In My Classroom, Academy of da Corner

In My Classroom



In my classroom
Murder over rap contest
Winner lost his life
Stumbled into book store
place of light
eternal darkness for him,
Brother Purple.

In my classroom
Police inspired assassination
Broad daylight, Alice and 14th
Chauncey Bailey went down
“The hand that pulled the trigger
Didn’t buy the bullet, “ Baldwin said
Of Malcolm’s killers
We say the same of Chauncey’s.
Killers mentored by OPD
Kill three
Police mentor goes free.
In my classroom
Oscar Grant rebellion in the streets
14th and Broadway
Where I teach
Occupy the corner
Academy of da corner
Life threatened daily
Teaching truth
Healing sick and broken hearted
Micro loan bank
Dollar for a burger
A coffee
Bus fare
Let the people vent trauma
Let them rant into morning air
Let them shout into my ear
“Fuck the peckerwood
Fuck the peckerwood.”

In my classroom
Occupy Oakland
Wall Street Oakland

Came from Summit hospital that Tuesday
After Visiting sister with stroke
Bus ends route at 20th and Broadway
Join marchers to 14th.
I am proud of them
Though they are mostly white
Hear police shout
“You have five minutes to disperse
Before chemical agent released.”
I knew stampede was coming
Took refuge in Burger King
Tear gas soon followed into Burger King
Eyes nose mouth burning
Marine Vet escaped Iraq
Shot in head by police.

In my classroom
Eyes of the world on Oakland
General Strike called
First since 1946
Nov. 2, 2011
Ten thousand march
Port of Oakland closed
Peace all day without police
Imagine a world with no police
Until night came
agent provocateurs rampage
Police in disguise.

In my classroom
Whites rush pass my book
How to Recover from the Addiction to White Supremacy
Except white girl from Fresno, with boyfriend from Sanger
They buy the book
Even the occupation is white privilege
When have blacks camped in front of City Hall
When have blacks unloaded in bus zones
Without $350.00 ticket?

In my classroom
There is discussion
What do we want from Revolution
What part of the pie
What land
What self determination
What sovereignty
Or shall we again take bottom rung on the ladder
As Neo-Whites assume power.
And we are lost in the multi-cultural chasm.

In my classroom

A sacred space
Free speech zone
Teachers are students
Students are teachers
We only give the MF degree
If you pass the test
If you survive the police
If you survive the nigguhs
You a bad Motherfucker!
In my classroom.

Killers leap from a car
Like paratroopers
In Iraq
Run across the street to Occupy Oakland
Then pop pop pop pop
Man down
Shot in the head
Dead
In my classroom.
Rationale for closing the camp
Police set up for sure.
We are not fooled by black on black murder
The hands that pulled the trigger didn’t buy the bullet, Baldwin said.
Mayor Quan recalled
To be or not to be mayor
All Oakland mayors suffer this conundrum
Become history
Oakland dies slow death
OPD occupation
Consuming every dime
Solving no crime.
In my classroom
Cat and mouse games
Chase the mice
Run hide
Arrest the mice
Close the rat hole cats
Bring in cats from all around
Homeland Security money
No jobs no education no housing
Occupation occupation
Indigenous say don’t use the word
They/we been occupied 500 years
In my classroom.
I need a dollar for the bus
Gimme a dollar man!
Can’t get to my classroom
Monkey Mind Media takes over
Cameras lights cameras lies lies
Like flies lies lies
In my classroom.
Go home Monkey Mind Media
Go home OPD cats
Leave the mice alone
Let them eat cheese in peace.
In my classroom.
Will American go down like Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Syria
Will America learn
In my classroom?
Will she study
Pass or fail the finals
In my classroom?

--Marvin X
10-6-11
Revised 11/14/11

Marvin X’s Academy of da Corner is at 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland. Contact him for bookings, readings, performance of his Reader’s Theatre production Mythology of Love. 510-575-2225. jmarinx@yahoo.com. www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com.

“If you want to learn about inspiration and motivation, don’t spend all that money going to workshops and seminars, just go stand at 14th and Broadway and watch Marvin X at work. He’s Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland.”—Ishmael Reed

“Marvin X is one of the innovators and founders of the revolutionary school of African writing.”—Amiri Baraka, aka LeRoi Jones

“Still the undisputed King of Black Consciousness.”—Dr. Nathan Hare