I borrow the concept of poethics from Denise Ferreira da Silva, an inspiring scholar and dear friend. See: Da Silva, D. F. (2014). Toward a Black Feminist Poethics: The quest (ion) of Blackness toward the End of the World. The Black Scholar, 44(2), 81-97.

We welcome you to our country
Our borders open only to a few
We ask for nothing in return, except
That you recognize the deepest wisdom
That when in Rome you should pay tribute to the Romans

Therefore, you must
speak our language
admire our deeds
adopt our dreams
obey our laws
embrace our values
praise our intelligence
like our food
fulfil our expectations
mimic our behaviour
contribute to our economy
aspire to be like us
commit to serving this country
dedicate your life to our people
and be thankful for our efforts to help you

We offer you unlimited hospitality
We chose you amongst countless others
We ask for nothing in return, except
That you acknowledge the natural exceptionality of our people
Expressed precisely in your inclusion in our society

Therefore, you must
know your place
do as you are told
strive for your best
work twice as hard
feel indebted
show good manners
be clean and organized
get an education
dress appropriately, smell nice
pay your duties
lay low, be happy, focus on positive things
use language that we can understand
entertain us with your culture, when requested
and jump off the balcony, if required

We give you access to the best welfare and education system
We expect you to show us that you truly deserved it
We ask you for nothing in return, except
That you appreciate the privilege of being allowed amongst us

Therefore, under no circumstance,
should you break our trust
complain or communicate disapproval
expose our inadequacies, reveal our contradictions
disclose our insecurities, question our values
challenge our authority or understanding of reality
make up unreasonable accusations
fuel internal dissent
defy our right to distinguish our heroes
remind us of what we choose to deny
speak of the past we want to forget
outperform, outsmart , outshine us
or bite the hands that feed you

We will do everything in our power for you to properly fit in
We are certain you will acknowledge our benevolence
We expect nothing in return, except
Your gratitude and compliance

Therefore, you will not mind when we lovingly
limit your autonomy
mute your conscience
undercut your confidence
interrupt your dreams
place your body and mind under surveillance
and shape your subjectivity into conformity
for your own good

We will give you incredible opportunities
in an incomparable country
We ask for nothing in return, except
…that you salute our openness, altruism and sense of justice

All artistic expressions published on this blog were created by Vanessa Andreotti and are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

We will define for you
the boundaries and focus of your labor
the purpose and means of research
what counts as knowledge
whose knowledge counts

Our lawyers will help you understand
that whatever carries our brand
is our property, including your communication, your data
your image, its crafting, your free time,
your dreams and the thoughts you have not had yet

We kindly remind you that
you are our poster child, not a public intellectual
you are only useful as long as you can produce
the deliverables that guarantee
our overheads and our prestige

So, smile, nod your head
measure your words, don’t rock the boat
there is much at stake
bills to pay, your children’s education,
tenure and careers of people you care about

Get over yourself and get used to
surveillance, proletarization
precaritization, flexibilization,
micro-managment, litigation and alienation
from labour, from authorship, from ownership, from self

You will find wisdom in the fact that
academic autonomy is over-rated
tenure is a redundant luxury
insolence is professional suicide
having a job is a blessing

do you know how many people
would give everything to be in your place?

All artistic expressions published on this blog were created by Vanessa Andreotti and are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

She being born Indian, stubborn and free
She being sent to catholic mission
She running away
She being forced to marry older white man
She bearing his child
She running away again
She back to community
She having many partners
She getting pregnant many times
She banished from community turned catholic
She constantly refusing
But still singing the songs OUT LOUD out of synch,

at the church

 

Culture and community decimated

Last baby Indian girl born in the streets

Both saved from destitution

By former old white husband

 

Girl raised by white father figure
Girl dislikes being Indian
Girl seeks enfranchisement
Girl loses father figure
Girl destitute as assets reclaimed by siblings
Girl repudiates mother’s reputation
Girl repeats mother’s mistakes
Girl agrees to have blood whitened
Girl wants her children not to struggle
Girl saved again by white man
Girl insists mother joins family in city
Girl does not understand why mother refuses
Girl loses battle and mother

 

She is born again
She is Indian, stubborn, but not free
She now has both bloods in her veins
Her body populated by different ancestral lines
She refusing this body
Her flesh pulled in opposite directions
She trying to end the pain
Her mind baffled with questions
She believing her life is a mistake
Her parents forcing assimilation
She failing to want it
Her parents fearing destitution
She not afraid of it
Her parents blaming her for failure
She finding freedom in it

All artistic expressions published on this blog were created by Vanessa Andreotti and are licensed  under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.