“Truth Serum”
The African-Gods are on fire tonight, the beating of the congo drums is resonating everywhere. It almost feels like my own heartbeat is in sync with the beat and beating. Boom chaka, boom chaka, boom chaka, boom boom chaka…It’s all I hear and it’s all I feel. The Gods are dancing all around me, overjoyed at my arrival and happy with me. They are happy that I’ve final seen beyond. We’re all dancing on fire and coal, but there’s no bruising, and there’s no scarring and there’s no pain. We are all happy together at last. I can almost hear someone singing to me “Wild Thing You Make my heart sing”. I only wanted to make your heart sing. Floating one should feel togetherness but often one does not.
One of favorite comedians is Paul Mooney. He's raw and honest when he jokes. I remember a joke that he made about so called “White Privilege”, where he remembers seeing a white homeless man, and how he soon started to cry. He got sad because he believed that someone wearing his skin color had these “so called” opportunities already given to them in life solely based by the color of their skin, and wasted it. As clear and as obvious as it is that I’m quoted a dark skinned comedian, me being a person of color myself can understand.
But over the years of life I’ve seen racism come out in so many different ways and forms. It’s like an open scab that someone keeps scratching and won’t heel. I’ve been subjected to racism from my own countryman, westerners, in some of my travels around the world and even in Law School. Racism hit’s in many ways: silently, mildly, and harshly and direct.
I’ve had my own countryman doubt my heritage, whether I’m Puerto Rico, by color and my last name. When I can probably can trace my family linage further than most. I’ve even be ask to show physical proof such as a passport, not to a person of law, but to another countryman. Fortunately, I had a wonderful mother who wasn’t fearsome of raising three children and taking of her mother, in search for better opportunities elsewhere. So I’ve been to places all over this world. And I thank my Mother for instilling that desire travel and appreciate other cultures and other people around world for who they are first. So my countryman in doubt “los negros de Puerto Rico todos no son de Loiza”. Hablan con tus Abuelas y Abuelos. Listen the music of Puerto Rican history the music of Pedro Flores before you judge your fellow countryman by the cover. But I return to Puerto Rico to be with Mother, and my accent is question, yet all I hear is Hello and Breakecito and Parkinging.
I’ve been mocked by my countrymen and pushed aside. I’ve had to move my car at a stop light just to pass the car that’s to the right of me, with the whole family, including children laughing at the dark skinned.
Racism has no class and no rank, no color and no size. There are poor racist and rich racist everywhere. Racism is easily taught and even easier to learn.
Racism, from women, lingers as well. When a women tells you that you live too close to her to have a relationship. That’s a big red flag. I’ve had a women tell that she would consider dating me only if I lived in San Juan. There were no derogatory words spoken in that conversation, but ooh did that hurt. That’s a humiliation tactic and puff tactic for the other. Like asking a guy out to illicit a reaction from him, to then never respond. Puff Tactcs that cause pain.
What happened to the intelligent sexy? What happened to meeting nice gal in a book store in between the stacks, gentle intelligent conversation about novelist, politics, world and life. What happened to the smell of the expresso, while you admire each other for oh so many things. Passionately making love to lines of poetry. What happen to honesty and honest women? Now I’m compared to the guy at the gas station, the alcoholic or pool hall jock or surfer with the blue eyes, I don’t fit for posting purposes. And it’s medalla this and medalla that, I never seen so many medalla cans in my beautiful reefs. Are reefs are pain. Can’t you hear the pain?
I just don’t just feel pain from love, I feel all kinds of pain all pain. That’s how I know part of me must not be of this world. My Mother use to tell me “que los Puertorriqueños le gustan Mofea”, they like to joke . And she use get laughed at because of her hair in school. God rest her soul from that pain. But she told me study strike people down with you brain. I’m not striking no one or anything because I’m already soaring. But sometimes I feel like the James Baldwin, character “John Grimes”, “Keep pushing this giant bolder”. When I step out into the world I keep pushing the same bolder up the same hill and it keeps rolling down.
I’ve been in high place and some low places, and I’ve never shown rank and don’t need to take out my resume. I see right through people straight past age, color, sex, or sexual orientation straight to the person. What’s wrong with people? It’s like they need a road for who’s who and where is where.
So Westerners, seeking Fantasy Island, and Ricardo Montalban, there are no planes here. Soon after Maria we called and no one came, Why would they? We’re all just a bunch dark skinned jobos. Please leave your western values back in Trump world and bring only your humility. And for you Dangerously Seeking Susan’s, hope to find your Don Juan, leave your Jordache jeans back home and bring only your humility and true honest hearts.
I’m not speaking ill of this place or any place, there are good people here as there are good people all over this world. But very few and through the years is seems to get fewer and fewer. The good people are in small pockets in blue zones all around this world. You know the people are good because this is where people meet each other with their hearts.
