Artist Statement
I am a native Bristolian who practices poetry as a medium to explore and understand my inner and outer world. My work explores themes of identity, gender, race, freedom and flow, and generational trauma. Although my work often draws from personal experiences, I am also heavily inspired by the natural world and spiritualism.
Piece Description
I chose to share 'Soles' for Brainscan's Immigration and Identity issue as the central theme is intergenerational trauma. It speaks of the undeniably tragic history that my ancestors endured that led to my birth in the UK. My grandfather moved to the British Isles during the Windrush period, and I'm a third-generation mixed heritage Jamaican living in the UK.
Generations ago my ancestors were viciously plucked from their native soil and hauled across the ocean to an island which would inevitably be their prison. Generations later it would become a home with a vibrant culture in its own right. This pain has not vanished, it has been woven into my DNA. The alienation and misplacement I always feel is compounded by the poaching of my culture. I am desperate to retrace my lost lineages, and I can as it is in my skin. It is welded into my bones and sings through my blood, pulsating to the rhythm of my heart. Although the victims of atrocities, my family are not just that; they are strong, resilient, resourceful, brave, honourable and loved. I must never forget them, I must listen to their songs in the wind and honour them with pride. And that is the process behind this poem, I remember them and I listen to what they want to say, we join hands and we speak.
Gallery
