Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Mirror, Mirror
Kemet Mawakana
22 Apr 2008
🖨️ Print Article

7_foot_poet_upright_250wide

by Kemet 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 sevenfootpoet(at)gmail.com.
 
 
 
 

Mirror Mirror

the audio for this poem is temporarily unavailable/

We know you knew about Inner City Blues.

We know you knew about Thug Life.

And wanted to save the children.

And would answer if your homie calls.

Everybody loved you after the dance giving sexual healing.

You got around asking what’s your phone number and how do you want it?

A breach birth because you were born on the East Coast headed for Hollywood.

A breach birth because you were born on the East Coast headed for Hollywood.

On your label hot acts like Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

On your label hot acts like Snoop Doggy Dogg and the Dogg Pound.

Mercy mercy me nobody told them whats going on like you.

I ain’t mad at cha because you gotta keep your head up.

Some said you were so negative some said so positive.

Some said you were so negative some said so positive.

My favorite lyric, “ ” yeah that one.

My favorite lyric, “ ” yeah that one.

It was hectic during your lifetime the war the riots and all.

It was hectic during your lifetime the war the riots and all.

You were a troubled man.

You saw death around the corner.

So sad you life ended so young.

So sad you life ended so young.

It makes me wanna holla.

It makes me feel trapped against all odds.

People still love your music.

People still love your music.

Your style was complex in its simplicity.

Your style was complex in its simplicity.

We miss you 2Pac we miss you Tupac Shakur.

We miss you Marvin we miss you Marvin Gaye.

 

By Kemit Mawakana (aka The Seven-Foot Poet)

Peace (when appropriate) War (when necessary)

Copyright 1998.

 

Kemet 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 sevenfootpoet@gmail.com.

 

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    enemy within
    08 Oct 2025
    "enemy within" is the latest from BAR's Peat-in-Residence.
  • Black Alliance For Peace
    Two years after Al-Aqsa Flood, Palestinians Continue Their Fight for National Liberation and the Right to Exist
    08 Oct 2025
    Two years of genocide have failed to break Palestinian resistance. The story of the last two years isn't one of victims, but of a people's unyielding fight for liberation.
  • Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Dara Baldwin’s Book, “To Be a Problem”
    08 Oct 2025
    In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book. This week’s featured author is Dara Baldwin. Baldwin is an activist, a scholar, and an author with over 20 years of…
  • Erica Caines
    The Chicago Raid in Context: Connecting the Wars at Home and Abroad
    08 Oct 2025
    The fight against fascism is a fight against racism and capitalism. The raid on a Chicago apartment building proves that the system’s violence at home and its wars abroad share the same logic and the…
  • The Black Alliance for Peace Condemns Establishment of Colonial Military Governance Over Haiti by UN Security Council
    08 Oct 2025
    The imperialist west is responsible for Haiti's deterioration through policies designed to keep the nation poor and powerless. Now those same powers are offering what they claim are solutions.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us