"I'm Gonna (Going To)"

I'm gonna reflect on some precious moments on the joys of childhood,
laughing, and skipping on my way to school.

I'm gonna learn to sing my ABC as the Jackson Five, as I tune my voice.

I'm gonna give birth to my educational aspirations like Dr Ho Law,
as I am encouraged by Nelson Mandela's determination on my way to university.

I'm gonna sing and dance through the blues of teenagism with magnetism,
like gospel singer Errol Ballantyne.

I'm gonna be happy strutting my stuff like Naomi Campbell on the catwalk of life.

I'm gonna be SET FREE from negative isms and schisms
like my favourite rapper Linton Qwesi Johnson.

I'm gonna be another black female astronaut soaring the hemisphere whilst orbiting
the earth in space final frontier.

I'm gonna be like my USA sista (sister) Dr Mae Jemison who is our first historical female
icon for the twenty-first century; capturing the scientific passion for space technology
and one of our role models for African Caribbean heritage families.

I'm gonna make you a star, as I ride my motorbike like David Essex.

I'm gonna make you love me, like my 1970's singing Diva Diana Ross,
and I want to teach the world to sing, like Sting.

I'm gonna be the first Lion of Judah from Peterborough as I practise my Tai Chi.

I'm gonna be as shrewd as Bruce Lee as I'm practising my high kick s in Kung-Fu techniques.

I'm gonna be like Amtabh Bacchan who is one of our favourite Indian film stars
and not a wannabe.

I'm gonna have a perfect family like Bill Cosby's TV Huxtable family.

I'm gonna strive to be humble like Mother Theresa, then like self-made millionaires
from the USA; icon business woman Madam C.J.Walker
as I sit here combing my goldilocks.

I'm gonna replay the magical highlight of Peterborian Findley's martial arts.

I'm gonna listen and play cricket, lovely cricket as Antiguan, Sir Viv Richards, Imran Khan
or Sir Garfield Sobers scoring more runs than their fans.

I'm gonna cry like Oprah Winfrey as I reflect on my fads of eating rice and peas
on Sunday afternoon, then promise to walk off the calories the next day.

I'm gonna reflect on two of my heroes; Paul Bogie who epitomised freedom for Caribbean slaves and Oladuah Equiano touring lecturer who also campaigned to abolish slavery.

I'm gonna sing Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" and then
read Dr Maya Angelou's poem "Call Me Woman".

I'm gonna read Mary Seacole's autobiography for her inspiration as our earth mother;
who enabled me to empower my insatiable drive to establish and celebrate
our cultural events during Black History Month in october in Peterborough since
1997 and to continue annually.

I'm gonna be like Rosa Parks refusing to stand when I can sit down.

I'm gonna have a new dream like Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

I'm gonna be strong like a butterfly and sting like a bee like my favourite boxers;
Mohammad Ali, Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis our champions for the twentieth
century in the western world.

I'm gonna relaunch my career with Stevie Wonder singing H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y
to you as well as Aretha Franklin's R-E-S-P-E-C-T
with our own UK Ian Wright - R I G H T - R I G H T - R I G H T".

Positive Images Poem
By Peggy Price