D.Greaves http://dgreaves.posterous.com Well Veresed. Never Rehearsed. posterous.com Sun, 20 Feb 2011 01:51:00 -0800 THE MAN I AM (I AM D'EE) http://dgreaves.posterous.com/the-man-i-am-i-am-dee http://dgreaves.posterous.com/the-man-i-am-i-am-dee

Dee

Here I sit

content

surrounded I am by those who know

THE MAN I AM

and accept me for the

beautiful

fractured

faulty

Dee-fiant proud Black man

I have finally become

the smoke of my vanity tossed onto the bonfire

glows red like the envy of those who seek to be me

yet refuse to confront the reality

of their mypoic vision

with a gem gutter's precision

I have shaped my black diamond heart into a pendant

I wear with honor

with an assassin's 20/10 vision

I received permission to destroy the old D'ee

what I was

or rather,

what you claimed I chose to be

with an emancipator's descision

I have broken free of rusted chains

to reclaim

my name

and refocus my aim

free of derision and pain

and now finally I am surrounded by those who know

THE MAN I AM

 

No declaration of love is needed

for we noble few seeded

ghetto fields once barren and devoid of life

no wife

ex or current

no deterrent

can break our bond forged in the battles we have fought

and survived

so my brothers

continue to imbibe

while I scribe

writing with blood captured when my heart leaked

7 days prior

from a desire

to be a fool

participating in an atmosphere of sycophantic erotic worship

never has that been me

for long ago I was told real men make love

to real women in secrecy

and tell only tales of devotion

of unconditional love and emotion

remember those

who were resold into bondage

the names we blasted on tenament walls as a remembrance

rest in peace brave soldiers

you were much bolder

than I

your only fault was believing in those professed love for you

but never bled at your side

when the rising tide

of deciet

was within mere feet

of our fortress of solitude

so what am I to conclude

as I sit with those who know

THE MAN I AM

 

Ghetto years akin to dog years

I am not 45

I am 215 years old give or take a leap year

what have we witnessed my brothers

the destruction of bonds

the exile of trust

the taste of acrid dust

the bile of misplaced lust

the Utopian dream of Camelot fictitious

as the swords we thrust

into a fantastical illusion

and despite these untimely intrusions

we could never lie

not while looking into our eyes

not reaching for the sky

not when our souls asked why

and not even when collectively we received nothing but questions

and the only answer was

the repression

of our natural selection

to be kings

the finer things

I have never sought

I never allowed my worth to be bought

or bartered

a self-starter

I have been time after time

and here finally is my reward

as I find

myself surrounded by those who know

THE MAN I AM

 

Not in words

not in blurbs

not in blogs

not in love senitment etched in logs

but in my devotion

in my emotions

in sterotypical notions

I have dispelled

hear me know

did I not live to tell

not in wishing wells

not in a damsel's fainting spell

but in the lofty place I reside

in Black Pride

in truth I relied

when through falsehood and rumor many

men have died

desptie

the sweet words whispered by women

who defied

the calling of angels to unite

and now I fight

not with pen

not to upend

not to pretend

not to bend

nor break

nor ever forsake

who I am and the promise of what I can be

I AM THE D'EE

yes indeed

I ponder much as I sit surrounded by those

who know

THE MAN I AM

 

The music of our shared birthright

lingerts upon this night

the suspicion of those outside

remains outside of our sphere

as we shed happy tears

and recall the years

apart

our hearts

filled with joy

as we recount the journey of a man

from a boy

each and every man present facing death by choice

our palms moist

with anxiety

as we

remember details

that would render even the spirit's pale

and yet

we refused to fail

refused to consign our fates to any man or woman's

Holy Grail

and yes

still our dreams do sail

for we finally have a comprehensive plan

such is my thoughts as I sit surrounded  by those

who know

THE MAN I AM

 

They ask me

why 7 days prior did you not call

why did you choose to fall

alone

why not pick up the phone

why not roam

why did you not reach out to us brother

we heard your plaintive moans

but we know

you being the man you are

you willingly decided to spar

with the demon

but damn

you could have died

your brillaint mind could have been fried

your blessings could have been denied

dammit Brother D'ee

WHY!!!

I smile and respond quietly

because.....

