Literary Edition: Untitled by Ayende

Untitled
by Ayende

Cobra plays the game right side up
but I feel wrong side down
looking at the world from below
spinning on my toes
feet higher than my head
makes one scared
but for the longest moment
he stayed downside up,
keep an eye on the floor
they open and close like doors

Valmir plays the game inside out
but I do it outside outside
he said to think within
and that will come out
for others it’s a gimmie
John & Gilberta can do the ginga
Dale has malicia in a pointed finger

Inside outside
Upside downside
berimbau African electric slide
going in coming out
Valmir smiling
Cobra’s shout
Dear what is this
Capoeira about?

Ayende will always be the poet laureate of FICA-DC (even though he has since moved on to other things). He wrote so many good poems, it was hard to choose which one to present. This appeared in“O Angoleiro” (thank you, Sylvia!) in 1999.

Back in the day, we at FICA-DC were always writing poems. Between Ayende, Adisa, Charisse, Amanda, Chinatown, Carlos, and all the other artists (not to mention musicians) there was always some wonderful creative project going on, whether it be a banner to paint, a literary magazine to fill, or an empty corner of “O Angoleiro” just big enough for a poem to complete. And they got everyone in the group involved. It was really amazing.

It is sad to think that we have lost that spirit of poetry that used to be so strong in the group. Where did it go and why?

We would like to encourage everyone out there to write a poem, after all, where do you think ladainhas come from??