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Along Victoria Inner Harbour
Behind the granite wall
Next to Capt. James Cook’s effigy in bronze
Next to bold bronze plaques of white-worlders-
Come-by-water
Across from The Empress
In front of the Assembly of Other Nations
Under an iron bench
Scratched in concrete—
No justice on stolen land.

 

Update, July 2, 2021: The statue of Captain James Cook at Victoria Inner Harbour was torn down by a group of protesters and thrown into the harbour. It will not be replaced.

Included in Make A list: How a Simple Practice Can Change Our Lives and Open Our Hearts by Marilyn McEntyre: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2018. A lovely book.

Published in: “Letter to the White Imbongi” 2013

It was a drive-by versing
A poem invasion
An act of irrepressible aesthetics
Unmitigated form and passion
Premeditated meter
Alliteration
Aggravated by both rhythm
And rhyme

It was a drive-by versing
A poem incursion
A wilding of fact and fantasy

By all accounts
A Declaration of Words

 

When my home town made it illegal for singers and performers to freely work the streets there was a protest rally. I read this poem from the old courthouse steps with bullhorn in hand.

Published in: “souls arriving” 2006

.

Spoons
c-d-lick-k-k

pots/pans
b-bang-ng-ng
bowng b boawng
Hey!

-ey!
lids
CRSH-INGGG

Hey ng ng-ng b-ba-wnng Hey!

Hey!
HeyboangHecd-ba-b-yonnHey!
HeyowngHeyboangdeclick (SHiNGHey!)
Heyang-b-bang-c-dlick bongHey!
c-Hey-c-baowngSHINGGbonng-nging-Hey!

 

Dedicated to all those who’ve helped: Pots, pans, lids & spoons from balconies around the world.

Published in: “souls arriving” 2006 as “Joy of Kitchen”

What number is a heart?
What faith bleeds some other red?

What rhythms do our hearts beat?
If they could what would they sing?

 

Some folks say
that other folks
get their opinions
from the media.
They can be right.

Other folks say
that some folks
get their opinions
from psychics
and mediums.
They can be right.

Some other folks
have their own minds
and use them.
Their opinions
can be right too.