(The previous post, 'Birth and Death', gives context to this poem)
Dem say dat I reach here first
And dat she did come out of me
Really?
So society say dat she
mus answer to me
Really?
Dat I doh even have to really love she
Jus give she shelter and a lil money
Leh she buy some clothes fuh d baby
And when i reach home mih food better be ready
Really?
Dat cah be all dat make a man
really...
What about being soft with strength?
Helping her stand when she doh have the legs?
How 'bout lowering yuh ego
When she doh really need yuh help to go
toward realizin' her dreams?
Dat soun' more like what being a man means
Doh treat she sour, your job is to empower
And when the challenges make it harder to stand
extend a hand.
Is not a contest, a burden or a job
And if allyuh vex, yuh cah hit and shove
Man, if yuh want to be loved, then love.
Thursday 18 September 2008
Birth and Death
I've been intrigued by the connection between birth and death for many years now. As a man, the act of birth is a mystery to me. I was too young to remember my first-hand encounter with it, and I can never carry out that act myself. Yet, that aside, it remains part of my respect for women in that they have the power to commit an act that I can only wonder and write about. What I find truly amazing is how closely the life of mother and child are tied. Sometimes just for the child to live, the mother has to die. True, through medical and technological developments, the fatality rates for mothers has improved over time. This is not to say, however, that the risk to mothers is any less. The aspect of the balance, the fine line between her own life and the life of her child, remains. This is a commonality of life. Every man, every woman, is born with some woman having put her life on the line for their existence. Birth by itself is a miracle to be respected, as to is woman for the part that she plays. Indeed men are integral, for conception, but birth is all woman.
So how is it that men kill women? Even more integral, how is it that men kill the women they claim to love? Passion without reason is a dangerous thing. In today's world, many individuals place the location of their self-worth outside of themselves, mostly in material things, new house, car, anything that blings. Others value themselves through relationships, their passion is tied to the actions of another. Now sharing a life, being in a relationship is a beautiful thing, but it should be shared. Furthermore, self-worth should come from within the individual. Yes external events can affect how you feel, but your sense of self, your perception of who you are should come from within. Love can turn to hate in a heartbeat. But what value is placed on the life of a woman, an angel of life, when she is executed because she has chosen to end an unhealthy relationship? How many dictators are there in this land? And then, to not have the courage to face his actions, the 'man' turns the gun on himself.
Yet there is also the otherside, that no one but that man knows what was going on in his head to cause such an awful reaction. What processes are necessary to foster such a disconnect? How does what you love become who you murder? And while 'men' keep killing women, baby boys are born with less examples of what it means to truly be a man.
So how is it that men kill women? Even more integral, how is it that men kill the women they claim to love? Passion without reason is a dangerous thing. In today's world, many individuals place the location of their self-worth outside of themselves, mostly in material things, new house, car, anything that blings. Others value themselves through relationships, their passion is tied to the actions of another. Now sharing a life, being in a relationship is a beautiful thing, but it should be shared. Furthermore, self-worth should come from within the individual. Yes external events can affect how you feel, but your sense of self, your perception of who you are should come from within. Love can turn to hate in a heartbeat. But what value is placed on the life of a woman, an angel of life, when she is executed because she has chosen to end an unhealthy relationship? How many dictators are there in this land? And then, to not have the courage to face his actions, the 'man' turns the gun on himself.
Yet there is also the otherside, that no one but that man knows what was going on in his head to cause such an awful reaction. What processes are necessary to foster such a disconnect? How does what you love become who you murder? And while 'men' keep killing women, baby boys are born with less examples of what it means to truly be a man.
Thursday 11 September 2008
Flood
Through its infinite wisdom, the universe saw it fit that I would not live as an engineer. That being said, it is with limited understanding of structures and flow that I offer this criticism. First, how is it that Port-of-Spain still floods? And I wonder if anything is being done to address this fact. Something must be in the works, there is no way that the government would blindly move to expand the pressure on the infrastructure of the capital without first ensuring that said infrastructure has the capacity to handle the increased load. Right? Politicians may be evil and uncaring but they aren't stupid right? How blind can Vision 2020 really be? Ironic that 20/20 means perfect sight, yet this vision seems to have more cataracts than a home for the aged. Many objections have been raised from different circles, from artists to politicians, to engineers and academics. The current expansion is often labelled as being 'un-sustainable' by the dissenters. Yet the government is still forging along, taking a 'father knows best' approach. All the voices of objection aren''t silenced, but they are ignored. Yet is this not a democracy? Where do we go, who do we turn to now? After objecting and having our say, father knows best and lets us know this, so what is left? What is next after we object like well-mannered, respectful citizens? What is left for us when our objection leads to no change? How long will we be patronized for? Or do we perhaps make a bargain with evolution and exchange our revolutionary spirit for gills so that we can live in the floodwaters? When will our limit be reached and our frustration at not being heard lead us to action? Until such a time, until we either take control of our destinies or roll over and give up totally, all we can continue to do is object like good, little citizens. Some say we're waiting on a leader. Yet revolutions are made by people, not leaders. The people must first rise, then we can deicde who will lead. But we happy with what we have. A rum to drink, a party to go to, and a rich mind to distract. Welcome welcome one and all, to the land of fetes, trini to the bone...trini to the bone.
