World Poetry Day

“This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”- Toni Morrison. My introduction to poetry was in grade 4 at St. Jude’s Primary School located at Norwich Avenue off Waltham Park in Kingston. My teacher at the time was Miss Seivwright. As students we all had to recite Nature by H.D. Carberry at the end of lunchtime daily or else. Those who did not know the words would have an intimate encounter with the belt. Nature by Hugh Doston Carberry was drilled into our subconscious state of being. As students of 4B we had no choice but to know the words of what is an interesting account of our oral history. Back then we did not fully appreciate the power and impact that poetry has on the mind and one’s entire being. As I grew older so did my appreciation for poetry. Years later the joy of immersing one’s self in doing poetry became more pronounced. Poetry is relaxing and offers one a window to the poet’s mind. Poetry also provides an opportunity to escape into a make believe world. Not everyone will become an award winning poet; however, this should by no means discourage you from this form of linguistic expression. Girls tend to do better at poetry than boys; in fact girls do better in English than boys. The annual Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results attest to this. A few years ago one of my grade 9 male students said to me “sir poetry is for girls.” I told him how wrong he was. I shared with the class that poetry is not gender specific but a rather gender neutral way of expressing one ideas and values. Poetry speaks to us in different ways. Nature by H.D. Carberry We have neither Summer nor Winter Neither Autumn nor Spring. We have instead the days When the gold sun shines on the lush green cane fields Magnificently. The days when the rain beats like bullet on the roofs. And there is no sound but thee swish of water in the gullies. And trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds. Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango trees’ And the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun. But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossom When bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey, When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air, When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars. And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone. The fact that the United Nations has set aside March 21st as World Poetry Day speaks volume to the impact of the spoken word in its ability to shape and influence outcomes both in the personal and international spheres. The United Nations declares that the observance of World Poetry Day is also meant to encourage a return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, to promote the teaching of poetry, to restore a dialogue between poetry and the other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and to support small publishers and create an attractive image of poetry in the media, so that the art of poetry will no longer be considered an outdated form of art, but one which enables society as a whole to regain and assert its identity. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) first adopted 21 March as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard. World Poetry Day is an occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media. Poetry speaks to our common humanity which involves our challenges, dreams, shared values and has the ability to address global issues such as climate change, peace and security, mental health and the ongoing COVID19 pandemic. One cannot speak or write about poetry without making reference to Maya Angelou. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou The free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky. But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing. The caged bird sings with fearful trill of the things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own. But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom. The international community was memorized with the words of African American poet, Amanda Gorman at the inauguration of Joseph Biden as president of the United States of America. In fact for weeks after the entire world wanted to know more about this young poet. Amanda Gorman in her The Hill We Climb poem was able to convey the sentiments of the United States of America. She was able to put her pulse on issues such as racism, democracy and justice for all and she recited stanza after stanza a linguistic masterpiece. Amanda Gorman with her unique style was able to capture a younger audience and breathe a sense of freshness into this linguistic form. The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade? The loss we carry, a sea we must wade. We've braved the belly of the beast, We've learned that quiet isn't always peace, and the norms and notions of what just is isn't always just-ice. And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it. Somehow we do it. Somehow we've weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken, but simply unfinished. We the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president only to find herself reciting for one… In Jamaica outstanding poets such as Lorna Goodison, Mervyn Morris and Olive Senior have all been named poet laureate of Jamaica at some point. Mervyn Morris in Peelin Orange showed us that it was alright to do poetry in own mother tongue or patois. The essence of the message was not lost in Morris’ use of the dialect to bring across a long held view in the Jamaican culture regarding the association with new clothes and peeling an orange. Peelin Orange by Mervyn Morris Dem use to seh yu peel a orange perfec an yu get new clothes But when mi father try fi teach mi slide de knife up to de safeguard thumb I move de weapon like a saw inna mi han an de dyamn rind break An if yu have de time yu can come see mi in mi ole clothes peelin Pandemic Poems by Olive Senior D for Domestic Violence As if the sickness outside has entered here: the fear, the choking, the gasping for breath. But no, that one is silent and invisible, named With an exit strategy… The Domestic Science of Sunday Dinner by Lorna Goodison There is the soaking of the peas; the red kidney beans Dried out from hard life, which need to be revived Through the water process, overnight osmosis. There is the seasoning of the meat always with garlic which you scrape with the serrated edge of an Okapi knife. Mince those cloves of pungent flavor then slice the circular onions, weeping Add the savor of salt and the bite of pepper… Poetry is infectious. Once you fall in love with poetry you never fall out of this creative art form. Two of my poems are below. Atmosphere by Wayne Campbell One moment sunshine smiling through puffy balls of cotton clouds Floating on angels’ wings Then in the blink of an eye The afternoon sky pulls down her dark grey curtains Tall, dark columns fill the summer sky Shattering lightning The clanking, outburst of thunder roaring across the sky Mother Nature at her worst That strange, familiar earthy aroma permeates the air Raindrops tickling my nostrils It’s almost here © 2014 The Heroes Journey by Wayne Campbell Sitting in the front row, Attentively looking, trying to mask the truth Why is he wasting his time and gambling his future away? Well groomed and soft spoken, no one could tell Uninterested! Do some work, the teacher yelled. Nothing stirs his emotionless face A million and one excuses Masculinity being interrogated! Awaken from his slumber he must I expect him to succeed Along the Heroes Journey © June 2014 The United Nations states one of the main objectives of the World Poetry Day is to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities. On this World Poetry Day I implore you to read a stanza or two from your favourite poet or begin the journey to becoming a poet. In the words of Wole Soyinka, books and all forms of writing are terror to those who wish to suppress the truth. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #WorldPoetryDay