Holes in hearts

Holes in hearts

A mother spoke about her daughter.

A hole in her heart she cries out.

But that was not why we came,

we came so she would not be abused.

Her mother saved her

becoming

a gendered violence statistic.

And became

another governments' statistic

alive

just

Her mother saved a brother

her kidney passed border control

now labelled a british citizen

leaving her behind

here destitute

High risk

of kidney infection

High risk

from immigration bill

High risk

of being left to die

by those with emotionless holes

in their hearts.

This piece is a creative listening to a speech given by a friend and asylum seekers who spoke at Bristol Refugee Rights 10th December human rights day event about the proposed denial of health care to some asylum seekers, including himself.

For more info:

www.bristolrefugeerights.org/10th-december-health-care-for-all/

This has also been published on asylumseekersinbristol.blogspot.com

Apart. A Part

I am apart

from this history

what was Mandela?

Prison black politician

selected parts of his speeches

shape my knowledge

sounds a good elder

to our struggles

against the again and again

of oppression

selecter parts of his history

give me knowledge

sounds like power corrupted

a lesson repeated

in the again and again

of oppression

questions of history grow

as we dance under Biko

how did apartheid become

the defining word for peoples experience?

How did the debate get framed

and then photographed

and then framed again?

What has not been framed?

Who has not been framed?

Alejando Uribe assasinated 2005

Aldelina Gomez assassinated 30th September 2013

Cesar Garcia assassinated 2nd November 2013

I am a part

of this history

Anglo in the mountains of colombia

Gold in the mountains of colombia

Ashanti in the mountains of colombia

the colonial pursuit of el dorado

leaves more freedom fighters

fallen again in its bloody wake.

What was in Mandela's other speeches?

What did he say

to Anglo Gold Ashanti,

The white south african mining elite?

What did they say to him?

Nationalise Privatise

Royalties Ransom.

Compromise?

I gather in community

at this time of his death

to prevent the centuries old

whitewash of black working class history

our elites white master so well

and to dialogue together

to find each other

to seek solidarity with each other

in this time of growing

fortress europe

apartheid.

We are a part.

I read this out in Millenium Square, Bristol on Sunday 15th December as part of a public community event, organised in response to Nelson Mandela's death. I wrote this after being inspired by an event at the Malcolm X Centre on the Friday night before. Thank you those who organised the space for us to come together.

We are going to survive.

He speaks bravely

he looks boldly,

voice clear loud,

fingers trembling reveal

our shared vulnerability

when we speak our truth.

Here is how I heard him:

I want

you to imagine

I am your brother, your uncle, your son.

Would you want

me to be

denied

healthcare

if I need it in the future?

My fear

is what will happen

to me.

It

won't

be

easy.

I don't want

to use this word

but I

think it is a torture

method.

How am I

going to pay

when I am not allowed to work or to receive any money?

How does government think

we are going to survive.

This piece is a creative listening to a speech given by a friend and asylum seekers who spoke at Bristol Refugee Rights 10th December human rights day event about the proposed denial of health care to some asylum seekers, including himself.

For more info:

www.bristolrefugeerights.org/10th-december-health-care-for-all/