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…
I can’t breathe
No puc respirar መተንፈስ አልችልም Non riesco a respirare Je ne peux pas respirer আমি শ্বাস নিতে পারি না Handigoni kufema لا استطيع التنفس Ba zan iya numfashi ba Hindi ako makahinga Não consigo respirar 我無法呼吸 Ez nikarim nekevim Nko le simi
Happiness in the accident
Back in November 2018 I made a pot. It was a big pot, formed of clay moulded over a bowl, intended as a home for a large Philodendron to be hung from the ceiling of my house. But work, travel and more latterly COVID-19 got in the way. The pot was fired and sat in…
There
Wordsmith: Laura Nyahuye Designer maker: Laura Nyahuye Photographer: John Whitmore
The artist and the prof 