pure happiness

Photo: Mai Palmberg

It was 2am in Uppsala. After the African Night With Stars. The sun had just set. The sun was just rising.

Post-show, we all ended up in Amanda's flat. I was riding the wave of euphoria that comes from exerting every muscle and nerve to make a show rock - and succeeding. We all were. Bodies beautifully tired, drunk on midsummer light and laughter. The power of music, poetry, performance. The pleasure of being together, from different corners of the world. The magic that happens when it all comes together.

At 1am, I said:

I have to leave while I can still walk upright.

Amanda said:

No one leaves until we've danced.

Threw on a CD. Then another. Then another. I'll bet she has the best private collection of African music in Sweden. All our bodies were re-electrified into motion. There's a particular pleasure that comes from dancing when your body is already totally spent - a kind of release I don't have words for.

Just before we parted, I said

We have to get a photo of us - Shailja, Tolu, Gabeba. Three of the four African Guest Writers at NAI - who knows if we'll ever be together like this again?