Tag Archives: Mike Brown

Freedom, Worth mentioning … [POEM]

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I’ve never known freedom
been granted permissions
been given
watched and mentioned,
not living

Expected and accepted
barely
rarely invited to venture
outside of failure,
mentioned
not to please

I’ve seen the dark side of things
in the mirror,
Me
an inconvenient truth,
being
but still
mentioned

History abides by the bias
of eyes
and of other things
things worth mentioning
Things worth much more
than Me
or so legend would have you believe

Worth remembering

The great ones had to be
more than anything,
if not for nothing
for something more than,
being mentioned

rights and privileges
laws and rules
constitutes and statutes,
involuntarily approved
or broken
and made to be
at least a mention
footnotes on the backside
of a rouse
an arms length away
from rebellion,
accused

do not mention revolution
it’s on sale,
For free
on the channel
where they sell everything
you need
one thru one thousand and three
just mention one of the coupon codes,
MTV, BET

I ain’t never seen better days
just different ones
forgetting to remember the dates
to make mention of
but still paint a picture of
a picture that I know ain’t right
but can’t distance from

History

they still do niggers
some kind of way
and blame them same niggers
some kind of way
and niggers so not clever about it
them niggers done started treating themselves
that same kind of way
don’t mention it to them niggers though
they gone figure some kind of way
to act like they can still be niggers
and get some kind of say

they choked a nigger
for loose squares
and insubordination
and got away with it
them folks got a way with it
just mention that it was a nigger they killed,
and got away with it

been killing a hell of a lot of nigger boys here lately
as always
in the middle of the street,
hallways,
walking to the store,
for pulling out their wallets
or their phones
or complying with orders
or for asking what was wrong
for much of nothing,
or for going home
they say you’re going off
if you mention what is going on
it ain’t right,
and it’s going wrong

I’ve never known freedom
just niggers
being a descendant
of niggers
and turning into a nigga
and being the realest one
competing for the recognition
of being mentioned
as the cleanest one

it’s hard for niggers to hear this poem

But them niggers too comfortable
won’t accept that freedom
is something
you want to do
not realizing the discomfort
can be just as comfortable
but that’s the truth
they ain’t mentioning to you
just keep doing what they want you to…

Waiting,
on saviors and ships
and ain’t saving shit

I know niggers think they are free
but you ain’t nothing but the most that a nigger could be
and in America,
that nigger is better,
deceased
or delivert,
sheep,
mentioning

the N-word and nigger
are the same
both thoughts
in a vain
both taught by the letter,
chain
or they could call you
African-American,
still the same
because none of it matters
if you are not mentioned
the same
but this is a different day,
not much has changed

We have a declaration that declares but never meant we,
A national anthem that never meant free
And a constitution that considered 3/5 of a human being, to be people like me

But we are expected to observe all 3
So Nah, we mad
wouldn’t you be?

Wouldn’t you see fit to throw fits and fisticuffs when it’s not about justice because its just us that get the hits and take the blunts, the bruises, and the brunts, confusion is the stunt that they keep using to get us stuck, thats not a condition, that’s getting fucked

Conditional voting rights,
Hell yea we want to fight

We want what is right,
RIGHT NOW
So tell the out of perspective political pundits to pipe down,
LIKE NOW
“Hands up, Don’t shoot”
is not about Mike Brown
We were fed up before this, we couldn’t take no more, right now,
Ain’t no more conversation
Change this shit right now
Like now

I don’t want to be racist
But what am I faced with
watching you boom,
and I live basic
You go vroom,
and I go chase it
you eat good,
and I just taste it

Can’t deal

been giving discounts since they made us dismount
poisoned by the rhetoric
so we kept our shit
and our secrets
in this house

Like good niggers do

and I have never known freedom
just probation and privilege
but who can give me such
who has the right to my freedom
how is a piece of land
not mine
why do I have to just stand by
how is a legacy of wealth not entitled to me
when wealth comes from mines
and not one man created time
but these were men that created this system,
same kind of man as I
am I supposed to be blind?

