Venice masks

Saturday 30 April 2022

Friday 29 April 2022

Skin lights - Louisa April

The street lights wink at me
their dim glow barely
illuminates my silhouette
my faulty being
my black skindedness

Thursday 28 April 2022

Where am I from? - Kadia Diarra

Where am I from?
I am from this city where lived ASKIAS1 for centuries

Wednesday 27 April 2022

Tuesday 26 April 2022

Freedom - Elie Rajaonarison

You are spoken of
as if a streetwalker
on streets to nowhere
in city markets
so consciences may rest sleep

Monday 25 April 2022

Asking - Deolinda Rodrigues

Cold-blooded murderer,
commie spy,
woman playing at politics,
whore.

Sunday 24 April 2022

Let my pen - Djibril Sall

Let my pen
gather the pollen
from SPIRIT’S flower:

Saturday 23 April 2022

This World Open - Mohamed Sehaba

After infinite abandonments this world open.
Nothing but the cold isthmus, nothing but the sea
that abandons everything and embraces only death.

Friday 22 April 2022

Death - Leetile Disang Raditladi

When I heard that he is dead I was shocked,
My marrow melted, I dropped a tear,
The earth darkened, it rotated,
My eye shone like a star,

Thursday 21 April 2022

Outside Town - Yu Pangsŏn

I live close to town;
I do as I please: joy illimited!

Wednesday 20 April 2022

The Old Woman's Message - Kumalau Tawali

Stick these words in your hair
and take them to Polin and Manuai
my sons:
the ripe fruit falls and returns
to the trunk - its mother.

Tuesday 19 April 2022

Spring and Women - Walter von der Vogelweide

When the flowers in the grass are springing, 
Smiling up as if to greet the dawn, 
Early in the morn in time of May; 
And the merry birds are gaily singing 
In their sweetest wise, what joy is born 
For the world, to speed its happy day! 

Monday 18 April 2022

To his Wife - Decimius Magnus Ausonius

Love, let us live as we have lived, nor lose
The little names that were the first night’s grace,

Sunday 17 April 2022

Easter Week - Charles Kingsley

See the land, her Easter keeping,
    Rises as her Maker rose.

Saturday 16 April 2022

Damætas - Lord George Byron

In law an infant, and in years a boy,
In mind a slave to every vicious joy;

Friday 15 April 2022

Good Friday, A.D. 33 - Katharine Tynan

Mother, why are people crowding now and staring?
    Child, it is a malefactor goes to His doom,
To the high hill of Calvary He's faring,
    And the people pressing and pushing to make room
          Lest they miss the sight to come.

Thursday 14 April 2022

Graves of Meaning - Adeeb Kamal Ad-Deen

A female forest is breaking off relations
In an ambiguous music and wearing red colors
Until I have ascertained that water
Partially represented my shape.

Wednesday 13 April 2022

Lord of the Flies - Duy Quang Mai

10:07 at central station,
platform one, too many
overcoats. walked
wide steps. lord of the
flies, roslyn theatre.

Monday 11 April 2022

Forget (Arua) Remember (Pakwac) - Gloria Kiconco

Forget how the rolling hills stopped rolling and began unfolding
into flatlands. You have left the badlands.

Sunday 10 April 2022

A Quiet Palm Sunday - Michelo Mweetwa

On a humble donkey he once rode
Thunderous crowds by the road
Liberation they craved or
A salvation he gave forth

Saturday 9 April 2022

Sacred Woman - Halima Xudoyberdiyeva

Your lovers have thrown flowers at your feet,
In solitude they have tasted honey from your lips,
And they have sold it to anyone at all,
You are sacred anyway, sacred woman.

Friday 8 April 2022

Can You? - Nicolás Guillén

Can you sell me the air as it slips through your fingers
As it slaps at your face and untidies your hair?
Perhaps you could sell me fivepennyworth of wind
or more, perhaps sell me a storm?

Thursday 7 April 2022

No one is doing good - Prince Koloni

Jah will put them to shame for they don't call on Jah
They do not call on Jah name

Wednesday 6 April 2022

Working all day, dreaming at night - Jit Narain

Working all day, dreaming at night –
Aja’s appearance is something like mine.

Tuesday 5 April 2022

Monday 4 April 2022

Sketch #1 - Claudia Torres

Evening weaves its silence
along the narrow borders of the houses.
It conceals sharp edges
with the advancing sound of dense night.

Sunday 3 April 2022

Looking for Trouble - Roque Dalton

The night of my first political cell meeting it rained
my way of dripping was celebrated by four
or five characters straight out of a Goya painting

Saturday 2 April 2022

Friday 1 April 2022

Making Peace - Rafael Cadenas

Let’s come to an agreement, poem.
I’ll stop forcing you to say what you don’t mean
and you won’t resist my desires.