I AM THE D'EE

and I knew instinctively

that my pain would have caused a malestrom of mayhem

to commence

you brothers know the Obeah blessed me

with a 6th sense

I am your brother

a man without pretense

densely

layered

I compare

to no man past, present or future

yes I admit my heart was bleeding

and I sutured

it on my own

and I have grown

to accept the dynamic force I represent

but without the time spent living

within the Hades

of my misery

I would not be here

at this very moment

surrounded by those who know

THE MAN I AM

 

A reluctant leader

I have always been

yet a friend I have been

in the end

my love and undying gratitude for the women I have met

such are my words of respect

for each and every one set

the bar higher

gave me goals to reach

and dreams to aspire

need I say

they inspired

me

to be D'ee

for I have confirmed some salutations

and outright denounced accusations

to secure my station

and pour libations

to the D'ee that once was

and hell yes

from this day forward refuse to be

for even those amongst me know not

the contant evading of shots

the mental rot

the boiling pot

the cauldron of discontent

that I refuse

and what did I have to use

as defense

for refusing to be sold out for sixpence

my mind

one shaped so formidably that it is illegal

in 50 states

a fate

only God can determine

a preternatual sense of vermin

who smile

and utter blaspemous betrayal

all the while

not knowing with guile

I file

away

the time, the place

the day

not for personal retribution

but for my absolution

have they despite their treason

put a halt to my elocution

my verbosity

speaks of a singular  and spectacular curiosity

listen to me

as I speak this truth

the uncooth

must live with the absolute proof

of my rebirth

the reverse of their curse

the brothers who were not brothers

shall never find another soul sibling

like me

the women who thought so bold

to obtain a copyright

upon my my soul

have been sued

I have fought hard to retain control

of my being

thus

the man you are seeing

is an amalagamation

an independent declaration

of freedom personified

and for this man to be free

the old D'ee

had to die

and THAT is why

on this  night

I sit amongst you my brethren

 

AM I NOT PROUD

AM I NOT BRILLIANT

AM I NOT DEDICATED

AM I NOT EMANCIPATED

THE WORLD HAD A FIRM GRASP

ON MY MANHOOD

AND I FOUGHT WITH FEROCITY

REFUSING TO BE CASTRATED

SO AM I NOT A SHINING EXAMPLE

THE EPITOME

OF WHO A BLACK MAN IS

AND WHAT A BLACK MAN SHOULD BE

YES

BY THE SPIRIT'S DECREE

I AM

AND FOREVER WILL BE

THE D'EE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FOR

FINALLY I HAVE ASSUMED MY RIGHTFUL PLACE

AND HAVE BEEN CROWNED A KING AMONG A SELECT FEW

I HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

TO REPRESENT THE BLACK MALE ESTHETIC

AND HERE I SIT

WITH MY FAMILY

COMFORTED TO BE AMONGST THOSE

WHO TRULY KNOW

 

THE MAN I AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/993135/www.dgreavesthepoet.png http://posterous.com/users/1kW0JkHfQfeh Darwin Greaves D'EE Darwin Greaves
Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:53:00 -0800 AFRIKAN HYPHEN AMERIKKKAN http://dgreaves.posterous.com/afrikan-hyphen-amerikkkan http://dgreaves.posterous.com/afrikan-hyphen-amerikkkan

Bars

It was the hyphen that killed me

not the new afrikan or the amerikkkan

my name is Shareef Allah

illustrious god.

Which is ironic because where I am going

there is no luster nor a God

in my human form I was an inmate

at Pelican Bay maximum security prison

in Del Norte county

California

275 acres of pure pergatory

home of 3450 victims

5 advocates for the devil and 2 antichrists

lest I forget anyone forgive me

but it is hard 2 concentrate with all this heat

being produced by the bowels of the earth

a small roll call 4 allies and enemies

the aryan brotherhood

la eme or mexican mafia

nuestra familia

the Texas syndnicate

the rollin sets crip and blood

black guerilla family

nestas

united blood nation

folk nation

people nation

dc blacks

dead man incorporated

the vice lords

gangster deciples

ms 13

not 2 mention the Dominicans

Columbians

Cubans

Jamaicans

and various men of lethal ability not affiliated with

specific sets but possessing specific knowledge necessary 4 

survival on the killing floor

I went 2 college in Compton

and achieved my doctorate in long beach

dont believe that shit about Tupac

he wasnt a gangsta

but made a...lets say miscalculation

and paid the price 4 actin like one

thank God 4 Reagan and the sac town repubicans

under his administration we went

from Saturday night specials

2 Sunday morning massacres

he not only ignored the plight of aids patients

but the plight of neglected communities 

begging for any kind of aid

its all good  though

God bless the national rifle association

and various well intended affiliates  

4 blessing the sets with firepower

rivaling the armed forces of this great country

 

