Letter to Lothario on the other side of Paradise

Letter to Lothario Lotho on the other side of Paradise

Lotho, you were angry with me for not attending your mother's furneral, Margo Norman. I ask you to forgive me, Lotho, even though I knew of Margo Norman before I knew you.

I remember your mother was in the plays of Ed Bullins at the Firehouse Theatre in San Francisco, circa 1966, just prior to Ed and I founding Black Arts West Theatre on Fillmore Street in SF.

I told you when you came by Academy of da Corner that I was exhausted from attending funerals, although I will do my best to attend yours. Hell, I am trying to miss my funeral, how you like that?

But, Lo, I want you to know we love you, especially that dramatic spirit Margo Norman put in you, that made you love the stage. Actually, how could you help yourself, it was in your DNA.

We thank you for the role you played at UC Berkeley in the struggle to de-colonize the University, you along with Carl Mack, Arthur Jenkins, Fahizah, Nisa, Roy Thomas, Charlie Brown, Umtu Wa Haki, Betty Brumfield, and those before you who set the stage for the inclusion of African American Studies at UCB.

We thank you for the thousands of concerts you served as master of ceremonies, doing your best to energize the crowd with poetic lines of rhyme. So rhyme to us now Lotho, let us hear your song from Paradise calling us home through the door of no return.

We love you, Lotho, take it slow, and don't be on the down low!

We hope you enjoyed your thousand wives and that they loved you unconditionally.

Your brother for eternity,

Marvin X

Surely we are from Allah and to Him we return, Al Qur'an.