By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Yasus Afari
WESTERN BUREAU:
'POETRY IN Motion' at the Vineyard in Mandeville, Manchester, was a classy and classic event from start to finish.
With ushers smoothing the way from the gate to a pre-show feast through to organiser and final performer Yasus Afari displaying a manager's cheque made out to the Mandeville Infirmary at the very end, all bases were covered in style and substance.
It was a good Sunday afternoon for a poetry show and at a good venue to boot, the predominantly red motif of the table dressing standing out against the greenery of the open-air set-up and the music of the M5 Jazz Band resting easily on the ear. As dusk crept up and then night fell, the subtle lighting reflected the glow of an all seated and, at the end, satiated and apparently satisfied audience which ate up every word.
Those words came from a humorous and happy hostess in Fae Ellington, youngsters Chenique Christian and Ike, the concise verse of Mervyn Morris, the telling stories of Amina Blackwood-Meeks, the incisive poetry and observations of Mutabaruka, Joan Andrea Hutchinson's side-splitting tales and, finally the forthrightness of Yasus Afari.
Violinist Mark Stephenson needed no words, even as a bowstring burst in a puff of dust from the vigour of his playing, and there was also motion from the St. Bess models, as they displayed fashion from Africa. The apex of the motion, though, came from two dancers of the Church Teachers' College (CTC) dance troupe who were simply beautiful together as they danced to The Time of My Life.
Northern Caribbean University student Chenique Christian started out on a dramatic note, costumed to play the part of the 'pain and suffering' she wailed about, then transformed with the removal of her long skirt and matching top to change in tone and look as she sat and declared her pride in being Jamaican. Ike took the stool provided to do a pair of love poems, showing a good sense of timing in his pauses and overall delivery as he defined his 'real love' then romanced a girl to end.
TOTALLY IN SYNC
CTC Dance Troupe members Keith Buchanan and Teres Laing were totally in sync with not only the music but each other, at times causing members of the audience to gasp at the audacity of their moves. There was risk, but the dance was not risqué, the two making eye contact with each other that enhanced the routine. "They must trust each other implicitly. The stage small an' dem do some tings," Fae Ellington commented after the applause petered out.
Mervyn Morris was the classic picture of a mature poet, at ease with his craft, himself, the audience and the world. Decked out in a suit - no tie - he donned his glasses, sat, adjusted the lamp provided and simply read wonderful poetry wonderfully, presenting poetry in near stillness.
He began with Give Thanks, with 'Black History Month' in mind, then moved on to Case History Jamaica. Groundation went out to Cedric Brooks, My Rodney Poem to Walter Rodney who cared when everybody hurt/not just the wretched of the Earth. To An Expatriate Friend was a look at a white friend whose race did not matter before the 'revolution' - and was all that mattered after.
It hurt to see you go/But more it hurt to see you slowly going white, Morris concluded.
In an extended reading, Morris covered the woes of artistry with Valley Prince (For Don Drummond), self-discovery with The Pond, different views on Lent with a clutch of poems which included Pilate, Peter, Soldiers, Malefactor Left and Malefactor Right. He ended with poems on that final moment, death, reading The Day My Father Died, Terminal, Checking Out We never leave/We always have to go and, finally, A Chant Against Death.
"What I can marvel about is how he takes three or four lines to make a poem. Suppen whe other people tek all 10 book fi do," Fae Ellington commented.
Mark Stephenson did not need words, just twinkling fingers and a flashing bow as he did War Song, There Aint No Sunshine and a trio of untitled songs from his upcoming album. A bowstring burst on the second album song but he was unfazed, taking his music and himself close to the audience by walking through the throng.
