It is hard to beleive that this time last year the New York contingent was buying long underwear and wool socks, reading “Letting Them Die”, and preparing for an unknown journey. Now, after having wrapped up our residency at Empire State and slipped back into the cracks of New York City, an unexpected reunion began. Augusto Boal was teaching workshops here in New York and Jussara, Katt and I attended (Eric appearing for good measure.) So nice to see them all but making me miss all of you more! Please check in. Are you teaching, studying, traveling??
great to read from you mel.Haven’t heard from you in a long time.We(witsies) went to teaching practicals for three weeks during april/may.Today we just aced our music exam and some are done,but me and ditjhaba are finishing on tuesday and wednesday.kim is visiting bernie for the whole month from the lastweek of june to july.if you’d like i’d like to send through some poems i wrote.i’ll be waiting for your response.
Hey there Phumlani –
Of course you aced your exams! Yes, please send me some of your poems. I tried to email you directly but it would not go through. What are you doing for the summer?
Much love,
Melissa
Yo Mel. I’ve tried the address on the contact sheet it doesn’t seem to be working,so I’ll just put two poems here.
WE! EVOLVE WITHOUT.
I don’t rhyme nor do I rap, but I do that which few have the courage to do.
I don’t recite nor do I rephrase, I write.
I don’t rearrange, I read what through me is said.
Willingly I allow them to use me as their messenger: for their messages be it to some make sense, after deep thought are in accordance with this generations rationalizations, of how and what life should be.
Reading to the educated I recite written verses, saying that we are the evolution generation, which through misconception they classify us! as the lost generation.
Our young and old categorize us and themselves! But continue utterances that through these new! Diverse Religions, they find true meaning. I crush not their belief, but am in bewildered awe.
For I know this much we are not lost, but we live in an era of evolution within the human race.
But they say that, I must tell my siblings that though we live in an evolution, our existence must not be detrimental to our own being and other inhabitants of red earth.
Harmony has been completely disrupted, but we live on. I give not a solution; for that is something we must entirely agree on, but mark! They say: respectful is the existence in mutualistic behavior, for it yields only reproductive cycles even to those who aren’t parcel and participant…
Guardian Soul Creativ
here’s another one:
I! The independent.
Listening to this heartbeat, these water droplets resonate in thought: the soul feeds life.
I hear these words; and try to make sense of them: hear, learn, see and live. I discover part of the souls listening: physicality defying the inner ears comprehension. I am in conflict to harmonize this duality.
Critically developing thought; I drink from this well.
Guardian soul Creativ’
Phumlani,
Keep drinking from this well. Keep evolving. Your poetry is inspired and it inspires.
We love miss you, all, all so very much!
If we just don’t divide ourselves, and stop trying to understand with only one side, there’s no conflict, there’s no division. Then, I think, I mean, I don’t think, we understand with the whole body, mind and soul…
Much love,
Jussara
Phumlani –
Inspiring as always. Existence in mutualistic behavior is a great line, participant is what I try to be each day, to get up off the side lines and shake my groove thing. Thanks for your words. There is an organization here in New York called Urban Word, the do poetry workshops in the schools and have a slam team. They are trying to raise money for 10 New York City youth poets to come to Africa and vist 8 countries while writing and performing alongsinde the youth of each on. They want to do a culminating event in South Africa. Would you be intereseted in meeting, workshoping, or seeing andy of these folks? Let me know and I’ll try to get the director your info.
Summer has come to the city and I sleep late and practice the piano for hours on end, savoring these few moments of time!!
Love,
Melissa