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Rise and Fall of My Beloved
Rise and Fall of My Beloved is a collection of poetry and prose about resilience-about the experience of stigma and rejection, disease and suffering, love and care, loss and grief-and also a testimony of gratitude, forgiveness and togetherness. Each of its three parts is a journey through life's struggles, pain and loss, all of which require an inner force to overcome, build, rebuild, succeed and heal: resilience. It expresses an undercurrent to an imposed destiny or stigma.
Based on the life experience of my late brother, Rise and Fall of My Beloved is a tribute to mankind's resilience to overcome adversities. The book takes readers from his vulnerable childhood as a neglected orphan set to die, through a childhood in which he was bullied, to his rise as an accomplished engineer, and sadly to his fall as a dying patient of HIV/AIDS. Each poem depicts the essence of unconditional love and care, the dignity of dying of AIDS, forgiveness, and family bond. This book is a manifesto of my brother's exceptional resilience, the best memory of him that will live forever. It is an invitation, an inspiration, a reflection that, when mankind encounters struggles, disease, pain, death, loss, grief, we have to grieve and heal, and rebuild.
Based on the life experience of my late brother, Rise and Fall of My Beloved is a tribute to mankind's resilience to overcome adversities. The book takes readers from his vulnerable childhood as a neglected orphan set to die, through a childhood in which he was bullied, to his rise as an accomplished engineer, and sadly to his fall as a dying patient of HIV/AIDS. Each poem depicts the essence of unconditional love and care, the dignity of dying of AIDS, forgiveness, and family bond. This book is a manifesto of my brother's exceptional resilience, the best memory of him that will live forever. It is an invitation, an inspiration, a reflection that, when mankind encounters struggles, disease, pain, death, loss, grief, we have to grieve and heal, and rebuild.
- GenresPoetry
59 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 26, 2020
365 people want to read
About the author
Utanu Maa
1 book131 followersI live in Toronto and work as a public servant within the Ontario Court of Justice. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa where I studied French Literature and Law, I migrated to Montreal in 1991 where I lived for many years before heading to Toronto.
Thereafter I studied Fashion Marketing, Paralegal and then pursued a Law Degree that I am in the process of completing.
In 2004, I was a recipient of a prize for the Poetry contest organized by Canada Heritage during the celebration of the Francophonie, which is the global community of French speaking people. Couleur d'une langue (The Color of a language), my unpublished poem depicted the diversity and different accents that give rhythm and power to a language which becomes an umbrella of one identity.
Rise and Fall of My Beloved is my journey into the essence of an unconditional love and care; her heartbroken experience of accompanying a loved one dying of HIV/AIDS; my testimony and reflection as a witness of rejection and shame that our society put on patients of HIV/AIDS. The writing of Rise and Fall of My Beloved is my own lesson of resilience to deal with pain, loss, grief, to grieve, heal and continue with life after her brother's death.
Connect with Utanu on
Facebook & Amazon
Thereafter I studied Fashion Marketing, Paralegal and then pursued a Law Degree that I am in the process of completing.
In 2004, I was a recipient of a prize for the Poetry contest organized by Canada Heritage during the celebration of the Francophonie, which is the global community of French speaking people. Couleur d'une langue (The Color of a language), my unpublished poem depicted the diversity and different accents that give rhythm and power to a language which becomes an umbrella of one identity.
Rise and Fall of My Beloved is my journey into the essence of an unconditional love and care; her heartbroken experience of accompanying a loved one dying of HIV/AIDS; my testimony and reflection as a witness of rejection and shame that our society put on patients of HIV/AIDS. The writing of Rise and Fall of My Beloved is my own lesson of resilience to deal with pain, loss, grief, to grieve, heal and continue with life after her brother's death.
Connect with Utanu on
Facebook & Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 13, 2022
A beautiful ode to the author's brother. Just a screenshot of struggles, hardships, love and loss between family.
December 30, 2020
Very inspirational book, this book describes truthful and sadness in the story. It hurts that loved ones has to suffer and it hurts losing someone that the person was closed to. It such a tragic ending for both brother, sister and their family. It”s devastating when death leads to consequences for many family and friends. The describe as truthful event in the story. The book is very emotional, heartbreaking, sadness journey towards the end, and suffering.
February 25, 2021
I received a free digital copy of this collection through a giveaway hosted on GoodReads.
There are few things more heartbreaking in life than losing someone you care about. In The Rise and Fall of My Beloved, Maa helps her brother live on through her words, eulogizing him through narrative poems about his fight to be seen and respected in life, only to be cut down in his prime by the very cells within his body. It is also a warning about the importance of proper sexual education and medical care in less developed countries, as his death would have been preventable, had he had a better understanding of the risks that unprotected sex presented, or barring that, had been tested for HIV/AIDS sooner and, once the infection had been discovered, received better medical care like the kinds that HIV sufferers in richer countries are given to lengthen their life.
Mae's words are full of all the love and sadness she felt during her brother's journey from neglected I can't to well-loved professional and father. Her verses flow smoothly from one page to the next and strike right at the heart, making this collection difficult to put down and even harder to forget. Her poems include so much of both herself and her beloved brother that readers will feel like they are personal friends to the siblings, and will mourn Zola's eventual death by the inevitable march of immunodeficiency within him right alongside his sister.
The only (very minor) issue I feel must be pointed out is that there is a typo that should probably be corrected in the beginning of the introduction (To My Reader). Rather than what I assume is supposed to be 2019 (or perhaps 2009), Zola's death is stared to occur in 2109. While obviously not intentional, it stuck in my head while I was reading for some reason, and I imagine is something that both author and publisher would like corrected in the download file.
