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Breeze, performing at IWPS 2019 in San Diego, CA.
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Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.
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And this poem is a prayer, Rebuking, removing and defeating
the spirit of fear from your life. – Amen.
– (audience) Yeah, amen! This poem is about the brilliant black boy
writing battle bars for Satan. About the gorgeous black girl realizing
she is God, therefore praying To her own reflection
because religion ain’t enough. I don’t know if prayers have titles
but if they did, Then this poem would be called,
”Although I walk through the valley Of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil, The brilliant gorgeous remix.” So this poem kind of sounds like,
”I guess I got my swagger back. The devil tried to kill me, y’all,
but I guess I got the dagger back.” Or, ”The gospel according to bone-crusher,
bitch, I ain’t ever scared.” Or, ” How do use Kirk Franklin’s
Hello, Fear album as an oxygen mask In the gas chamber of give up.” Or, ”How to use an ultralight beam
as a night light To finish your coloring book
while eating Sunday candy In the dark of doubt, you know,
just take a chance,” no. (audience) Yeah, let’s go! This poem here is called,
”The heart is a house of love.” Or, ”Love and fear can’t exist
in the same space,” So this poem is called,
”When the heart serves fear Its eviction notice.” No, this poem here is called,
”I almost gave up today.” Subtiltle. But my daughter’s smile. But my son’s laughs. But my Mama’s prayers. No, this poem here is called,
”Guess what, yo. Your faith never left. It’s just be your inner child,
loving to play hide and seek At all the worse times
which is actually really the perfect time Because it always loves to hide
in all the places you forget to look When you go through something,
like the last place you saw God at.”
Or this poem is called,
”The praise dance of a sinner, A fight song for a scared to start over
because your genesis Be engulfed in darkness
where your circumstances Make you forget
how to speak yourself a sun.” No. This poem here is called,
”That one time fear was talking shit.” Fear said, ”I bet I catch you
walking through that valley Of the shadow of death
because I be that darkness there. I be heavy in them streets
so heavy, you won’t be able To lift your voice saying,
’You are poor, nothing to get you Off of my block.’ You think you tough, huh? Try me, sucker, I’m fear! See if I don’t choke the ’let there be’
right out of you!” Or this poem is called,
”The pull up when I ran up On fear hoe ass
because he was talking that shit.” (audience cheers) Like I be walking through that– Like I be walking through that valley
of the shadow of death often, And, bitch, I ain’t ever scared! I got my swagger back. Devil tried to kill me
when I’m up in this spot Looking as fresh as Sunday candy,
all ultralight beam awesome, Illuminating all that nothing
he thought he was And yes, I found my faith. It never left. It was just playing hide and seek
with the prayers And the laughs and the smiles,
that were coloring book bright Hiding in the last place I saw God at. O, fear, I talked to God,
She told me to ask you, ”What’s all that darkness
you think you are?” After She reminded me
that I am the light She let there be. This poem here is called,
”Cursing in church.” ”The testimony of a heathen that God
ain’t through with,
’long as I ain’t through with
my Goddamn self” And no, this poem here is called, ”When the brilliant black boy
writes battle bars for Satan,” A gorgeous, brilliant remix poem, ”Hello, Fear. Fuck you! And Amen.” (clapping and cheering)
