927: Via Politica

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

American Public Media

Arts, Performing Arts

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 July 2023

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today’s poem is Via Politica by Luljeta Lleshanaku, translated by Ani Gjika.

The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “Everyday, people around the world are living through astonishing crises, both multi-generational and personal, vast and siloed. Today’s poem speaks to the all-encompassing and leveling despair we carry when we are survivors, or the descendents of survivors.”

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Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Major Jackson and this is the slowdown.
0:20.0	In college, if I was in the room, my politics killed the vibe.
0:26.8	I wasn't down with anyone who wasn't profoundly conscious of the socio-economic issues that impacted the global community.
0:36.4	Who wasn't discussing the historic wrongs against oppressed people everywhere.
0:42.8	Anyone that smiled or laughed too easily was circumspect.
0:49.7	I listened to Bob Marley.
0:51.9	I read Phenome.
0:53.4	I romanticized the 1960s.
0:56.6	I was ready to lend my voice to any struggle that came along, even at the expense of my grades.
1:03.3	I joined organizations on campus that addressed important issues.
1:08.6	I was thrilled to debate and to organize.
1:12.9	Frequently, I spoke out against police brutality, apartheid in South Africa, and the imprisonment of Mamiya Abu Jamal.
1:23.8	My parents wanted to know what happened to their taciturn son.
1:30.7	One evening, I saw a poster at a train stop in West Philadelphia announcing a meeting that very night on UPEN's campus.
1:41.7	When I walked in, the dozen or so people in a circle ceased talking and glare at my way.
1:50.6	Can we help you?
1:52.3	Yes.
1:53.7	I'm here for the meeting.
1:56.1	Oh, sorry.
1:58.5	We are a White's only student group fighting for the liberation of Black people.
2:04.3	I turned around confused, thinking I was in a Ralph Ellison novel.
2:10.6	That moment changed my outlook.
	...

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