Water by Koleka Putuma

Water by Koleka Putuma

The poem is presented as an epic. It tells a story that takes us on a journey, we travel along with each word that perfectly paints the perfect setting and portrays the perfect emotion. 

If we looks at the title of the poem, one would possibly recognize water as something holistic, spiritual, and deep. Something that cleanses us of our sins, a place of sincerity and tranquility. However, Putuma takes us on a different journey with water, a journey filled with anger, frustration and sadness. For Putuma water represents the ocean, the ocean in which as a child she felt she could never express herself in. The ocean symbolized a day of being mocked and the days of being beaten, emotionally, physically and mentally. 

"For you, the ocean is for surfboards, boats and tans and all the cool stuff you do under there in your bathing suits and goggles" 

For white boys and girls, the ocean encouraged a fun and flirty relationship, one that would inspire them to keep coming back to splash aimlessly amongst the waves. 

"as if the reeds remember that they were once chains, the water, restless, wishes it could spew all of the slaves and ships onto shore" 

However, for families of colour, Putuma reiterates how the ocean is a symbol of struggle, a symbol of trade, fear and loss. Centuries ago, black slaves were colonized and shipped off, sometimes thrown off board, if not chained and beaten, or just "boarded, sailed and sunk." 

Furthermore, Putuma takes us further on the journey by telling us the story of her anger for feeling used, for feeling like people of colour are simply just used as props. Which has an element of truth to it. How is it that when tourists from all over come over to Africa they expect to see the 'authentic African' experiences. Tourists expect young African children to entertain, dance and sing for them simply like puppets on demand, yet years before they were expecting African children, mothers and families to wait on them, hand and foot. could one argue that 'slavery' is truly abolished or has It just transformed into another disguised body of mockery and exploitation? 

Similarly, Putuma reiterates the social conflict between black and white. The violence and oppression still ripe and roaming. The idea that black children are having to pray in case they get shot, the idea that in church they raise their hands to praise a god that has sent them in a direction of lose, pain and abuse. Raising ones hands can be noted as a sign of mercy, a sign that one is giving up and surrendering to peace. Yet "we still get shot there too." 

"The blue-eyed and blond-haired Jesus I followed in Sunday school has had my kind bowing to a white and patriarchal heaven" 

The complication of white supremacy and religion is also portrayed in this poem. The idea that a white man reigns all power and judgement over people. Similarly, that the white god states that no man shall be gay, transgender or bisexual. Each man will be straight and that is all one should hail to. But for Putuma, her relationship with god is a "complicated one" 

Personal reflection:

I feel as though this poem has taken me to a destination of understanding. Understanding that one cannot just simply erase the past. Erase lose, abuse or hurt. We need to understand that to mock ones ability to swim not only through the water but to swim through personal emotion, memories and past struggles is almost animalistic. - the idea that another human being could potentially have no feelings of sensitivity towards another is unsettling.

If one human being could mock another, there would seem to be underlying insecurities of there own. people only fight what they fear and the powerless only look for power. 

Rupi Kaur writes: 

"our backs

tell stories

no books have

the spine to carry" 

- To women of colour