Back in April, Joel Mejia and I got together to talk about a film project. I had met him at my cousin-in-law, Katie Yamasaki’s, show, Pintando Postales. As I remember it, I was just about to leave when he asked me if I wanted to rap over something he had been playing with. domo domo is the surprising result of our first collaboration.

Listen below or on the Edoheart MUSIC page:

In Nigeria, domo is one way we Edo people greet each other. You say it twice to sound twice as nice. It seemed appropriate that afternoon, looking out onto a street, watching people interact, working with Joel for the first time, to simply say “hello”.

As usual, my vocal contributions to this piece are improvisational. I was inspired to sing a poem I wrote, published in 2003 titled, “Deepening the blush of summer roses”. That poem is at the very bottom of this post.

It was great to work with Joel who is a sound and film artist but also a community-minded fellow. He is the founder and director of the Dare to Dream Project which is a dynamic annual media arts initiative for New York City youth and educators. Find out more about him and this amazing project at http://daretodream.ning.com/

—-

Deepening The Blush of Summer Roses

In a world twisted with heat
and mirrors, when the sun goes

burning distant grasses,
burning the streets,

setting house windows ablaze,
Echoing out of passing eyes;

revealing halos
on the heads of playing children,

Then in the same manner
as an animal relieving itself

or a woman pleasured
in a closed and heavy room

Or a taut afternoon
ripening with clouds and desire-

In a feathered instant, unpurchased
I will burst into light.

-E.A.