I add this late (21 May 2009), having seen Staceyann for the first time last week on YouTube. At first I had written this: "I don't want to talk of your problems as mine. I don't want to learn your language--your coping slang to bleed you in my mouth. Keep your blood. Pay your doctors. Find your microphones, but do not talk to me. Do not teach me your bad words, because I keep every word. And your problems, your world hurts, and my murders, your rapes, and our criminals will be spoken of, eventually, when someone is bored and has nothing else to say."
But I see that I am pious and refusing to hear; not what I have not experienced or need to experience--my life is very different from yours, and I welcome your life and others. But I see that I am just as full of myself and my own passionate figuring as you are. You are far more free a spirit and talent to stand and express your life, lay it bare in a way that does not denude your dignity, and in a way that gives freedom--gives the reality that WE MAY SPEAK OUR LIFE TRUTH (forgive the all caps; I do not know yet how to italicize in this program). Perhaps you show, "We MUST speak our life truth?" Thank you for that passion.
Still, I believe our passions should incite a deeper giving than validation and argument; deeper than even the outstanding scope and beautiful candor of your example. Please keep pursuing the bedrock of our mixed humanity, but please, speak of boundaries somewhere. They are delicate as a woman, delicate as a man's heart can be.
I'll leave the first end, because I hope to God this is true. I hope to God we may be separately One, without having to be blind or warring, no more secret joys. I hope to God we will not mine our humanity to the degree we have irresponsibly, thoughtlessly, unloved our Earth; my own yard I have not loved.
"Our blood, Family Earth, is in our time. Let us speak of other things, same, same ones of us--We Are One. All I have to share with you is tears. Please do not curse and rage. Family is enough for all the worlds hatreds, hurts, denials, and burials. Teach me your blessings. Let me sing with you."
Posted by nancy at May 14, 2009 12:25 PM