Whiteness

The privilege of whiteness Is never having to think aboutThe colour of my skinNever having to walk down the streetWith my sleeves pulled down over my handsTo stop the namesThe staresThe spit Of those that passThe privilege of whitenessIs never having to worryThat my son will be stoppedFor no reason Keep his mouth shutBut not…

Break every chain

Model: Tamaira Hesson Wordsmith: Laura Nyahuye Designer maker: Laura Nyahuye Photographer: Taskin Capar

Weaving words

Dear Heaven Thank you for Dappled Light. Timely  Let me take you on a walk through my interaction with your email.  I saw your email and l was yessssss. My plan was to open attachments last night, however yesterday turned out to be another venture into tokenistic  meetings, the other, questioning what l was doing…

On the cusp

Between winter and spring Dark and light Despair and hope Fresh snow settles on the ground Small signs of life Of possibility The promise of the future Hidden from view Buried deep I close my eyes Go inside To the dark place Hunker down Wrap my arms around myself Shield from the cold And the…

Crushed but not defeated

I Migrated Migration is only a snapshot of my story This is an on-going story Daily it’s being written There’s so much more Crushed but not defeated   I’ve been crushed I’ve been bruised Talked about Ridiculed Rejected Left for dead Crushed but not defeated!   In my eyes you will see hope In my…

Magumbo

Totem: Magumbo Character traits Magumbo anopenga. Haaite zvekutamba A lioness A fighter Don’t do it! Who am l? I am a child of God A daughter A mother A sister friend, colleague, artist Magumbo? I am so MANY things I roar  I meow I howl Sometimes my blood boils so hot l feel like WONDER…

The day the tree died

A sunny cold day, knock on door I’m not ready… Door opened…  I’m not ready… ‘ _I’m cutting the tree down’,_ she said  _‘Cut it, sure cut it’_ they said No space between the wall and I I’m not ready… The day the tree died, Stuff, stuff, more stuff, Twisted, woven, greens, blues, heavy, thick……

Bend like the trees

When the storm approaches Bend like the trees You are strong Resilient Flexible And you will survive You will be different A little bent out of shape But beautiful In a different way When the storm arrives Lean into the loneliness The unknown spaces The fear For if you resist And try to fight it…

Blackness

Identity a crisis in modern day society Identity a tug of war, tugging with self, tugging with the other Identity the knowing of self Allowing circumstance to define who we are can possibly be the worst catastrophe to happen is one’s life. Whatever the circumstance is, be it good or bad circumstance. It must not…

No apologies

No! I will not apologize Does it offend you? Don’t clip my wings Category this Category that Ethnicity Blackness Whiteness Colourless Don’t clip wings I have no desire to fit in No Apologies Born to be free Born to be me Born to thrive not strive! Don’t clip my wings Category A Category B Ability…