loud voices are more important can you hear me loud voices are more important
hear me loud voices are more important
hear me loud voices are more important can you hear me
can you hear me
can you hear me novices are more important they tell me
novices are more important they tell me
novices are more important they tell me that labas are more important because
that labas are more important because
that labas are more important because the quiet ones are still water that run
the quiet ones are still water that run
the quiet ones are still water that run deep and we don’t want a fish in we
deep and we don’t want a fish in we
deep and we don’t want a fish in we don’t want to dive in and we don’t want
don’t want to dive in and we don’t want
don’t want to dive in and we don’t want to know what they’re thinking
to know what they’re thinking
to know what they’re thinking loud voices when election campaigns and
loud voices when election campaigns and
loud voices when election campaigns and poetry slams quiet ones write poems and
poetry slams quiet ones write poems and
poetry slams quiet ones write poems and notebooks on folds of pages keep them
notebooks on folds of pages keep them
notebooks on folds of pages keep them under the bed until they find someone
under the bed until they find someone
under the bed until they find someone worthy enough to read them read them
worthy enough to read them read them
worthy enough to read them read them read me read you read the books we are
read me read you read the books we are
read me read you read the books we are told we cannot read read the words we
told we cannot read read the words we
told we cannot read read the words we cannot say read read read to us we to
cannot say read read read to us we to
cannot say read read read to us we to each other eat our children read because
each other eat our children read because
each other eat our children read because it’s not about how loud your voices are
it’s not about how loud your voices are
it’s not about how loud your voices are how quiet your voice is the point is you
how quiet your voice is the point is you
how quiet your voice is the point is you have a voice and you need to use it
have a voice and you need to use it
have a voice and you need to use it hi my name is Liz irani tea Silva on
hi my name is Liz irani tea Silva on
hi my name is Liz irani tea Silva on most days I’m a journalist on every
most days I’m a journalist on every
most days I’m a journalist on every other day I am a spoken word poet and I
other day I am a spoken word poet and I
other day I am a spoken word poet and I have a question if I told you right now
have a question if I told you right now
have a question if I told you right now that this is a safe space would you
that this is a safe space would you
that this is a safe space would you believe me in my 27 years of existence
believe me in my 27 years of existence
believe me in my 27 years of existence many people have walked into my life and
many people have walked into my life and
many people have walked into my life and declared as a space as safe to me when I
declared as a space as safe to me when I
declared as a space as safe to me when I was four my father moved my entire
was four my father moved my entire
was four my father moved my entire family from Portland to Subang Jaya we
family from Portland to Subang Jaya we
family from Portland to Subang Jaya we moved into a terraced house with a
moved into a terraced house with a
moved into a terraced house with a playground 200 meters away it eventually
playground 200 meters away it eventually
playground 200 meters away it eventually became a gated and guarded neighbourhood
became a gated and guarded neighbourhood
became a gated and guarded neighbourhood with smoke alarms in place and a regular
with smoke alarms in place and a regular
with smoke alarms in place and a regular police patrol he called it our home he
police patrol he called it our home he
police patrol he called it our home he called it our safe space and I believed
called it our safe space and I believed
called it our safe space and I believed him until I realized that no amount of
him until I realized that no amount of
him until I realized that no amount of fire drills could save my family from
fire drills could save my family from
fire drills could save my family from each other
each other
each other in secondary school geography class I
in secondary school geography class I
in secondary school geography class I learned that the Peninsular Malaysia is
learned that the Peninsular Malaysia is
learned that the Peninsular Malaysia is at one of the most strategic locations
at one of the most strategic locations
at one of the most strategic locations in the world situated alongside the
in the world situated alongside the
in the world situated alongside the Straits of Malacca and the South China
Straits of Malacca and the South China
Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea just outside the Pacific Rim of fire
Sea just outside the Pacific Rim of fire
Sea just outside the Pacific Rim of fire my country is declared safe from most
