Commonwealth Day Celebrations

What Commonwealth? What Celebrations?

Well, this event seems to have gone mostly unnoticed. However, the Queen celebrated it by attending a Commonwealth Day Observance Ceremony at Westminster Abbey. There were also several members of the Commonwealth nations in attendance: Hugh Masekela, a South Africa musician, performed at this particular gathering of global peoples.

This moveable feast, is celebrated annually on the second Monday in March, and this year the theme was Connecting Cultures. The service in Westminster Abbey was to ‘explore the golden threads that tie together people from every continent, faith and ethnicity.’ This was achieved through a mix of world music, dance and personal testimonies to around 1,000 selected heads of states, official dignitaries, faith leaders and school children.

In the past there were national exhibitions and parties to celebrate this connection within Commonwealth countries, now there is a whisper in the British media to mark its occurrence. I wonder if the origins and links of the Commonwealth have, at last, become an embarrassment to the British monarchy and nation.

The Commonwealth (aka the colonial British Commonwealth) was first set up in 1949 with eight member countries. As of today, 12^th March 2012 - Commonwealth Day, there were 54countries that were members of the Commonwealth. It is now referred to as the modern Commonwealth because it is now an association of free and equal member from independent countries who are linked by shared values, goals and equal votes in all matters.

Queen Elizabeth II, marking 60 years as head of theCommonwealth, said: “This year, our Commonwealth focus seeks to explore how we can share and strengthen the bond of Commonwealth citizenship we already enjoy by using our cultural connections to help bring us even closer together, as family and friends across the globe."

My question is, ‘What does the Commonwealth mean to you?’ To me it does not mean anything sweet or pleasant. The bitterness of colonialism still resonates in daily life – especially in the failure to give a rounded historical account of the colonial times in British schools. This leads to ‘unconscious bias’appearing in the everyday life of people whose only real experience of African, Caribbean or Indian life comes from the Eurocentric education or the occasional story of forced economic migration heard from a grand-parent.

I don’t think that the Commonwealth ever had any respectability, I would further suggest that it has now lost all veneer of respectability. This muted celebration confirms my views.

R.I.P. Commonwealth of Nations. The wealth of nations is anything but common.

No more - Poetry by Marjorie H Morgan

No more

Instinctively the hearts knew

before the minds could speak

the nonchalant searching

through the sea

of beating souls

was matched

*

there will be

no more

            waiting.

(1996)

© Marjorie H Morgan 2012 

untitled - Poetry by Marjorie H Morgan

Because when

All is

Said and done

There is nothing to be

Added to

Relieve your

Deeds – you are a ...

(1996)

© Marjorie H Morgan 2012 

International Women’s Day – My Celebration

Some women make a big difference in a small area, other women make a big difference on a global stage. Women are making differences all the time in their homes, in their communities, in their jobs. Women’s lives are different – they speak for themselves alone and at the same time they can also speak for thousands of voiceless women who share similar stories.

One such woman, Ellen Kuzwayo, also known as ‘Ma K’, gave up teaching in 1952 when she was required to teach her pupils “what appeared to be very poisonous to their minds” following the introduction of the Bantu education act in South Africa.

Ellen Kuzwayo refused to be intimidated by the apartheid system, she found a way to make a difference as a social worker and campaigner for equality in the Transvaal. She was also a tireless activist for women’s emancipation. Ellen Kuzwayo, phenomenal woman, resisted inequality in all forms and she continually fought for the rights of women in South Africa.

I celebrate her history because she speaks for thousands of other women as well.

Another woman whom I admire and want to recognise today is Annie Lennox. She is a political and social activist, humanitarian as well as a singer, songwriter. Annie Lennox is renowned for raising awareness of HIV/ AIDS in Africa. Her work included increasing education and health care for those affected by sickness in Africa. Annie Lennox worked as an ambassador of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign where she did her part to raise the global awareness of HIV/Aids, this work was also enhanced by her performance in two 46664 concerts and by her being a part of the Make Poverty History Campaign.

