The Eyes of Fiifi
A collection of poems by Fredrick Tam
Free · Available NowPoems exploring love, overthinking, grief, being an immigrant, and hope. Written during the pandemic, this anthology captures the inner musings of a life lived across three continents.
Why I Wrote This Book
I love writing — it's one of my favorite pastimes. The COVID-19 pandemic gave us way more free time, so I decided to take advantage of it by pressing on with one of my personal life goals: writing a book.
A year and a half prior, I had started working on a biographical book about my childhood in Botswana called "Memoirs of Memories," but I put it on hold as I had just started my career as a software engineer and work was demanding a lot of my time. Even though I stopped progress on the book, I kept writing poems sporadically.
During the pandemic, I revisited poems I had written in college. It was a fruitful exercise — it made me remember my love for poetry. After going through my old pieces, I was inspired to write new ones. I challenged myself to resume writing with more intent and frequency. I ended up writing over 40 poems in six months, from March to September 2020.
As I continued writing, I felt a strong push to collate these poems into a single piece, and this is how "The Eyes of Fiifi" was born. It's a collection of some older poems from my college days and my inner musings during this unique period. These poems were entertaining and therapeutic, providing a means for me to counsel and amuse myself.
This anthology is for anyone interested in poetry. It covers grief, love, nostalgic memories, being Black, being an immigrant, and more. I believe there is something for everyone in it.
Help Fight Cancer in Ghana
Cancer is a ruthless killer, and early detection through routine check-ups and screening is essential. In 2012, my family set up the Sena Anku Memorial Cancer Foundation — in memory of my dear cousin who died from breast cancer — to help prevent, treat, and care for cancer patients in Ghana.
Since its inception, we have run over 20 outreach programs resulting in 1,500+ breast cancer screenings. We have covered the full medical costs of 11 cancer patients who could not afford chemotherapy and other surgical procedures. We have also donated patient stretchers, x-ray boxes, patient exam couches, chemotherapy chairs, and wheelchairs to the National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine at Korle-bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana.
One of the goals of The Eyes of Fiifi is to raise cancer awareness, encourage routine check-ups, and ultimately raise funds for the foundation.
Goal reached — $3,000 raised. Thank you!About The Author
My name is Fredrick Tam, and I am a software engineer based in New York City. I love dabbling in anything that stimulates my creativity, and that is why I love writing. I love how the pen gives one the ability to create powerful and inspiring narratives.
I have been an immigrant all my life, spending most of it on the African continent. Most of my childhood was split between Botswana and Ghana, but I have also briefly toured South Africa, Cote d'Ivoire, Zimbabwe, and Morocco. I moved to the USA in 2014, specifically to New York City for college. I studied computer science at Columbia University and graduated in 2018.
Though moving around has been challenging, it has allowed me to meet amazing people and have beautiful experiences. I value the power of diverse perspectives, cultures, religions, voices, and foods. Apart from programming and writing, I love singing, dancing, traveling, playing soccer, and reading.