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Caribbean Poet, Jamaican Poet Nicholas Damion Alexander, Systemic Racism, The body politic, War on Terror
Systemic Racism
Source: Common Dreams
My Poetry Corner October 2016 features the poem “The Body Politic” by Nicholas Damion Alexander, poet and teacher of English and Philosophy from the Caribbean island of Jamaica.
Alexander’s work first caught my attention with “My Mother’s Salt” published in the anthology of 100 Calabash Poets, So Much Things To Say (Akashic Books, 2014). In the first of four stanzas, we learn that the poet is of mixed ethnicity – union of a black mother and white father that brought diversity to their lives.
My mother cooked with salt,
flavoring our lives
with the spice of her choice…
A white grain from the sea
that added new worlds of taste
to children made of mixed spices.
But the union of the poet’s parents did not endure. In “The Love of a Father,” Alexander confesses that, with the passage of time, he has come to love his father more. (In the excerpt below, her refers to the poet’s mother.)
Though he stayed out late at nights
Drinking and smoking, accusing
Her-of-god-knows what on his return.
Though he said I was not his son
Because I defended her honor.
Though he still loves drinking
And smoking and staying out late,
Gambling; never thinking to save a cent.
Alexander’s poems published on Poem Hunter and on his blog reveal his deep connection with the forces of Nature, the land, and the struggles of the Jamaican people. In “Coldfront,” he reflects on the consequences of strong cold winds descending on Jamaica from the north.
raging down on our little island paradise
like slavery
Snapping winds like the curl
of cruel whips lashing our ancestors’ backs
oppress us now – Romans to Christ
And then, rain rain rain!
Like the rising waters of the Middle Passage
drowning us now in a sudden surge of frigidity
like the greed of imperialism’s rage.
The featured poem, “The Body Politic,” especially resonated with me. Alexander comments on our futile search for salvation through our religious leaders. I couldn’t help but think of we-the-American-people who continue to place our trust in the empty promises – “truth from lies” – made by our political leaders. During our 2016 presidential elections, we hold onto the belief that our preferred candidate will somehow solve our problems of “old ceaseless ends,” such as our systemic racism and our endless War on Terror.
thinking that somehow meaning
will unfold from nonsense
like truth from lies.
That something will emerge
from nothing
like genesis.
That new beginnings will commence
from old ceaseless ends.
Our salvation lies within our reach, Alexander notes.
To read the complete featured poem and learn more about Nicholas Damion Alexander and his work, go to my Poetry Corner October 2016.
Thanks for introducing us to this powerful poet.
Glad you appreciate his work 🙂
As you and the poet suggest, we do not learn from history. Hegel writes that, as well. But, I do think, if Mr. Trump is defeated, at least we shall avoid the worst possible outcome — for now. History tells us that many a people do not. Thank you, Rosaliene, for another worthy poetic introduction.
Dr. Stein, with climate disruption at our doorstep and a nuclear war in the making – if the military industrial complex have their way – our future is already bleak…whoever wins.
Civilization, or the cult of the groupies, has always had a bleak future. Actually it’s never really had a future, just more of same old. The only future available to an ISSA (intelligent, sentient, self aware) being is within her/himself. Only an individual can create the future while groups, by their co-dependency can only create chaos. History clearly demonstrates this fact, yet people will moan and cry, “Oh we never learn from history!” and the reason for that is simple: People choose to exist within collectives to which they freely and abjectly hand over all their power, a power which the group leaders then take to enrich themselves, exploit all that is exploitable and enslave those who now kneel powerless between armoured lines of brutal police and military enforcers. They repeat the mistakes of their forebears, refusing to dare trust each other, instead putting their trust in their corrupt, psychopathic leaders. Then they trudge out day after day to destroy their natural world for the benefit of their rulers. They delve deep into the mines to drag out the diamonds their elites will parade their sex-slaves in; the gold they will use as bargaining chips to enslave children, sending sons and daughters to fight their wars, and die while slaughtering millions of other slaves such as themselves so their elites can help themselves to the bounties of foreign lands. At the end of the day, when there is no longer anything to eat; when a crippled son lies on his bed in the attic thinking of suicide, the people cry at the injustice of it all and pray to some god to save them, but never forgetting to end the prayer with a heartfelt, “God bless America” and by that the crushing wheel is propelled into motion for another turn.
Sha’Tara, while I agree with your presentation of all that ails humanity, I don’t agree that we can survive as individuals. We are a social, interdependent species. Our survival depends upon others.
I understand. “Your” species, though at a critical point in its expansion, is not ready to accept the need for real change. Yet the possibility has to be presented to them, that they can’t come back hundreds of terrible years hence and say, “You knew this would happen and you knew how we could have avoided it and said nothing!” So I say what I can, in passing. There have been times when people have asked me, “How do you see yourself in relation to the world?” and my answer is always, “The same as Cassandra did in relation to Troy.” Your old ways don’t work, Rosaliene, but they offer some sort of comfort by their familiarity of belief. I won’t be adding my thoughts on your blog, not because I’m miffed, but because they don’t fit. I do wish you well, and for your lifetime a bit of a reprieve from the final and inevitable downfall and collapse of this civilization. I know you mean well, and I say in parting, be well, always.
I wish you well, too, Sha’Tara ❤
Reblogged this on Guyanese Online.
Thanks for sharing my post, Cyril. Have a great week 🙂
powerful post, good words Rosaliene!
Thanks, Lara 🙂
Excellent choice, Rose. And you are right – humans cannot make it alone. Besides the needs to touch and be touched, practicality requires others. If we could only make better choices about leaders and what their responsibilities are.
Thanks, Angela. If only, indeed. We pay the price for our bad choices.