my country is declared safe from most
my country is declared safe from most natural disasters but we never talk
natural disasters but we never talk
natural disasters but we never talk about whether we are safe within the
about whether we are safe within the
about whether we are safe within the confines of our border lines or whether
confines of our border lines or whether
confines of our border lines or whether our classrooms are a space that we can
our classrooms are a space that we can
our classrooms are a space that we can be ourselves in without being bullied
be ourselves in without being bullied
be ourselves in without being bullied every August and September the leaders
every August and September the leaders
every August and September the leaders of my country remind me that the word
of my country remind me that the word
of my country remind me that the word safe is a noun with many synonyms that
safe is a noun with many synonyms that
safe is a noun with many synonyms that are not necessarily in the same
are not necessarily in the same
are not necessarily in the same dictionary safe now from Iran a Singh
dictionary safe now from Iran a Singh
dictionary safe now from Iran a Singh Banjara colonialism safe noun censorship
Banjara colonialism safe noun censorship
Banjara colonialism safe noun censorship saving face national security safe noun
saving face national security safe noun
saving face national security safe noun Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka but every other
Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka but every other
Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka but every other day I am asking myself the question is
day I am asking myself the question is
day I am asking myself the question is my country safe for me is it safe for
my country safe for me is it safe for
my country safe for me is it safe for the truth to be told
as a poet I am told that the safest
as a poet I am told that the safest place is within a poem and every day I
place is within a poem and every day I
place is within a poem and every day I try to believe that even though
try to believe that even though
try to believe that even though sometimes I don’t understand what that
sometimes I don’t understand what that
sometimes I don’t understand what that necessarily means in every place in this
necessarily means in every place in this
necessarily means in every place in this world there is a poetry open mic on the
world there is a poetry open mic on the
world there is a poetry open mic on the highest floor of a shop lot or in
highest floor of a shop lot or in
highest floor of a shop lot or in underground bomb shelters or in
underground bomb shelters or in
underground bomb shelters or in someone’s kitchen and in these unlikely
someone’s kitchen and in these unlikely
someone’s kitchen and in these unlikely spaces you will find people of all
spaces you will find people of all
spaces you will find people of all languages of all ages and you will hear
languages of all ages and you will hear
languages of all ages and you will hear their poems and they will tell you their
their poems and they will tell you their
their poems and they will tell you their stories I write poetry without
stories I write poetry without
stories I write poetry without compromise I write poetry because it is
compromise I write poetry because it is
compromise I write poetry because it is the only way I know how to talk about
the only way I know how to talk about
the only way I know how to talk about what is important to me when a poem is
what is important to me when a poem is
what is important to me when a poem is born onto a page or a stage for three
born onto a page or a stage for three
born onto a page or a stage for three minutes the poets and the audience are
minutes the poets and the audience are
minutes the poets and the audience are invited into a safe space designed for a
invited into a safe space designed for a
invited into a safe space designed for a truth to exist all eyes are on the poets
truth to exist all eyes are on the poets
truth to exist all eyes are on the poets in all ears are on the poem and for
in all ears are on the poem and for
in all ears are on the poem and for three minutes we exist in the same truth
three minutes we exist in the same truth
three minutes we exist in the same truth in the same narrative in the same space
in the same narrative in the same space
in the same narrative in the same space no one needs to call it a safe space
no one needs to call it a safe space
no one needs to call it a safe space because it is understood it could be a
because it is understood it could be a
because it is understood it could be a big truth or a tiny truth in my poems I
big truth or a tiny truth in my poems I
big truth or a tiny truth in my poems I write about boys and loving I read about
write about boys and loving I read about
write about boys and loving I read about girls and unloving I read about what it
girls and unloving I read about what it
girls and unloving I read about what it means to be a woman what it means to be
means to be a woman what it means to be
