OPINION Editors note: I don’t usually run poetry here, but we cosponsored the Valentine’s Day "Battle of (All) the Sexes" poetry fundraiser for POOR Magazine, one of my favorite institutions — and tiny, who runs POOR, convinced me to publish the winning poems. You can get more info at www.poormagazine.org. (Tim Redmond)
First place:
LOVE AND HATE
By Queennandi
I’m about to commentate
Hate is comin’ to tha ring, weighing in at an unknown amount of pounds
Ready to bring on destruction and pain
Puttin’ the little kids out of their homes
Creating victims out of the elderly, addicted to bein’ insane
Oooh, and hate starts frivolous wars
Our childrens’ blood is shedded
While hate’s kids become pampered and spoiled
The hate record looks undefeated, but lovez comin’ to tha ring
Look, now hate done ran and retreated
Love got hate on tha ropes- Bam! Bow! Bam! Bing!
Love IS comin’ wit body blows, and hate can’t block a thing
Now love comes wit an uppercut- Bam!
Put the families back in their homes
Boom! Enough criticizing and criminalizing the poor
Bow! Return tha souljahs and end the war
Now! It’s justice for all- Bam! Boom! Pow!
Cuz hate just got knocked out!
Second place
I’M THE BLACK CRIPPLE
By Leroy F. Moore
I’m the BLACK CRIPPLE
Look at me, look at me
Hear this, hear this
I’ve learned from Heyward’s Porgy
Play on your pity
Just to get that money
I’m the BLACK CRIPPLE
You’ll do me like you did bang, bang Margarett L. Mitchell
I’m an open swore in the BLACK community
Cup in hand
Leaning against the wall
Passersby don’t want to understand
I’m the BLACK CRIPPLE
Gave my body to the US Army
Got shot by the LAPD
But you can’t get red of me
Mainstream think I’m too angry
My own people don’t even notice me
I’m the BLACK CRIPPLE
My spoken word, you can’t handle
You think I’m too radical
Black sisters don’t know what they are missing
My BLACK CRIPPLE body is always erect
Mind masturbation but she can’t deal with the situation
Educated and motivated
Now people are intimidated
I’m the incarcerated BLACK CRIPPLE
Lock down
Lock out
Walking on death row
The State has lost my file
SSI, SSDI and GA
In my pocket is Uncle Sam’s dirty hands
I’m the BLACK CRIPPLE
Rocking your cradle
Yeah, I know what I want but you’re too goddam fickle
Hell yeah, I’m the BLACK CRIPPLE
No, no, no
I’m the PROUD BLACK CRIPPLE
No, no, no
I’m the LOUD PROUD BLACK CRIPPLE
No, no, no
I’m the ANGRY LOUD PROUD BLACK CRIPPLE
No, no, no
I’m the SEXY ANGRY LOUD PROUD BLACK CRIPPLE
Yeah! Yeah! Hell Yeah!
Queennandi is the author of Life, Struggle and Reflection (POOR Press, 2006). Leroy Moore (www.leroymoore.com) is the producer of Krip-Hop Mixtape Vols. 1 and 2 — collections of hip-hop artists with disabilities — and a member of the Po Poets Project of POOR Magazine.