Jack Sparrow and Brennans bread it is not often you will see these in one sentence, but these are the first things that I can remember from when I was first shown a YouTube clip of the poet John Cummins. John facilitated our second creative writing workshop at the ATD office on Thursday the 22nd of March and was really passionate and enthusiastic in his delivery. In total there were about 15 participants in the workshop and before starting we were told very little about it, only that by the end we were all going to be able to rap. By 8.00pm that evening every person in the workshop had contributed some small part to our Martin Luther King rap, and it was almost as if you could see the creativity just flow in the room. It was fantastic to be in a space and be inspired and motivated to write creatively by someone as talented as John, his approach although passionate and motivating was also laid back with regards to structure which allowed for people to ask questions which they may have had without feeling like they were interrupting.
Some of the material that was written in the workshop was outstanding and although rap may not be everybody’s cup of tea I would definitely recommend to anyone who says that they can’t rap to take a workshop with John Cummins, it was a pleasure and so much fun and I think I pretty much laughed the whole way through the workshop! I hope you guys find the inspiration and motivation to write your speeches I look forward to reading them!
Collaborative Rap written by participants of the workshop:
Community is looking after each other
Coming together
Sisters and brothers
Stand as one
We face our struggles
Poverty teaches mother to juggle
Thursdays feast leads to four days famine
Something TDs you need to examine
This is not a place for you to divide
Come on Minister
Its time you get wide
Martin
You were always a king
Your words still sting
The people sing
I have a dream
I have a dream
One day humanity lost
A national treasure
One
We could never re-measure
Little did he know
He was against the clock
Tick Tock
His body dropped
Martin Luther King
Who might he have been
He got startin
On stoppin the partin
Now we all have that dream
Martin
You were always a king
Your words still sting
The people sing
I have a dream
I have a dream