Young people I speak to you because the elders have all gone mad. You are the future. Train in kindness, Take your friend who’s being bullied out surfing, I don’t think there’s a lot texting and apping and posting when you surfing. There’s cheering on and getting to know. Its fun time with family friends and Mana. Young people respect Mana. Young people train in love rightly, in good loving. Young people purge the hate and purge the pain. Peace. Truth Serum By Daniel Alberdeston©2020
www.danielalberdestonphotography.com©2020
@danielalberdestonphotography©2020
Go Tell It On A Mountain, By Jame Baldwin©1953
“Truth Serum”
The African-Gods are on fire tonight, the beating of the congo drums is resonating everywhere. It almost feels like my own heartbeat is in sync with the beat and beating. Boom chaka, boom chaka, boom chaka, boom boom chaka…It’s all I hear and it’s all I feel. The Gods are dancing all around me, overjoyed at my arrival and happy with me. They are happy that I’ve final seen beyond. We’re all dancing on fire and coal, but there’s no bruising, and there’s no scarring and there’s no pain. We are all happy together at last. I can almost hear someone singing to me “Wild Thing You Make my heart sing. I only wanted to make your heart sing." Floating one should feel togetherness but often one does not.
One of favorite comedians is Paul Mooney. He's raw and honest when he jokes. I remember a joke that he made about so called “White Privilege”, where he remembers seeing a white homeless man, and how he soon started to cry. He got sad because he believed that someone wearing his skin color had these “so called” opportunities already given to them in life solely based by the color of their skin, and wasted it. As clear and as obvious as it is that I’m quoted a dark skinned comedian, me being a person of color myself, can understand.
But over the years of life I’ve seen racism come out in so many different ways and forms. It’s like an open scab that someone keeps scratching and won’t heel. I’ve been subjected to racism from my own countryman, westerners, in some of my travels around the world and even in Law School. Racism hit’s in many ways: silently, mildly, and harshly and direct.
I’ve had my own countryman doubt my heritage, whether I’m Puerto Rico, by color and my last name. When I can probably trace my family linage further than most. I’ve even been asked to show physical proof such as a passport, not to a person of law, but to another countryman. Fortunately, I had a wonderful mother who wasn’t fearsome of raising three children and taking care of her mother, in search for better opportunities elsewhere. So I’ve been to places all over this world. And I thank my Mother for instilling that desire to travel and appreciate other cultures and other people around world for who they are first. So my countryman in doubt “los negros de Puerto Rico todos no son de Loiza”. Hablan con tus Abuelas y Abuelos. Listen the music of Puerto Rican history the music of Pedro Flores before you judge your fellow countryman by the cover. But I return to Puerto Rico to be with Mother, and my accent is question, yet all I hear is Hello and Breakecito and Parkinging.
I’ve been mocked by my countrymen and pushed aside. I’ve had to move my car at a stop light just to pass the car that’s to the right of me, with the whole family, including children laughing at the dark skinned.
Racism has no class and no rank, no color and no size. There are poor racist and rich racist everywhere. Racism is easily taught and even easier to learn.
Racism, from women, lingers as well. When a women tells you that you live too close to her to have a relationship. That’s a big red flag. I’ve had a women tell that she would consider dating me only if I lived in San Juan. There were no derogatory words spoken in that conversation, but ooh did that hurt. That’s a humiliation tactic and puff tactic for the other. Like asking a guy out to illicit a reaction from him, to then never respond. Puff Tactcs that cause pain.
What happened to the intelligent sexy? What happened to meeting nice gal in a book store in between the stacks, gentle intelligent conversation about novelist, politics, world and life. What happened to the smell of the expresso, while you admire each other for oh so many things. Passionately making love to lines of poetry. What happen to honesty and honest women? Now I’m compared to the guy at the gas station, the alcoholic or pool hall jock or surfer with the blue eyes, I don’t fit for posting purposes. And it’s medalla this and medalla that, I've never seen so many medalla cans in my beautiful reefs. Are reefs are pain. Can’t you hear the pain?
I just don’t just feel pain from love, I feel all kinds of pain all pain. That’s how I know part of me must not be of this world or I was made incorrectly. My Mother use to tell me “que los Puertorriqueños le gustan Mofear”, they like to joke/make-fun-of . And she use get laughed at because of her hair in school. God rest her soul from that pain. But she told me study and strike people down with you brain. I’m not striking no one or anything because I’m already soaring. But sometimes I feel like the James Baldwin, character “John Grimes”, “Keep pushing this giant bolder”. When I step out into the world I keep pushing the same bolder up the same hill and it keeps rolling down.
I’ve been in high place and some low places, and I’ve never shown rank and don’t need to take out my resume. I see right through people straight past age, color, sex, or sexual orientation straight to the person. What’s wrong with people? It’s like they need a road map for who’s who and where is where.
So Westerners, seeking Fantasy Island, and Ricardo Montalban, there are no planes here. Soon after Maria we called and no one came, Why would they? We’re all just a bunch dark skinned jobos. Please leave your western values back in Trump world and bring only your humility. And for you Dangerously Seeking Susan’s, hope to find your Don Juan, leave your Jordache jeans back home and bring only your humility and true honest hearts.
I’m not speaking ill of this place or any place, there are good people here as there are good people all over this world. But very few and through the years is seems to get fewer and fewer. The good people are in small pockets in blue zones all around this world. You know the people are good because this is where people meet each other with their hearts.
Young people I speak to you because the elders have all gone mad. You are the future. Train in kindness, Take your friend who’s being bullied out surfing, I don’t think there’s a lot of texting and "apping" and posting when you're surfing. There’s cheering on and getting to know. Its fun time with family friends and Mana. Young people respect Mana. Young people train in love rightly, in good loving. Young people purge the hate and purge the pain. Peace. Truth Serum By Daniel Alberdeston©2020
www.danielalberdestonphotography.com©2020
@danielalberdestonphotography©2020
Go Tell It On A Mountain, By Jame Baldwin©1953
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