Monday 1 September 2008
Obamania
It amazes me how much hope society vests in modern day politicians and governments. Traditionally society or the mob, has always loved to be in awe of a leader, whether it be king, pope, or politician. Charisma and the gift of speech is a most effective tool for catching the attention of an audience. A man or woman, with the right voice, vibe, and 'feel', can get others to follow their will. Masters of rhetoric are older than the written word itself, before we wrote it we spoke it. Over the years these great speakers have used their powers to achieve goals that were important to them. Martin Luther for Protestantism, Frederick Douglas, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X for 'civil' rights. And now today, Barack Obama for 'hope' and 'change'.
Decades ago, the America political landscape had no room for a black politician, much less one with a 'foreign' sounding name. Today things are evidently different. Not only is Obama black, but also his message is a positive one. He has crossed borders and boundaries with an appeal that stretches across gender, age, race, sexual orientation and even nationality. For older people like my parents, people who grew up in an era painted with the billy club stokes of racist police men, bombarded by the images of black Americans being abused en masse by dogs and water hoses, the image of a clean-cut and well-manicured Obama is indeed a sign of hope and change. I cannot help to think, however, that his widespread acceptance by white Americans is somehow a necessary verification for his global appeal.
Obama has an allure that the world cannot seem to shake, and I wonder if I am alone in my doubts. One word comes to mind, cynic. I had a conversation today that went something like this,
"What do you think of Obama?"
"He's a politician."
"What kind, good, bad, ugly? What?"
"They're all the same on one level, they can't be trusted. Obama can't be trusted."
The dangerous part of this 'Obamania' is how blindly people support politicians. One everyone's lips are the words hope and change. But what will Obama change? The corrupt US political system with its acres of complicated lobbies and backdoor interests? Will he be able to keep his promise of restoring morality to America? How does a man restore morality? Obama is a politician, and as such will say anything to get elected. He must appear to be, must be perceived as a man that fits the expectations of the American people. Granted, he has not gone as far as some in ridiculous assertions, but the restoration of morality to a nation is something that even the biblical Jesus could not attain, and he died to try and solve it.
I am encouraged by Obama's rhetoric, but view it only as that, rhetoric. Even rhetoric though, can be a start for change. If anything, this is what he shall accomplish, the beginning of a new direction, which in terms of a life's work is a huge and fantastic feat within itself. However, it's not enough to win an election, and thus the spin cycle continues. And while Obamanics place there hope in the image of a man, his message of society healing itself is lost. Putting us right back where we started, "It amazes me how much hope society vests in modern day politicians and governments." While politicians make promises that they can't possibly be held accountable for, the less wealthy members of society are left out of all processes. They promise to restore morality while a young girl is being raped by an uncle. They say they believe that health care should be available to all but have no comprehensive plan to make that a reality. They promise a crime-free society, yet it is evident that crime is a part of a life where there is money, property, and value. A politician will say anything to get elected. They are not driven by a concern for others but rather by a thirst for power. None to the same degree as the next, but yet it is a main motivator for them all. In Obama it seems the mob has found a symbol. Symbols can fade faster than people, but sometimes they last long after the originators have gone. I hope that Obama can become a symbol for true change.
Decades ago, the America political landscape had no room for a black politician, much less one with a 'foreign' sounding name. Today things are evidently different. Not only is Obama black, but also his message is a positive one. He has crossed borders and boundaries with an appeal that stretches across gender, age, race, sexual orientation and even nationality. For older people like my parents, people who grew up in an era painted with the billy club stokes of racist police men, bombarded by the images of black Americans being abused en masse by dogs and water hoses, the image of a clean-cut and well-manicured Obama is indeed a sign of hope and change. I cannot help to think, however, that his widespread acceptance by white Americans is somehow a necessary verification for his global appeal.
Obama has an allure that the world cannot seem to shake, and I wonder if I am alone in my doubts. One word comes to mind, cynic. I had a conversation today that went something like this,
"What do you think of Obama?"
"He's a politician."
"What kind, good, bad, ugly? What?"
"They're all the same on one level, they can't be trusted. Obama can't be trusted."
The dangerous part of this 'Obamania' is how blindly people support politicians. One everyone's lips are the words hope and change. But what will Obama change? The corrupt US political system with its acres of complicated lobbies and backdoor interests? Will he be able to keep his promise of restoring morality to America? How does a man restore morality? Obama is a politician, and as such will say anything to get elected. He must appear to be, must be perceived as a man that fits the expectations of the American people. Granted, he has not gone as far as some in ridiculous assertions, but the restoration of morality to a nation is something that even the biblical Jesus could not attain, and he died to try and solve it.
I am encouraged by Obama's rhetoric, but view it only as that, rhetoric. Even rhetoric though, can be a start for change. If anything, this is what he shall accomplish, the beginning of a new direction, which in terms of a life's work is a huge and fantastic feat within itself. However, it's not enough to win an election, and thus the spin cycle continues. And while Obamanics place there hope in the image of a man, his message of society healing itself is lost. Putting us right back where we started, "It amazes me how much hope society vests in modern day politicians and governments." While politicians make promises that they can't possibly be held accountable for, the less wealthy members of society are left out of all processes. They promise to restore morality while a young girl is being raped by an uncle. They say they believe that health care should be available to all but have no comprehensive plan to make that a reality. They promise a crime-free society, yet it is evident that crime is a part of a life where there is money, property, and value. A politician will say anything to get elected. They are not driven by a concern for others but rather by a thirst for power. None to the same degree as the next, but yet it is a main motivator for them all. In Obama it seems the mob has found a symbol. Symbols can fade faster than people, but sometimes they last long after the originators have gone. I hope that Obama can become a symbol for true change.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
