Its the 'Spoken Word'

Jean 'Binta' Breaze and I

Being a novice in the world of literature, I recently took part in a 8 week workshop with the brilliant dub-poet Jean ‘Binta’ Breaze. She eloquently taught various forms of performance poetry from songs, letters to political literature. Jeans history is amazing, from her career as a singer in Jamaica, to her band poem for BBC proms, to being one the worlds most respected poets. She is an exquisite person, who has taught me a lot.

Our course ended in a performance at East Midlands, Spoken Word open mic night at the Y-Theatre. Considering that I come from a performance background, I was absolutely bricking it. The closer it got to my turn to display my lyrical talents; my palms became sweatier, my mouth dry and I made several trips to the ladies room. When it finally hit crunch time I was ok, I got my queue, moseyed onto the stage and lucidly recited my poem.

Diggers and Settlers

When I was younger my father said to me,

'In life, my dear there are two kinds of people, diggers and settlers

Diggers…dig for what they want

Settlers… settle for what they have

In life, who do you want to be?' …he said to me

His golden locks, his gentle smile

His peaceful eyes, his bristly aisle

Here a man who had searched and travelled for miles

Only to believe and grapple his own desires

In life, my father always said to me;

'The world is your oyster, be what you want to be!'

He came from Africa, Uganda to be exact

Blood drinking, power hungry Idi was in his reign

Ready to attack, crack, rape, for his unsightly gains

The soil had become soaked with the dead

And he new it was time to leave

Sister, brother, father and mother

Uprooted from home to find another

When I was younger my father said to me,

'In life, my dear there are two kinds of people, diggers and settlers

‘Who do you want to be?' …he said to me

Time is the best healer, and with time the wound will heal

And with time the goodness did prevail

Reaching into the hidden depths of desires, he started a new life

Determined to empower the I, he studied, grafted and fell in love.

She radiated energy into his life like a full moon,

And he knew she was the one.

Coupled together, they tenderly nurtured

Three little angels into this world

When I was younger my father said to me,

'In life, my dear there are two kinds of people, diggers and settlers

Who do you want to be?'

In the heat of youth,

Sometimes blind

Sometimes confused

The search continues

Through the twisted tangles paths to satisfaction

‘THE DIGGING NEVER STOPS!’

And when it does…

I the child

The angel in his eyes

Recite his words once more

'In life, my dear there are two kinds of people

Diggers and settlers'

'Who do you want to be?'