(AAA) - Ephrem Seyoum has been an active voice in the community of young poets and writers who work in Addis Ababa. Besides participating in ongoing poetry readings and events, Ephrem has organized several gatherings and programs to honor past poets and writers, as well as to acknowledge current members of the literary community.

As far as his own work, Ephrems’s first audio CD, Soliana, was released in 2005 and featured his poems on the themes of love, art, and country. The first edition sold out quickly and garnered critical acclaim both in literary circles and among the general public. As a result, he was interviewed by local media and by the Voice of America, spreading his words among the Ethiopian diaspora in the US and elsewhere. This collection is now in its third printing.

Not content to rest on his international success, Ephrem began to tour Ethiopia. Communities outside Addis Ababa, like Jimma and Awasa, often have difficulty acquiring books and CDs that can be easily found in the capitol. Ephrem decided to bring live performance of his work to these communities.

Soon Ethiopian television caught up with his popularity among the people and featured him on two programs along with poet laureate, Tsegaye-Gebre Medhin, in March 2009.
Ephrem’s artistic output and energy seem boundless. He has organized monthly poetry readings, including local writers and local musicians. These well-attended events are called “Ye Birhan Mishit” (Evening of Light) and are held at the Imperial Hotel.

At the same time Ephrem Seyoum has concluded work on his latest CD called “Ye Birhan Kinfotch” (Luminous Wings), which features a close collaboration of poetry and musical composition by outstanding Ethiopian and foreign musicians. It comes close to Ephrem’s dream of combining word and sound to create a dialogue across different artistic sectors.