Don’t mention it

Just wait on Jesus
in the meantime
take this suffering
he don’t need it
and bear this cross
he don’t need it
just accept this loss,
He gone see it
and he gone put in a good word for you with his father
yea, just go with that story
you’ll get farther
drink this juice,
imagine it’s his blood
so that you will always remember
life gets harder
and pleading and prostrate
is the way
just don’t look up,
wait
Jesus will come back
and save
so follow his lead, save

Mention his name

It’ll get you to the door
and you’ll enter a room of deception
take the secret society exit
It’ll get you to the floor
there you’ll be presented with an option
be yourself and be exiled
or perform completely unnatural acts,
that’ll get you even more
and each section that you pass,
that’ll get you even more
there are degrees and levels to this
that will get you even moor
you ain’t seen nothing yet,
wait until they get you in the door

Don’t mention it
just spit

fame and celebrity become jeopardy when you play games with the recipe,
Leave shit like it was
or suffer the consequence
Freedom of speech so weak
the government using tweets as accomplices
shutting down niggas opinions, constantly
putting you on Facebook probation for being honest, honestly
and if nothing happens to me,
then I guess I’m free
but I’m honored to be
in a cage
if I’m in a cage full of niggers
and they listening

… and when they walk out
they mention me
and they think about
something I said
then go get free.

-see

©2014 Cornelious “See” Flowers
@seethepoet

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Lesson… [POEM]

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Bring your weapon

it’s open season
for no reason other
than killing brothers
stealing mothers babies lately
no under covers
plain clothes pedestrian:
detected
uniformed officer:
suspected
rights and entitlements:
perspective
fear for one’s safety:
respected
“Hands Up, Don’t Shoot”,
neglected

Possible armed suspect
in park
fire on sight
then put the car
in park
America don’t like its colors
in dark
rather rainbows and grays
in spark
work it hun-ty
it’s art

Wallets
are weapons
Phones
are weapons
Hoodies
are weapons
Toys
are weapons
Hairstyles
are weapons
Time of day
is a weapon
Walking in the street
is a weapon
Sitting in the car
is a weapon
Hanging out with friends
is a weapon
Selling loose cigarettes,
supposedly,
is a weapon

Except
we ain’t got the weapons,
threatened

Lessons

Beat cops beat
Rookies shoot first
Sworn to protect protect themselves
Not guilty needs proof first

Lessons

How I talk
is a weapon
How I walk
is a weapon
How I act
is a weapon
How I think
is a weapon
How I feel
is a weapon
How I believe
is a weapon

Lessons

Sons get taught compliance
quicker than confidence
and that is where
the problem is

Word like weapon
Words like weapons

Lessons

Guns and Butter,
we ain’t got neither
we got mack and cheese,
they don’t believe us

Lessons

Nobody but us does the thing they complain about
so as it relates to how some people feel about us, I feel the same about it
but what can I change about it…

because we’re comfortable
so we do what they want us to
and complain about it
but nothing changes about it
and there is nothing strange about it
just take what you can get
and sang about it
You sure can sang about it!
some kind of range about it
talent like that can get you somewhere,
put a stage around it
you outta be in pictures,
put a frame around it
get you some fame around it
cost you blood, sweat, and tears
don’t leave them stains around it
You’d better clean up your act
or get a cage around it
pray to get out of the box,
sprinkle sage around it
speak no rage about it
or silenced will be your speech
just think the same about it
don’t you dare try to be different
play the game about it
say the name around it
see what came about it…

Lessons

uncomfortable
with what we have to do
till we have what we due
but until then
we’ll have to

Lessen.

