Writer’s new work examines time, culture & society – INSIDETORONTO.COM
Spoken word artist, author and poet ‘Motion’ recently released her second book 40 Dayz (Women’s Press) as a followup to her critically acclaimed Motion in Poetry. As Canada’s first hip-hop artist to release a book of verse, Motion continues to explore her place in Canada’s literary canon. Her work fuses poetry, hip hop, reggae, roots and culture in a dynamic surge of literary talent.
“I was born and raised in Toronto, so I understand this environment and atmosphere,” she says. “My parents are from Barbados and Antigua, so the islands are also a big part of my identity and consciousness. There is a duality, because I was born here but there is another part of me that is from where we call ‘home’. I think that when you are coming up with that duality you become a pioneer within this society, because you are taking something from afar and establishing an identity of who you are as a first generation person in this society. This context has always had a big effect on me.”
Motion’s most recent work, 40 Dayz brings to light the interconnected contrasts of life, society, spiritualism and religion. Highlighting the significance of the 40-day time periods, Motion expresses the subliminal existence which links humanity.
“This book is built on the theme of 40 days; I just looked at the way that the concept of 40 days has been represented throughout time. Whether we talk about the physical, religious or spiritual sense, for some reason the concept of 40 days has special significance. If we look at Islam it is after 40 days that the fetus has a soul, and in Christianity Noah was in the ark for 40 days and 40 nights and Moses spent 40 days on the mountain. So for me this book is a journey that explores how the time can affect us.”
The book has also given Motion the opportunity to reflect on her own beliefs and concepts about the growth and maturity which takes place through the journey of life.
“Given the challenge of writing on a particular theme this book has given me the opportunity to look at my own life, the ups and downs before you get somewhere,” she says. “You have to go through your fire and you have to go through your flood.”
As with all of her work, the ever-present role of culture past and present is examined in relation to modern life and existence. For Motion, there is always the ability to transcend time and connect with the past through language.
“The first poem in 40 Dayz is titled The Calling. It’s based on watching dancers in a park in Brooklyn late at night dancing around drummers,” she says. “So you have this urban setting juxtaposed with that ancient part of us that where just the beat of a drum can take you outside of the buildings and concrete and tar of the city to connect us to a deeper part of ourselves.”
40 Dayz is available for purchase at book retailers across the GTA. For more information on Motion, visit: www.motionlive.com
Jon Sarpong is the Diversity Officer at Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). He provides independent diversity training and consultation for various organizations. Contact Jon by e-mailing jsarpong@hotmail.com.
