Justin Johnson - Reflection
Feb 15, 2021 - Feb 28, 2021
Brightest Darkness
I start to notice
Light is brightest in the dark
Sparks of aura start to pour into my ever present heart
Ever will I wander, while I wonder why I’m in the dark
Never will I waste a blessing these are lessons from the stars
I
I start to notice
Life is brightest in the dark
Light is likely leaving clues for me
To move my weary heart
Truth has usually been confused
When introduced by counterparts
I
I love the dark
I
I love the spark
Like
Lights of royal purple poised with purpose poured in stars
I waited and I waded to a safety sacred hearts like
Lights that guide the mind from love divine
So I could find life
love the limelight
I love the dark
I start to notice
Light is brightest in the dark
Sparks of aura start to pour into my ever present heart
Ever will I wander, while I wonder why I’m in the dark
Never will I waste a blessing these are lessons from the stars
I
I love the sparks
I
I start to notice
Folks behind me wander blindly
Getting closer, I say no sir, I say go sir
I depart
Still behind me, are the blindly driven, children of the dark
Each a spectre reaching lengths at me towards my beating heart
So protective of my essence
I am desperate to depart
I
I turn to start
I
I’m in the dark
I
Why me
Why, I wonder, why me
Why the chase to find me
Eager creatures stumble,
Finally I can see what I’ve been blinded to
I am the dark
Why
Deep in my heart
I
I am the spark too
I too must become light. Must pay respect to the blessings given me. And so the message gets clearer, fear is nothing when it’s up against our courage. The spark in me too becomes light, and I play keeper of the lighthouse. Guider of the lost towards shores I move ever closer towards. The light of those who sought freedom before me. Where once I wandered blindly, I must find understanding . Surrender the desires of the ego to give service to something grander than myself. In search of light. I have been given the spark of generations, of survivors, of history's just, unjustly victim to pomp and circumstance. Of innovators, dreamers, achievers, doers, doodlers, donottrythesemother- fully functional “otherwise” in the eyes of the less divinely designed and little minded. I am the light. I am the dark. I am the willing hearted artist marked by history and sparked by the promise of the future. I follow light I must, at times, carry. I become a beacon to those who were beacons to those who were beacons of hope, pillars of light. Pillars of dark. Sparks to become flames to become warmth. I start to notice light is brightest in the dark. I follow mine forward. I follow mine to the future. To possibility. To safety. Never will I wander alone, wondering, where I go, will I be ok? I start to notice there’s a light that’s watching over mine. And far behind there’s a line of folks of whom I keep an eye. That stumble in the darkness towards this little light of mine. I start to notice light, I hope that you could find it too.
Justin Johnson or Just J., a Montreal based performer of Jamaican and Canadian descent. A regular on the Quebec theatre scene. At an early age, he lost his father to the tragedy of police brutality. The weight of the lost opportunity of knowing his father has impacted his creative process and approach to life, as he uses music as a tool to heal and explore. Just J.’s work is fueled by his innate desire to spread happiness to others.
A poet with a background in acting, “Blackout” - Tableau D'Hote Theatre, directing, "Almost Maine" -CSLDS, assistant directing, "Encore" Tableau D'Hote Theatre, writing and dancing; multi-disciplinary powerhouse Just J. is now venturing into music. Fortunately, over the unfortunately altered Summer of 2020, he released his first single "NHTK (Nobody has to know)" and two other songs in the subsequent months exploring his artistic voice. Currently working on his first EP, he approaches his artistic projects with a philosophy of healing, self-love, joy and wellness. To say that he is a creative is an understatement. Having studied Theatre at Dawson College in Montreal, and working closely with Montreal’s illustrious Black Theatre Workshop through their Artist Mentorship program, Just J. fell in love with the process of charming audiences and making people smile.