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

Poetry from Kemet Mawakana
Kemet Mawakana
27 Feb 2008
🖨️ Print Article

7_foot_poet_upright_250wideaka "The Seven-Foot Poet"

 

"FARE" 

 

Our resident poet contemplates the "Fare" that Black folks are required to pay. When you read and hear this week's offering from Kemit Mawakana, you'll get his meaning.

To experience the written or audio versions of FARE, click the link below. 

 

 

 

Poetry from Kemit Mawakana

aka "The Seven-Foot Poet"

To listen to FARE, click the flash player below
{mp3}poetry/072Fare{/mp3} 

Fare

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . . 14  . . . 15 . . . 16

A pariah!

Leprosy radiates my skin;

serving as a warning to natives and foreigners alike.

17 . . . 18 . . . 19 . . . 21 . . . 22 . . . 23

Death unto those that dare acknowledge my presence!

My invisibility clear to all who would dare look with a naked eye.

24 . . . 25 . . . 26 . . . 37 . . . 38 . . . 39

Hate, anger and vengeance swell up within,

breaking fences of common sense.

None of them - not one of them - None of them are bound by decency!

41 . . . 42 . . . 47 . . . 48 . . . 49

They hate the fact that me they only loathe and not despise.

They anxiously accelerate to save a business suit from my pursuit,

And the unspeakable acts that I perpetrate.

. . . 51.

Exhausted.  I'm home, no longer mad.

Clearly it's not fair - that I was passed up by 51 taxicabs.

 
Copyright 1996
 
Peace (when appropriate) War (when necessary)

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 sevenfootpoet@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

.

 

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


More Stories


  • Abayomi Azikiwe, Black Agenda Report Contributor
    United Nations Security Council Renews Mission for the Western Sahara as Independence Remains Elusive
    06 Nov 2024
    For more than five decades the Sahrawi people of Northeast Africa have been denied their rightful place in the international community.
  • Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Derek Silva’s Book, “The End of College Football”
    06 Nov 2024
    In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book. This week’s featured authors are Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Derek Silva.
  • Clau O'Brien Moscoso
    APEC Summit Brings More US Troops to Perú Amid National Strike
    06 Nov 2024
    As the people of Peru continue to rise up against the illegitimate Boluarte regime, that state continues its collusion with the United States ahead of the APEC Summit.
  • Umar A Farooq
    US Elections 2024: Uncommitted Movement Splits After Taking Money From PAC Supporting Harris
    06 Nov 2024
    Volunteers started their own Uncommitted group after learning leadership took $400,000 from a PAC that doesn't support third-party presidential candidates.
  • Jake Johnston
    Haitian Government Hires US Security Contractor, but Questions Remain
    06 Nov 2024
    The United States failed to achieve its goal of a full U.N. mission in Haiti. That has not deterred U.S. puppets in that nation, as Haiti has enlisted the assistance of a security contractor with…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us