Preview #13, Journal of Pan African Studies, Poetry Issue

Preview #13, Journal of Pan African Studies, Poetry Issue

Tantra Zawadi, New York City

Please Stay Strong

got laid off
got babies
got a man
but still ain't got no honey

got laid off
got babies
got a loving man
but still ain't got much money
guess i'm gonna have
to call uncle sam
get a little help from the man
to help me pay my dues

momma's old and
poppa's still cold from 'nam
us living together
sharing bread and
the blues 'cause
everybody needs a little something
and sister's young enough
to earn a little something
so i guess i'm gonna
call uncle sam
get a little help from the man
to help me pay my dues

little ones learning,
eating, playing and growing
watching us cry, standing on line
cutting corn bread to the nines
counting dimes for birthdays gifts
and a little wine

with us singing the blues by the stove
'cause we all know
i'm gonna call uncle sam tomorrow
'cause i'm young and strong and
willing to sell whatever i can to the man
to help me pay my dues

the checks will come
to heat 'em up

so they can eat
when i'm on my knees
counting my time

like a faceless clock
on the auction block

the kids will play
and momma's still old
and poppa's freezing cold
my loving man
holding it down
putting it down
feeling a little low
'cause i ain't 'round
’cause i got laid
on the unemployment line
now i’m standing strong on the front line
with uncle sam and his crew
singing the i love

I love

I love my country

blues

lifepoetry by Tantra-zawadi

copyright 2010

Tantra's recent appearances include the New York Public Library of Performance Arts at Lincoln Center, Badilisha Poetry X-Change Festival in Cape Town, South Africa and the Montserrat Poetry Festival. Tantra is also a recipient of the Kings County District Attorney's Office Award for Women’s History Month for her artistic contributions to the borough of Brooklyn.

Published Author: Tantra’s latest release, “Gathered at Her Sky” from Poets Wear Prada Publishing, is available at Amazon and LULU.com (June 2010). Tantra, a mentor for Girl-Child Network Worldwide (GCN), will donate partial proceeds from Gathered at Her Sky to GCN to provide education, personal items and empowerment for girls in Zimbabwe. Tantra is also the author of “alifepoeminprogress” by Chuma Spirit Books, and her poetry was featured in Essence Magazine and in spoken word publications such as Redeye, Spoken Vizions (www.spokenvizions.com), defpoetryjam.com, Platinum Poets, Sunpiper Press, Souled Up and poetswearprada.com.

Ed Bullins, Boston MA

BAD AND STUFF

I'm taking everything

and that's not enough

I'm taking everything

and that's not enough

And he said...

I'm taking everything

because I'm bad and stuff

Yes

I'm taking everything

because I'm bad and stuff

And we called it

subprime

subprime

subprime

subprime

Because

I'm taking everything

and that's not enough

I'm taking everything

and that's not enough

I'm taking it all

because I'm bad and stuff

I'm taking it all

because I'm bad and stuff

That's subprime subprime subprime

Subprime...

Ed Bullins 10.09.2008

Ed Bullins is one of the founders of the Black Arts Movement. He and Marvin X founded Black Arts West theatre in the Fillmore district of San Francisco, 1966. Eldridge Cleaver,

Marvin X, Ethna Wyatt and Ed Bullins established the Black House, a political/cultural center in San Francsico, 1967. He fled to Harlem after the fall of Black House and worked at the New Lafayette Theatre. He was playwright in residence and editor of Black theatre Magazine. Ed is one of America’s most prolific playwrights. He teaches at Northeastern University, Boston.

Dr. Rodney D. Coates, East St. Louis

When

Rodney D. Coates

When the tide of life rocks your boat
When the winds of change batters your doors
When the rays of reality shatters your illusions
When the quiet of abandonment fills your ears
And yet you stand;

When it seems that fate has left you adrift
When all your friends condemn you
When your path is strewn with your past
When failure is all that you can see
And yet you stand;

When the solitude of forgetfulness is your only escape
When the multitude of complaints are your only friends
When the plethora of excuses is all you redeem
When the avalanche of disaster is all you harvest
And yet you stand;

When despair mingled with tears is your daily drink
When drama coupled with fear is your only comfort
When pain and defeat forces your head to bow
When deceit and lies weigh heavily on your shoulders
And yet you stand

Then, and only then -can you shout with both clarity and surety
That you have overcome. Then, and only then -will you know
who are your true friends. And then and only then will you
Be able to drink from the cup of victory-if only you stand.

--Dr. Rodney D. Coates

Rodney D. Coates, born in East St. Louis, Ill., received his B.A. from Southern Illinois University, M.A. in sociology and anthropology from the University of Illinois, a second M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago.