Poem/libretto: Catherine L. Johnson, visual artist and writer
I wrote ‘TABULA RASA: CHANGE’ upon the election of President Barack Obama. I was a volunteer from the campaign’s early stages when his name recognition was a whisper – his name on pamphlets were placed on the the far edge of the DFL table at the Minnesota State Fair! What occurred was change, a change that was both blowing in the wind and an internal tsunami. America is shaped by our gentle breath and a roaring belief in: YES, WE CAN!
Transformations call out internal revolutions.
And, that process exposes raw nerve truths:
beautiful and ugly.
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In March 2011, ‘TABULA RASA: CHANGE’ was mobilized from a text into a recorded spoken word performance.
The session was snaked.
Faith.
Improvisational call and response.
A rhythmic beat – my voice.
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Change.
Change the pattern.
Change the dance.
Change the sound.
Change the thought.
Change the view.
Change the volume.
Change the rhythm.
Change the understanding.
Change the bruise.
Change the garden.
Change the gold.
Change the kiss.
Change the touch.
Change the story.
Change the cowardice.
Change the bad.
Change the good.
Change the song.
Change the silence.
Change the beat.
Change the color.
Change the hymn.
Change the circle.
Change the lie.
Change the love.
Change the map.
Change the ocean.
Change the dark.
Change the light.
Change the sky.
Change the mouth.
Change the silence.
Change the thirst.
Change the longing.
Change the hunger.
Change the earth.
Change the skin.
Change the unknown.
Change the certainty.
Change the insecurity.
Change the heart.
Change the hand.
Change the fist.
Change the anger.
Change the fear.
Change the fight.
Change the blame.
Change the home.
Change the mind.
Change the lock.
Change the link.
Change the color.
Change the weak.
Change the strong.
Change the animal.
Change the demon.
Change the angel.
Change the prayer.
Change the choice.
Change the decision.
Change the dead.
Change the life.
Change.
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Catherine L. Johnson 2008
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twenty
twenty
three!
A
BRIGHT
NEW
YEAR!
YES!
CATHERINE L. JOHNSON 