The Intersection of Photography and Poetry

Pothouse Beauty

my dear I come from di earth, my voice echoes
he who created di rocks & like di rocks I can
summon di thunder into twilight I can
crush di horizon from cotton tuh spoiled breadfruit brown,
did you know my chest gave dis river a new rhythm?
I bowled seven rocks into its belly on a hunt fuh peace
my bed did not sing me lullabies, bats ate my sleep
but when I beat di river di river shout back
we made a tuk band every afternoon, Barbados
limed tuh we, made its refuge in my locks,
you can find my lyrics in soft mahogany,
feeding di spirit ah my land like Sunday cou cou,
my dear I have not blinked in years
& if you call me ‘beauty’ it is because see di river in me,
& you hear all we see in our lyrics
Barbados chopped down, Barbados planted,
all ah we, rock, water, shadow & sun

Short Bio: Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa

Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa is a British-born Barbadian raised choreopoet. Her debut poetry collection Cane, Corn & Gully, was shortlisted for the 2023 Rathbones Folio Prize and the Felix Dennis Forward Prize for Best First Collection. It was the first book to feature the dance notation of the enslaved. Her work has appeared in a variety of journals including Poetry London, Poetry Review, Wasafiri and The Caribbean Writer. Safiya is also a PhD student in Cultural Studies.

“Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa (MA, BA)
Choreopoet
PhD Candidate
School of Fine Art, History of Art & Cultural Studies
University of Leeds
PhD funded by WRoCAH (AHRC)
Website: https://www.safiyakamaria.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/safiyakamaria/.