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The Legend of Jocko Graves: The [I] Wonder [where we were] Years<\/strong><\/p>\n In my Summer of Soul I listed to the Keats-ian Grasshopper That was the same week Woodstock was held<\/p>\n And that Americans landed on the moon<\/p>\n We were singing in Harlem in spite of all<\/p>\n And everything<\/p>\n Contrary to popular belief But he definitely confirmed it Now in my Keatsiian autumn I listen at the crickets And maybe it was I juxtapose the Pulitzer Prize winning 1619 Project To an 18 year old White boy made a spokesman for The Right<\/p>\n Embedded with the conservative press<\/p>\n And offered jobs in congressional offices First running for his health Not given the benefit of doubt People like to tell me that things have changed a lot since my summer of soul<\/p>\n Because we\u2019ve had a Black-ish President What they mean is I\u2019ve always had Black He-roes and Black she-roes<\/p>\n (and I\u2019m looking at you here PAM GRIER)<\/p>\n They didn\u2019t just show up I have always been able to \u201csay to myself what a wonderful world\u201d<\/p>\n And I didn\u2019t learn that at a mindfulness meditation retreat<\/p>\n Or from a Jungian analysts either<\/p>\n A nation of millions can\u2019t hold us down Will it all be better now just because How come it tasted so good?<\/p>\n Is Sir Paul MacCartney right? Yeah, yeah, yeah \u2014 OOOOOOOOOO!<\/p>\n Cause representation matters.<\/p>\n I\u2019m to old to swing So that you can swing for me Representation matters<\/p>\n Growing up we wondered how many times Charlton Heston could save the world:<\/p>\n Free the slaves from Pharaoh<\/p>\n Conqueror the Moors while dead on horseback<\/p>\n Set off the Alpha and Omega bomb on a planet of apes<\/p>\n And be the last man standing in the Omega Man<\/p>\n Until they would pry his gun from his cold dead hands Like Rocky, I guess 75,000,000 American voters thought that Ali, boma ye Shaft came just at the right time, Smooth, Leather clad and funky Sing\u00a0 of Urban Myths and the reclamation of Jacko Graves<\/p>\n The inspiration for lawn jockeys<\/p>\n Teenage hero of the revolutionary war who froze to death It was a myth that became so pervasive, That our neighbors painted their lawn jockeys white in protest<\/p>\n That is This poem is for But before my winter of discontentedness<\/p>\n \u2018Cause everyone wants to go to Heaven <\/p>\n (By Heidi Lindemann and Michael Perry)<\/p>\n (Image Credit 1: Betye Saar, The Liberation of Aunt Jemima. The Berkeley Revolution)<\/p>\n
\nOf sweet soul music that would become the soundtrack of my life<\/p>\n
\nJames Brown did not teach us that we had Soul<\/p>\n
\nAnd he had a lot of co-signers<\/p>\n
\nIn the resounding silence coming from America\u2019s second political party
\nAs they Whitewash 1\/6\/2021
\nThat sees the attempted coup as just another day in our country
\nAmerica<\/p>\n
\njust business as usual
\nFrom the usual American suspects<\/p>\n
\nTo Ahmaud Aubrey\u2019s dead murdered body with sock less feet
\nAnd \u201clong dirty toenails\u201d<\/p>\n
\nShown more deference and respect than an adult Black man<\/p>\n
\nThen running for his LIFE<\/p>\n
\nHad he resisted, three murderers
\nWould have gone free<\/p>\n
\nAnd a Black-ish Vice President<\/p>\n
\nthat it has changed for them<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s just that now
\nThey are widely seen
\nAnd others are aware of them, too<\/p>\n
\nNor COVID-19
\nNor Neo-Nazis
\nNor gerrymandering
\nNor voter suppression<\/p>\n
\nThe Rolling Stones will no longer sing and play Brown Sugar?
\nWithout asking the question:
\nWhy were they singing in it so loudly and for so long?<\/p>\n
\nWere The Rolling Stones just a Blues cover band?<\/p>\n
\nAnd so I sing
\nSing to younger people with stronger arms and more nimble minds<\/p>\n
\nAnd swing for yourselves<\/p>\n
\nAs he lay in a fountain dying like sci-fi Jesus<\/p>\n
\nThat bullshit was real<\/p>\n
\nAli, boma ye
\nAli, boma ye
\nAli, boma ye
\nAli, boma ye
\nAli, boma ye<\/p>\n
\nJust when everybody needed him<\/p>\n
\nWith his own theme song
\nRighting all the wrongs
\nSaving Hollywood and movie theaters
\nBecause no one was believing Charlton Heston\u2019s bullshit any more.<\/p>\n
\nFaithfully holding George Washington\u2019s horse
\nAs the pre-first President crossed the Delaware River
\nTo ambush and murder Hessian soldiers in their sleep<\/p>\n
\nBefore the White flight made them move out of the city
\nAnd into the cloistered suburbs
\nTo hide behind gated communities<\/p>\n
\nThe Legend of Jacko Graves
\nand
\n\u201cThe\u00a0 [I]\u00a0 Wonder [Where We Were] Years\u201d between my Summer of Soul
\nAnd my contemplative autumn<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s just that nobody likes to die.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.womeninandbeyond.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-legendo-of-Jocko-Graves-2-728x1024.jpg\")
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