Marvin X Announces Formation of
the First Poet's Church
of the Latter Day Egyptian Revisionists
On a rainy Sunday afternoon, inside the Joyce Gordan Gallery, during a Womanhood Rites of Passage, Marvin X announced the formation of the First Poet's Church of the Latter Day Egyptian Revisionists.
Many of the participants at today's celebration have been drafted as ministers of the First Poet's Church. They performed their roles today in a trial run of the Church ritual.
Hunia Bradley served as Minister of Ceremony. She is a long time associate of Marvin X and a social activist. Hunia executed her role perfectly, humoring the audience with tid bits of wisdom from her own role in the struggle, especially her time at Grambling University in Louisiana. Mutima Imani gave libations in the most eloquent and elegant manner possible, giving praise to the Goddess and her life giving vagina.
Poets Ayodele Nzinga, Phavia Kujichagulia, Toreada Mikell, Aries Jordan and Jasmin Conner performed their roles as ministers of poetry, with healing words for men and women, but especially for women on this occasion of Woman's History Month. Jasmin Conner has been named Minister of Information since she has been publishing in the Post Newspapers.
The poet segment ended with the entrance of a group of men, the Oaktown Passions, singing the Ten Commandments of Love. They were soon joined by the men in the audience reciting For the Women, Marvin X's classic poem in praise of women. We think the mostly female audience was astounded. Rev. Brandon Reems spoke briefly on his upcoming trip to Haiti to deliver life saving goods. Bay Area Black Authors visited Juvenile Hall this week with Rev. Reems. The experience was overwhelming: to look at little baby faced killers, robbers, rapists...yet, they are our children and we must liberate them, yes, liberate them! The task of this church is to liberate the captives!
I wish somebody would say Amen!
The dramatic section showed the multiplicity of talent in the women. Talibah, member of Academy of da Corner Reader's Theatre, read Parable of Woman in the Box. Aries Jordan transformed from poet to actress with her scene from Vagina Monologues. Jasmin did the same with her scene from For Colored Girls. And then came Mechelle LaChaux, singer/actress, performing Parable of Woman on the Cell Phone, a last rite about a woman on the cell phone in her casket, commenting on those present at her funeral and the afterlife. Mechelle is Minister of Song.
When Ayodele Nzinga came on stage as Queen, the sole character in Opal Palmer Adisa's classic Bathroom Graffiti Queen, the audience could sense something special was about to happen. And we saw Ayo transform from poet to actress, losing herself in the character of a woman who was beaten, left half dead on the highway, yet had strength to take shelter in the woman's room of life. She wondered what was there to rest about (in the restroom) among in the scent of urine and defecation?
Queen is now the shaman lady, the interpreter of graffiti in the woman's room, the hieroglyphics
of ignorance and trauma. While Queen assists other young women, she is in trauma at the lost of her own daughter, calling out to her repeatedly as she rants.
But she is the Dear Abby of the Bathroom, where the deaf, dumb and blind, the ignorant, broken hearted and deceived, gather for help and guidance. There are few mental health workers in the hood.
Ayo has grown into her role with time, thus she is solid, enjoying herself making the audience love her character.
The afternoon ended with journalist Jerri Lange facilitating a panel discussion on Womanhood Rites of Passage. Ministers Ayo, Jasmin and Aries explained how their dramatic pieces exemplified a womanhood rite of passage. Then Q and A.
And thus begins the rehearsal of the First Poet's Church of the Latter Day Egyptian Revisionists.
Marvin X told the audience during the Q and A that North American Africans are indeed the latter day Egyptian Revisionists. What is Christianity but a revision of African religion, along with Islam, Yoruba, Vudun, Santeria, Rasta, et al. And so we simply say we recognize the roots and go from there into the New Era. We are the jazz people, so naturally we shall revise and improvise.
And yet we shall one day jump out of the box of the Western paradigm into a new chapter of our selves that shall transcend the wisdom of the pyramids. This is especially true as we enter the new 25,000 year cycle of history.
You are welcome to be a part of this social movement toward higher spiritual consciousness, spear headed by the Scribes, those who create with words, for whom words are sacred things.
--Marvin X
Minister of Poetry
3/19/11
P.S. I call upon all ministers of poetry present to write a report of their impression of today's ritual.
