i. the portal appears -- what is a ritual with no return? -- apocalypso song #3 -- a prophet-mother, moonstruck & star-stricken -- murmurings -- apocalypso song #8, the water chants -- ghazal for the motherworld -- a prophet-mother's sermon on the scar -- fragments salvaged from the oracles of mama-n-em -- we ask mama-n-em, "why do you study astrology?" -- check in: depending on who you are -- ii. & the portal opens -- dispatches from the now/here -- when we asked mama-n-em to pray -- the future is un-settled -- crown shyness, or breathing practice -- a prophet-mother channels a message on the alter-life -- fragments salvaged from the oracles of mama-n-em -- are you sure you wanna be well, sweetheart? -- a chronicle of scrying in five parts -- check-in: the end of this world -- iii. & the portal expands -- like and orb. like a planet -- blood memory : a riddle -- hymn in the name of mama-n-em: nellie & lucinda -- more alive than when you began -- mapmaking -- Six of Swords -- hymn in the name of mama-n-em: amy, thank you for many times -- check in: apocalypse -- we ask mama-n-em, "where is the motherworld?" -- fragments salvaged from the oracles of mama-n-em -- apocalypso song #33, a prophecy of care -- how we got our blues-tongue.
Summary:
"My goodness. How long we have waited for the spirit, perception, compassion, wisdom of Destiny Hemphill. Conjuring the tough grace and interstellar knowledge of foreparents like Octavia, Audre, Reginald, Sun Ra, Gloria, Essex, Destiny's work envisions a world of telling it p(l)ain, of tenacity, of permission to 'remold [the] mouth to speak more bravely'. The generosity of Destiny's work is to be revered. Let's bow to this talented writer, let us raise this name in song, let us take a page out of Destiny's book and say 'we got you. we always lookin out. we see you'." -- Metta Sáma
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.