Last night, I went out to the Sac State encampment to share some words and some love alongside my brother Coon the Poet.
I read a poem about how proud I was of my city and aimed it directly at them. Because this is the kind of direct action that makes me proud of the key to the city on my wall.
We were supposed to go on at 8 but there was prayer scheduled for 8:10.
I am Mark Bell’s son so I will never interrupt prayer and I will always take the option of standing on a stage that has been prayed over. So our Muslim family prayed over the space and the group.
Powerful powerful prayers that made my hands heat up. Science calls it biofeedback.
We call it being in alignment with the assignment.
So we hit the stage, say what we came to say in hopes of feeling the campers’ tanks.
Next they had a local Danza Azteca group. Turned out some of my young life and a few new homies I met during poetry month were dancing with them. I use the phrase “TEN FEET TALL” a lot when teaching. Last night one of the babies I taught that to was dancing and told me “FIFTY FEET TALL!”
This poetry is prayer. Simply put.
At times it is channeling. At times it is meditation. At times it is healing work. At times it is self expression work. It is always prayer. Because poetry is how we speak ourselves into existence.
Last night we prayed together through bowing of heads, chants, poems, expressions of love, music, dance, food, and community. No one arguing the name of the creator. Just everyone finding a vibration of thankfulness and hope in us and our belief.
This morning we woke up to news that the campus had decided on full divestment.
No one was hurt in the protests. CSUS did a good job of allowing the youth the space and platform to be heard as they are supposed to. No Sac PD or Sheriffs involved.
You can tell me prayer and collective manifestation don’t work. But you’ll be wasting your breath.
Sacramento I’m so proud of you. I love you. And you already know what you can do about it.
—andru defeye
Flommist Andru Defeye is the Guerrilla Poet Laureate of Sacramento. Copyright © 2024 Andru Defeye.
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