In 2011 Annie Lennox was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Inspiration for Women awards ... and she’s nowhere near finished yet. Annie Lennox is also a phenomenal woman.

Phenomenal Woman - Poetry by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size   

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,   

The stride of my step,   

The curl of my lips.   

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,   

That’s me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,   

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.   

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.   

I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes,   

And the flash of my teeth,   

The swing in my waist,   

And the joy in my feet.   

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered   

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can’t touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them,   

They say they still can’t see.   

I say,

It’s in the arch of my back,   

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Now you understand

Just why my head’s not bowed.   

I don’t shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.   

When you see me passing,

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It’s in the click of my heels,   

The bend of my hair,   

the palm of my hand,   

The need for my care.   

’Cause I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

By Maya Angelou (from her collection: The Complete Collected Poems)

Woman Alive - Poetry by Marjorie H Morgan

Woman Alive

There are diamonds

in her heart

along with dreams

you dare not start ...

There is moonlight

in her walk

there is passion

in her talk ...

There are rainbows

in her eyes

there are dances

in her thighs ...

This woman has

excitement in her smiles.

(1995)

© Marjorie H Morgan 2012

Miracle - Poetry by Marjorie H Morgan

Miracle

A moment passes

a minute flees

the hour slips away

the day is gone

the month retreated

time moves without delay.

The world is ageing

before our eyes

there’s nothing we can do.

As this miracle takes place

no one notices the growing     d   i   s   t   a   n   c   e

between us two.

(1995)

© Marjorie H Morgan 2012

untitled - Poetry by Marjorie H Morgan

Poetry – untitled

powerful emotion conquers knowledge

you are my truth

terrestrial heart loses its edge

Naomi for Ruth

planets fear the literary drought

desire ignites

erratic heart thumps and shouts

awaiting invite

established reason vanquished

without effort

lifelong sense is banished

to live in yourt

reaction to your presence

in mind or sight

drowning with concupiscence

desired outright

(1998)

© Marjorie H Morgan 2012 

The World’s Song - Poetry by Marjorie H Morgan

The World’s Song

The world is my guide, I’ll always want more.

It makes me run around in busy streets: it leads me up and down

crowded motorways. It unsettles my soul and  leads me in the ways

of gross wickedness and greed for its own purposes.

Even though I travel through the most dangerous areas of the cities I am

not afraid because I am never alone, my gun and my drugs keep me

safe and content.

The world is open to me, I can sit with those who hate me because

of my worldly power; I have so many benefits and opportunities I

can’t count them all.

Without a doubt I will be dogged by fear and uncertainty all the days

of my life but I will stay in the way of the world for ever.

(1997)

© Marjorie H Morgan 2012 

The other woman - Poetry by Marjorie H Morgan

The other woman

The other woman

was so loved

she had a special place

away from those boring friends

away from those public places

away from those ordinary events

The other woman

was so loved

she had a special time

much later

later than was promised

later than was convenient

later than was kind

The other woman

was so unloved

while waiting again

she took a special look

over

all that was missing

all that was ordinary

all that was promised

The other woman

so loved herself

that she found a special place

in the open

with ordinary events that were convenient

with kind friends in public places

with missing promises that ended waiting

(1996)

© Marjorie H Morgan 2012 

Catalysts

Waiting for other people to do something, or anything, before you do something is about waiting for action to take place so that your reaction can follow.

It’s about following.

But it’s only concerning incidents that follow once the main event has taken place.

The complete situation is like a chemical equation: it’s all in relation to being a catalyst or a reaction.

Depending on the catalyst the reaction can be rapid or slow, and at the end of the reactive process the catalyst remains the same. Given these facts, I think it’s worth considering whether I want to be a catalyst for change or merely have a reaction to change imposed on me. The reactive element of this process is usually altered at the end of it while the catalyst remains the same: able to cause reactions within different environments again and again.

With that choice to make I’d suggest it is better to live an active than a re-active life.

It’s March, a new month, so that can be a catalyst, can’t it? I think the start of each month means a spring into action ... doesn’t it?