and then it was def.
before it was every considered valuable by the masses
which turn fickle over music and pop stars, pop culture
and pop icons
this poetry thing became big over night
and surpassed the predecessors attempt
for freedom of step n fetch-it routines
how we make it from now
will be how it is marked in history
and how it will be marked in the books
is how it will be preserved
and how it is remembered will be what
our children, and their children, and our
great great grandchildren will revisit
to feel for themselves
under their toes
and between their palms
grasped in their fists
and against their back
winding wind this thing
called poetry -- how it began
this was actually just some thoughts. i want us to be better poets. i do. i want to leave the earth with the trail scorched by US. the artists whose tears have dried into the earth. by us. artists whose blood has been bleached by sun after staining concrete. by us. poets who believe in the power of the word. not by the corporate machine that aims to exploit us for everything we got and can get. i pray for you. the you that is starving, hungry, underpaid, undiscovered, raw talent, no image -- artists! you make them see us for who we are - not who they want us to be. we are fierce.
live from queens headed back to bklyn for a root canal...
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2 comments:
Mo-
I met you briefly at Michie's during the Austin Poetry festival. I think you are an amazing poet and my Cousin 13 got me hip to reading your site. I wanted to just comment on your blog today...I am still a very small baby in the poetry thing. I lived in St Louis for 10 years and didnt KNOW that they had an underground poetry scene until I read it in your blog. But the thing is it is the realness that draws me to it. 13 and I were kinda talkin about this the other day cause it is one of the things I think she is blessed with--i call her a life poet. You just feel the essence in her words. And it is hard when you see things you love become commercial. I mean i know people gotta make ends meet but at some point there has to be a realization that some shit aint for sale...You can sell products to get the word out, so you can eat, but there is a place where what you say gets sold and I think that is kind of what you were speakin to...or at least it is what I heard. :)
It's like hip hop for me too...I mean I am tryin not to go too far to the left but I fell to the floor when I saw Mos rappin for a Denali commercial. I know brotha gotta make some ends, Black On Both Sides was it for me as I was floundering around trying to find some shit with substance several years ago. "New world water" had me like "Yeah man, you right capitalism is BEEOOTCH." and then I see him rappin for a Denali. Words with truth have strength because you are right the masses are easily influnced by fads, money etc. But only real words and belief get people willing to move mountains...whatever those mountains might be. Some of the folks here at Neo Soul really bring that...real serious, heart. So I just wanted to say in my usual long winded way that I feel you.
PS. I read you and Jive's Hip Hop Collabo wish list a while ago...that made my whole day...I was geeked...showed everyone I knew who I thought would care! :)
Mo-
So, I dont always verbalize my transition in thought as smoothly as it sounds in my head. And I just wanna be clear that where I stopped talkin about 13...that you feel the essence in her words...and started talking about seeing things you love become commercial were two independant thoughts too close together. :) It was the quality or sense you get from her words that I love when I read or here her pieces.
There are times when I have felt that way about someone and then see them do something that makes me feel like they have given up what others saw as meaning to get money, fame whatever. (see Mos Def reference :) )
Sometimes I write like it sounds in my head and then realize it only made sense to me. LOL.
Peace.
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