Dis Poem «Confirmed»

Watch Mutabaruka deliver his iconic, high-energy performance of 'Dis Poem' on HBO's Def Poetry Jam: Def Poetry: Mutabaruka- Dis Poem (Official Video) Poetical Tv YouTube• Mar 16, 2010 MUTABARUKA | DIS POEM

Rather than telling a linear story about characters, "Dis Poem" tells the story of . Dis Poem

: "Dis Poem" is a prime example of dub poetry, which prioritizes orality over traditional European literary rules. It uses Jamaican Patois, lacks standard punctuation, and is meant to be performed to a reggae-inspired beat. : It begins by addressing the "wretched sea"

: It begins by addressing the "wretched sea" that brought slave ships to Caribbean shores and the cries of mothers for their children lost to that sea. Themes and Style : The poem claims to

: It rebels against man-made divisions like "First," "Second," and "Third World" and expresses outrage against apartheid , racism , fascism , and the Ku Klux Klan .

: The poem describes itself as "knives, bombs, guns, blood, fire blazing for freedom" and likens its rhythm to a drum or a shanty. Themes and Style

: The poem claims to be "copied from" diverse sources—the Bible, prayer books, the New York Times, and even CIA/KGB files—to show its relevance to all facets of human life and surveillance.