpaCZpwowbPoetry/b: bPoetry/b and photography are close kin/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Evening Sun,nbsp;PAnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Recently, I have been seeing a link between my bpoetry/b and my photography. At first I felt they must be related because I love both arts so well, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp%3Fcode%3D179750cid=1256321814ei=ZtrxSIKyAZf-6gP6wYybCwusg=AFQjCNG1uc2l3IyqaJuYjxxp5tlT63f0XAHafez bpoetry/b is imbued with spirituality of Quran: Khorramshahi/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTehran Times,nbsp;Irannbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1TEHRAN -- Hafez bpoetry/b is imbued with spirituality that emanates from the Quran, Hafez expert Baha’eddin Khorramshahi told MNA on the occasion of Hafez b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
poetry - Google News

Antidotes for an Alibi

Amy King's first full-length collection, Antidotes for an Alibi, insists... Read More

Walt Whitman, Romance With a Stranger

The concept of brief encounters, even romantic encounters, with a... Read More

Im Sorry Mom! A Mothers Day Poem

Mother's Day Poetry,I'm Sorry Mom!I'm sorry for the troubles ... Read More

Kens Poem

How wonderfully sweet to be a dweller dwelling... Read More

Mechanical Poetry

Do you ever stare at the paper, waiting for poetic... Read More

A Dose of Laughter

I'm not well. Can't you tell? Kinda low, so,... Read More

The Crusader: A Search for the Virtue Inside (an excerpt of an Epic Poem)

On through the darkness she searches the bones Seeking the... Read More

A Death in Cajamarca, Peru (Atahualpa, in Cajamarca ((in English and Spanish))

The Epic Poem:A Death in Cajamarca, Peru [Atahualpa, in Cajamarca]Advance:... Read More

I Saw the Universe

I can see the cerulean blue of the skiesOr the... Read More

Spell of the Andes: (in English and Spanish)

Note: written 4-15-05, while driving through the Andes of Peru,... Read More

Give Me a Lily Pad & The Continuum [two Poems]

What can I do to keep this world in its... Read More

Mechanical Poetry; Part Two

What do you do when you want to write poetry?... Read More

RISK

Do not be afraid to shine. This world needs what... Read More

Ode, to the Mighty Midget Omac [In English and Spanish]

Part One Midget HistoryI am thirty-six inches tall, that is... Read More

Elizabeth Barrett Browning: A Discussion of How Do I Love Thee?

"How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning was... Read More

Poetry in a Nutshell

Poetry is more than just rhyming and prose that is... Read More

Rhymes of an Ordnance Man [Vietnam War: 1971]

Rhymes of an Ordnance Man [Vietnam War: 1971]An eleven part... Read More

A World That Doesnt Care

War bombs may explode demolishing man and land. Hurricanes may... Read More

Black Blood, in Jeremiahs Vines - A Poem and an Article

Black Blood, in Jeremiah's Vines [A Dream Poem]And I heard... Read More

Wars, Air of Ambiguity [for: Lt. Laura Walker] in SPANISH and English

Wars, air of AmbiguityDedicated to 1st. Lt. Laura Walker (From... Read More

Since Youve Been Gone...

My life has changedin so so many waysIt seems to... Read More

Let Your Feelings Be Your Guide

The light of all eternity shines with me now /... Read More

The Merchant of Copan [In English and Spanish]

English VersionThe Merchant of Copan [480 AD]Advance: The ballgame at... Read More

Choices

You can do and you can be whatever you want.... Read More

Man Unbowed [A poem]

Man UnbowedUnbowed by sin, the world of man, stands Upon... Read More