by Tom (Twilite) Clark
do not expect fancy wordsthere is nothing pretty herewhen they slam shut my cage
my jailers keep looking at mewatching me pisswatching me sleepthe air a stale sweatof urine and shitthe floor so cold
every morning I clean the bucketsI feel no shamefor I am a manI am just a manmy captors torment methey torture my friendsI forgive them allI will standI will not bendthey will not break me
I cannot see the sunor feel it on my facethe wind a memory of time and spaceyet just beyond these wallsdazzled birds sing my freedom songbrilliant jewels in plumage finecolors so vivid so brightI see them nowI hear them singRolihlahla Rolihlahlatroublemakerpulling the branch of the treeRolihlahla Rolihlahlasing for mesing my freedom song
Mediba, Medibaour brother, our sonour family all togetherwe must live as oneTata father grandfatherteach us howmother sister daughterwe must live togetherwork together love togetherlaugh and dance and singtogether now as one
I am not this islandbarren and bleakI am not this outpost of hatred and fearI am not
always and foreverI am the captain of my soulglowing with spirit lightbut in this prisongroaning heavy with footstepsa clamor of screamsand a clang clank of voicesthere is nothing to do but wait27 years I waitmy whole life I wait
and tomorrow is the same today as the day beforebroken like my fate upon these stonesand my lips are the lips of birdslonely and alonesinging my freedom song
Rolihlahla Rolihlahlatroublemakerpulling the branch of the treeRolihlahla Rolihlahlasing for mesing my freedom song
we are together heremy comrades and Iwe rot here in this prisonbut we do not die
because we believewe will fight and endurewe will be free
Rolihlahla Rolihlahlatroublemakerpulling the branch of the treeRolihlahla Rolihlahlasing my freedom songsing for meand the brilliant plumage like jewels I seeand the dazzled birdsnow they sing for memy freedom song
Tom Clark, aka Tommy Twilite, is the founding co-director of Florence Poets Society and is my friend. I was lucky to have the opportunity to hear Tommy read his poem for Nelson Mandela aloud this past week--so incredibly powerful. I am thrilled to share Tommy’s words with my blog readers and with the Real Toads, where Kerry has posted a moving tribute to Madiba. If you have comments about Tommy's poem, I will be pleased to share them with him.
Marian, this is a wonderful piece. I wish I had the talent to write something like this, but each of us speaks with our own voice. amazing
ReplyDeleteTaking on his POV here is strikingly effective. Thank you fro sharing this with us, Marian.
ReplyDeleteA spectacular write!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing his poem, Miriam. It says much about how to endure the 27 years and stay in touch with sanity and spirit.
ReplyDeletethe poem beautifully portrays the rise of the bird of light from dungeon...
ReplyDeleteWow!! This is amazing, Marian. Thanks to Tom for allowing you to share it with us. He has really conveyed the spirit of a personality that could never be held captive. As an interesting side-note, Mandela struck up a true and lasting friendship with his Afrikaner warder on Robben Island.
ReplyDeleteThere is music all through this, the music of survival, of personal integrity, and of freedom. Thanks for sharing Tommy's words, Marian.
ReplyDeleteTom actually sings the "Rolihlahla Rolihlahla" lines when he reads this.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written by Tom, thanks for sharing Marian ~
ReplyDeleteTo Tom, my thanks, and to you, Marian, as well ~
ReplyDeleteyes, many thanks.
ReplyDelete