DPC POETRY: Mama Carnival

Have you felt the spirit of Mama Carnival?
She’s the true spirit of our survival!
Have you felt the spirit of Mama Carnival
Freedom asking masked by bacchanal?
Have you felt the spirit of Mama Carnival?
She’s the true spirit of our survival!
Yes, she’s old and bold and full of culture;
hot and cold and full of color!

Through her movement, she’ll possess us –
She’s our rhythm, pulse and focus.
She’s nurtured us from womb to breast
She says to us, ‘Go do the rest!’
She’s the spirit of her children’s protest,
the celebration of the harvest.
Feasting on the fruits of workers’ labor,
in her abundance, we savor.

Sipping the wine of freedom songs,
honoring her daughters and her sons…
Those who kept her secrets, taught her ways…
Those who suffered for long days:
Days of animosity
which bred victims of ambiguity.
For them we will now celebrate
With love and rhythm conquer hate

She’s humble but forever wise
serving her purpose, keeping her disguise.
Lurking in the shadows of consciousness,
springing forth with joy and happiness.
In predawn rituals on Jouvert morn
between darkness and light, she is reborn.
Living, loving in full bliss
Her rebirth you won’t want to miss.

Spiritual, orgasmic transformation,
diversity – mass celebration!
Color, creed and class disappear…
Social status holds no fear:
Celebrating sexuality,
occupation and ability.
No more discrimination…
Carnival Children, One Nation!

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.”

https://www.facebook.com/groups/poetdomnichen/

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4 Comments

  1. Rhona
    September 28, 2013

    Wonderful Ras Mo! Got me to thinking what Carnival was all about when I was a little girl.

  2. nel
    September 27, 2013

    This is excellent work but the first and second verses needed a little more depth. Didn’t quite precede what followed. But very strong undertones. Lovely

  3. Jenny James
    September 27, 2013

    Ras Mo,a well fitted poem in words and reads for our people’s..Now that the creole festival is on its way….

    “Spiritual, orgasmic transformation,
    diversity – mass celebration!
    Color, creed and class disappear…
    Social status holds no fear:
    Celebrating sexuality,
    occupation and ability.
    No more discrimination…
    Carnival Children, One Nation!”

  4. Anonymous
    September 27, 2013

    love it

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