-see

©2014 Cornelious “See” Flowers
@seethepoet

Little Black Boys… [POEM]

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Little black boys,
ready to die for BDK
Little black boys,
ready to die for being gay
Little black boys,
“ready to die” is what they say
Little black boys,
born D.O.A

-see

©2014 Cornelious “See” Flowers
@seethepoet

The Proof is Us… [POEM]

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They approach prepared
to perceive a threat
when their approach
is perceived a threat
they approach
with a perceived neglect
so they boast
for a perceived respect
but know
that there is a deep regret
so they host
what is believed reject
as they coast
on an indeed elect

Cops are justified
until proven just
the experiment is our lives
the proof is us

unarmed black men
are the new on the job training
and their patience is waning
straining to contain force
so they abort laws
and exploit the flaws in justice
because they can’t trust us
to be slaves anymore
“damn niggers done got smart”
not the same anymore
then shoot ’em!
they look the same on the floor

grand jury’s indict more egos
than evidence
the perception is negligent,
Black people need
to be more careful
or irrelevant
need to just be quiet
not so prevalent
be strong and black
over there
and not so delicate
not so damn ignorant
and not so damn arrogant

And stop complaining
ain’t neither reparations
nor retribution
nor recognition
nor reciprocity
gone change it…

They approach prepared
to perceive a threat
when their approach
is perceived a threat
they approach
with a perceived neglect
so they boast
for a perceived respect
but know
that there is a deep regret
so they host
what is believed reject
as they coast
on an indeed elect

Cops are justified
until proven just
the experiment is our lives
the proof is us.

-see

©2014 Cornelious “See” Flowers
@seethepoet

The Latest…

Don’t Shoot… [POEM]

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Don’t shoot…
down his dreams
before he begins to believe
before he begins to see
before he leaves

He’s unarmed
unharmed by expectations
undaunted by limitations
unwavering,
just waiting

Give him space,
he’s pacing

Tired from chasing down doubts
constant accusation
and outs

no amount of assurance
no insurance
just endurance

He is a purist

Please don’t shoot

Little black boys have become target practice
their mothers forced to become activists
absentee fathers become advocates
or inactive
while the police laud them all
with laughter,
it’s fashion

Cell phone camera’s scream “ACTION”
but these ain’t actors

Its the music
Its the attitude
Its the sagging pants
Its the dread-locs

… But these ain’t factors

He is an addict

to capitalism
and orgasm
and momma’s religion
and television

So, please don’t shoot

him up
through intravenous means
without making sure that he knows
what intravenous means
he’s been drugged
through intravenous means

doubt
statistics
stereotypes
assumptions
conclusions
pressure
stressors

He is well acquainted with these
before he knows what any of it means

an antidote is what he needs

Please don’t shoot

videos that lead him astray
says the wrong things
and music the radio play
has the wrong theme
he is confusing comedy
with abuse
but celebrity makes it right
and the only way to choose
either live that life
or lose
so they say

But that is no excuse,

Don’t shoot,

Stop shooting down the competition
in attempt to abort their mission
STOP GUNNING DOWN OUR BROTHERS
because you don’t want to listen

and hear their TRUE STORY
or let them discover
what you and yours did
that is why you abhor him
because he is finding out
and you are too old,
to be hiding out
can’t keep up with the internet
or what him taltmbout

but why shoot?

Too many calls to 911
man down, R.I.P
and the Reason Is Police

Get it?

The reason he’s deceased

In front of his procession is awareness
In the distance is disbelief
we know how to be,

“FREEZE”
and saying “PLEASE”,

Don’t shoot.

-see

©2014 Cornelious “See” Flowers
@seethepoet

Somebody Say Something [POEM] {VIDEO}

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Before he walks out that door
And before he tries a joint
Before he gets drunk for the very first time
Before he makes up his mind to make a point
Before he loses his virginity
Before he gains a reputation
Before he is influenced by the world around him
Before he forgets his way and finds himself waiting,
For a bus
that’ll take him where he has to be Rather than where he wants to go Because no one ever paid attention
To him
or what he was doing,
So before we let him go . . .

