Audio of in-valid by Meg Torwl, from a recording for RNZ, music by Eric Biddington

in – valid

pull your
own weight
stand alone
stand on
your own
two feet
four feet
six legs
six feet under
dig your toes in
keep a lid on it
under your hat
sit on it
sit tight
don’t just sit there
rise above it
get up
stand up for your rights
relax
take it easy
footloose
one foot in front of t’other
one step at a time
walk before you can run
look before you leap
for the high jump
take: a running jump
a flying leap
a hike
put your foot in it
can’t stand it
don’t take it
lying down
sleep on it
put it behind you
move on
walk away
turn the other cheek
a nods as good
as a wink
tunnel vision
blind
deaf
dumb
victim
sufferer
in-valid
bedridden
wheelchair bound
lame
get a grip
hold on
handle it
give me a hand
can’t stomach it
made my stomach turn
gutless
lily livered
got a gall
spineless
heartless
thoughtless
some nerve
brain dead
uncommunicative
non-responsive
life sucked out
coming up for air
gasping
give me some air
breathing space
stood in good stead
stood me up
just stood by
gawking
dribbling on
stand firm
stand tall
stand and deliver
money
or your
life

©  Meg Torwl

BIO: Meg Torwl is a writer, director and producer, working in media since 2000. With a background in photography, poetry and performance, and an interest in programming and new media. Balancing Acts in Calgary commissioned her to produce a 40 minute spoken word performance entitled ‘that’s so gay’ for their December 2009 Festival about solidarity across lines of gender, sexuality, disability, race, and species (in the case of purple star fish!). Her work has been published, performed, screened, broadcast and exhibited in New Zealand, Canada, USA, and the UK. She has worked in radio, producing and presenting 50 half hour programs (2007 – 2008) for One in Five, Radio New Zealand Nationals, a disability focused program, including a 6 part series on Disability, Relationships and Sexuality. She is a commentator with the NZ Disability Media Collective and she talks about her artistic practice as the Featured Creative of the Month in September 2009 with an interview on Creative Momentum. She has produced 3 new media projects and 4 documentary films, which are distributed by Video Out.

Her Radio Programs are on the web at: Radio New Zealand National and MeThings.com

You can read her blog at http://integrialmedia.blogspot.com/

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