means to be a woman what it means to be an Indian woman a Malaysian Indian woman
an Indian woman a Malaysian Indian woman
an Indian woman a Malaysian Indian woman and sometimes I also write about
and sometimes I also write about
and sometimes I also write about baskin-robbins jamocha almond fudge ice
baskin-robbins jamocha almond fudge ice
baskin-robbins jamocha almond fudge ice cream with extra fudge and extra almonds
cream with extra fudge and extra almonds
cream with extra fudge and extra almonds in all its glory and sin but it will
in all its glory and sin but it will
in all its glory and sin but it will spark a conversation because when you
spark a conversation because when you
spark a conversation because when you write your truths in your poems and
write your truths in your poems and
write your truths in your poems and speak them out you invite more people to
speak them out you invite more people to
speak them out you invite more people to experience your most honest self and in
experience your most honest self and in
experience your most honest self and in turn they become more aware of their own
turn they become more aware of their own
turn they become more aware of their own narrative and what matters to them no
narrative and what matters to them no
narrative and what matters to them no matter how loud your voice is
matter how loud your voice is
matter how loud your voice is quiet your voices the poem will prevail
quiet your voices the poem will prevail
quiet your voices the poem will prevail and someone in the room will say hey I
and someone in the room will say hey I
and someone in the room will say hey I felt that or hey we really need to talk
felt that or hey we really need to talk
felt that or hey we really need to talk about this and for a little while we are
about this and for a little while we are
about this and for a little while we are not alone I believe that we need to
not alone I believe that we need to
not alone I believe that we need to create more safe spaces and this does
create more safe spaces and this does
create more safe spaces and this does not require us to build higher walls or
not require us to build higher walls or
not require us to build higher walls or metal gates are longer declarations we
metal gates are longer declarations we
metal gates are longer declarations we can achieve this with a poem anyone
can achieve this with a poem anyone
can achieve this with a poem anyone anyone of you can write a poem and it
anyone of you can write a poem and it
anyone of you can write a poem and it doesn’t have to write them and it
doesn’t have to write them and it
doesn’t have to write them and it doesn’t have to have profound meaning a
doesn’t have to have profound meaning a
doesn’t have to have profound meaning a poem can choose step out of a closet and
poem can choose step out of a closet and
poem can choose step out of a closet and talk about the colors of a rainbow a
talk about the colors of a rainbow a
talk about the colors of a rainbow a poem can be a Sadhna up we see a four
poem can be a Sadhna up we see a four
poem can be a Sadhna up we see a four stanza manifesto about something that
stanza manifesto about something that
stanza manifesto about something that happened to you
happened to you
happened to you a poem can be an ultimate rap verse to
a poem can be an ultimate rap verse to
a poem can be an ultimate rap verse to call up pretentious hipsters or a chorus
call up pretentious hipsters or a chorus
call up pretentious hipsters or a chorus line about cultural appropriation or a
line about cultural appropriation or a
line about cultural appropriation or a bilingual verse about the gentrification
bilingual verse about the gentrification
bilingual verse about the gentrification of ss15 and the lack of soya bean trucks
of ss15 and the lack of soya bean trucks
of ss15 and the lack of soya bean trucks all a poem has to be is honest in every
all a poem has to be is honest in every
all a poem has to be is honest in every theory of this world you will hear poems
theory of this world you will hear poems
theory of this world you will hear poems from people who look like you and the
from people who look like you and the
from people who look like you and the ones who don’t you will read your poems
ones who don’t you will read your poems
ones who don’t you will read your poems to them and they will all snap their
to them and they will all snap their
to them and they will all snap their fingers and say hey thanks I really
fingers and say hey thanks I really
fingers and say hey thanks I really needed to hear that in my seven years of
needed to hear that in my seven years of
needed to hear that in my seven years of writing and performing poetry I have
writing and performing poetry I have
writing and performing poetry I have learned to find the safety in my words
learned to find the safety in my words
learned to find the safety in my words and every time I am on stage I wish to
and every time I am on stage I wish to
and every time I am on stage I wish to put forth that safety for others for a
put forth that safety for others for a
