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Kayo Chingonyi's poem 'The Colour of James Brown’s Scream' is a vibrant exploration of identity and cultural memory through the lens of music and nightlife. The speaker invokes the names of influential figures, particularly Larry Levan, a legendary DJ, and James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, to create a rich tapestry of sound and movement. Lines like 'your hand on the platter in the smoky room' evoke a sense of nostalgia and connection to the past, as the speaker recalls the energy of a club filled with music and life. The imagery of 'sweat drips from your hair the colour of James Brown’s scream' powerfully links the physicality of dance to the emotional resonance of music, suggesting that the act of dancing is both a celebration and a remembrance of those who have passed.
As the poem unfolds, the emotional tone shifts from joyous celebration to a poignant acknowledgment of loss, as the speaker notes, 'though some of us don’t know it is your grave we dance on.' This line encapsulates the duality of nightlife—where joy and sorrow coexist, and where the memory of those lost is interwoven with the rhythms of the present. The speaker's call to 'Teach us to shape–shift, Legba' introduces a spiritual element, invoking the Vodou spirit of the crossroads, suggesting a desire for transformation and connection to the past.
Chingonyi employs various literary devices, such as metaphor and vivid imagery, to enhance the reader's experience. The comparison of a Puerto Rican clipper–man wielding a cutthroat 'like a paintbrush' highlights the artistry involved in both hair cutting and music, blurring the lines between different forms of creative expression. The use of free verse allows for a fluidity that mirrors the movement of dance, while the rhythmic quality of the language captures the essence of the club atmosphere.
Ultimately, 'The Colour of James Brown’s Scream' serves as a powerful ode to the intersection of music, identity, and memory, reflecting the cultural significance of figures like James Brown and Larry Levan in shaping the soundscape of contemporary nightlife. Chingonyi's work resonates with themes of community, loss, and the enduring power of music to connect us across time and space.
| Word | In English | Plain (English) | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| colour | rang | the property of things that results from the light they emit or transmit | kala |
| scream | cheekh | a loud, high-pitched cry | scream |
| known | jaana | to be aware of or familiar with | known |
| names | naam | words by which a person or thing is known | names |
| today | aaj | on this day | today |
| hand | haath | the end part of a person's arm | hand |
| platter | thali | a large dish for serving food | platter |
| smoky | dhuwadar | filled with or covered by smoke | smoky |
| room | kamra | a part of a building enclosed by walls | room |
| memory | yaad | the faculty of remembering | memory |
| keeping | rakna | to continue to have or hold | keeping |
| time | waqt | the indefinite continued progress of existence | time |
| swing | jhulna | to move back and forth | swing |
| hips | kamar | the area on either side of the body between the ribs and the thighs | hips |
| sweat | pasina | the clear liquid produced by the body | — |
| drips | boond | to fall in drops | drips |
| hair | baal | the fine thread-like strands growing from the skin of humans and animals | hair |
| King | raja | a male monarch | King |
| Street | gali | a public road in a city or town | Street |
| moving | chalna | to change position or location | moving |
| sound | awaaz | vibrations that travel through the air | sound |
| grave | qabar | a place of burial | grave |
| dance | naach | to move rhythmically to music | dance |
| cutting | kaatna | to divide into pieces | cutting |
| shapes | shakal | the external form or appearance of something | shapes |
| machismo | mardangi | strong or aggressive masculine pride | machismo |
| lost | khoya | to be deprived of something | lost |
| beat | dhamak | a rhythmic unit in music | beat |
| road | raasta | a way or path for travel | road |
| man | aadmi | an adult male human | man |
| sweetboy | meetha ladka | a term for a boy who is gentle or sensitive | sweetboy |
| DJ | disc jockey | a person who plays recorded music for an audience | DJ |
| plays | bajata | to perform music | plays |
| Heartbroken | dil toota | feeling intense sorrow or grief from love lost | Heartbroken |
| right | sahi | correct or true | right |
| jaded | thak gaya | tired or worn out | jaded |
| feet | paon | the lower extremities of the legs | feet |
| Teach | sikhana | to impart knowledge or skill | Teach |
| shape–shift | roop badalna | to change form or appearance | shape–shift |
| Legba | Legba | a spirit in Vodou tradition associated with the crossroads | Legba |
| know | jana | to be aware of | know |
| customary | paramparik | according to tradition | customary |
| shuffle | khichna | to move or mix up | shuffle |
| phantom | bhoot | something that is not real; a ghost | phantom |
| limp | langraana | to walk unevenly due to injury | limp |
| anywhere | kahin bhi | in or to any place | anywhere |
| see | dekhna | to perceive with the eyes | see |
| abandon | chhod dena | to leave behind | abandon |
| couple | jodi | two people who are together | couple |
| middle | beech | the central point | middle |
| floor | farsh | the surface of a room on which one stands | floor |
| sliding | ghusna | to move smoothly along a surface | sliding |
| quick | tezi se | done with speed | quick |
| slick | chikna | smooth and glossy | slick |
| skin–fade | skin fade | a type of haircut that gradually shortens | skin–fade |
| Puerto | Puerto | a place name, often referring to Puerto Rico | Puerto |
| Rican | Rican | relating to Puerto Rico | Rican |
| clipper–man | clipper–man | a person who cuts hair | clipper–man |
| wields | uthana | to hold and use (a tool or weapon) | wields |
| cutthroat | katil | a type of razor used for shaving | cutthroat |
| paintbrush | painter ka brush | a tool used for painting | paintbrush |
| Let | chhod do | to allow or permit | Let |
| become | ban jao | to come into existence | become |
| ode | geet | a lyrical poem expressing emotion | ode |
| night | raat | the period from sunset to sunrise | night |
| ordering | order dena | to request something | ordering |
| beer | beer | an alcoholic drink made from fermented grains | beer |
| corporeal | sharirik | relating to the body | corporeal |
| language | bhasha | a system of communication | language |
| barman | bartender | a person who serves drinks at a bar | barman |
| replies | javaab dena | to respond | replies |
| sweeping | safai karna | to move with a sweeping motion | sweeping |
| arms | haath | the upper limbs of the body | arms |
| arc | arch | a curved shape | arc |
| Willi | Willi | a name, likely referring to Willi Ninja, a dancer and performer | Willi |
| Ninja | Ninja | a name, likely referring to Willi Ninja, a dancer and performer | Ninja |
| style | andaaz | a manner of doing something | style |
| fix | theek karna | to prepare or make ready | fix |
| drink | peena | a liquid for consumption | drink |
| lips | lips | the edges of the mouth | lips |
| yearn | ichha karna | to have a strong desire | yearn |
| taste | swad | the sensation of flavor | taste |
| trying | koshish karna | to make an effort to do something | trying |
| recreate | dobara banana | to make something again | recreate |
| ever | kabhi | at any time | ever |
| since | tab se | from a specific time in the past until now | since |
Kayo Chingonyi is a British poet known for his exploration of identity, culture, and the intersection of music and personal experience in his work. He often draws on his own experiences and heritage to inform his poetry.