June 30, 2012
As part of the Smithsonian Institutions
exhibit Between Fences and the local exhibit I KELAT, the Guam
Humanities Council offered Reading The Fence Poetry Night.
Along with several other esteemed and
published local poets, Guma' Mami Independent Living Mentor Charissa Lynn
Aguon, presented the following in memory of Rebecca Lynn San Agustin.
A speeding car crashed into the vehicle that
Rebecca was riding in. The speeding car's driver and passengers were part of a
large military exercise.
Fences: Our Worlds Collide
By Charissa Aguon
Dedicated to Rebecca Lynn San Agustin
September
17, 1975- May 27, 2012
Public Service
Announcement: Fences cannot separate the “us”
from “them,” the “you”
from “me,” according to the age
old scripture carved into the steely walls of reality. Fences are figments of
white imagination. Sooner or later, our worlds collide.
We are closer than
the fences would have us believe. Those barbed wired- cold steel partitions
trenched deep in poured concrete could not and did not hold back the fury of
five flying fish on one warm sun-prince day on the island of cruel actuality,
because no man is an island unto himself. When flying fish become landlocked,
our worlds collide.
Five fish of
fury like bats out of hell,
came flying out from the inside,
came rushing forth like an angry tide.
And there was nowhere for indifference to hide.
Why in such a hurry? Why in such a hurry, those five fish
of fury?
For thirsty tongue, a blood suckers deed?
For hungers raging need to feed?
Oh, why did they scurry?
Why did they scurry, those five fish of fury?
Beca-fin did not
believe in fences. She was a queen defender of bubble gum dreams, always at the
precipice gazing out into the coming storm, looking for the hidden sun prince,
hoping for a mermaid’s tale or a leaping, bopping Moby
whale. She didn’t believe in those white-washed
picketed illusions that tend to draw a certain degree of imaginary separation
and false security. For Beca-fin, on a clear sun-prince day, there was no
separation. Our worlds collide.
Five fish of
fury like bats out of hell,
came flying out from the inside,
came rushing forth like an angry tide.
And there was nowhere for indifference to hide.
Why in such a hurry? Why in such a hurry, those five fish
of fury?
For thirsty tongue, a blood suckers deed?
For hungers raging need to feed?
Oh, why did they scurry?
Why did they scurry, those five fish of fury?
Beca-fin did not
engage with fences. She was a brave beam of soft light, a fierce fighter of the
cruel night. There were no fences to separate her Technicolor dreams from the
harsh predictable themes of actuality. Those fences, she knew, were an optical illusion,
a grandiose delusion. Our worlds collide.
Five fish of fury like bats out of hell,
came flying out from the inside,
came rushing forth like an angry tide.
And there was nowhere for indifference to hide.
Why in such a hurry? Why in such a hurry, those five fish
of fury?
For thirsty tongue, a blood suckers deed?
For hungers raging need to feed?
Oh, why did they scurry?
Why did they scurry, those five fish of fury?
Beca-fin head
mistress of sappy 80’s love tunes on repeat and pop
peek-a-boo princes encountered no fences on her way to find the hidden
sun-prince. The storm had passed. It was a clear day. She swims alongside merry
mermaids and leaping, bopping Moby whales and I hope that again- one day, our
worlds will collide.
Five fish of fury like bats out of hell,
came flying out from the inside,
came rushing forth like an angry tide.
And there was nowhere for indifference to hide.
Why in such a hurry? Why in such a hurry, those five fish
of fury?
For thirsty tongue, a blood suckers deed?
For hungers raging need to feed?
Oh, why did they scurry?
Why did they scurry?
We should ask ourselves…those five fish of
fury?
Guma’ Mami programs provide opportunities for individuals to enjoy life, strive to reach their full potential, and be part of Guam’s community.
It is the mission of Guma’ Mami, Inc., to facilitate the full inclusion and integration of adults with intellectual disabilities and other disabilities into their communities through individual and family supports. We provide supportive services in a residential and community setting in order to enable individuals to live as full members of their communities.
For more information visit: www.gumamami.org