It was the hyphen that killed me

not the new afrikan or the amerikkkan

my name is Shareef Allah

illustrious God

which is ironic because where I am going

there is no luster nor a God

excuse any misspellings

it is dark and hell is hot

shout out 2 dmx

I was in human form an inmate

at angola state prison in louisiana

wonderful locale for a prison I must say

surrounded by 3 sides by the Mississippi river

hell...catfish can kill a man in that muddy roller

Angola

the home of 5002 victims

6 advocates for the devil

and 3 antichrists

oh..and a beautiful

state of the art execution chamber

please keep in mind when I use the word victim

I dont mean no disrespect to those whom we have

murdered

mutilated

raped or ratted out

nah..see we are among the black population

victims of the hyphen

the netherworld that exists between afrikan ideology

and amerikkkan ideals

as a result we 

hesitiate

with no permanent affiliation based on being

a hyphen decaf fiend nated people

we long 4 brotherhood

any form of brotherhood

and will kill 2 remain in the brotherhood

I dont expect you 2 truly understand

its all good

you dont have 2 worry about me anyway

I am about 3 stones from the sun

aka hell

or is that the planet earth

can't tell which is which sometimes

 

It was the hyphen that killed me

not the new afrikan or the amerikkkan

my name is Shareef Allah

illustrious God

which is ironic because where I am going

there is no luster nor a God

I must give love 2 the systems of supermax

that turned me from a fiend into an armed and dangerous

human being

roll call 4 pergatory

 

Holman in Alabama

usp or united states penitentiary in Tuscon Arizona

Varner in Arkansas

Csp in Florence Colorado

Vsi in Somers Conneticut

Florida state in Railford

Usp in Atlanta GA

Idaho Max in Boise

Tamms Correctional in Illinois

Wabash Valley in Carlisle Indiana

Usp in Leavenworth Kansas..what they downgrading 2 medium..put an ass at risk next 2 this one

 

Kentucky State in Eddyville

Maine State in Warren

North Branch in Maryland

massa nigga you sit correctional in Massachusetts

Minnesota Correctional in Stillwater

Miss State Pen in Sunflower County

Jefferson City in Missouri

New Hampshire state in Concord

New Jersey state in Trenton

 

 

New York..concrete dreams where..sorry 

I love that damn song

 

Attica

sing sing

and Southport in New York

Ohio State in Youngstown

okie state in Oklahoma

Usp in Lewiburg PA

Riverbend in Tennesee

Estelle in Texas

Utah State in the Mormon State

Wallens Ridge in Virginia

Wisconsin State in the Whiskey State

 

As you can clearly see..when it comes 2 prisons

we as a country cant stop

wont stop

shout out 2 P Diddy 

or Puffy

or Shawn

dont blame him 4 Big

Big was from Brooklyn man

and any cat from Brooklyn

who is street wise know the game

inside and out

they got esp

emergency secure positioning

they dont walk into an enemy camp 

unless they temporarily forget..

the street creed

Big had street cred..in Brooklyn

in New York

Big had street dead in Cali

lions and tigers are both cats

dont make em friends dig

oh man

I gotta go

they got a line forming

can you believe this shit

how they gonna take my homemades

in hell

damn

a brother cant even get justice from satan.

