[Music] [Applause]
today I will be taking you on a journey
today I will be taking you on a journey with my series of poems titled love
with my series of poems titled love
with my series of poems titled love letters to those who have lived in LAC
letters to those who have lived in LAC
letters to those who have lived in LAC and these are poems that I wrote during
and these are poems that I wrote during
and these are poems that I wrote during a very difficult time for us as a
a very difficult time for us as a
a very difficult time for us as a country and as a people and like most of
country and as a people and like most of
country and as a people and like most of my work they tackle politics of race
my work they tackle politics of race
my work they tackle politics of race gender class basically all the burning
gender class basically all the burning
gender class basically all the burning issues in a nation at the moment three
issues in a nation at the moment three
issues in a nation at the moment three poems three chapters that all lead to
poems three chapters that all lead to
poems three chapters that all lead to one common moral point these are love
one common moral point these are love
one common moral point these are love letters to those who have lived in leg
there is a prayer for time and how
there is a prayer for time and how tomorrow today will make friends with
tomorrow today will make friends with
tomorrow today will make friends with yesterday and be absorbed in history
yesterday and be absorbed in history
yesterday and be absorbed in history there is a prayer for our unconventional
there is a prayer for our unconventional
there is a prayer for our unconventional affinity to discard this history never
affinity to discard this history never
affinity to discard this history never mind memories of read dances and things
mind memories of read dances and things
mind memories of read dances and things we lost in the fire there is a prayer
we lost in the fire there is a prayer
we lost in the fire there is a prayer for the fire for melting faces a prayer
for the fire for melting faces a prayer
for the fire for melting faces a prayer for melting faces and the smoke my
for melting faces and the smoke my
for melting faces and the smoke my people have disguised at pixie dust see
people have disguised at pixie dust see
people have disguised at pixie dust see fairies don’t exist down here we hold
fairies don’t exist down here we hold
fairies don’t exist down here we hold dearly our beloved addiction for
dearly our beloved addiction for
dearly our beloved addiction for destruction there is a prayer for
destruction there is a prayer for
destruction there is a prayer for destruction there is a prayer for
destruction there is a prayer for
destruction there is a prayer for decomposed black bodies disguised as
decomposed black bodies disguised as
decomposed black bodies disguised as drunken corpses filled with volatile
drunken corpses filled with volatile
drunken corpses filled with volatile voices there is a prayer for burning
voices there is a prayer for burning
voices there is a prayer for burning home and brown babies raised to indulge
home and brown babies raised to indulge
home and brown babies raised to indulge in self hate and alterations because all
in self hate and alterations because all
in self hate and alterations because all we see are too many eulogies and not
we see are too many eulogies and not
we see are too many eulogies and not enough dissertations or we paint are too
enough dissertations or we paint are too
enough dissertations or we paint are too many walls of
many walls of
many walls of the shades of brown there is a prayer 50
the shades of brown there is a prayer 50
the shades of brown there is a prayer 50 shades of brown and how they will only
shades of brown and how they will only
shades of brown and how they will only fall in love with the inside of your
fall in love with the inside of your
fall in love with the inside of your palms burn these monumental bodies and
palms burn these monumental bodies and
palms burn these monumental bodies and stretch them into coffins then stand in
stretch them into coffins then stand in
stretch them into coffins then stand in line to prove whose pain is worse there
line to prove whose pain is worse there
line to prove whose pain is worse there is a prayer for performance poverty and
is a prayer for performance poverty and
is a prayer for performance poverty and our sick aspirations for kumbayas and
our sick aspirations for kumbayas and
our sick aspirations for kumbayas and rainbows there is a prayer for kumbayas
rainbows there is a prayer for kumbayas
rainbows there is a prayer for kumbayas and rainbows there is a prayer but
and rainbows there is a prayer but
and rainbows there is a prayer but thunder thighs and brown eyes a prayer
thunder thighs and brown eyes a prayer
thunder thighs and brown eyes a prayer but those who don’t cease fire in an era
but those who don’t cease fire in an era
but those who don’t cease fire in an era where there is no space for a black
where there is no space for a black
where there is no space for a black child’s face there is a prayer for a
child’s face there is a prayer for a
child’s face there is a prayer for a black child’s face and how it burns like
black child’s face and how it burns like
black child’s face and how it burns like hate and hot coal there is a pray out
hate and hot coal there is a pray out
hate and hot coal there is a pray out with those who I fell in love with death
with those who I fell in love with death
with those who I fell in love with death there is a prayer for this I just don’t
there is a prayer for this I just don’t
there is a prayer for this I just don’t know how it goes
there is a peculiar kind of rage that
there is a peculiar kind of rage that comes with being South African on one
comes with being South African on one
comes with being South African on one day it is the grass patch below the
day it is the grass patch below the
day it is the grass patch below the slithering scutum of a snake and on the
