Atlanta WordWorks Wednesday #ATLWWW
Weekly poems from your Team Atlanta representatives of Brave New Voices 2017
Ogechi, 19, is an “AphroCentrik” magician who severs chains that prohibit her peers to grow fully. She likens spoken word to casting spells. She is a witch of words. We are fanatic to hear her spit this summer with Team ATL Wordworks.
Here’s one of her poems from her book “Lost Negro Records: A Colored History Chapbook.”
Too Sweet Of A Sound
Amazing Grace
How sweet the sound
As the harmony floated about the bellies of slave ships
How sweet the sound tasted in their longing mouth
As hymn was their last tie to their culture, to their God
Since colonization cannibalized their village tongues as a snack
How sweet the sound
was to the Captain who stole it’s saccharine nectar
Forced the dew through his caucasoid filter
Plastered his stamp on the bottle
and called the juice his new creation
Called a negro spiritual a folk hymn
Never credited where he copped the beat from
Guess, when yous saved your past sin is forgotten?
Guess, when you turn Christian your old slaves don’t really be slaves?
Guess, we should overlook him cause his captives were said to be treated “okay”?
If an atheist slave trader and ship owner almost dies,
And figures that it was the mercy of God
Then later in life speaks for the abolition of slavery
Do we forgive him?
Guess, he wrote amazing grace to save himself.
I hope this history isn’t true.
Interested in Slam Poetry?
Stay updated with VOXATL.COM to read a piece from each member of Brave New Voice’s Team Atlanta and the coaches of Atlanta Word Works.
Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Festival is an annual slam poetry competition for poets ages 13 to 19. This year the festival will convene in the Bay Area, California, July 19-22.
Use #TeamATL and #ATLWordWorks to keep up with weekly updates and profiles of Team Atlanta as we progress through the #JourneyToBNV17.
Atlanta Word Works offers free poetry workshops during the school year at VOX, too. Submit your own original work for publication by emailing media@voxatl.org.
