(for shawty)
ripped down bedroom-warning:
"fragile:
handle with care."
no one dreams in here
but me
hearing voices of ghosts past:
"fuck hard,
stay soft enough to fall into"
and everytime
I look at the leather left
that i've only worn as dress-up
I think:
what a fragile fucker
preferring cuddles
over slings
a wedding over a whip
and perhaps
I will someday
have them both
embody this oxymoron,
this rough pleasure
I offer to everyone
but myself
i think
maybe only I
can love me best
hurt me better
than anyone else
be my own best daddy
and prodigal son
be master to this slave
who longs so for love
i may choke
on my last breath
pleading for it
maybe i'll grow numb
from teasing
this dialectic
i've never found in a complement
turn to mirrors
and see a brown, stocky
cruxifix nigga
blow him a kiss
and with the most crude
thug baritone
I can quiet...
whisper to him
in this room
where no one dreams
but me:
"hardened:
handle with care."
About Me
- About Tim'm
- Tim'm T. West is a poet, emcee, scholar and the author of three books "Red Dirt Revival", "BARE", and "Flirting". A graduate of Duke, The New School, and Stanford universities, he is also co-founder of the now defunct rap group DDC. Tim'm followed their success with three solo projects, "Songs from Red Dirt", "Blakkboy Blue(s)", and the 2009 release “In Security: The Golden Error”. He also created and hosted the "Front Porch" Spoken Word/Soul/Hip Hop showcase in DC, Oakland, Chicago, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and various U.S. Colleges and Universities. Tim'm also appeared in Byron Hurt's "Beyond Beats and Rhymes", Alex Hinton's "Pick Up the Mic", and is featured Mario Van Peebles documentary "Bring your "A" Game". Tim'm currently resides in Houston, TX where he is an active Volunteer for St. Hope Foundation's FUSION Program and Board Member for Fresh Start Community Haven. He has also been a Visiting Lecturer in Ethnic Studies at Humboldt State University in Northern California and continues to teach Philosophy and Humanities as an Adjunct Professor in Philosophy at Houston Community College. Find more about Tim'm's work at www.reddirt.biz
7 comments:
There are alot of different colors/thoughts/emotions in this poem...it's actually one of my favs from you. I'm going to strain it through my mind a few times and then i'll give you a full view of my thoughts on it...
Til then -- ya lil bro,
Chris
"CRUSHED"; a state of mind, where behind...it, are endless possibilities, and hugs, and pain weaved into pleasure, like the black and blue threaded flag, that represents the simplicity as well as the complexities, of wants, desires, that outreach our bodies and minds, ahhh, and sometimes our hearts; animalistic, but sane, a dance; of bodies and mind, but to new beats, a release; a peace.....that matters; a molecule of connections, this thing, those damn things; a matter; that matters...and could; even should; matter! - handle me, handle you, handle us, just handle IT, please…oh….and “CARE” is ALWAYS….and should always….be underSTOOD.
And the poetry keeps flowing. Thanks for sharing and shem hotep.
Fragility can have it's sadistic edge. Example: pick up all the pieces of a broken antique china cup.
that was moving, disturbing and something i wont forget.
There’s nothing fragile
Nothing fragile about a MAN
Nothing fragile about a black MAN
Nothing fragile about THAT black MAN…
And this is not to suggest that
In fragility
That there is the lack of power
Or emotions
Or masculinity
Or poses that shade insecurity
Don’t shine forward in hues
Of doubt
Or questions of faith
Of man-kind
Or man-not-so-kind
Or he-arts either untrue
Unbelievable
Or unrealistic
But the MAN I see
The man who looks back at me
And says nothing
Yet everything…
The black man that I love…
The one who bore’s his life
His heart
His challenges and quests
Through stanzas that solicit
More words and flow,
The man that I know…
Who cloaks himself in truths?
And spits fires
And writes of desire
Even when its’ gift does not dance at his door
Who processes love as slow as the painter’s canvas?
And then answers…not affirmatively yes…
Or NO
But just NOT NOW
To be true to self
And to others
And holds pillows tight
Despite
A line that forms to take its place
Without worry
Or waste
Or a determined race
Is strong
And belongs
To any word but fragile
Stronger than maybe HE
Understands himself to be
Deeper than he knows
But maybe not…
But not so soft
Or Fragile
At all
This man…
This black man…
That MAN!
I know…
wow! (i'm speechless).
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