Stacey Lentz, a special corresponded with The Charlotte (North Carolina) Observer, Amazon.com and Cherry Valley Books have recently interviewed Rev. Addo.

When the Rev. Peter Addo speaks, you can hear the music of his native tongue.

And that music plays loudly in his poetry.

The former Statesville resident has had several books published over the years, including folktale writings and, most recently, a collection of poems called Talking Drums (Dorrance Publishing Co., $8).

Addo was born and raised in Ghana, in West Africa, and his latest book spans personal experiences in his home country and the United States.

"As long as I can remember, I've been writing poetry," said Addo, a pleasant, soft-spoken man who hides a chuckle in his voice. "This is really a collection that spans over 40 years."

Curiosity brought Addo to America. "I wanted to see what is outside," he said. "I was really impressed with the American principles of life. I was impressed with the practicality. I like the way they taught. It was doing instead of theory."

Addo was pastor at several Iredell County United Methodist churches, including Scotts Chapel, Faith, St. Paul, and Morrows Chapel. In all, he has pastored at least 17 churches in North Carolina.

"Talking Drums" covers such issues as Ghana gaining independence, times of war and conditions of his birthplace. His poem, "An Ode to the First Anniversary of Ghana's Independence," is one of his most memorable. The poem speaks of the land's "hard won freedom."

It's the latest of several works, including How the Spider Became Bald: Folktales and Legends from West Africa and Ghana Folktales.

"My greatest influence in writing is Kwame Nkrumah (the founder of the Republic of Ghana)," Addo said. "I met him after the first year of our independence and after I had written the ode to the first anniversary of Ghana's independence. He said to me, `You have talent. Continue. You study hard.' I have kept these poems in his honor."

In Talking Drums, the poet also writes about Jesus, Princess Diana, Mother Teresa, the Oklahoma City bombing, New York City and children.

"A Jazz Junkie" tells of a student who visited Addo during his professor days. It was the time of great jazz music, and the young graduate student was writing a paper on the history of the jazz influence on African music. Addo encouraged him, and in his poem, Addo remembers the feelings jazz evokes.

"I really had no idea that I'd put it in book form," said Addo. "(The poems) are really not all here. Years ago, I'd write them and give them away for occasions. I didn't keep a copy. Later, my wife collected many of them, and, finally, I had enough to make selections for a book."

One of the selections that made the cut was "The Bus Not Taken," a poem that speaks of boarding a bus to go to other places in life.

"I let the students tell me what their interpretation of this poem was," said Addo. "They saw it as: Having a ticket will not take you where you want to go. You have to have the right ticket, the right bus, the right station, before you will get to where you want to go."

- The Charlotte (NC) Observer, June 25, 2000

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Amazon.com: How did you begin writing? Did you intend to become an author, or do you have a specific reason or reasons for writing each book?

P.A.: I began writing because I wanted to preserve the rich tradition of folklore from my people, the Ga in Ghana, West Africa. I started writing poetry at a very young age, and then realized that as the years passed the folktales we were enjoying were being lost because of radio and television. I also met individuals who did not know the stories. Before I realized it, I had quite a collection of folktales. After I married, my wife encouraged me to publish them. After a few years of research, it resulted in the publication of Ghana Folktales in the 1960s. My most recent publication is How the Spider Became Bald: Folktales and Legends from West Africa in 1993.

Amazon.com: What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writings?

P.A.: I like to read Charles Dickens, Scott Peck, Colin Turnbull, Ralph Ellison, Alice Walker, James Baldwin, and Chester Himes Turnbull, James Robertson, Reginald Fuller, and Achebe. Langston Hughes has had a great influence on my writing of poetry.

Amazon.com: Could you describe the mundane details of writing: How many hours a day do you devote to writing? Do you write a draft on paper or at a keyboard (typewriter or computer)? Do you have a favorite location or time of day (or night) for writing? What do you avoid -- or seek -- distractions?

P.A.: I write early in the morning after everyone leaves the house. My favorite place to write is my sunroom. I can watch the birds and the flowers as I write. This makes my creative juices run. I write drafts in notebooks by hand and then they are typed by my wife or a hired secretary.

Amazon.com: Do you meet your readers at book signings, conventions, or similar events? Do you interact with your readers electronically through email or other online forms?

P.A. My readers are mostly children and college students. I meet them mainly at schools, at workshops and on lecture tours at colleges. I am in the process of attempting to interact with readers by email.

Amazon.com: When and how did you get started on the Net? Do you read any newsgroups such as rec.art.books and rec.arts.sf.written, mailing lists, or other on-line forms? Do you use the Net for research -- or is it just another time sink? Are you able to communicate with other writers or people you work with over the Net?

P.A. I started six months ago. I do use the Net for research. I do communicate with people I work with.

"Interviews"
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