Bella Cox
public worship
kiss me on the train amongst strangers don't flinch my rosary fingers circling your neck counting your pulse woman x woman let them watch this hallelujah rhythm let them stare lift the lip of your skirt your hips my call to prayer part your legs watch me kneel i have waited for this anointing let them judge let them fuss let them squeeze eyes shut disgust we are teaching psalm spasms and hymns this quivering thrum our public communion let me savour your manna here bless me with your song let it fill the whole carriage-church this yin and yin symphony goddess x goddess praying in tongues let them hear you hum they do not believe us holy calling out blasphemy we are coming unstuck split up by transport police neon yellow oh let us wail hard brows just one more song let them threaten with prison let them name us sinful women this is homecoming heaven i will pay the sentence for public satiation if only to savour again the music your elated confession
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Bella Cox is an international performance poet, vocalist, writer and workshop facilitator now based in London. Her work often touches on topics such as gender and sexual identity, relationships and their consequences and the notion of belonging in an overtly politicised world. She is consistently developing her craft as a member of five esteemed UK poetry collectives including Barbican Young Poets and Roundhouse Poetry Collective.
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Having performed in and around South Africa from early 2014, Bella won the title of Queen of the Mic for Word n Sound 2016-17, Africa's largest spoken word platform. In 2016, she gave her first TEDx talk and performance in Pretoria on the necessity of self-reflection through poetry. She now produces and hosts two monthly open mic nights; Speak= from London Queer Writers, and Pen Ting, competes in various slams and was a quarter-finalist for Hammer & Tongue's National Slam at The Royal Albert Hall in January 2018.
Follow Bella on:
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Facebook: @Bella Cox Performer
Twitter: @BellaCox19
Instagram: @BellaCox19
YouTube: /BellaX19