Tiger and the Old Man It’s first Sunday late night in the church basement. Congregation members have long gone home. The Old Man is holding court with a group of neighborhood church pastors and ministers. He lives at the church. He offers this space and time for highly stressed ministers to unburden and unwind. Books and ancient manuscripts of every […]
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Modest Proposal Regarding the Attempted Re-Murder of Emmett Till “They murdered that boy, and to hide their dastardly act, they tied barbed wire to his neck and to a heavy gin fan and dumped him into the river for the turtles and the fish.” Prosecutor Gerald Chatham That boy is still dead. News at 10. I’m neither a doctor, scientist […]
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Shut It Down Old school jams are pulsing from barbershop speakers. The television screen is silently playing an old Will Smith shoot-em-up. Bad Boys I think. The buzz and percussion of electric and manual clippers blend with music and man chatter: a sound that takes me back all the way to childhood with my dad, rest in peace. Now I’m […]
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Tall as Trees (against state sponsored abuse of any Hueman’s child) Under soft yellow lights Clothes racks, tags hanging Like strange fruit, towered over Little me. I couldn’t see Over them to find daddy Who was taller than trees. Stay right there he told me But, I wandered, into a strange land A hostile place, clothes rack Monsters Closing in […]
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Thoughts of Martin’s Dream Blood in the streets and schools suggest the check America wrote at its inception continues to bounce. Hope is shaken and corrupted. Our future is on trial as a people and a nation. Yet I still dream, Martin, like you taught me. My child eyes saw you in the black and white screen speaking Hueman sense […]
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Survivors Young survivors of bullets blood and screams And parents of tender psyches ripped at the seams, Elected puppets placate with diversionary chatter But show Black lives ain’t the only ones don’t matter, You cry you plead you shout you bleed They give thoughts and prayers and nothing you need You rally and carry placards in deep duress; They speak […]
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Natural Head Revolution (Inspired by an Angela Davis Lecture at ISU) Natty heads arise Natty minds surmise Natty time to radicalize Natty eyes on the prize Black souls naturalize Resurrect our soul ties Freedom fighting voices rise Revolution of the wise Lift your mind drop the gun Freedom calling forward run Flash your dreads like Rastaman Keep on climbing to […]
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