Check out my performance: at 07:26 minutes

The fact that I am Introvert.

sitting prayer pose
crossed leg on the floor
timing my breath
to hear the Island and the places within myself.

my heart beating
without a conductor
free styling.

the bird chipped and tweeted
outside the cabin window
unaware of my ears or attention.

besides my heart, breath and the bird
the Island and I were in silence
a shared conversation.
what the dense forest told me
in bird tweets
I replied with heart beats.

there isn't much
I could say in words
except in my pure existence
finger tips to finger tips
to the end of my feet
with every strand of hair on my head.

I listened intently to self
the ideas and characters in my head
a world
as vast as the forest outside
with it's own coordinates.

my mind, a place
I speak eloquently at all times
act out adventures
come up with lines to fill pages of poetry to share
the mountain where I store my passion.

Writer
Selam





 

Interview with Ethio Youth Media-Cheers

Fitsum and Webitu

 When I looked out 
to the black sea
of caps and gowns
searching for your lovely face
I found a woman
swaying with that sweet June air
your oh so habesha modesty
taking in the sight
of the ceremony.

The crowd screaming
your Enat and Abat glowing
friends beaming with pride
we stood up just
to get a glimpse of you.

 I smiled for weeks on in
Re-playing your walk
Slow motion.
Small eyes, shiny youthful face
You posed for the camera
at the edge of the stage
AND
Just like that
You became a college graduate.

You leave me speechless
like a movie star
on the red carpet.
You didn’t just go to college
You fought upstream
For the gates of that place.

When you got to campus
You felt overwhelmed
under-resourced,
fighting to belong.

You sat through classes
feeling alone with
your ideas and skin color.

At times you were the teacher
peace keeper-rewriting
world history for classmates and professor.
  
Under the graduation cap
I saw the faces
of your childhood.
Kindergarten years.
Your small tender face
in middle school.
Petite body in high school.

We should have known
you would become this lovely woman
Standing upright
facing the world with
Those brave eyes.

You do have a solider for
A father
An Ethiopian queen for a mother
Poets of relatives
You do rain from
Ethiopia, where
The farmers and stay home moms
Speak in metaphors and rhymes.

As far back as
You trace your name
Which would be the start of humanity
You find scholars.

We  named you Fitum and Webitu
You were somebody
before the crown
Girl
show that oh So modest habesha smile
Cause you make us all very proud.

Writer: Selam Misgano (June 2012)

Dear Daughter: Full Version

Dear Daughter

You might turn out dark, tough like my father
Your skin shinning darker than a summer night
OR
Like your grandmother
You will have milk chocolate skin and
quietly carry the world on your back.

Whether you are born dark or light, you will black
A black woman
Dear daughter, I hate to tell you this but
as far as this world sees
You are weaker than the weak.
Emotional
At best you are pretty,
awaiting the care of a man.

This world thinks it knows you,
deciding your faith for you,
They told your story and closed the books
As if their well being depended on you not
knowing yourself.

They put you in colorful boxes
Black
Minority
Female
They will say that
You are fragile
Vulnerable
Disadvantaged

Honey don't believe these people,
They know nothing of your kind,
The resilience in your eyes mirrors
Your ancestors, who fought
Baring swords in the face of tanks
Bravery is built in your bones
Humility flows in your blood
you have the skills to take mountains and curve out a church
SO...
I promise, I find you a name that fits
How about
Ayalnesh, like the might, the strong.

Don't be mistaken these people misnaming
Shoving you in boxes
Are not your enemies
In fact they are your brothers and sisters
They are just confused,
believing your demises
protects their world.
Don't be confused with them,
March them out of the darkness.
You are the solider they need

politely remind themthey are the ones in crisis.

So
Dear daughter
when they say you are black
Tell them in fact, you are bright orange. You are the sun.
When they say you are a minority,
Show them a map
Because they numbers and pictures say otherwise
When they say you are disadvantaged,
Say to them, let's change it.
That is a deathbed and you don't plan to sleep on it.

Writer
Selam

Dear Daughter

When they say your are black
Tell them in fact, you are bright orange.
You are the sun.

When they say you are a minority,
Show them a damn map
the numbers and the pictures say otherwise.

When they say you are disadvantaged,
Say to them, Let's change it.
That is a death bed and you don't plan to sleep on it.


A couple of verses from my spoken word piece titled "Dear Daughter." I will be performing the full version live at the Webet Open Mic next Saturday at the Ethiopian Community Center. Hope you can come hear it!

Cheers
Selam

Live Poetry Reading @ a local fundraiser.