Somebody Say Something

Somebody say “Hi”
before he tries it
And show him what it means to not be focused
And just remind him that he doesn’t need Marijuana to manifest–
rather tell him now Hemp is hopeless and I hope this is no knock to those who feel the need to make herbs a dietary supplement
But I’ve done a study of my own
and statistics show
that an altered state of awareness may enact subsequent failure
and there is no need to tell you
how many brothers have already smoked away chance after chance to advance in a society that stands on a platform that pales in comparison to anything right–
but for just these moments we might want to oblige–
if not for our people,
let’s just say it’s for our pride
So we can be proud of him
because he stood for something
and couldn’t stand smoke
So he never started smoking
and as a child he realized drugs were no joking matter
and let’s hope he’ll learn an important lesson before he has to find
out the hard way and before we find out what happens after,

Somebody Say Something

Before he goes out into this world not knowing the difference between free will and freedom
and makes the mistake of not making the distinction that free will is from God and freedom is from this country and once he appreciates the difference he’ll know what it means to hear some things and some things can only be heard if you listen
So he’ll listen to his heart before he listens to his homeboys
and he won’t have to look so far for answers
Friends can give you advice
but they can’t necessarily give you chances
This is no dress rehearsal
This is real life–no second chances He’d better get it real right–right now.
And he might not know that because we didn’t show him
and what he doesn’t know is
what he knows
is way more important than who might know him
and where he is right now
is only the starting point
for where he’s going
and even though he might mean to
mean the best
when he becomes a man
meaning means nothing.
He’ll have to make a decision to be a man of his word
and that’s one thing he’s probably never heard

So, Somebody Say Something

He already has a predisposition to lack thereof–
Lack of funding and moral guidance
Lack of responsible individuals that will hold him liable
and won’t just lie to him
Lack of positive reinforcement
with examples of success
Rather we will expose him to poverty and the notion it suggests–
more than likely he’ll never hear from those who made it how to do just that because those individuals are never so visible once they move up
They do just that
and he’s already going to deal with a father who’s invisible
and a mother who holds him responsible for that
and a system that will teach him nothing of his past and won’t prepare him for his future
Don’t they understand that it takes more than nature to make this boy a man
When it comes to his stance,
what’s in his pants is useless
But they’ll have him believe he can use it whenever
and won’t tell him the pain that comes with pleasure
and no one explains that his body is a temple
and that what’s down there is a treasure
to be found
by someone special–
and special ain’t the moment that makes it feel nice–
special is the woman
that makes him feel life
By marrying him,
she’ll make him right
So somebody tell him to wait
Is there anyone that hates to see illiteracy more than I do?
I’m not saying you have to conjugate verbs and nouns like I do
But these little young black men sound foreign and
it’s almost as if they try to
But that’s because
we’d rather read them their rights than read to them at night
We’ll wait till they go wrong
Then try to lead them right
then blame it on their songs
or their situation
Someone please stand up and be held accountable
an entire generation is waiting
and no one seems to be concerned
So maybe we’ll send them to the church
Where the preacher will tell them they’ll burn
If you keep trying to hide the truth Then that’s exactly what they’ll learn

So somebody Say Something

Tell them that the only thing that matters Is that he matters in the end
And if he never finds himself
Then he himself will never matter to his friends
And tell him that real men believe in God
And we love one another
And we find beautiful wives
because we loved our mothers
and saw to it that our sisters didn’t find it hard to find someone worthwhile
and if she has any glimmer of hope inside herself
she’ll teach this to her child
and he’ll grow up to be the father that I never had
and he’ll have respect, honor, dignity and compassion
for the reality is–
faith is a concept–
yet one not so hard to grasp

I hope he hears me

Before he walks out that door
and before he tries a joint
Before he gets drunk for the first time
Before he makes up his mind to make a point
Before he loses his virginity
Before he gains a reputation
Before he is influenced by the world around him
Before he forgets his way and finds himself waiting
for a bus
that’ll take him where he has to be rather than where he wants to go because no one ever paid attention to him
or what he was doing
Before we let him go…

Somebody Say Something

©2005 Cornelious “See” Flowers
@seethepoet