Defining Moments

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BLACK WOMEN UNITE

NIGHT OF POETRY
San Antonio, have we a special treat for you. Experience renowned Poet and Activist Audre Lorde through a screening of her work LITHANY OF SURVIVAL and a dedication by San Antonio’s most talented Spoken Word

Artists, Shorty, Shaundra Gail, Hush Rai, Listic, Katherine Symthe, Andi and /DevSoul. All hosted by BLACK WOMEN UNITE.

Doors open at 8pm and show time at 9pm.
BLACK WOMEN UNITE was created to showcase the nuances of Black Queer Womyn culture. It is hoped that the movies will service as a vehicle to foster honest dialogue on struggles and opportunities unique to Black Queer Womyn.

While discussion will focus on the Black Queer Womyn. All members of the Queer Community are welcomed to attend.

The next day the facilitator for Black Women Unite wrote me.

“You know you did it when you still feel it, thank you can't wait to work with you again,” Tara wrote.

I smile because it was great to be recognized for my work.

“Yes that is so true. I am truly honored what you do. I am really happy that you loved my piece” I typed back.

“Keep up the good work,” Tara wrote.

It was a great honor to have read my poetry in front of all of these women. It was amazing. I remember that I loved standing in front of the people and talking my words and bringing them to life. I was saddened that Saundra and Lucky could not make it. Unfornately the venue was located at a bar. They could not bring their daughter. I was angry at the venue however I understood.

I started to clean my apartment and rearrange things. I found the clothing that Danielle had left behind in the apartment. Danielle kept a change of clothing there including her underwear when she would spend the night there. Danielle told me that she wanted the clothing there in case she needed to change. There was a slight trace of sadness as I remember how beautiful she was and how she would smile at me when I read her my poetry. I realized that my time was gone.

Just one year ago, I was pondering how I was going to put Black Panther Rising together into a book. I did not believe in love or that I could ever feel true love as I had never felt that kind of passion before. Danielle showed me that I could love another person deeply. Now a year later I found myself healing from a broken heart, growing, loving and developing. It was not just a broken heart however it was a soul scar. It was never about Danielle moving on with someone else. It was about me finding my voice, my core and my womanhood of acceptance and self love and value. I was no longer living the role of a victim.

I am angry at Danielle’s empty promise to have hope. How Danielle went about it with her behavior was wrong. It tears me apart each day as I thought about how I was rejected. I replayed key events from the relationship that we had spent together. I would replay how Danielle placed the engagement ring on my finger on her porch. I remembered how she said I was amazing at how I loved her. I will not hate Danielle. I have forgiven her as I have forgiven myself for allowing her to hurt me.

THE SEEDS OF HERSTORY

By: Katherine Symthe

© June 13, 2012

For Black Women Unite

From The book:

LETTERS TO THE UNIVERSE:

Memoir of the Heart
Within the aires and fires of that which is marked HISTORY.

Layest the chains that have scarred our souls,

A journey that all begins within the womb,

YET within the measurements of these chains,

WOMYN still had to define her path, her ways, her sexuality, her survival, even her own children.

Who are we if we are but a measurement of our words, the way we love, with whom we love,

DEFINED by the color of our skin, our status, our image, our ways,
WHERE IS OUR VOICE? THE VOICE OF WOMYN?
The nights we have cried ourselves to sleep,

The days we have looked into the mirror asking,

“AM I ENOUGH? CAN I BE ENOUGH? CAN I BE ACCEPTED? CAN I BE LOVED?”
Societal constraints have long defined our role. I say onto thee,
RISE UP CHILD NOW, WOMYN THOU ART IN THE MIRROR,
Become the sheth of words that look upon you,

DUST the ashes off of you,

STAND UP for this IS OUR TIME,
WOMYN you are the light from whence the darkness once shackled you, bearing a soul scar, so deep, so riveting so full of passion,
HISTORY LEGACY shall be born now in YOU, beautiful women for we are the seeds of HERSTORY,
RISE UP, NOT DIVIDED

BUT WITH ONE VOICE WE SHALL CRY OUT….