Literature that begins in Amharic.
Ledesta is a bilingual literary platform devoted to Amharic writing and its English adaptations. I founded it, and I write it: essays, poetry, and drama — works of wordplay, reflection, and Ethiopian cultural texture. Every piece begins in Amharic, in my own hand, and only then crosses into English.
The daily ስንኞች
Each day, Ledesta publishes ስንኞች — short verses in the Amharic tradition, where a few lines carry layers of meaning. They are small daily doses of the language at its most concentrated.
Literature you can hear
Amharic literature was spoken before it was printed. Ledesta honors that: audio productions bring the works to life through narration and multi-voice drama, so the poetry and plays reach listeners the way they were meant to be experienced — aloud.
Selected works
Where to find it
Ledesta lives at ledesta.com and reaches readers and listeners on the web, by newsletter, as a podcast, and on social media.