Poetry recital features Belizeans and visitors

Not all the artistic expression of Women’s Week was manifested through crafts. On Saturday night the stage at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts came alive with the poetry of women from Belize and abroad. Here are some highlights, courtesy of the National Institute of Culture and History.

Poet #1
?Today her spirit freely sings; her soul spreading its wings. Hypocrisies undone, injustices exposed, burying the chains of the colonial hog. She gained her dignity; regained her integrity; Peggy lived, Peggy died proclaiming her identity.?

Poet #2
?But with time the slavish mind has slowly, steadily whittled away. And now there exists a new desire for release, a stirring of expression of the self. It is here, it is now.?

Poet #3
?Janie, Mary, Suzie, who tell unu fi gone round the lane? Look how unu mek Miss Jane name gone down the drain. Unu like mek mischief. Poor Miss Jane got wah big handkerchief. Ah shame, I embarrassed. Dah how unu mek I feel soh??

Poet #4
?I have a way with words she said, they?re valued more than gold. I?ve etched them in her memory, I?ve created substance feeds her soul. I make them laugh, I make them cry, I turn ABC?s into a baby?s lullaby. I give them life when I write them, let them penetrate you, when I recite them. (Sings) I can make them sing. I turn them into hip hop and I make my word bling bling.?

Poet #5
?Promote sisterhood? When I try to uplift myself you talk negatively about me. Promote sisterhood? When I won the contest you couldn?t even feel happy for me. Promote sisterhood sister? When from a hard day at work I step into my home and found you on top of my man. And you ask me to promote sisterhood??

Poet #6
?Because my beauty is dead to you. Not your harem girl, geisha doll, banana picker, pom-pom girl, pum-pum short coffeemaker, town whore, belly dancer, private dancer, La Malinche, venus hot and tot laundry girl, video ho. Your immaculate vessel; emasculating princess don?t wanna be not your erotic, not your exotic.?

(Applause)

The week’s activities will continue on Wednesday with the Women’s Summit. The event begins at eight-thirty in the morning at the Radisson in Belize City.