for me, writing is a form of celebration
I love to express my thoughts on the page
written or typed it fills my heart with joy
there is little to celebrate these days
these days, I feel a weight on my chest
it’s heavy.
it’s always lurking, peeking behind curtains
while my other selves roam fancy free
I know there are forests
but I can’t see them for the trees
I feel the weight of tyranny downpressing me
but when I pick up my pen and write
the words become my fire to see me through the night – resistance
I am writing my existence into reality
like a map laid out for me
pen in hand, I write to erase the rules and formalities which keep us bound
there are tethered hounds which howl at the wolves I see
these rebel wolves are still hounding me to join their pack
they tell me that if I want to be free I have to ride like Natty Dread and attack
I think back, to when I was young
I always wanted to be part of the popular crew and parrot references
to what was cool and have my peers left in awe and deference too
but now my reverence, my celebration
is for those who stand up to systems of segregation
even when it’s not popular to say what needs saying
for the sake of liberation
I celebrate the greats whose words tore down nations
heading for damn nation
I’m say damn this nation
I feel I’m suffocating so I have to find a breath for celebration
and sometimes it’s like finding needles in haystacks of discrimination
we wear our chains with pride and we think we’re free
like ghosts we’re haunting the people we should really be
I want to celebrate but I can’t shake the shackles from my feet
I dance anyway, I stomp my souls into the earth
and I pray for the release, I want to celebrate
so I tell my loved ones how much they mean to me
they’re my soil, and they give life to my tree
I’m a renegade, but trust and connection is my ultimate need
so I celebrate the one’s who bring comfort to me
our affinity, is the reason I sing every morning
the reason I become like lightening storming if I hear of anyone
any state or any structure trying to do harm to their good hearts
because I am so adoring of their good hearts
in admiration of the wisdom they impart
and despite the harsh nights
they carry on with love and with light
that’s why I celebrate
cause if I forget how to love then I have become nothing
and I am of no use to anyone or anything
so don’t forget to celebrate, rest and restore
in the hard times and the good
behold a pale horse
only celebration could make death take down his hood
and drop his torch
celebration is to humanity what a fire is to wood
so of course -
celebration is a cleansing force