April Is National Poetry Month!

April Is National Poetry Month!

Today, I shine the spotlight on a revolutionary brother, a poet, and former member of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense Harlem chapter.

Lemme Tell You What My Black Is All About

CLARENCE REED

My black is about rhythm, sound

soul and hurt and joy

My black is sweat droppin

finger poppin, hallelujah!

Booga-a-loo little sister down the street

My black is lumpy beds and

tcb and all the good in life

down to the black bone of God

and Moosey and Sharon and you and

a sanctified shout at break of day

harambee

Big black Paul Robeson lives!

I saw him

I say Malcolm lives!

Garvey lives!

Karenga is

Imamu is

preacher king went up on the mountain

and walked to the sun

SHANGO is black thunder

clapped down on trembling honky hearts

My black is about people who

know they saw the birth of time

and touched by God

moved thru death and slavery

Centuries long

to stand now, with the light

in one hand, day in the other, saying:

"beast-what will it be?"

But later for that

My black is about Moosey and Sharon

We black

and can't nobody else know what that means...