Poem #1
You look around and see a smile
Her blazing teeth, nothing more but pristine.
How simple one's eyes can be.
Even one step closer you cannot notice
The flaming kindle within her beating chest,
Relinquishing the icy chill others call culture,
Acquaintance,
Ignorance,
To her nothing more than humanities accomplice.
She continues down the long path
Searching for something others thought of as a secret,
As their lies, deceptions hold it as their victim.
Equality, Equality
Is the unending chant
How simple one's ears can be.
For within those chants are the hearts of those
Who shows no sympathy.
Dividing men from women
Like right from wrong
they sit there, unafraid
Like
They will see beyond the wall we call hypocrisy.
Do this, Do that
Revolves around one's demands to control.
How useless your words can be.
For each demand
There is a broken soul
One that lingers but doesn’t sow.
Isn’t there an end to this autocracy!
90%, 10%
20%, 80%
How useless one’s minds can be.
Failing to see beyond the numbers
Like they will ever set you free.
How can one trust something so small ?
That can be changed so easy
And sadly at the end of the day,
Wrongly
Define us all
The words equality, equity
Never known.
Artistic intent: ( Equality through equity art pice on visuals) My intent with writing this poem was to delineate the aspects of humanity that prevent us from achieving equality and equity. It delves into the mind of those who choose ignorance over understanding and as a result seem to never grasp on what is taking place around them. In the first stanza, I wanted to express how sight without being put to its full use can prevent someone from seeing the truth. Similarly in the next three stanzas, I address, speech, hearing, and knowledge to communicate how without them rumors, false acquisition or beliefs seem to become truths. The theme of this poem was inspired by Ralph.B. Perry’s quote “Ignorance deprives people of freedom because they do not know what alternatives there are. It is impossible to choose to do what one has never heard of.” In my previous blogs on Feminism, I alluded to culture/ traditions as one of the main reasons why women are being treated unequally in Africa but I came to realize that it is mainly ignorance towards these topics. When not able to analyze what is going around us or the opportunities one has these aspects could be used wrongly or send the wrong message. In conclusion, I wrote this poem to hopefully inspire others to further analyze the given because to every action or sight there is always a hidden story.
Her blazing teeth, nothing more but pristine.
How simple one's eyes can be.
Even one step closer you cannot notice
The flaming kindle within her beating chest,
Relinquishing the icy chill others call culture,
Acquaintance,
Ignorance,
To her nothing more than humanities accomplice.
She continues down the long path
Searching for something others thought of as a secret,
As their lies, deceptions hold it as their victim.
Equality, Equality
Is the unending chant
How simple one's ears can be.
For within those chants are the hearts of those
Who shows no sympathy.
Dividing men from women
Like right from wrong
they sit there, unafraid
Like
They will see beyond the wall we call hypocrisy.
Do this, Do that
Revolves around one's demands to control.
How useless your words can be.
For each demand
There is a broken soul
One that lingers but doesn’t sow.
Isn’t there an end to this autocracy!
90%, 10%
20%, 80%
How useless one’s minds can be.
Failing to see beyond the numbers
Like they will ever set you free.
How can one trust something so small ?
That can be changed so easy
And sadly at the end of the day,
Wrongly
Define us all
The words equality, equity
Never known.
Artistic intent: ( Equality through equity art pice on visuals) My intent with writing this poem was to delineate the aspects of humanity that prevent us from achieving equality and equity. It delves into the mind of those who choose ignorance over understanding and as a result seem to never grasp on what is taking place around them. In the first stanza, I wanted to express how sight without being put to its full use can prevent someone from seeing the truth. Similarly in the next three stanzas, I address, speech, hearing, and knowledge to communicate how without them rumors, false acquisition or beliefs seem to become truths. The theme of this poem was inspired by Ralph.B. Perry’s quote “Ignorance deprives people of freedom because they do not know what alternatives there are. It is impossible to choose to do what one has never heard of.” In my previous blogs on Feminism, I alluded to culture/ traditions as one of the main reasons why women are being treated unequally in Africa but I came to realize that it is mainly ignorance towards these topics. When not able to analyze what is going around us or the opportunities one has these aspects could be used wrongly or send the wrong message. In conclusion, I wrote this poem to hopefully inspire others to further analyze the given because to every action or sight there is always a hidden story.
