Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Heritage Day

Bishop Desmond Tutu

Midweek Motif ~ Heritage Day

Today is Heritage Day in South Africa: "On this day, South Africans across the spectrum are encouraged to celebrate their culture and the diversity of beliefs and traditions in their country."   One way South Africans celebrate is by barbecue gatherings, or braai.  In 2007 South Africa combined National Braai Day and National Heritage Day for a people-made cultural holiday.

I wish every town/region/country had a Heritage Day.

Your challenge for the midweek poem:  If you celebrated a Heritage Day, what culture(s) would it include? and what would be a good way to celebrate?


      Poetic Inspiration:      

Blues-ing on the Brown Vibe

BY ESTHER BELIN

I.

And Coyote struts down East 14th

feeling good

looking good

feeling the brown

melting into the brown that loiters

rapping with the brown in front of the Native American Health Center

talking that talk

of relocation from tribal nation

. . . . (Read the rest of this amazing poem HERE at the Poetry Foundation.)

“I emerged from the black oil pools in the forgotten house of dreams in the wild backcountry of the heart. I am heir to the sun, child of Mother Earth and the Mayan galaxy. All the mountain cures and healing waters and winds and junipers run deep in my bloodstream.”

― Jimmy Santiago Baca, The Face

Poetry Everywhere: "won't you celebrate with me" by Lucille Clifton

For those who are new here:  

1. Post your Heritage Day  poem on your site, and then link it here.
2. If you use a picture include its link.  
3. Share only original and new work written for this challenge. 
4. Leave a comment here.
5. Visit and comment on our poems.

~Next week's Midweek Motif will be Children's books.~

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Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Leaders/Leadership

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom 

and equality and justice and prosperity for all people.” 

― Rosa Parks

Today's Motif: Leaders/Leadership

Write an ode celebrating an historical leader or fantasy hero.  Here in the USA, I am thinking of President's Day and its emphasis on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but there are many other choices living and dead and fictional and not yet created. What do you see as leadership?

I am inspired by Botlahle's performance poem that won the South Africa's Got Talent competition last year:  

(Next week's Midweek Motif will be Success)

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