by Kemet Mawakana, a.k.a. the Seven Foot Poet
What do campaigns and elections mean? What and who changes? What else and who else stays the same? Why does it matter? Lots of us have ideas, but the Seven Foot Poet knows and shows from open to close.
Click the link below to hear for yourself.
by Kemet Mawakana, a.k.a. the Seven Foot Poet
What do campaigns and elections mean? What and who changes? What else and who else stays the same? Why does it matter? Lots of us have ideas, but the Seven Foot Poet knows and shows from open to close.
Click the link below to hear for yourself.
The Campaign
(Written in Four Parts – Part 4 of 4)
by Kemet Mawakana, a.k.a the Seven Foot Poet
To hear this original work performed by the Seven Foot Poet, click the flash player below.
Click the flash player below to listen to or the mic to download an mp3 copy of this BA Radio commentary.
He’s up 10+ points in the polls
It’s going to be a landslide!
But wait -- euphemisms are taken to a whole new level
When racism/white supremacy is attributed to
A black man and
Called the Bradley effect!?! – but I digress.
He’s up in the red states and the blue states by at least 5-points!
But wait – the margin of error is +/- 7
So is he down 2 or up 7 or down 12 or up 12? – but I digress.
The rest
Of the electorial map looks like it’s a wrap
And the popular vote too!
But wait – was that 88 or 92 or 2000
When something happened I can’t recall
People voted in Ohio or Florida or somewhere and
Chad got hung or someone
Didn’t count or get counted
Or something like that I forget
Delusional amnesia is convenient
Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.
I either owe Senator Barak Obama a huge apology
Or I am about to give McCain/Palin
a foolproof – which for them it must be -- campaign hail mary
But thank you Obama for your promise to
Grant Assata Shakur a pardon
Clear the Garvey name
Release Eddie Conway
Cancel Africom – and so on and so on
But wait -- he didn’t promise that to you
He made promises to
Every constituent or special interest group but yours and you
Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.
I asked my “Ivy League” educated friend
who years ago started working for the Obama Campaign
I asked my “actor” friend
who quit their job to go volunteer for the Obama Campaign
I asked my “lawyer” friend
who is working to combat voter suppression for the Obama Campaign
I asked my “conscious” friend
who got on a plane to volunteer for the Obama Campaign
I asked my “traditional African spiritualist” friend
who got on a train to volunteer for the Obama Campaign
I asked -- tell me because I really want to know
Why do you support Obama?
Could it be Carter G. that their education makes it necessary
that they act in accordance with laws that govern falsified consciousness? – oh God I hope not.
Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.
But I didn’t ask my non-black friends
Because I know why they support Obama – it’s clear.
A Bagger Vance dance and Green Mile smile and presto-change-o
Everything is back to “normal” a return to a stable American status quo?
Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.
I asked my friends -- their reasons were all rational well thought out
too numerous to list I even learned that according to them
Obama was Afrocentric!
There was the standard “hope” of assimulationist integrationist fantasies
And the standard this is how you play the game refrain
But one response struck a nerve with me
Someone said go vote your ancestors died for that right
I said oh really?
My ancestors killed and died – in that order -- to be free
for justice for sovereignty
not to run for or reach high office in the perpetrators’ hierarchy
not to save this founded upon atrocity country.
Imagine what enslaved Africans in Louisiana thought 1843
When they saw an African in the big house
running a plantation that he alone owned
Bet they never thought they would live to see that day
Were they proud of his “accomplishment”?
Did they say now there’s progress?
Did they get a renewed sense of hope?
Were they happy that their kids now believed they could grow up to be anything? – even a plantation owner?
Should they really be proud and believe in that change?
One of there own an African had risen to the “pinnacle”
was head of the plantation that was oppressing them!
Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.
The point is don’t hate – congratulate.
Back away from the Hater-aid.
Ease off the Hater-aid.
Because it’s a great -- hustle
Obama promotes a post-race America
no white America no black America
race doesn’t matter – a new day
But wait
If he loses people will say -- its because he’s black
If he performs badly in office people will say -- its because he’s black
If he gets shot and killed people will say -- its because he’s black
Yet if he wins and does well in office – it’s a new non-racial day
Damn being black is still only catching the blame.
Maybe I’m confused – maybe not; but I digress.
What’s really going on – what’s really going on?
A spook who sat by the door or noir
Who will end up Wright I right?
Just watch and see after the election
Just watch and see after the reelection
Just watch and see after the protection of his legacy
Just watch and see . . . . . who the winner will be
Just like in a game of 3-card Molly.
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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