Cut to Exist

I song my history each morning
say: Not today, cut off my head, carry it in my hand

My song exists, the sword exists, my comb exists: my people still exist
My history exists, by reason of revolution—revolution: oh yes, still exists
Ten teachers and an eleventh: 31 single and 29 mishrit raags exist: a book we put to bed
Exists: steel circling wrists, sweet nectar on our tongues, five rivers flowing
Baba Deep Singh, Mai Bhago, Guru Nanak Dev ji: all exist
Each morning my people: we love, fight and we persist

at dawn, I undream birdsong

Not today, I’m still standing: heads cut off, we’re still standing: bricked into walls, still
Standing: half of me is woman, half of me is war
I cut off my head: bring it closer to my heart
Man, my mind, Preet, my love: you will not be polluted
I cut off my head: taste five rivers: today we exist
I cut off my head: carry it like a baby: today we exist
I’ve seen it done before: I cut off my head: I know we will persist

each morning, I song my history

Plant a sword that can be harvested and grow survival
1984: my people still exist
1947: my people still exist
1919: my people still exist
1705, 1746, 1762: my people
1699: my people, we exist
Ancestors crown my head, covered or not: our freedom unearthing
Language: unearthing freedom: how our rivered tongues persist

into wake

Ik onkar, Satnaam: my people still exist
Karta purakh, Nirbhau nirvair: my people still exist
Akaal moorat, Ajooni saibhan, Gur prasaad, Jap: my people still exist
Aadh sach, Jugaad sach, Hai bhi sach: truthfully, my people—we exist
Nanak hosi bhi sach: and truthfully, we will persist

Each morning say: not today, cut off my head and lullaby my fractioned
History, carry it in my hands until sung on golden land