DPC POETRY: Lost words on a concrete slab

Phillip Timothy’s monument
lies hidden behind
a fence spiked with needle-sharp iron grids
that sew holes in our memories.
Through these, the events of May 29th 1979 tumble
and disappear in the garbage of time…

Gagged, we shout no more.
Crippled, we march no more.
Betrayed, we rise up no more,
for fear that our lives will be gazetted
in the mist of spent bullets,
engraved on a faded revolutionary mural,
on Government’s Treasury – untreasured building!

Three Walls:

a wordless slab
a spiked fence
and a page of faded militancy.

DPC is the acronymn for Domnichen Poetic Circle, a “Literary Circle of Contemporary Poets, and Spoken Word Artists of Dominican birth and descent. The group endeavors to showcase the broad spectrum of Dominican talent in the area of the written and spoken word and also promotes itself as a platform for interactive conversations on posted content of the Artists, “in the form of constructive critique and reactions, helpful poetry web-links and events, as well as, creative responses.”

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11 Comments

  1. River Street
    June 2, 2013

    Way to go Panman tell them. This is no mystery, it is a Dominica history. Lovely composition.

  2. D man stings;
    June 1, 2013

    Ras Pan boy;
    all i can say;
    so few words;so much said;
    well done,
    when the rain fall in your area,
    it falls on all man’s house.
    so you done know;

  3. Jenny James
    May 31, 2013

    Wonderfully written Panman…They can paint over the mural!..Try to hide the truths…But the truths shall resurface in the light!..

  4. Zead
    May 31, 2013

    Nice piece my brother… Phillip Timothy will get his square… that’s a promise that will be met

  5. Noxi D'Kawat
    May 31, 2013

    Cause we are a shame,
    Timothy died in vain
    Nothing has really changed
    And the Bull is repeating
    Cause, they think it’s over
    But the anger is just simmering

  6. Zafa Domnik
    May 31, 2013

    Boug, your words reached in deep and tugged at memories that had been partitioned. Thanks.

  7. Rhona
    May 31, 2013

    Words to remember..a happening so very long ago yet feels like yesterday. Beautifully said Panman!

  8. Delroy N. Williams
    May 31, 2013

    nice work Panman… i still wonder why they painted over that Mural…

    it was uncalled for

    • arnold toulon
      May 31, 2013

      Panman didn’t say that the mural was not done in good faith.Don’t dis your Dominican Artists for recording in their own way a piece of History. We didn’t care whether it was this Government ,or that.It was designed by Alwin Bully who lived right across from the ministry.I was on my veranda down the street,Still in shock during all the riots and carnage,trying to make sense of the whole thing. We have crossed that turbulent river and we have moved on.Panman has kept it tight with these few lines ,yet ensnared the core of the event with frugality of words.I can live with that!

      • DCW
        May 31, 2013

        Arnold, the mural is no more. The woall has been painted over and that is what Delroy is questioning.
        Hence my question: Phillip Timothy? Who was he? What did he do? Too many questions, too few answers and history is buried under all the garbage.

      • Delroy N. Williams
        May 31, 2013

        Anthony, i wasn’t dissing anyone my boy… i was simply stating that i don’t understand why the authorities chose to paint over the mural… how is that a diss to Panman?

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