Legendary jazz musician, composer and poet Joe McPhee visited London earlier this month.
He played with Rodrigo Amado, Chris Corsano, Kent Kessler at Cafe Oto in Dalston. A few days later, he gave a sell-out performance at the Tank music space in Lewisham – a unique venue currently struggling against destruction by developers.
Joe has kindly shared two poems which he wrote in response to the election of Trump.
Detail from ‘The tape is now the music’ by Richard Walker
DARK MATTERS
November 9th, 2016
THE SUN CAME UP ON A DIFFERENT
SIDE OF MY MIND THIS MORNING
not as it had the day before
or the day before that
or the days before that
since the beginning of my time
THE SUN CAME UP ON A DIFFERENT
SIDE OF MY MIND THIS MORNING
rising like a red hot poker aimed straight at my ass
a poker forged in the heat of
pathological lies and deception
and bigotry and hate
and intolerance and greed
and unimaginable ignorance
raised to the highest as night fell
THE SUN CAME UP ON A DIFFERENT
SIDE OF MY MIND THIS MORNING
surely days will follow long nights of reflection
regret and recriminations
and perhaps a new sun
shall rise on yet a different side
side of my mind
in a renewed season of hope
but I don’t think so
PLASTIQUE
White
Is more than a color in America
It is a state of mind
In nature
White
Is all
Colors reflected
Black is all colors absorbed
In this unnatural environment
White
Is content to reflect
The supposed absorption of Black
Black is not content
To reflect
Or absorb
Add Comment