Memory For Ever:
Playing Musical Chairs
With the Mayor
(for Jill Fraser) by Bithi Das
10.06.2007
Jill Fraser. The distinguished person
With a distinguished name. 'The Mayor of Camden'
It was a sunny summer day, 2006
I was asked to join Family Sport Event
By the Boys of Surma Centre
Regent's Park
It came in my mind
The Mayor is coming to
Open the event! I came and waited
For her to arrive.
A big car came, and there she was:
A beautiful Lady in her pink
Salwar Kamiz - Indian outfit. The Lady Mayor.
She was surrounded by people
Who wanted to greet her.
In due course
The Event started.
There were many games
Mostly for children.
I was asked to join the game
For the grown-up ladies
Called Musical Chair.
Jill joined too.
Jill and I stayed side by side.
It was the moment when we became
Just like children trying to secure our seats.
But we didn't win.
Soon Jill and I were out.
But during our play, I saw Jill's face
A little girl, enjoying her past
Forgotten days.
Bithi Das was inspired to write this poem after Jill Fraser,
Mayor of Camden,
opened the London Workshop 2006 National Poetry Day Celebrations
(Diorama Gallery Euston Square, West London).
My mother worked in a sweet shop
And every Friday she brought me
My special treat. Fuller's Chocolates .
Round with bits of purple and red
Square nougat, sugared almonds
Walnuts covered in Dark and Milk
Chocolate. They were just there
Every Friday when she was paid.
One Friday my mother forgot
I remember screaming
Kicking and crying
"Where's my bloody chocolates"
And being put to bed without supper.
The next Friday she came home
With more glossy, shiny,
Gooey chocolates.
Glossy, shiny, creamy,
Milky, syrupy-sweet
Smearing on the hands and face
Of a five year old
Melting in my mouth.
Patsy Futatsugi first performed this poem with the Purple Poets
at the Cumberland Market Festival, Cumberland Market,
at 2 p.m. on the Main Stage on July 29, 2006.
Ang Bayan Ko [(written by José Corazón de Jesús,
1929.The unofficial anthem of the Philippines]
Ang bayan ko Philipinas
Lupain ng gintot bulaklak
Pag-ibig ng sa kanyang palad
Nag=alay ng gandat dilag
At sa kanyang yumi at ganda
Dayuhan ay nahalina
Bayan ko, binihag ka
Nasadlak ka sa dusa ...
Ibon mang may layang lumipad
Kulangin mo at umiiyak
Bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag
Ang di nag-nasang makaalpas
O! Pilipinas kong minumutya
Pugad, ka ng luha at dalita
Aking aghika -- ang ...
Makita kang-sakdal laya.
My Country
[a new translation of "Ang Bayan Ko"]
by Eppie Caredda 15.02.2007
My country the Philippines
Land of Honey, Tropical Flowers and Gold
Love permeates its heart.
Which brings panoramic beauty
And amazing grace.
These niceties captivate many strangers
That may be why they had to stay so long.
Even more than a hundred years.
Oh my beloved country, the Philippines
Was held hostage and enslaved in hardships for so long.
Like the chirping bird that craves to fly
Without limit. Cage it
And it will surely cry.
What more will this beautiful land endure.
Will it not also aim for a boundless Liberty?
Philippines my beloved
Lair of struggles and tears
My only dream for you
BITHI DAS Aria's Scientific Experiment:
A Five Minute Ice Cream
(for Aria Sen, who is only ten)
POETRY ON A PLATE
summer inter-generational project
21.08.2009
You scream
I Scream
It is little Aria's
Scientific Dream.
A five Minute Ice Cream.
In a bag
Mix the chocolate, sugar and cream
Put the mixture
In a salty- ice rim
All goes in our purple box.
THEN
Shake your arm
Shake your ass
Don't worry
It won't smash.
Five minutes gone
The ice cream is done
Now the time to test
Oh - Yes
It is one of the best!
for the full recipe, and more recipes, go to
www.purplepoets.com/cook.html
A Short note about Michael G. Noonan:
Michael has worked in financial services, consulting and retailing in the
UK, Japan, Middle East, Switzerland and China. Michael was a member of UBS
for 14 years and has worked in financial and retail institutions in the UK,
Japan, Switzerland and Turkey. He is currently acting as an Organisational
Development consultant for arts organisations, educational organisations,
audience development agencies and county councils around the UK. Other
non-executive roles include: Chair International House and International
House World Organisation, Trustee and Director to Arts Worldwide; Trustee
London East Aids Network; Vice Chair/Trustee to the Performing Rights Society
Foundation; Trustee to Beaconsfield Contemporary Arts Trust; Trustee to the
Entelechy Arts Trust; Trustee Poet in the City.
http://www.ihlondon.com/about/ih-trust/international-house-trustees,238,ART.html
BITHI DAS
Forgetting Janan Bagi
(The Game of Heaven and Hell)
'Snakes and Ladders'
Wellcome Indic Sanskrit MS 276,18th Century
It was my childhood game
lots of screaming and crying!
Me and my brother and cousins, who wins or who loses.
I know the game but I cannot read the board.
It is in Sansrit, which I studied sixty years ago.
This square, 68, is the Heaven, Nirvana.
And this mouth of the snake is Seduction
leading back down to square 2 - Mada. Desire.
Heaven. Nirvana. Seduction. Desire. That is all
I remember of this very spiritual game. Snake and Ladder.
My teacher would be so
disappointed.
Bithi Das, Purple Poets, read at the launch of The Poetry Tree June 26, 2010
at the 2nd Annual Cumberland Market Midsummer Picnic; first draft 18.06.2010.
Image courtesy Wellcome Library.
PATSY FUTATSUGI Purple Plastic Joy Forever: 'Jelly Baby 3' (chemical cloning, 2004)
by the British artist Mauro Perucchetti.
The Purple Jelly Baby
glows; happy, happy, happy,
dancing jelly belly joy.
Patsy Futatsugi, Purple Poets , read at the launch of The Poetry Tree June
26, 2010 at the 2nd Annual Cumberland Market Midsummer Picnic; first draft
24.06.2010. Image courtesy Wellcome
Collection.
`
................................................................................................................................................ ISLAM MOLLA
PLAYING CARROM
15.01.2009
'an ordinary middle class game
of Indian sub-continent'
First time I played Carrom
My sister hit me on the head
Because I could not pocket the counter
At the first flick.
It is quite a relaxing and competitive game
The winners are rewarded with money or a trophy
For permission to use any of this material
please contact the Purple Poets
(poem AT purplepoets.com)
The Purple Poets have co-produced projects
with the Quaker Library
and the Wellcome Trust.
and The Royal College of Physicians The Bloomsbury Workshop
'ThePurples' create community projects promoting the 5 P's:
People, Poetry, Plants, Purple and Picnics
(our major project is Camden National Poetry
Day)
We also are keen on International Women's Day,
Local Summer Festivals and Green Fairs,
Disability Access, Friends of the Park, Tenants' Rights
Constitutions, and anything else our members find interesting
think purple! think poets!
Bloomsbury
The Purple Poets
for readings, projects and festivals contact Ferdous Rahman
rahmanferdous AT hotmail.co.uk
mailing address: The Purple Poets
c/o Flat 18 Chenies Street Chambers
Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7ET
