Death of a Philadelphia Negro

 Death of a Philadelphia Negro

My buddy told me

Death of the Philadelphia Negro

Write a poem bout a Negro

Who wants to die

Live for what

I ain't doing nothing

You doing something

You got projects

I ain't doing shit

Blood clots in my legs

They want to cut

Can't cut

Heart 30%

What about stints in my legs

Doc say

How long will I live

Doc say it's debatable

Depends on you

Can't operate on legs

Heart too weak

What you want to do

I want some liquor and dope

Anything to kill pain in my legs

Doc say you in pretty bad shape

Buddy

One leg is black

May need to cut

How long will I live

Doc don't know

Depends

What you want to do

I'm ready to go

Ain't doing nothing

Doc say you had heart attacks 

I ain't felt no heart attack

Don't matter you had 'em

Well so what doc

I'm ready to go home

Eat some mushrooms and

Float like Santa Claus

Join Sun Ra on Jupiter

Ain't nothing happening here

I ain't doing nothing

Why stay

All my friends gone

You bout one or two friends Left buddy tell me

My kids doing they thing

Ain't worried bout me

Worried bout they cars

Mustang BMW Bentley

Don't give a fuck bout me

I'm dead man walking

Let me get in the shower

Put on my clothes jewelry

Go to poker party

8 o'clock

House party

Niggas got everything

Hennessy blunts

Cocaine all over card table

Niggas feeling good

Ain't wearing no stupid ass masks

Let me get to the party

Last Poet's right

Niggas go party bullshit

Party bullshit.

It's strange though

When you know 

death is knocking 

on your door

You know you got to open door

Let death come in

Sit down at table

But death ain't playing poker!

--MARVIN X

1/21/21