Reflecting on Black presence in counselling and psychotherapy.
Black History Month picked a fight with me - or I fought with her (him?)
And it was (like most battles) a question of territory - and about naming
I said I had other names, other places to be - (everywhere, everyone)
I said I was too busy with technologies of fixing to be fixed - on a map or a month
I said there was more to see (and be) than - Black in October
And she (he?) said that I was being high minded - radical, idealistic
Instead of dealing, being - unrealistic, unfeeling
bad-minded - and treacherous
dreaming-selves shiver - imaginations dip
ready to run (yes they are) - for the hills of November
to escape - to live beyond
and out of time - we arrive
And it was (like most battles) a question of territory - and about naming
I said I had other names, other places to be - (everywhere, everyone)
I said I was too busy with technologies of fixing to be fixed - on a map or a month
I said there was more to see (and be) than - Black in October
And she (he?) said that I was being high minded - radical, idealistic
Instead of dealing, being - unrealistic, unfeeling
bad-minded - and treacherous
dreaming-selves shiver - imaginations dip
ready to run (yes they are) - for the hills of November
to escape - to live beyond
and out of time - we arrive