Poetry: An Agent for Change | Juliet Lubwama | TEDxYouth@DSA

hi guys my name is Juliet and I’m gonna

hi guys my name is Juliet and I’m gonna recite two poems for you today and the

recite two poems for you today and the

recite two poems for you today and the first one is titled November 1st

first one is titled November 1st

first one is titled November 1st the kindness of my mother and the

the kindness of my mother and the

the kindness of my mother and the kindness of October could be sisters

kindness of October could be sisters

kindness of October could be sisters they take me by the roots and demand

they take me by the roots and demand

they take me by the roots and demand that I said bitterness like leaves if

that I said bitterness like leaves if

that I said bitterness like leaves if only all it took to change was shedding

only all it took to change was shedding

only all it took to change was shedding to know that starting over means you

to know that starting over means you

to know that starting over means you must abandon everything my mother

must abandon everything my mother

must abandon everything my mother wrestled oceans for white picket fences

wrestled oceans for white picket fences

wrestled oceans for white picket fences and promises of rosy colored legacies

and promises of rosy colored legacies

and promises of rosy colored legacies she Fathoms changed better than I have

she Fathoms changed better than I have

she Fathoms changed better than I have here I am a silhouetted future here we

here I am a silhouetted future here we

here I am a silhouetted future here we are seventeen and dreaming of realities

are seventeen and dreaming of realities

are seventeen and dreaming of realities that only we can fold here where the

that only we can fold here where the

that only we can fold here where the ground becomes a beggar we fashioned our

ground becomes a beggar we fashioned our

ground becomes a beggar we fashioned our own storms continents are waiting to be

own storms continents are waiting to be

own storms continents are waiting to be redefined like infant seas reborn still

redefined like infant seas reborn still

redefined like infant seas reborn still I am waiting standing under overcast sky

I am waiting standing under overcast sky

I am waiting standing under overcast sky orange yellow hands tumbling down my

orange yellow hands tumbling down my

orange yellow hands tumbling down my back

back

back the weather-worn arm on my shoulder the

the weather-worn arm on my shoulder the

the weather-worn arm on my shoulder the Sun and sensibility peak over and

Sun and sensibility peak over and

Sun and sensibility peak over and reminder someone the sea reminds me to

reminder someone the sea reminds me to

reminder someone the sea reminds me to breathe fill myself with a new season

breathe fill myself with a new season

breathe fill myself with a new season switch summer for fall there is beauty

switch summer for fall there is beauty

switch summer for fall there is beauty in whatever’s coming the words becoming

in whatever’s coming the words becoming

in whatever’s coming the words becoming worlds in our palms somewhere there is

worlds in our palms somewhere there is

worlds in our palms somewhere there is beauty and impermanence autumn and

beauty and impermanence autumn and

beauty and impermanence autumn and running and this

and second poem I have for you today is

and second poem I have for you today is titles trying to find home

titles trying to find home

titles trying to find home my parents crossed the ocean cracking

my parents crossed the ocean cracking

my parents crossed the ocean cracking pants and lox philosophies between their

pants and lox philosophies between their

pants and lox philosophies between their teeth like walnuts Western learned but

teeth like walnuts Western learned but

teeth like walnuts Western learned but foreign and how they holds themselves

foreign and how they holds themselves

foreign and how they holds themselves like waterlogged apples dangling by the

like waterlogged apples dangling by the

like waterlogged apples dangling by the stem finding unexpected asylum with

stem finding unexpected asylum with

stem finding unexpected asylum with strangers the familiar lilt in their

strangers the familiar lilt in their

strangers the familiar lilt in their tones carving homes out of each other

tones carving homes out of each other

tones carving homes out of each other but when a cousin questions where I’m

but when a cousin questions where I’m

but when a cousin questions where I’m from my tongue becomes a salmon pink and

from my tongue becomes a salmon pink and

from my tongue becomes a salmon pink and floundering as if an answer could be

floundering as if an answer could be

floundering as if an answer could be found in a lifetime my family tree is

found in a lifetime my family tree is

found in a lifetime my family tree is worn and trampled sieged by storms by

worn and trampled sieged by storms by

worn and trampled sieged by storms by dictators by slavery my kin arrived with

dictators by slavery my kin arrived with

dictators by slavery my kin arrived with textbooks weighing on their heads and

textbooks weighing on their heads and

textbooks weighing on their heads and shackles round their ankles still in a

shackles round their ankles still in a

shackles round their ankles still in a land we have yet to call home our

land we have yet to call home our

land we have yet to call home our neighbors see our cacao hands whether

neighbors see our cacao hands whether

neighbors see our cacao hands whether they be doused in blood or salt water

they be doused in blood or salt water

they be doused in blood or salt water even this can become a sanctuary

even this can become a sanctuary

even this can become a sanctuary thank you

thank you

thank you [Applause]