Def Poetry

My love knows now bounds for that which is the Def Poetry Jam. I was watching the episode with Jill Scott, who has impressed me since the day I heard her ode to the love of her life, "He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)."

The other day, I tried to come up with names of songs that celebrated men instead of denigrated them. This is in my opinion the best. Others include "He Is" by Heather Headley, Chante Moore's "Chante's Got a Man," "Brotha" by Angie Stone, Salt-n-Pepa & EnVogue's "Whatta Man," and India.Arie's "The Truth." If anybody can think of any others, please let me know.

But back on topic... Watching this show makes my insides twist as I feel what I know that I want to be able to do. The power of words and being able to craft those words to punch someone in the stomach or head with something that is literally mind blowing. In a verse by Mos Def on Jill's "Love Rain Remix" he says

I stretch my arms towards the sky like blades of tall grass,
The sun beat between my shoulders like carnaval drums.
I sat still in hopes that it would help my wings grow
So then I could really be fly.
And then she arrived.
Like daybreak inside a railway tunnel,
like the new moon,
like a diamond in the mines,
like high noon to a drunkard,
Sudden...
She made my heart beat in the now, now time signature,
her skin a canvas for ultra violet brush strokes.
She was the sun's painting,
she was a deep cogniac color,
her eyes sparkle like lights along the new city,
her lips purse as if her breath was too sweet and full for her mouth to hold.
I said:
"You are the beautiful distress of mathmatics,"
I said:
"For you, I will peel open the clouds like new fruit,
and give you lightning and thunder as a dowry,
I will make the sky shed all of it's stars like rain,
and I will clast the constellations across your waste,
and i will make the heavens your keep.
And they will be pleased to cover you,
they will be pleased to cover you,
May i please... cover you...

...please...

This is an almost untouchable verse, and someday mine will be too. But until then, I'll try.

Answers to questions unasked
Make questions crave answers,
Once held fast, like my heart endeared to yours.
Unspoken words strain to break loose,
Racing to your ears and soul,
Just like beggars who ride wishes.
Everything makes sense, but
Nothing even matters, now that I
Know what I was too afraid to speak
In your presence or out, without
Naming the vision that makes
Solitude weep for its captured souls.
CAC