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Are You Like Me?
Bill Quigley
27 Aug 2008

7_foot_poet_upright_250wideby Kemet Mawakana, a.k.a. the Seven Foot Poet

Some of us are more conscientious than others, honoring obligations and paying due respects.  Some of us are honest about it, and some not.  The Seven Foot Poet reveals a little of himself, and invites each of us to look within.

 

Are You Like Me?

By Kemet Mawakana

a.k.a. The Seven Foot Poet


the audio MP3 of this poem is temporarily unavailable.

 

Are you like me?

Did you hit the cook-outs bar-b-qs?

Hangout on the deck with Heineken Hypnotic or Becks?

Chill in the backyard with tall glass of lemonade?

Beat the heat in the pool or at the beach?

Let the August sun justify a catnap or 40-winks?

Did you let August come and go and not celebrate

The Great

The Honorable

Marcus Mosiah Garvey?

Yet somehow managed to catch all you favorite TV shows

and blockbuster movies?

 

Are you like me?

Huh?

Are you like me?

 

Did you start the summer with Black Biker Week

And end it with Martha’s Vineyard on Labor day

as your last summer get away?

Did you let August come and go and not commemorate

The Great

The Honorable

George Jackson? Jonathan Jackson?

Or any political prisoner or fallen soldier of the BLA?

Did you say

next summer I’m going to get with the Black August and put in work

but for now I’ll just wear the t-shirt?

 

Are you like me?

Huh?

Are you like me?

 

Did you meticulously plan out you party or a trip

for the every 4-year political convention?

Do you refuse to take a holiday for thanksgiving or St. Patrick’s Day

And damn sure won’t be spending up your savings on Christmas gifts

Nevertheless yet and still somehow every August

you manage to forget

the Haitian Revolution?

Not even a moment to reflect

Or silence out of respect

For the commencement or significance

Of one of humanity’s greatest freedom accomplishments?

 

Are you like me?

Huh?

Are you like me?

Or do you behavior better than that?

 

 

By Kemit Mawakana (aka The Seven-Foot Poet)

Peace (when appropriate) War (when necessary)

Copyright 2008.

 

Kemit Mawakana (aka “The Seven-Foot Poet”) is a highly acclaimed spoken-word artist, and has published two books A . . . Z . . . Infinity and Crucifixion of My Soul. The collective body of his works presented weekly in BAR are in tribute to Listervelt Middleton, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, and “For The People”. Currently, he is a facilitator at AYA Educational Institute (www.ayaed.com) and can be reached at [email protected].

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