I'm from a black dot on a white canvas searching for rainbows

This is a multimodal piece I produced for my class in Culture, Media, and Education. I like fusing media and genres (written/spoken poetry, painting, digital video). Suites me quite well. [vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/20187343 w=398&h=224]

I am from long strokes of acrylic bent on canvas sky from blotches of black and blue mixed with white and reds I am from the taste of colors long forbidden Soul food, Black Foot, Irish-American.

I am from somewhere vague like shadows at noon from Negro seeds planted in the fields on hot southern days from an east coast milk truck named “Conley” for short. I am from somewhere whose love managed to give me life.

I am from hard fights and harder hugs from bedrooms of imagination filled with stories of magic carpets and gospel songs. I am from the house on 8th street where herbs grew in gardens instead of mangos.

I am from my mother’s eye Watching and waiting from her spirit longing to be free from the rainbow shirt that covered her belly with me inside.

I am from my father’s hands lost in the strokes of oily painted white mountains, from the heart he held to stop the attack, from hardened pale fingers I touched that were unfamiliar. From the shadow that moved curtains when it was over.

I am from an amalgamation of memories from a black dot on a white canvas searching for rainbows.

#culture #media #education #multimodality