Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture and the Philadelphia History Museum presented Journeys Across Imaginary Lines: Creating and Sharing Immigrant Stories – a participatory workshop and performance of commissioned poetry and music inspired by An Immigrant Alphabet held on April 21, 2018.

The audience enjoyed hearing Trapeta Mayson read from her array of works, closing with her commissioned poem We Are All Trees Here, performed with a new music composition Fantasy in I-For-An-Immigrant by Kinan Abou-afach, accompanied by Jay Fluellen and Hafez Kotain. Following her reading, Philadelphia Poet Laureate Frank Sherlock performed a series of provocative works, including his commissioned poem Yesterday Is How We Spell Tomorrow.

Trapeta and Frank co-led a participatory poetry workshop, where the audience responded to the prompts; “My journey has been…”, “I knew I arrived when…” and “I remember I recall…” Here is some of what they shared:

I remember I recall soft singing, ancestral melodies – traveling through vocal chords of fellow choir members. My journey’s been complicated, unmapping my heart strings – deconstructed symphony of her smile. I felt like I’d arrived when I kissed her.

I felt like I arrived when I found out where I was going. I remember I recall my old days. My journey has been tough.

The afternoon ended with the premiere of new compositions by both Kinan Abou-afach and Jay Fluellen. Accompanied by vocalist Valerie Gay, Fluellen’s piece Across Imaginary Lines engaged the audience with powerful lyrics and Gay’s stunning vocals. The program ended with Kinan, Jay and Hafez on percussion as they concluded the program with Sama’i Hijaz Garip and Blueprint in the Sky.

Audience members enjoyed the afternoon of music, poetry, and creativity telling us:

“I really enjoyed all of it – the beautiful art that was shared by the pros as well as the opportunity to make our own.”
“Excellent poets and musicians, excellent integration of their work.”

Enjoy this video excerpt from Trapeta Mayson reading her poem with Kinan Abou-afach’s new composition:

Pictured here: People passing by on the plaza enjoying the NEHS marching band perform at #iAlphabet.