The poems contained within this book are lovely, and would be sure to touch any poetry fam who adds in to their collection. For readers who have a personal connection to the subject matter, perhaps who themselves have a friend or family member in the later stages of HIV/AIDS, this story would likely be particularly moving. Although it does not have what most would consider a "happy ending", it does have a hopeful ending, reminding readers that while sad, the end of a person's life in a situation such as this is also an end to their suffering, and for those with religious leanings, the beginning of that person's eternal reward in the afterlife. It also encourages family members to remember the sweet memories they have of that person, rather than forever dwelling upon the bitterness of their end. This is an excellent addition to any collection of poetry, however, as well as an excellent way to start many of the difficult conversations that society so sorely needs to have but have so far tried to avoid until they become unavoidable, at which point they often come much too late.
There are few things more heartbreaking in life than losing someone you care about. In The Rise and Fall of My Beloved, Maa helps her brother live on through her words, eulogizing him through narrative poems about his fight to be seen and respected in life, only to be cut down in his prime by the very cells within his body. It is also a warning about the importance of proper sexual education and medical care in less developed countries, as his death would have been preventable, had he had a better understanding of the risks that unprotected sex presented, or barring that, had been tested for HIV/AIDS sooner and, once the infection had been discovered, received better medical care like the kinds that HIV sufferers in richer countries are given to lengthen their life.
Mae's words are full of all the love and sadness she felt during her brother's journey from neglected I can't to well-loved professional and father. Her verses flow smoothly from one page to the next and strike right at the heart, making this collection difficult to put down and even harder to forget. Her poems include so much of both herself and her beloved brother that readers will feel like they are personal friends to the siblings, and will mourn Zola's eventual death by the inevitable march of immunodeficiency within him right alongside his sister.
The only (very minor) issue I feel must be pointed out is that there is a typo that should probably be corrected in the beginning of the introduction (To My Reader). Rather than what I assume is supposed to be 2019 (or perhaps 2009), Zola's death is stared to occur in 2109. While obviously not intentional, it stuck in my head while I was reading for some reason, and I imagine is something that both author and publisher would like corrected in the download file.
The poems contained within this book are lovely, and would be sure to touch any poetry fam who adds in to their collection. For readers who have a personal connection to the subject matter, perhaps who themselves have a friend or family member in the later stages of HIV/AIDS, this story would likely be particularly moving. Although it does not have what most would consider a "happy ending", it does have a hopeful ending, reminding readers that while sad, the end of a person's life in a situation such as this is also an end to their suffering, and for those with religious leanings, the beginning of that person's eternal reward in the afterlife. It also encourages family members to remember the sweet memories they have of that person, rather than forever dwelling upon the bitterness of their end. This is an excellent addition to any collection of poetry, however, as well as an excellent way to start many of the difficult conversations that society so sorely needs to have but have so far tried to avoid until they become unavoidable, at which point they often come much too late.
April 25, 2021
I won ‘The Rise & Fall Of My Beloved’ from a Goodreads Giveaway and even though I am under no obligation to leave a review I am more than happy to support our wonderful talented authors.
I was so moved by the raw emotion from the collection of Poetry in this book. The author shows her vulnerability by describing her feelings regarding her brothers life Journey. AIDS is still a Pandemic in this Country, it is so devastating to watch the person you love suffer so awfully from this disease. I was captivated by the honest, emotional, heart wrenching, loving and inspirational words from the first page on to the very last page. In fact once I started reading it I was hooked and could not stop until it was finished. It was very well written but make sure you have plenty of tissues on hand because it will tug at your heart strings. Excellent Read. A definite five star recommendation!
I was so moved by the raw emotion from the collection of Poetry in this book. The author shows her vulnerability by describing her feelings regarding her brothers life Journey. AIDS is still a Pandemic in this Country, it is so devastating to watch the person you love suffer so awfully from this disease. I was captivated by the honest, emotional, heart wrenching, loving and inspirational words from the first page on to the very last page. In fact once I started reading it I was hooked and could not stop until it was finished. It was very well written but make sure you have plenty of tissues on hand because it will tug at your heart strings. Excellent Read. A definite five star recommendation!
May 2, 2021
This book was very touching and the narrative allows for you to really feel for the main character. The use of poetry was an effective way in connecting to the emotions that is felt by the narrator. The narrator uses poetry to discuss a wide range of feelings as they watch someone close to them face challenges that is life changing. This author does a great job in bringing the reader into their world and leaves the reader thinking about the cherished relationships in their life.
Great Book for those that want an emotional connection while reading a story.
Great Book for those that want an emotional connection while reading a story.
March 20, 2021
Well written, courageous and emotional. The author bares her soul, pulls back a curtain and walks us through her brother's life journey. I have long been grieved by the pandemic of AIDS in Africa but this collection of poetry is so raw with emotion that anyone who reads it will be moved. While this story, told in poetry, is a so so sad there is an uplifting message that "love conquers all" even death. Utanu has written a very powerful book and I am happy to have read it.
April 23, 2022
Tragic and sad
This is more than a book of poetry. It is about a love one who struggle to achieve a life he deserve only to end in a horrible death.
This is more than a book of poetry. It is about a love one who struggle to achieve a life he deserve only to end in a horrible death.
March 9, 2021
This book is an empowering poetry in hard times, a great lesson of resilience and gratitude despite challenges. Gratitude is fundamental to building resilience to overcome loss, grief, disease or pandemic, and struggles of all kinds. An inspirational testimony of love and forgiveness. A reflection on compassion and human's dignity. An emotional read based on a true personal experience.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews