Rise and Fall of My Beloved
by Utanu Maa
GENRE: Poetry
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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.
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EXCERPT:
The Viral Load
Two critical factors would determine Zola’s chances of survival:
The level of the viral load versus the CD4 count in his body.
“The CD4 are the white blood cells,” the doctor explained,
The master of the body’s immune response against viruses,
The army of soldiers to fight or kill viruses in a human’s body.
“The lower the viral load detected, the higher the CD4,” said
the doctor,
“The best indication of a healthy body’s immune response to
fight back or retaliate
And to protect an HIV/AIDS patient from any opportunistic
virus.”
But Zola’s viral load stood higher than the white blood cells to
form
A propitious state for Tuberculosis and Cryptococcal Meningitis.
Two new opportunistic infections were more deadly than HIV.
The doctor explained that the lifesaving treatment to save Zola
From Cryptococcal Meningitis was a generic drug called L-AmB,
A pill to expand his life expectancy but unaffordable,
Expensive, and inaccessible to some countries worldwide.
Intellectual property and patent of one pharmaceutical firm,
This drug is only registered in six countries on the planet Earth.
Zola, born and living in a less-developed geographic setting,
Would not benefit, but miraculously the doctor saved him
By a miracle of fervent faith and prayers or a reminiscent
resilience.
But in the aftermath, his thinning body looked skeletal and
weak.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
I am Utanu MAA. I 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 before migrating to Canada in 1991, and thereafter studied Fashion Marketing, Paralegal and Law (1year) programs. In 2004, I was a recipient of a prize for the Poetry contest organized by Canada Heritage during the celebration of the Francophonie. "Couleur d'une langue" (The Color of a language), my unpublished poem about the diversity and different accents that give rhythm and power to a language to become an umbrella of one identity. "Rise and Fall of My Beloved" is also my own journey into unconditional love and care, and the resilience to deal with pain, loss, grief, to grieve, heal and continue with life after my brother's death.
Connect with Utanu Maa:
http://utanumaa.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorUtanuMaa
Purchase Links:
AMAZON.COM
https://amazon.com/dp/0228836506
AMAZON.CA
https://amazon.ca/dp/0228836506
KINDLE
https://amazon.com/dp/B08M2DNJHP
BOOKSHOP
https://bookshop.org/books/rise-and-fall-of-my-beloved/9780228836506
INDIGO CHAPTERS
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/rise-and-fall-of-my/9780228836513-item.html
BARNES & NOBLE
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rise-and-fall-of-my-beloved-utanu-maa/1138021915
BOOK DEPOSITORY
https://www.bookdepository.com/Rise-and-Fall-of-My-Beloved-Utanu-Maa/9780228836506
RAKUTEN KOBO
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/rise-and-fall-of-my-beloved
SMASHWORDS
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1051884
APPLE BOOKS
https://books.apple.com/us/book/rise-and-fall-of-my-beloved/id1538242460~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you to Let me tell you a story for having me. I also extend my gratitude to Goddess Fish Promotions for organizing this book tour. I also say a special thanks to every followers/readers for stopping by and kindly leaving a comment. I like reading them and replying to your questions. I will stay connected, so feel free to ask questions. I hope that your holiday season was marvelous and that your are all well and safe, and resilient. Please check my book giveaway and enter the contest to win a discount. If you like the excerpt, please know that I write to tell a true story on a subject that many can related to directly or indirectly because the HIV infection is still disastrous for the mankind and we need to be aware and safe. I lost my brother to this disease, and witnessed the devastation on a human's life, and how the opportunistic viruses decimate the human body and precipitate it to death. So, my writing is to bring awareness from a true personal testimony. I wish that you could learn something from the excerpt and/or the entire book of 31 poems. Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year 2021. Thank you again
DeleteGreat cover, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Rita, thank you for following the tour and kindly leaving a comment. I am glad that you like the excerpt. I can tell you that I write about a true personal experience of a human being and his existential struggles from an early age up to death, and the resilience to overcome each time; a story which anybody can related to directly or indirectly. The book depicts the devastation on a human's life by HIV/AIDS, and how the opportunistic viruses decimate the human body and precipitate it to death. You will exit this reading journey not only inspired by resilience but also with a lesson of gratitude even in hard times because gratitude leads to and nourishes resilience. On that note, I wish you a Happy New year 2021.
DeleteSounds like a very good book.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Sherry for checking me out and kindly leaving a comment. It is Very much appreciated. Please take advantage of the giveaway and enter the contest for a win. You can read more of my book excerpts from my facebook page @AuthorUtanuMaa, and from my website at utanumaa.com. Thanks and good nights
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