This page was created by Lauren Bedsole. The last update was by David Squires.
Mathusala Redacted
As I considered a topic for this redaction poem, I felt especially drawn to Mathu. Enslavers tried to take his life and his heritage, but Mathu proved to be a giant of a man, even according to those who enslaved him. The redaction aims to crystallize description of his personality while centering him as a character. The original draft features Mathu as the object of a bet; this redaction poem makes him an agent of his own history.
All right
look at him
sitting
grinning with confidence
A hundred
A hundred
a hundred against life
my name is Ma th u
bet?
bet
Jack
you know something about this world I don’t know?
It’s possible
Jack
you’re my witness
you
you
picture him as a boy
who named him Mathusala – Mathusala Jack
Later he shortened it to Mathu
Mathu is what he was all his life
He was
older
and
older
grew up
and fought to hit back
Jack.