slithering scutum of a snake and on the
slithering scutum of a snake and on the next on the next it’s the snake here in
next on the next it’s the snake here in
next on the next it’s the snake here in the mother of no lands we wake up –
the mother of no lands we wake up –
the mother of no lands we wake up – hooting eat when teased raped in dirt
hooting eat when teased raped in dirt
hooting eat when teased raped in dirt the Sun Alliance itself with the sides
the Sun Alliance itself with the sides
the Sun Alliance itself with the sides of our sand blast at home dices roll
of our sand blast at home dices roll
of our sand blast at home dices roll politicians plot fake for poles building
politicians plot fake for poles building
politicians plot fake for poles building pixie dust coated walls for these
pixie dust coated walls for these
pixie dust coated walls for these internal threats of war see me and my
internal threats of war see me and my
internal threats of war see me and my country have always had an unusual
country have always had an unusual
country have always had an unusual relationship this complicated covenant
relationship this complicated covenant
relationship this complicated covenant filled with constant fights and broken
filled with constant fights and broken
filled with constant fights and broken Souls at times we run bare foot feet
Souls at times we run bare foot feet
Souls at times we run bare foot feet cracked above broken shoe soles because
cracked above broken shoe soles because
cracked above broken shoe soles because poverty has brought nothing but holes
poverty has brought nothing but holes
poverty has brought nothing but holes these fired-up skin feel nothing but the
these fired-up skin feel nothing but the
these fired-up skin feel nothing but the cold so we can’t let go see the shackles
cold so we can’t let go see the shackles
cold so we can’t let go see the shackles on our stories the Ruby like scars
on our stories the Ruby like scars
on our stories the Ruby like scars cratered onto the joints of our arms our
cratered onto the joints of our arms our
cratered onto the joints of our arms our palm barely grip the very tales that
palm barely grip the very tales that
palm barely grip the very tales that have lived as numb our backs have grown
have lived as numb our backs have grown
have lived as numb our backs have grown as weak as water abused gagged like
as weak as water abused gagged like
as weak as water abused gagged like stallions with Brittles we only know
stallions with Brittles we only know
stallions with Brittles we only know millions from fake councils and and fake
millions from fake councils and and fake
millions from fake councils and and fake wealth built through fake pipelines they
wealth built through fake pipelines they
wealth built through fake pipelines they stole all our sunshine plucked it out
stole all our sunshine plucked it out
stole all our sunshine plucked it out with million-dollar smile and golden
with million-dollar smile and golden
with million-dollar smile and golden debe dolls our summers and now sold
debe dolls our summers and now sold
debe dolls our summers and now sold sweet with solemn silence the locations
sweet with solemn silence the locations
sweet with solemn silence the locations that we saw said they once said we have
that we saw said they once said we have
that we saw said they once said we have slowly become the depth of our existence
slowly become the depth of our existence
slowly become the depth of our existence our very presence is open resistance our
our very presence is open resistance our
our very presence is open resistance our stories continue to remain defiant so we
stories continue to remain defiant so we
stories continue to remain defiant so we can’t be we can’t be
and so these streets will not mother you
and so these streets will not mother you government medical aids will try to
government medical aids will try to
government medical aids will try to cover you but the system will devour you
cover you but the system will devour you
cover you but the system will devour you and we will no longer ample out straight
and we will no longer ample out straight
and we will no longer ample out straight tears before their self-confidence
tears before their self-confidence
tears before their self-confidence before the earth is flung out of the sky
before the earth is flung out of the sky
before the earth is flung out of the sky before they continue to defy their lies
before they continue to defy their lies
before they continue to defy their lies we are still standing here floundering
we are still standing here floundering
we are still standing here floundering in the cold searching for what they
in the cold searching for what they
in the cold searching for what they stole see we are still standing
remember how we walked like warrior how
remember how we walked like warrior how our skin was homebound wrapped and
our skin was homebound wrapped and
our skin was homebound wrapped and tattered in stains of brown remember
tattered in stains of brown remember
tattered in stains of brown remember growing up to be Kings to wear heavy
growing up to be Kings to wear heavy
growing up to be Kings to wear heavy crowns and put weights of world on our
crowns and put weights of world on our
crowns and put weights of world on our shoulders remember the weights of worlds
shoulders remember the weights of worlds
shoulders remember the weights of worlds on our shoulders how we fought the
on our shoulders how we fought the
on our shoulders how we fought the Knights could never get colder and how
Knights could never get colder and how
Knights could never get colder and how we slept at the bars of they feet like
we slept at the bars of they feet like
we slept at the bars of they feet like prisoners remember the chain
prisoners remember the chain
prisoners remember the chain remember the wreaths and how our fathers
remember the wreaths and how our fathers
remember the wreaths and how our fathers were backpack shipwrecked spines and
were backpack shipwrecked spines and
