Perspectives

The English Dictionary (at least on my computer gives me an number of synonyms for "Perspective"... i just list a few here ... viewpoint, perception, standpoint, outlook, side... The question I want to ask today is: How willing are we to change our perspective on things as we grow older. Do we become more entrenched in our thinking and do we have to be convinced? Do we actually take the time to look for or listen to the other point of view? I suppose looking at this today is more a reflection in terms of understanding my own attitude towards perspective, or do we rather get trapped in the context of perception. Attitudes built on perception leaves it a bit open because perception is based on emotion and not necessarily on 'clinical facts'. Like we used to say in the old days... it was there in black and white! Why so philosophical? Another year on the biological calendar is coming to and end. Tomorrow I celebrate the start of a new year closer to the end. It was around the same time (I see now) March 11th when I feel like I really wrote one of my first serious pieces... after a long break (almost 20 years)

We hold lots of viewpoints on many issues, each issue can have many sides, so maybe I am reminding myself that perhaps I should guard against insisting that 'my perspective' should be the only one holding center stage.

Poem with no title

Without my shoes
I lie with my toes
Pointing to the sky

Knocked down
Because I took a risk
To cross the R300

How old am I?
What was my job?
What will they say?
When they get the news

Someone's father
A brother
A son

Absent, no news
Who must be told?

Blue lights
Blue uniform
Cold message
Cold shoulder

Cold winter
Without a breadwinner
No support

Maybe relief
Maybe not

The funeral
Will take place
Tears and sadness
Will pass

Every day
They will
Still do it
Cross the R300

Play with death
Oblivious to the loss on March 11, 2005
Of the man
Knocked from his shoes

Toes and eyes
Pointing to the sky

Written by Simone Noemdoe on 11 March 2005 on her way home on the R300 from Bellville just after 7pm with the fading light of the day and Tracy Chapman on the radio.

In Memory Of...
On Monday it drove me crazy when I could not find this piece of writing to post in memory of my friend Boniswa Adeline Mangcu.

Power-full Women

We can find them
Power-full women
In the history books
Serving the madams
As child-minders and cooks
Serving nations
As sell-outs
Social and political crooks
When they forget
Many others
Contributing
But too insignificant
To ever make it
Into their good books

Today, I dull the thoughts
Of the sell-outs
And celebrate
My warrior women
Grandmother slaves
Mothers struggling
I celebrate
Power-full women
Who live each day
To a moral code
That leaves me in awe
Their life lessons
I have safely stored

We can find them
Power-full women
In the garden trenches
In the public sector board rooms
Fighting the battles
Of the HIV + (positive)
The Bureaucrats
Of the life – (negative)
Protecting the virtues
Of the next generation
Precious
With vigour and strength
No sign
Of task dereliction

Today, I recall memories
Of our connections
Arguing back and forth
Never losing sight
Of our social responsibility
To take up the fight
On behalf of
The downtrodden
Forgetting it was us
Who climbed with millions of others
On this bus
Of life
Remembering to live
For in your lives
You celebrate me
Our connection
Precious and free

For Ethne and Boniswa, Enkosi, Sisi, Umama. Amandla! Ndi yaku thanda wena! By Simone Naik (Noemdoe), 28 March 2008