Self examination

So i've watched the video of my performance over and over, and even though everyone tells me how great it was, all I see is my hands. Haha. Why am I gesturing so wildly. Truth is I am my biggest critic. I set standards for myself that are sometimes ridiculous, but at the same time these standards are what set me apart and I love that. A year ago if someone told me I'd be performing poetry in front of a crowd of people, I would've run away crying. I really have come a long way and I'm loving my brave new self. I have a week off school which is fantastic. I've promised myself I'd write one new piece, and memorize one old one. I'm yet to do either, I'm the best procrastinator you'll ever meet. Every time I update my blog, I wonder if anyone out there actually reads it. I guess it doesn't really matter, because for me it's about keeping a record of myself somewhere out there so I can look back on it from time to time. It's all about pushing boundaries and I think it's about time I started doing that. So to the invisible reader out there, go out and do something brave today :)

Stepping out

This weekend was full of activity. I'm worn out. I was asked to do a piece for Legacies '08, a black history month event being held in Calgary by a group of talented individuals known as Collectively Eclectic. I'd been so excited to do it. I had a bus ticket booked for 5:30 pm for me and 2 of my friends who are part of my step team that actually battled another team at the show. We didn't end up leaving the city till almost 7 pm. The bus driver and all the other employees at the bus station were completely unapologetic about it too. Trying to sass ME!! Man I have a few words to say to greyhound. But we finally made it there 3+ hours later and went straight to bed. The show the next day was FANTASTIC! So much talent in one room...It was just too much. I have to applaud the people who put this event together. It was just a great great great evening. African dancers, drummers, steppers, break dancers, singers etc. Good times. The poem was very well received. I completely skipped over a verse which I cried like a baby about later, but no one noticed and the reception was heart warming. My team also won the step battle which was great. I'm just really glad that I'm making such strides getting out of my shell, sharing my poetry and opening new and exciting doors for myself. Life is good :)

Here's the piece...

I am
Gap tooth girl
back corner of class
Scribbling left-handed poetry on blank paper
Save the school’s curriculum for later

I am
Overflowing ancient African
Tales by moonlight
That informal education
Connecting and overlapping
Modern history

I am
Fast and fluent Yoruba
Criss crossing English
Hidden messages in
prose and proverbs
Call it “Yorubanglish”

I am
Rich Hi-life rhythm
marrying heavy hip-hop beats
That pop lockin’, 1-2 stepping
Blended over back bending
fluid hip shaking

I am
Sky high gele
Bold and beautiful
Meets super stretch skinny jeans
Cowry shells wrapping wrists
Bright and wonderful
They call it “Afro-centric”

I am
Perfect pendulum swinging
Afro…Canadian
Legacies of age old traditions
Incantations of ancient griots
Free flowing spoken word poetry

I
cling tightly on to Africa
This land that shaped me
I watch as poverty, corruption
And lack of opportunity
Inspires creativity
And still leaves room for
Unexplainable hope
Unbelievable strength

I stand deeply rooted in its culture
Reinforced by the history in it soils
While looking on at new horizons
Blending old and new
This wonderful fusion of
Traditional
contemporary
This is who I am…