were backpack shipwrecked spines and tired eyes tired of being how they
tired eyes tired of being how they
tired eyes tired of being how they became devoured black beings and how
became devoured black beings and how
became devoured black beings and how they went to war for you remember the
they went to war for you remember the
they went to war for you remember the war remember six inch long ammo belts
war remember six inch long ammo belts
war remember six inch long ammo belts remember Parabellum remember gunpowder
remember Parabellum remember gunpowder
remember Parabellum remember gunpowder and smoke bullet wounds and battlefields
and smoke bullet wounds and battlefields
and smoke bullet wounds and battlefields remember the number of soil sons who
remember the number of soil sons who
remember the number of soil sons who walked on fire and how this street was
walked on fire and how this street was
walked on fire and how this street was styled in tear gas tear gassed the skin
styled in tear gas tear gassed the skin
styled in tear gas tear gassed the skin south day I can you hear them remember
south day I can you hear them remember
south day I can you hear them remember how they cried in bonfire and coal and
how they cried in bonfire and coal and
how they cried in bonfire and coal and how their pain is what had kept us warm
how their pain is what had kept us warm
how their pain is what had kept us warm at night we bathed in their weeps
at night we bathed in their weeps
at night we bathed in their weeps remember stun grenades and burning faces
remember stun grenades and burning faces
remember stun grenades and burning faces hell you forgot our faces are still
hell you forgot our faces are still
hell you forgot our faces are still burning you forgot how voices like yours
burning you forgot how voices like yours
burning you forgot how voices like yours and mine was subjected to lies that
and mine was subjected to lies that
and mine was subjected to lies that looked beautiful remember how lies
looked beautiful remember how lies
looked beautiful remember how lies looked beautiful our hands were
looked beautiful our hands were
looked beautiful our hands were cigarette loose and how our mothers gave
cigarette loose and how our mothers gave
cigarette loose and how our mothers gave birth to graveyards then colored as a
birth to graveyards then colored as a
birth to graveyards then colored as a spectacle how we fought alone from
spectacle how we fought alone from
spectacle how we fought alone from to tune remember how our backs were bent
to tune remember how our backs were bent
to tune remember how our backs were bent like recent moves that periodic amnesia
like recent moves that periodic amnesia
like recent moves that periodic amnesia and how they chose to remember and
and how they chose to remember and
and how they chose to remember and forget as they wish
forget as they wish
forget as they wish I forgot how to wish I forgot how they
I forgot how to wish I forgot how they
I forgot how to wish I forgot how they wished I wish I forgot how to wish I
wished I wish I forgot how to wish I
wished I wish I forgot how to wish I wish I forgot how to infiltrate spaces
wish I forgot how to infiltrate spaces
wish I forgot how to infiltrate spaces that break ask them to dust I think I
that break ask them to dust I think I
that break ask them to dust I think I forgot my lines but I remember when I
forgot my lines but I remember when I
forgot my lines but I remember when I wrote this poem I remember how it felt I
wrote this poem I remember how it felt I
wrote this poem I remember how it felt I remember how we sat in circles and sang
remember how we sat in circles and sang
remember how we sat in circles and sang songs of freedom coming tomorrow only
songs of freedom coming tomorrow only
songs of freedom coming tomorrow only but tomorrow to be postponed
but tomorrow to be postponed
but tomorrow to be postponed I remember bustle being stoned and our
I remember bustle being stoned and our
I remember bustle being stoned and our sacred of an adventure that was remember
sacred of an adventure that was remember
sacred of an adventure that was remember how sacred of an adventure that was
how sacred of an adventure that was
how sacred of an adventure that was remember how they told us we had
remember how they told us we had
remember how they told us we had everything but everything meant nothing
everything but everything meant nothing
everything but everything meant nothing if we still had many more more to give
if we still had many more more to give
if we still had many more more to give in the presence of funerals remember how
in the presence of funerals remember how
in the presence of funerals remember how your tongue tasted like funerals how
your tongue tasted like funerals how
your tongue tasted like funerals how your coffee was made up of liquid slag
your coffee was made up of liquid slag
your coffee was made up of liquid slag and inferno
and inferno
and inferno the taste of a thousand soldiers on the
the taste of a thousand soldiers on the
the taste of a thousand soldiers on the tip of your tongue remember how it
tip of your tongue remember how it
tip of your tongue remember how it tasted like revolt remember revolt and
tasted like revolt remember revolt and
tasted like revolt remember revolt and how they made us forget and how
how they made us forget and how
how they made us forget and how sometimes it is hard to remember how
sometimes it is hard to remember how
sometimes it is hard to remember how they concaved oceans from the walls of
they concaved oceans from the walls of
they concaved oceans from the walls of our mouths then told us to go back home
our mouths then told us to go back home
our mouths then told us to go back home and walk on land while they walked on
and walk on land while they walked on
and walk on land while they walked on water back home there is no more land to
water back home there is no more land to
water back home there is no more land to walk
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
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