Mic Ting performing at The Ill List 2023, in Modesto, CA.
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Mike Ting I love your poems they're so Different you know don't get me wrong Those other poets were amazing but they Just keep talking about stuff that Happened way black back then and your Story is just so new this Oriental Struggle of yours is something I can Totally get over I mean behind it just Sits softer in my mouth you know like my Gums don't swell with guilt when I say Your name and your name Mike m i c like A microphone so clever I too love taking A person's name and turning it into an Inanimate object like when I call my Black friend dog but all the dogs ever Had are dead so I think the analogy Still works but you would know better Than me you poet whipping up your story Into something I can consume without the Burden of Shame sitting like a knife in My stomach or poets should model their Work after yours personally I just love How you've taken your hardships and Packaged them into these cute little Poetic devices and you're Asian so it's Not like you've really gone through Anything that challenging You and I are here for the same reason The performance To be seen for sight's sake and while We're on the topic of creative Expression you'll agree with me here Um I just think that there's a white way In a wrong way sorry sorry oh sorry
Sorry a right way and a long way sorry Sorry of doing this look Between you and me I'm just tired of Being unsettled by things I'm not really Responsible for you know like if I'm Gonna be the target I just want to be Entertained okay I think I'm entitled To a good show for starters could we Please stop blaming all of us for the Rise of white supremacy Um I voted for Biden okay and he's not a Supremacist or can we cool it with the Incessant or minors of this country's History of racial Injustice like where's The Poetry in that instead how about a Beautiful metaphor and how you took your Two cent tragedy and turned it into a Million dollar perspective or one of Those nice list poems of all the ways You're actually going to better yourself I just want to hear how you overcame not Who or what or where you came from Listen We get it the colored child died will Die is dying a thousand deaths but That's not my fault I didn't pull the Trigger I didn't conquer this land don't Get mad at me For judging You asked me to remember Don't place the knife and cutting board In my hands and expect me not to make a Meal out of this and what is a poetry Slam if not A Feast for those of us
Hungry for the scraps your trauma left Behind so thank you Mike for offering up This pain that's so much easier to Swallow I hope you wear this 10 like a Collar I mean a Halo you're a good dog I Mean poet You'll pass along my suggestions to your Friends Won't you I'm too scared shy To tell them Myself [Applause]