Special thanks to all participants, and most especiallly the videographers Ken Johnson, Khalid Wajjid, Gregory Fields, Lynn Daniels.
email me: jmarvinx@yahoo.com
www.firstpoetschurch.blogspot.com
www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com
www.marvinxonpartnerviolence
www.revolutionfromegypttotheamericas.blogspot.com
Many of the participants at today's celebration have been drafted as ministers of the First Poet's Church. They performed their roles today in a trial run of the Church ritual.
Hunia Bradley served as Minister of Ceremony. She is a long time associate of Marvin X and a social activist. Hunia executed her role perfectly, humoring the audience with tid bits of wisdom from her own role in the struggle, especially her time at Grambling University in Louisiana. Mutima Imani gave libations in the most eloquent and elegant manner possible, giving praise to the Goddess and her life giving vagina.
Poets Ayodele Nzinga, Phavia Kujichagulia, Toreada Mikell, Aries Jordan and Jasmin Conner performed their roles as ministers of poetry, with healing words for men and women, but especially for women on this occasion of Woman's History Month. Jasmin Conner has been named Minister of Information since she has been publishing in the Post Newspapers.
The poet segment ended with the entrance of a group of men, the Oaktown Passions, singing the Ten Commandments of Love. They were soon joined by the men in the audience reciting For the Women, Marvin X's classic poem in praise of women. We think the mostly female audience was astounded. Rev. Brandon Reems spoke briefly on his upcoming trip to Haiti to deliver life saving goods. Bay Area Black Authors visited Juvenile Hall this week with Rev. Reems. The experience was overwhelming: to look at little baby faced killers, robbers, rapists...yet, they are our children and we must liberate them, yes, liberate them! The task of this church is to liberate the captives!
I wish somebody would say Amen!
The dramatic section showed the multiplicity of talent in the women. Talibah, member of Academy of da Corner Reader's Theatre, read Parable of Woman in the Box. Aries Jordan transformed from poet to actress with her scene from Vagina Monologues. Jasmin did the same with her scene from For Colored Girls. And then came Mechelle LaChaux, singer/actress, performing Parable of Woman on the Cell Phone, a last rite about a woman on the cell phone in her casket, commenting on those present at her funeral and the afterlife. Mechelle is Minister of Song.
When Ayodele Nzinga came on stage as Queen, the sole character in Opal Palmer Adisa's classic Bathroom Graffiti Queen, the audience could sense something special was about to happen. And we saw Ayo transform from poet to actress, losing herself in the character of a woman who was beaten, left half dead on the highway, yet had strength to take shelter in the woman's room of life. She wondered what was there to rest about (in the restroom) among in the scent of urine and defecation?
Queen is now the shaman lady, the interpreter of graffiti in the woman's room, the hieroglyphics
of ignorance and trauma. While Queen assists other young women, she is in trauma at the lost of her own daughter, calling out to her repeatedly as she rants.
But she is the Dear Abby of the Bathroom, where the deaf, dumb and blind, the ignorant, broken hearted and deceived, gather for help and guidance. There are few mental health workers in the hood.
Ayo has grown into her role with time, thus she is solid, enjoying herself making the audience love her character.
The afternoon ended with journalist Jerri Lange facilitating a panel discussion on Womanhood Rites of Passage. Ministers Ayo, Jasmin and Aries explained how their dramatic pieces exemplified a womanhood rite of passage. Then Q and A.
And thus begins the rehearsal of the First Poet's Church of the Latter Day Egyptian Revisionists.
Marvin X told the audience during the Q and A that North American Africans are indeed the latter day Egyptian Revisionists. What is Christianity but a revision of African religion, along with Islam, Yoruba, Vudun, Santeria, Rasta, et al. And so we simply say we recognize the roots and go from there into the New Era. We are the jazz people, so naturally we shall revise and improvise.
And yet we shall one day jump out of the box of the Western paradigm into a new chapter of our selves that shall transcend the wisdom of the pyramids. This is especially true as we enter the new 25,000 year cycle of history.
You are welcome to be a part of this social movement toward higher spiritual consciousness, spear headed by the Scribes, those who create with words, for whom words are sacred things.
--Marvin X
Minister of Poetry
3/19/11
P.S. I call upon all ministers of poetry present to write a report of their impression of today's ritual.
Special thanks to all participants, and most especiallly the videographers Ken Johnson, Khalid Wajjid, Gregory Fields, Lynn Daniels.
email me: jmarvinx@yahoo.com
www.firstpoetschurch.blogspot.com
www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com
www.marvinxonpartnerviolence
www.revolutionfromegypttotheamericas.blogspot.com
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