Original Poem # 2
MYou ask me what it means to be African
With a small grin on your face Expecting me to give the most appropriate answer. “Well....” When you yearn for the honey scented air And cannot not resist the certain urge to lift your head as the breeze calls you in Allowing you to let out a single yet long breath As the words slip through your tongue Bringing in the whispers of hope, joy and love As you continue to walk through the long path. African Struggling to identify where the journey began or where it will end As her partner sings along with the beating drum within your chest Tick, tok, bum, bum You stand confused Unable to identify whether if it is your skin that is preventing you from continuing Or your head telling you that you do not belong. Yet again, her partner continues with the unending rhythm To remind you that with time they will find the pieces Of the aching puzzle you call “identity” AFrican The path continues You call out for the wind one last time Trying to see where the how far you have gone You hear a sudden roar and fails to recognize the roaring waves That you easily mistake for a lions call. Giving in to mist in the air your legs are in control. Your eyes dazzle upon the glorious wonder in-front of you Surrounded by the lush green trees beneath it Reminding you of an unending nourishment as your tongue begins to grip on the word... AFRican You believe you are getting closer The glistening grass beneath your feet Pushes you along as she provides you comfort during this trip. Different questions migrate in your mind wondering what you will find at the end Or if there is one. To reassure yourself you mouth a haiku As the hornbills swarm above your head. To every word a certain discomfort As their apartness doesn’t seem to help. You decide to join them A reminder of how in unity They may help you continue this journey AFRIcan The beautiful sunset Blankets the yellow fireball The colors illuminate your dark brown eyes Piercing through your iris and Causing your heart to beat in a way it hasn’t in a long time. This time you decide to stop Gazing at its magnificent beauty. You look around and imagine you hand brushing through a rough canvas trying as Hard as it can to mimic the colors. The path continues But you are strangely satisfied. The sunset remains Reminding you of the beauty in this trip Reassuring you that the path will not end but will reveals a certain part of the secret you have being wanting to uncover AFRICan Suddenly you look down on the unsurfaced ground Amazed at the scenery as the sun rays reflect on the hard surfaces ground For what you see as cracks Are the neighbors she embraces As there unsurfaced skin dry with time But her comforting embrace reminds them to hold on. AFRICAn So you ask me what it means AFRICAN Well I cannot answer that For within the word African Are the promises of 54 countries 54 dreams 54 realities A million perspectives And a billion experiences 54 parts of this wonderful continent we call Africa But all I know, African is.... Artistic Intent: My intentions in writing this poem were to answer a question most people may ask “ what does it mean to be African.” The word African itself is vague in my opinion as it is just a large blanket that covers what it means to live on this continent. With my experience in living in the States, most people addressed Africa as a country and not as a continent. Allowing that one word to just become the basis of this wonderful continent that has 54 other countries, which was saddening. Additionally, in cases where one can describe what “ African” is they will allude it to their environment, as a result there is no general description of African. In this poem I alluded to the experience that I have had and believe others have had in Africa. In the third stanza although, I made reference to the Victoria falls as it is a wonderful sight. The never ending path is utilised to explain how one's experience as African will never end as for each day the millions of people within the 54 countries will shape your experience and your identity. Throughout the piece I also made reference to art and displayed other countries within Africa to demonstrate how Africa can not be generalized into having specified characteristics as it has some many people with so much potential and it is just wrong to specify every human being into one category. |
The White Rose
White Rose
So much depends upon
a white rose,
its large petals endlessly Gleaming,
Behind a shattered glass
its stem a Blossoming green,
illuminating the rustic yet broken pot at which it lays
its thorns plump
demising the drastic scene behind it
its bud, revealing the white flutter about to spring from its green Blanket
absorbing the smallest light the room can offer
and all together,
the white rose
waits...
Through the portrayal of a white rose, my intentions of writing this poem were to allude to the importance of art in our sometimes dark, silencing and broken society. Reflecting on my previous perspective of art, I later came to learn that the smallest yet most impactful objects that are easily taken for granted can be the most important, especially in communicating. Individuals may refrain from expressing themselves as they feel that what they have to say will be seen as inferior compared to what is taking place around them. Although, Art enables one to present their ideologies freely and provide a wide platform for others to also present themselves. The conclusion of my poem was the most important to me seeing that it, an individual has to truly grasp on the meaning of an art piece for it to have an affect on them. I believe within the time someone tries to unravel its meaning that the piece of art will become the catalyst of a new and brighter perspective thus the juxtaposition of the rose bud.