 

 

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All Poetry by D.Greaves/Darwin Greaves by D.Greaves-Darwin Greaves is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/993135/www.dgreavesthepoet.png http://posterous.com/users/1kW0JkHfQfeh Darwin Greaves D'EE Darwin Greaves
Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:12:00 -0800 A BROTHER SPEAKS (SEVEN FOR THE BLACK MAN) http://dgreaves.posterous.com/a-brother-speaks-seven-for-the-black-man http://dgreaves.posterous.com/a-brother-speaks-seven-for-the-black-man

Brotha_speaks

1-Qualification without quantification is a losing situation. Who are you brother? What do you represent? Place a mirror directly in front of your soul and examine any imprefections before society deems you impervious to intellectual stimulation. Know your strengths and, more importantly, your weaknesses. Determine if you are qualified to wear the crown handed down by your ancestors. If, by chance, you are not worthy be the first to make that assessment. Though you were the first to receive blessings in the human race it is not how fast you run but where you place at the conclusion of the race. Define who you are and what you will represent. If you do not the world is waiting to define who you are. Rest assured  it will not be a definition based on the quantity of your qualification but the paucity of your lack thereof.

 

2-Speak as if the world is listening. Do not whisper in secrecy for you are indeed known the world over. Your words are constantly being scrutinized and, for the benefit of a larger society, desensitized. If you are bold enough to speak be prepared to bear the brunt of felonious assaults upon your character. You own NOTHING but the words you utter and the ground you temporarily occupy. So stand strong and shout to the world: I AM A PROUD BLACK MAN and be willing to accept the inevitable consequences such a declarative statement will produce. Quite simply, it is your duty to your heritage.

 

3-Do not be lauded by the world and loathed by your own. Hypocrisy in the form of self-aggrandizement(act of making oneself more powerful in a ruthless way) is worse than death for you will be forced to live within your hypocritical cocoon forever. If there are frowns on the home front and smiles among those you encounter outside of the home you are not whom you SAY you are. Thus you will be the man a cynical world DETERMINES you to be. Therefore, when the adulation of the public takes a negative turn, you will be left without a home. Without a cause or clue. Lost and adrift in a world alien to your desires and needs as a black man.

 

4-Do not stop the violence. PREVENT the root of violent behavior. Show the young princes in training the stigmata on your soul. Do not speak above them for their world is a much more ruthless place than  your own. They are confused and hurt by lack of mentorship. Lack of opportunity and a wandering passion produces an explosion of sensory perception. How can the young lions know WHO they are if you do not ADMIT what you once were. Show them that survival begins with PREVENTION and not APPREHENSION.

 

5-You cannot love your mother and curse the mother of your children. Ultimately, it is your CHOICE whom you determine to be with. Quite frankly my brother, if she is a "bitch" then you are a "bitch" for as the old saying goes: birds of a feather, flock together. Appreciate what she has given you in the miracle of your children. Above all understand this my brother. The woman in your life now will define the man you are by WHAT you say. If she hears you constantly disparage whom you were once with she will undoubtedly lose confidence in what she represents to you. Unless of course she is, as you continue to be, a quote-unquote "bitch".

 

6-Do not desecrate a person's beilefs if you are in the process of losing your "religion". It is not your duty or calling to question another man's attempt at survival. No. The embodiment of a TRUE  man of faith is a man who walks with a SACRED DIGNITY AND GRACE. He instinctively KNOWS what he prays for and whom he prays to. Religion is not a sword of Damocles my brother. It is, under only extreme circumstances, to be used as the sword of the righteous. If you are using said sword in any other instance you are committing the ULTIMATE SIN. For, now you have deemed yourself:GOD!

 

7-Weep once and taste the salt of your tears. Weep twice and examine the root of your fears. Weep thrice and you will be a victim of your fears. As a man it is your RESPONSIBILITY to shed tears. As a black man it is your right. Yet, once the tears dry, you must examine the source of the pain that produced them. The world is not fair in its assessment of the black man but it is downright negligent in its assessment of the BLACK WOMAN. She desries to comfort you in times of pain and shame. She needs to know you are a man with the propensity to cry in times of hurt. Brother, once those tears dry you MUST find the reasons for them falling initially. You must QUALIFY and QUANTIFY those reasons and use the salt from those tears to become THE SALT OF THE EARTH. Lastly brother remember this always. KINGS are crowned by DEGREE and DECREE. By the degree of pain they are willing to endure to be decreed KINGS. Claim your throne BLACK MAN...if..YOU ARE WORTHY.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/993135/www.dgreavesthepoet.png http://posterous.com/users/1kW0JkHfQfeh Darwin Greaves D'EE Darwin Greaves