FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS WINDOW

         Aquí les dejo un poema de Spoken Word que presente hace un par de semanas en Valencia, España en el evento creado por los chicos de mi Universidad (Berklee College of Music) por el mes de Black History y un video de la declamación. disfrútenlo.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPPkuO4Feew&feature=gp-n-y&google_comment_id=z13eu5tasnmogfkpd04chtsa5mb4tlp5ybs

Hey!

Are you there?

It’s me; from the other side of that blurry window you like looking through, sometimes.

So, let me understand again:

You are sure that your word and your beliefs are the only truth, right?

That reality is one-dimensional:

that there’s only one perspective to contemplate life the right way,

Cause that’s what you were taught to do?

Since you were so young you didn’t have any voice to choose

until now.

Now, that you’re old,

you’re still mommy’s trophy to show off

Because you obey society,

Like a puppet little kids like playing with.

Now that

you wish you had committed more mistakes

and fell down in the mud more times

to actually be someone yourself.

I don’t blame you.

Every day at school you are taught that people

who look and talk different from you and the ones you call yours, 

are divided in “yours” and “them”.

Your world is all about staying behind the crystal of that old window

Whose frames are black and glass is thick,

Just in case you want to go beyond the expected.

Just in case you have a little leftover of curiosity inside you,

Which would make you open that old window and your powdered wings too.

Jump secretly and fly under the rain.

I know your parents don’t tell you

That there is a world outside that window.

That there are hues and colors,

Others than black and white.

You are not allowed to breathe the air from the other side of the wall,

You are just meant to watch how the breeze makes the trees dance.

All from the inside of your little hole.

Why would you stay there?...

And

the moment you have a question about the “creatures” that live in

“the other side”,

because our behavior and mind have different shapes than you and

those you call “yours” have,

you suddenly see how the blinds are turned down

 a second before they let you articulate a word.

I don’t blame you.

You are taught to fear the unknown,

And to feel pride about that lifestyle you got used to living.

Lifestyle you think is fine

Just because its convenient for your lazy body.

Cause it keeps you from carrying the weight someone else does for you.

So you are thankful for their misery.

Cause you won’t allow your hands get dirty

For “their” blood and sweat. MY blood and sweat.

But you’d let your hands get dirty

For yourself and “yours” only.

Maybe.

Why is it all about “you and “us”?

Why do you need to determine your blood’s value and contrast it with others?

Those are questions you don’t ask yourself,

And instead,

You preach unity, love, peace and light,

And pray to your Gods every single morning.

Would your lips ever get strong enough to make it all happen that easily?

But its ok, I don’t blame you.

I am just concerned about “your” people,

Who don’t teach you to accept those weird creatures who don’t look like you.

Strange fruits you kill cause you don’t know.

And still,

I know you now-and-then watch outside the window.

You look at us with pity and confusion,

You just get close to us from the other side of the frame.

Where you feel comfortable and safe.

Cause you won’t leave those walls, that enclose what you call home.

Why would you?

Would you come to us to hold our hands,

When we need one? When you need one?

No, cause there’s a glass you built it,

And only you can break it.

And yeah, I know you enjoy playing the game you were taught,

Cause they made the rules and you’ve always “won”.

But you are not winning anything, cause you haven’t chosen those movements.

Its not either your merit or your fault.

Someone else makes your decisions before you even know there were choices.

And you know it.

You know you’ll be condemned to Hell if you get too smart.

There seem to be no exceptions.

So you rather stay quiet and still, pretending innocence,

Be the good daughter who does what she’s told to

At the moment she’s told to,

And ask forgiveness when she doesn’t.

It’s OK,

You’re not doing harm to anyone.

Nor good.

But I hope deep in your heart

You get to see the wall.

That wall that limits your love.

That wall that has caused humanity

Be “you” and “us” instead.

I hope you do it before your wings rot.

I hope you jump under the rain and learn how that outer-world really looks like

Without that thick glass in between,

before you get too old to move your legs and your heart.

Before it becomes your fault to stay there on the comfortable and warm side of the wall.

Where you’ve got anything but the world at your feet.

Would you be capable of breaking the glass?

would it be possible that you,

the pride of your parents and friends,

who are just the mediocre reflect of each other,

will ever leave your name and your temple?

Would there ever be any cause good enough for you

to desire the sky and spread your wings?

The path you’ve been walking seems so hard to step,

It seems so narrow, only a few might fit.

Would you leave your Heaven behind

to fight for an Earth?

That world, which you are missing every day

from the inside of your walls?

You think you’ve loved the perfume that encapsulated you in that bubble

All this time,

But that’s cause you’d never been outside it,

In the rainy and exciting side of life

Where the ground blends with the sky

And there’s nothing but a family.

Where you can touch roses

And you learn to love them

instead of hating them because you fear their spines.

Would you ever stop being frightened,

And instead, enjoy this blizzard?

Winter would come, you’ll be reborn from the ground.

I can’t wait for the spring rain to paint countless colors on your face.

You’d feel a sweet taste in your mouth you’ve never felt before.

Would I ever be so proud of you?

I can’t wait for you to desire your freedom,

The opening of your eyes

Which someone blinded once, generations ago.

I couldn’t wait for me to get mine,

when I realized that my dreams and true life were outside the window.

I forced myself to open it, then.

The tears and the cold nights were worth

This cause called unity among other humans,

that fight for skin, identity, Gods and gold.

It was ridiculous.

I felt the need to go through my window, like I never wanted before.

I was finally able to take the bricks off my wall.

So I just hope one day

You find yourself in need to take yours off, too.

I hope you get to cry and get lost in the snow like I did once.

I hope you run away and join us,

To see how’s the view from this side of the window.

Anaíro.