Download your FREE collections of Jordan Dean’s stories and poetry here....
Follow the Rainbow – Selected Poems
By Jordan Dean (2016)
A common theme throughout this collection of poems is the rainbow, used metaphorically to depict our dreams, aspirations and hopes. ‘Follow the Rainbow’ strives to inspire change. These are heartfelt poems about issues that affect Papua New Guinea to inspire future leaders of this nation to rise up for the better.
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Stranger in Paradise & Other Short Stories
By Jordan Dean ( 2016)
‘Stranger in Paradise’ is a collection of extraordinary stories about life in contemporary Papua New Guinea; our experiences, struggles, fears, dreams and successes. The stories are diverse and ambitious in their exploration and social observations of the multifaceted nature of modernity and although some examine the darker aspects of contemporary reality. All have a predominant motif - ‘tears’, that is pain and struggle. May the tears be seen and may the voices be heard.
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Tattooed Face – A Collection of Poems
By Jordan Dean (2016)
‘Tattooed Face’ is a collection of poems based on the author’s experiences, reflections, perspectives, feelings, emotions, dreams, aspirations and every day issues: issues little felt, nor important yet continue to deprive our freedom. ‘Tattooed Face’ explores the meaning of love, insights on life, identity, culture, modernity, politics and corruption. It also celebrates life as a young Papua New Guinean, even though some are full of anger, regret and struggles.
I am very interested in reading poems. But reading poems written by my own countrymen is so sweet.
I fully appreciate what poetry can do. I tried to download the free books but it's not working.
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I hadn't realised that those links are broken, Pritchard, and I'm sorry about the breakdown, which goes back to major technical problems we had early in the year. I'll see if I can fix it - KJ
Posted by: Pritchard Sangai Tabali | 23 August 2023 at 10:53 PM
A woman will call you names and break utensils in the house when you go home drunk every fortnight. A sensible man will try and tow into line. But if he beats her, initiates divorce proceedings or abandons her with the children and finds another partner than that person’s brain is addled.
Thanks Jordan for your free books. I have down-loaded all of them and thoroughly enjoyed the short stories in ‘Stranger in Paradise’. I like Buai Seller and Facebook which are true portrayals of real-life experiences. I thought wife would kill Lucy in front of her fornicating husband but opts to take the pair to court.
And her husband gets sacked which I very much doubt happens in this land we call paradise.
Posted by: Daniel Kumbon | 13 November 2016 at 09:31 PM
Interesting point by Francis about the mention of Souths and Sepik.
Let me digress.
Part of the problem in the US elections which has resulted with Donald Trump becoming President-elect, despite his negative attributes, was that the Democrats, i.e. the Liberal left, had shut down the voices of a large majority of America.
They wanted to be right and righteous about everything.
The misogynist, homophobic, chauvinistic, pussy-grabbing, red-necked, gun-toting, America has spoken at their polls.
The Democrats wouldn't listen to those voices and engage with them constructively.
They shut them up, shut them down, shut them off, shut them out and so received the boot.
Back to the point.
Labeling people because of their opinions regardless of what you may feel is morally, politically or religiously wrong to YOU, is NOT RIGHT.
It does not resolve the underlying issue if you don't want to hear about it.
We don't want to hear the truth.
We don't want to hear that many people in PNG may feel that PM O'Neill is acting for the benefit of himself and his own people.
We don't want to hear that some people feel the Somare family has had too much power and etc.
We can call those thoughts regionalism but are they not the thoughts and feelings shared by many people?
We cannot talk about it unless we HEAR the opinion and understand where it is coming from, because it comes from other people whom we call our fellow countrymen and women.
We can't shut them up. Doing that is tantamount to ignoring them - we become the new 'region'.
Name calling or the suggestion of it, like suggesting a poem promotes regionalism, is simply shutting down someones opinion.
In the national sphere, I believe, everyone who is a citizen of PNG has a valid opinion.
Debate and constructive argument can only take place if people are voicing their honest opinion.
Only then can engaging in reasoned debate about those opinions allow us to find better ways forward.
We don't always have to agree, but we can agree to disagree, eh laka.
I thought those two poems were quite appropriate because I have heard such feelings being spoken about.
Calling it regionalism suggests that we are trying to give someone who has those thoughts a label and thereby shut them down.
Jordan has already acquiesced to being shut-down.
Jordan - it is a poets prerogative to be honest, because we deal directly with the unspoken.
(A friend of mine may expound on this poetically very soon.)
Posted by: Michael Dom | 13 November 2016 at 05:17 PM
Thanks Francis. I believe poetry is best served raw. Appreciate your criticism. Will try avoid that in my upcoming books.
Posted by: Jordan Dean | 13 November 2016 at 04:09 PM
Dear Jordan - I admire your writing to inspire young leaders like me but I think two poems made me quite disturbed about your attitude towards a certain part of PNG.
The poem on Sepik and South seem to suggest a tone of regionalism. I hope to read more positive poetry.
Posted by: Francis Hualupmomi | 13 November 2016 at 02:06 PM
Than you Jordan Dean for your generous contributions to our reading experience.
Posted by: Michael Dom | 13 November 2016 at 09:16 AM