Kwanza

Kwanza!

Television mirrors life!
Life reflects television!
For the aficionado it is G. H.
General Hospital for those
Who are not acquainted with
The life of Soaps.

Mary May, a beautiful woman
With a voice to soothe angels,
Invited Luke and Laura
to a Kwanza celebration.
As Laura had helped her so much
With her orphan kids.

Luke surprised to be invited
To a Black affair to celebrate
With African Americans.
Luke was a bit shy!
He said quite eloquently
Like only Luke can say
“You sure you want me,
‘cause you know I'm white.”

Mary May smiled and said:
Kwanza is for everybody.
Come on the first day of a seven day event
Of pride in being black, come and share with us.

First Kwanza I ever saw
Right there on Television
Performed by my favorite
Soap Stars, Right on G. H.
Mary May invited
Luke and Laura
And also me…

Curious to know if in Montreal
Such an event existed
I called and called.
I let my fingers do the walking
And finally I reached my destination.
The Ethnic Bookstore
My marching fingers led me.
Ida told me of Bernadette.
She was one of the first woman
to perform and celebrate Kwanza.
Bernadette was in high demand…

So on the phone I get,
To invite Bernadette to share
A Kwanza on the air.
I had a radio show then.
On CKUT …
She told me she usually performed
With her friend Ophelia.
Little did I know
That Bernadette and Ophelia
Would ask me to join them right there on air.
Me perform a poem, on air.
I told her "You sure you want me I'm white!"
Bernadette smiled and said: "Kwanza is for everyone."
Right on air they convinced me to recite,
To share a bit of me, my inner self.

Well, this led to a yearly Affair
Once a year Bernadette, Ophelia and I
Went on air to speak of and celebrate Kwanza.

The second year, I felt the joy
and yes honor Luke and Laura felt.
Bernadette Ophelia read poetry
and Grail played the drums.

We performed live for all of Montreal,
It was a celebration with a studio
full of people from all walks of life.
In all shades of black and white.
On that Monday Kwanza hit the airwaves.

All it took was for Mary May to invite
Luke and Laura to celebrate and say:
You are all invited in my celebration
Of who I am, for I am a Black woman
Proud and happy willing to share my holiday...

Yes, Art mimics life if only we take the first step and say I invite!
Ever since that first show on the Radio
Bernadette, Ophelia and me
Have always celebrate Kwanza.
And now to our group we add another friend
Daniela… You and you and you!

Celine Leduc
December 26, 2004