Libation

Libations

IN THESE DAYS AND TIMES, EXPRESSLY, I FEEL NEED
TO CALL ON OUR ANCESTORS, OUR FORBEARERS, SPEAK
THEIR NAMES, GIVE THANKS, POUR A LITTLE OUT FOR
THEM THAT FOUGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM, PROMOTED PEACE,
RESISTED, CHALLENGED OUR IDEAS, ABOUT WORDS,
SOUNDS, IMAGES, MOVEMENT - MOVEMENT, MADE US
SING, WANNA MAKE LOVE, REBEL, REBEL. ANCESTORS,
FORBEARERS, BOTH FORGOTTEN AND REMEMBERED,
KEEP YOUR MEMORY, POWER, SPIRIT REVERBERATING
OUT INTO THE HEMISPHERES, ECOSPHERES,
ATMOSPHERES, QUELL OUR FEARS, KEEP US MOVING
UPWARD AND FORWARD, WATCH OVER US, WATCH OVER US,
WATCH OVER US. WRITERS OF LOVE, LIFE, STRUGGLE,
DREAMS. AUDRE LORDE, TED JOANS, GWENDOLYN
BROOKS, W.E.B. DUBOIS, JAMES BALDWIN, PHYLLIS
WHEATLEY, LORRAINE HANSBERRY, PABLO NERUDA,
ZORA NEALE HURSTON, FERDINAND PASEO , CARTER G.
WOODSON, ALAIN LOCKE, TONY CADE BAMBARA, JEAN
TOOMER. PAINTERS IN BROAD STROKES AND SCULPTORS
OF LIFE. BASQUIAT, GEORGIA O’KEEFE, FRIDA KAHLO,
ROMARE BEARDEN, COLUMBUS KNOX, AUGUSTA SAVAGE,
HENRY OSSAWA TANNER, EDMONIA LEWIS, DIEGO RIVERA.
MAKERS OF MUSIC...BUT NOT JUST MUSIC...OF LIFE.
ART BLAKELY, JOHN COLTRANE, DAVID “HONEY-BOY”
EDWARDS, MAHALIA, AMALIA , NINA, ELLA, ELVIN
JONES, JIMMIE HENDRIX, BOB NESTA MARLEY,
WELDON IRVINE, MILES DAVIS, SCOTT JOPLIN
BILLIE HOLIDAY, MARIAN ANDERSON, MARVIN GAYE,
CURTIS MAYFIELD, TUPAC, BIGGIE, SCOTT LA ROCK,
FREAKY TAH, ODB, JAM MASTER JAY, TITO PUENTE,
FELA KUTI.. ACTORS ON STAGE AND FILM – PIONEERS.
PAUL ROBESON. EXPATRIOTS. JOSEPHINE BAKER, REDD
FOXX, OSCAR MICHEAUX, BRUCE LEE, OSSIE DAVIS,
FREDDIE PRINZ, DOROTHY DANDRIDGE. PIONEERS,
PIONEERS, PIONEERS. FIRESTARTERS. BESSIE
COLEMAN, SCHOMBERG, TOUSSAINT L’OVERTURE,
MARCUS GARVEY, MARTIN LUTHER KING, MALCOLM
X, HUEY P, HAILE SELASSIE, JOSEPH CINQUE,
SOJOURNER TRUTH, HARRIET TUBMAN, BOUKMAN,
GERONIMO, SACAJAWEA, COCHISE, NAT TURNER,
LEOPOLD SENGHOR, FANNIE LOU HAMER. THOSE WHO
DIED NEEDLESSLY: SHANI BARAKA, SAKIA GUNN,
MATTHEW SHEPHERD, TIMOTHY THOMAS, AMADOU DIALLO,
EMMETT TILL, JAMES BYRD, LATASHA HARLINS. LOST
CULTURES: THE ANASAZI PEOPLE. SPIRITS: QUAN YIN,
MARY MAGDELENE, BLESSED MOTHER, JESUS, MOSES,
ESTHER, QUEEN TIYE, AKHENATON, TUTANKHAMEN, THE
CANDACES, QUEEN OF SHEBA. WILL WE EVER SAY
NEVER AGAIN AND MEAN IT? THE MOVE 11 THE RWANDAN
GENOCIDE. WILL WE EVER SAY NEVER AGAIN AND MEAN
IT? THE HOLOCAUST. THE SOWETO UPRISING. THE
BATTLE AT WOUNDED KNEE. WILL WE EVER SAY NEVER
AGAIN AND MEAN IT? FOR ALL OF THOSE ALIVE AND
IMPRISONED UNJUSTLY. MUMIA, LEONARD PELTIER,
ASSATA, THE MOVE 9. WILL WE EVER SAY NEVER AGAIN
AND MEAN IT? ANCESTORS, FORBEARERS, BOTH
FORGOTTEN AND REMEMBERED, WATCH OVER US, WATCH
OVER US. ANCESTORS, FORBEARERS, BOTH FORGOTTEN
AND REMEMBERED, WATCH OVER US, KEEP US MOVING,
UPWARD AND FORWARD, WATCH OVER US, WATCH OVER US,