This is not supposed to be therapy

This is not supposed to be therapy

I go to therapy on Wednesdays

Being on stage is my getaway

Or hitting the dance floor on a Saturday

I try to stay home on Sundays

Cos if I'm lucky mum will make Sunday lunch

Roast chicken and potatoes, rice and peas

"And, mummy? Don't forget the plantain!"

Yes, I know she spoils me


I’m supposed to be happy

Because most would be if they were this lucky

I’m supposed to be the one “living his dreams”

The one that they envy and aspire be like

I’m supposed to in-spire but I cry out

I’m supposed to give hope but I'm so full of doubt


I’m supposed to know exactly what I’m doing

And precisely where I’m going

Because I am a leader... right?


I’m supposed to have the answer

Or at least ask the right questions

I’m supposed to be cruising in the fast lane

But I feel so pedestrian


He gave me this notebook to write in

I’m not supposed to tell anyone

But fuck what I’m supposed to do


I’ve always done what I’m supposed to

I was supposed to get my GCSEs, A Levels and a degree

Check one, check two and, yes, check three

A whole bunch of Bs and Cs and a 2:1 in my degree

English and Philosophy

What else was I equipped to be but some kinda writer

Well I'm pretty good with kids I coulda been a teacher

But even my favourite at school, Mr Rattigan, told me

“Never...! ever...! become a teacher. You can do more"


My granddad always asks me

“When you gonna go back to your studies?”

He tells our family back in Cyprus that I’m a professor

Dr Dean Atta

But I'm far from a Dr

My only PHD a Player Hating Degree

But I don't stay put long enough for you to hate on me

I'm a Poet slash Playwright slash Producer

Slash Artistic Associate slash Creative Director

Slash confused dot com

Online searching for my ID

On Facebook faking familiarity

RT @you #completeme

BBM me, B-befriend me

This iPhone is not my phone it's a loan of identity

See I can be whatever and whoever I want to be

With the right accessory, by any app necessary


I’m supposed to be grateful for all this freedom

Free to grab opportunities when I see them

Because some let things pass them by

Fixated on money

Trapped by responsibility

Or bound by their apathy

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination.”

I believed that first time I heard it and I

Still do

But am I supposed to be afraid?

Cos I’m not


I don’t need words from page to reach out and hug me

Comfort me or tell me that they love me

I just need them to tell the truth

Cos I'm supposed to be here

And I'm supposed to do this

And, no, this isn't therapy...

But it sure feels good to me

To be sharing this, with you.

SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN

SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN

Sunday 18 April 2010
17:30 - 21:30
The Broadway Theatre
Broadway, Barking IG11 7LS

Tickets £5 (£3 concession)
Box Office: 020 8507 5607
http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/






We have guest performances from fantastic singer/songwriters Aruba Red and Maverick Sabre, Limitless Dance (East London Dance Youth Company), SLAM Poetry Champions Aisling Fahey and Deanna Rodger. Music from DJ Joe Grime.

SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN is a creative response to the forthcoming election and the big issues of the day, using spoken word poetry, music, theatre and dance to create an exciting evening of collaborations and conversations between artists and activists, youth ministers and youth workers, campaigners and councilors, audience and performer, younger and older.

SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN aims to get to the heart of the issues that matter to the young people in Barking & Dagenham, those too young to make their voices heard at the ballot box on May 6th.

Focused around a diverse group of 14 young people (The Broadway Youth Board) aged 11-18, who have been participating in weekly workshops at The Broadway, directed by Dean Atta, and collaborating with the hard-hitting all female spoken word collective Words In Motion and highly acclaimed Rhymes Won't Wait collective.

In a 3-way collaboration, these groups have created spoken word and theatre pieces dealing with racism, the criminal justice system, fair trade, boarder control, human trafficking, domestic violence, child abuse and many other issues that we too often stay silent about.

The evening will be in 4 sections of performance with 4 corresponding conversations chaired by Dean Atta, Sabrina Mahfouz and The Broadway Youth Board members, who will be coming out into the audience with roaming microphones – allowing you to have your say!

After the show please stay for networking in the foyer and Words In Motion open mic hosted by Shan Amaru.

Special guests confirmed as attending:

* Aissetou N'gom (Presenter & Cross-Platform Producer)
* Alex Delaney (British Youth Council)
* Alys Zaerin (Unite Against Fascism)
* Dwain Lucktung (Ctrl.Alt.Shift)
* Gary Trowsdale (Spirit of London Awards)
* Josh Hollands (Love Music Hate Racism)
* Lee Jasper (Operation Black Vote)
* Mariam Sheikh (National Council for Voluntary Youth Services)
* Naomi Jane (Channel 4 Education Advisory Board)
* Rebecca Palmer (GLA Children and Young People's Unit)
* Richard Taylor (Damilola Taylor Trust)
* Rob Berkley (Runnymede Trust)
* Sean McDermott (Barking and Dagenham Youth Forum)
* Simon Woolley (Operation Black Vote)

Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111409545542212&ref=ts