Dear Nii Nortey, When I think of you, I remember days of poetry, music, drama and humor. Memories go all the way back to the time we were kids and you visited my family in Tamale. I remember kids with ages ranging from 8 months to mid-teens, and a house filled with laughter and fun. I remember how the kids came together and decided to stage a performance for the grownups, with the children’s room our stage, and a bunk bed being part of our props. Years later, when we were much older and I lived with your family in Accra, there we were once again, sharing childhood intrigues. Once, (and I have forgotten the occasion—probably your mother’s birthday), the children decided to stage a night of poetry, drama and dance for your parents. Looking back, I can’t help feeling a bit sorry for those grownups! Whatever they thought of our endeavors, they made every effort to be appreciative and to cheer us on. I also remember late one night when your mother was fast asleep, your dad came from Kumasi unexpectedly to catch us (the kids) in the act of dancing away in one of the bedrooms (I don’t think that went down well)! We lost touch, and it was close to two decades later that I had the opportunity to get to know you again. By that time, you were a man, almost ready to be a husband. Again, we (your sister Christine and I), marked that occasion by performing her poem at your wedding. Some years after that, your sister Christine formed the drama group “Sheaves of Grace”, and there we were again, this time in a more sophisticated performance than in the days of our childhood! When I think of our conversations over the years, what I remember is the laughter, exchanges of quips, and your quick repartee. I smile as I hear the timbre of your voice as you emphasized a potentially funny statement, and the sound of your laughter. If only I had known how little time I had with you, I would have called you more often (“had I known is always at last”). You were a born writer; a craftsman who was in love with words, and you couldn’t express yourself in writing using one word when you could paint a vivid picture with 10. Your dissertation was a literary masterpiece (which was a challenge for your dissertation committee, as its members were more equipped to read straightforward “dry” academic manuscripts). Even, your sister and I, who consider ourselves writers, were quite disconcerted by the earlier drafts. I see you as a writer whose works could have lived on long after you were gone, becoming classic literary masterpieces. Nii Nortey, it is a privilege to have known you. When we lost you, we did not only lose a son, a brother, a husband, a father, nephew, cousin, friend, church member, work colleague, advisor… We lost a man whose soul was poetry; someone whose need to express and elaborate on his thoughts, stood out in a world of Tweets and emoticons. A few days ago, I came across the bio you had written for your Sheaves of Grace profile: “Hello All, This is my bio: Cyprien Lokko has always been a fan of the arts, his earliest association with acting goes as far back as his youthful days when he was involved in Christmas plays and one - person acts for family entertainment. Ever since those early beginnings, he has appeared in church evangelism plays in Ghana and the United States. He considers himself a wordsmith who paints life figuratively. Most of his musings have found their way into a private collections in the form of poems that capture the intricacies of life. He is also a self-styled percussionist who plays Caribbean and African drum patterns while fusing it to western rock tempos. To him the world has a musical staff and we all ought to sing it beautifully.” When I sent the response, 'Thank you, Cyprien! My favorite lines are: "He considers himself a wordsmith who paints life figuratively. Most of his musings have found their way into a private collections in the form of poems that capture the intricacies of life. " Your response was: “Thank you! That is seductively flattering! Cy” Nii Nortey, exactly a year ago, you tore our world apart when you left us. For weeks, we have been dreading the first anniversary of your passing. However, today, I am glad that I can reflect on the memories, and your attributes and talents that made you the special person you were to us. Rest in Peace, Nii. Love, Dziffy