put forth that safety for others for a long time I thought that all of us
long time I thought that all of us
long time I thought that all of us equally have the same amount of words to
equally have the same amount of words to
equally have the same amount of words to choose from but in 2009 following our
choose from but in 2009 following our
choose from but in 2009 following our country’s most prominent legal battle
country’s most prominent legal battle
country’s most prominent legal battle also known as the a la pan I realized
also known as the a la pan I realized
also known as the a la pan I realized that a word can be revoked from my
that a word can be revoked from my
that a word can be revoked from my vocabulary
this begs the question of what words are
this begs the question of what words are mine and what words are yours and what
mine and what words are yours and what
mine and what words are yours and what words are ours but you see this word
words are ours but you see this word
words are ours but you see this word continues to exist for as long as I am a
continues to exist for as long as I am a
continues to exist for as long as I am a citizen of the slang of state for as
citizen of the slang of state for as
citizen of the slang of state for as long as I sing along to the State anthem
long as I sing along to the State anthem
long as I sing along to the State anthem this word will continue exist so I wrote
this word will continue exist so I wrote
this word will continue exist so I wrote this poem this poem is for the word I
this poem this poem is for the word I
this poem this poem is for the word I cannot say this poem is for the child I
cannot say this poem is for the child I
cannot say this poem is for the child I used to be standing straight in my
used to be standing straight in my
used to be standing straight in my school assembly singing along to the
school assembly singing along to the
school assembly singing along to the Solano State anthem with a silence
Solano State anthem with a silence
Solano State anthem with a silence between its words and so I invite you
between its words and so I invite you
between its words and so I invite you into the space and into this poem this
into the space and into this poem this
into the space and into this poem this poem is called blank Dooley young maja
poem is called blank Dooley young maja
poem is called blank Dooley young maja Mulia sur la ma the artist ah
landed can you see apple 1ku rakia
landed can you see apple 1ku rakia Mohandas to Bauer Dooley to one
Blanc was what they told me to fill in
Blanc was what they told me to fill in instead of the a word or two hon or God
instead of the a word or two hon or God
instead of the a word or two hon or God or Jesus or Buddha Oh Bravo Vishnu Shiva
or Jesus or Buddha Oh Bravo Vishnu Shiva
or Jesus or Buddha Oh Bravo Vishnu Shiva Lakshmi or Sarris buddy we’ll figure it
Lakshmi or Sarris buddy we’ll figure it
Lakshmi or Sarris buddy we’ll figure it out eventually but for now it’s blank
out eventually but for now it’s blank
out eventually but for now it’s blank that they told me the little girl in the
that they told me the little girl in the
that they told me the little girl in the navy blue pinafore to say every time she
navy blue pinafore to say every time she
navy blue pinafore to say every time she stood up straight and sang with all her
stood up straight and sang with all her
stood up straight and sang with all her heart remember when we get to that part
heart remember when we get to that part
heart remember when we get to that part you say blank which is be silent and
you say blank which is be silent and
you say blank which is be silent and then finished the rest maybe that’s why
then finished the rest maybe that’s why
then finished the rest maybe that’s why she never became a singer instead she
she never became a singer instead she
she never became a singer instead she was a poet who still struggled to
was a poet who still struggled to
was a poet who still struggled to memorize words of her for her to recite
memorize words of her for her to recite
memorize words of her for her to recite and not realize deeper meanings and
and not realize deeper meanings and
and not realize deeper meanings and understand why she had to spoil the
understand why she had to spoil the
understand why she had to spoil the rhythm of the song because they decided
rhythm of the song because they decided
rhythm of the song because they decided what was right from wrong but never told
what was right from wrong but never told
what was right from wrong but never told her what to say when someone asked how
her what to say when someone asked how
her what to say when someone asked how come you never say blank as a sheet of
come you never say blank as a sheet of
come you never say blank as a sheet of paper she wrote down her name age and
paper she wrote down her name age and
paper she wrote down her name age and classification of which blank she
classification of which blank she
classification of which blank she preferred to bow her head to she was I
preferred to bow her head to she was I
preferred to bow her head to she was I and I wondered if blank existed and what
and I wondered if blank existed and what
and I wondered if blank existed and what blank looked like did blank wear long
blank looked like did blank wear long
blank looked like did blank wear long dresses are a suit and tie or the blank
dresses are a suit and tie or the blank
dresses are a suit and tie or the blank speak English Tamil Chinese or Malay I
speak English Tamil Chinese or Malay I
speak English Tamil Chinese or Malay I was blank here to stay during sunny days
was blank here to stay during sunny days
was blank here to stay during sunny days and stormy weather I was never sure if
and stormy weather I was never sure if
and stormy weather I was never sure if Blake could spot me out of the seven
Blake could spot me out of the seven
Blake could spot me out of the seven billion people or hear my voice against
billion people or hear my voice against
billion people or hear my voice against the wines and whimpers of believers
the wines and whimpers of believers
the wines and whimpers of believers asking Dao wishes to be granted but is
asking Dao wishes to be granted but is
asking Dao wishes to be granted but is they are blank different from my blank
they are blank different from my blank
they are blank different from my blank or are we all just blank trying to fill
or are we all just blank trying to fill
or are we all just blank trying to fill in the blank we keep quiet
in the blank we keep quiet
in the blank we keep quiet all that we do not understand comprehend
all that we do not understand comprehend
all that we do not understand comprehend the fragments of experience through open
the fragments of experience through open
the fragments of experience through open eye meditation and the sound of silence
eye meditation and the sound of silence
eye meditation and the sound of silence resonating oh as I put my palms together
resonating oh as I put my palms together
resonating oh as I put my palms together in front of colorful deities for 10
in front of colorful deities for 10
in front of colorful deities for 10 years but saying our Father who art in
years but saying our Father who art in
years but saying our Father who art in heaven when I know deep down that the
heaven when I know deep down that the
heaven when I know deep down that the only attention
only attention
only attention I was vying for was from my father who
I was vying for was from my father who
I was vying for was from my father who was upstairs taking a shower who
was upstairs taking a shower who
was upstairs taking a shower who educated me and explained that Islam is
educated me and explained that Islam is
educated me and explained that Islam is a profound religion whose worshipers
a profound religion whose worshipers
a profound religion whose worshipers need no location of worship to worship
need no location of worship to worship
need no location of worship to worship just a direction and cautioned me never
just a direction and cautioned me never
just a direction and cautioned me never to Tramp on Hungry Ghost offerings on
to Tramp on Hungry Ghost offerings on
to Tramp on Hungry Ghost offerings on sidewalks taught me that Christmas is
sidewalks taught me that Christmas is
sidewalks taught me that Christmas is more important that Santa Claus and if
more important that Santa Claus and if
more important that Santa Claus and if we lit candles by the altar we would be
we lit candles by the altar we would be
we lit candles by the altar we would be blessed and that every temple is a GPS
blessed and that every temple is a GPS
blessed and that every temple is a GPS antenna to give us better reception to
antenna to give us better reception to
antenna to give us better reception to the higher power which I still refer to
the higher power which I still refer to
the higher power which I still refer to as blank and I believed every threat of
as blank and I believed every threat of
as blank and I believed every threat of if you cross this line that prepared to
if you cross this line that prepared to
if you cross this line that prepared to meet your maker but what will I tell my
meet your maker but what will I tell my
meet your maker but what will I tell my children if they were made out of love
children if they were made out of love
children if they were made out of love from one man’s blanket another woman’s
from one man’s blanket another woman’s
from one man’s blanket another woman’s like not knowing which black they really
like not knowing which black they really
like not knowing which black they really belong to cuz blank it’s not a word
belong to cuz blank it’s not a word
belong to cuz blank it’s not a word blank it’s not a state of my blank is
blank it’s not a state of my blank is
blank it’s not a state of my blank is what we’re still waiting to define the
what we’re still waiting to define the
what we’re still waiting to define the divine but I don’t know when and I don’t
divine but I don’t know when and I don’t
divine but I don’t know when and I don’t know how till then I
”
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