Annotations for Speaker: Kwame Alexander

What's happenin

What's happenin

Much props to my daughter, Nandi, the creator.

Much props to my daughter, Nandi, the creator.

Poet from D.

Poet from D.

C., 8 Rock.

C., 8 Rock.

It's your mug.

It's your mug.

Stage Black.

Stage Black.

My favorite piece of a journal slash book that I'm editing called The Flow.

My favorite piece of a journal slash book that I'm editing called The Flow.

New black poetry in motion.

New black poetry in motion.

Manpower.

Manpower.

Appetizer.

Appetizer.

Strawberries.

Strawberries.

Orange slices.

Orange slices.

Pineapples.

Pineapples.

Grapes.

Grapes.

Apples.

Apples.

So I ask her, What about the watermelon?

So I ask her, What about the watermelon?

She reads me like a page out of the Afro listic Guide to Nutrition.

She reads me like a page out of the Afro listic Guide to Nutrition.

You never mix citrus fruits with melons.

You never mix citrus fruits with melons.

Start with the scratch, and there will be no itch.

Start with the scratch, and there will be no itch.

We must return to the old ways, to the old way.

We must return to the old ways, to the old way.

Abandon that which is new and confusing.

Abandon that which is new and confusing.

Just because it's modern, don't make it real.

Just because it's modern, don't make it real.

It just become temporary, like my job.

It just become temporary, like my job.

Paid 5 G's a week to smile at corporate fearing would be Tarzans with jungled bellies who make 5 G's a day to smile

Paid 5 G's a week to smile at corporate fearing would be Tarzans with jungled bellies who make 5 G's a day to smile

at corporate wannabes who waste no time making well thought of jokes about OJ.

at corporate wannabes who waste no time making well thought of jokes about OJ.

Obey your thirst, drink Sprite.

Obey your thirst, drink Sprite.

Obey your drink, thirst Sprite.

Obey your drink, thirst Sprite.

Drink your Sprite, obey thirst.

Drink your Sprite, obey thirst.

Thirst your drink, obey Sprite.

Thirst your drink, obey Sprite.

Obey Sprite, obey Sprite.

Obey Sprite, obey Sprite.

The blacker the smile, the sweeter the pension.

The blacker the smile, the sweeter the pension.

The slower the walk, the faster the lynching.

The slower the walk, the faster the lynching.

We remember Roots, the latest version.

We remember Roots, the latest version.

Written, directed, produced, conceived, created, marketed, and starring.

Written, directed, produced, conceived, created, marketed, and starring.

Introduction, I don't recall.

Introduction, I don't recall.

Part one, the untouchable, airborne nigger.

Part one, the untouchable, airborne nigger.

Part two, the innocent, crotch grabbing, more than black nigger.

Part two, the innocent, crotch grabbing, more than black nigger.

And the saga continues with part three.

And the saga continues with part three.

The most recent unstoppable airport nigger.

The most recent unstoppable airport nigger.

Caution, niggers.

Caution, niggers.

Mixing citrus fruits with melons is hazardous to you and your health.

Mixing citrus fruits with melons is hazardous to you and your health.

Lately, everything has become sexual.

Lately, everything has become sexual.

The way you walk, the way we talk, and even my job has become sexual.

The way you walk, the way we talk, and even my job has become sexual.

Want to stick my disc in the drive and load my software.

Want to stick my disc in the drive and load my software.

Error.

Error.

Unable to read the disc.

Unable to read the disc.

The program worked last week.

The program worked last week.

So I checked my hardware and discovered that the problem is my memory.

So I checked my hardware and discovered that the problem is my memory.

I discovered that the problem is my memory.

I discovered that the problem is my memory.

Was it French or Italian?

Was it French or Italian?

The tomatoes and olives should be seasoned with feta cheese.

The tomatoes and olives should be seasoned with feta cheese.

Break the lettuce into half inch pieces and then add the croutons and the radishes.

Break the lettuce into half inch pieces and then add the croutons and the radishes.

Mix everything in one bowl and chill.

Mix everything in one bowl and chill.

We walked the slow walk, the walk of zombies and snow.

We walked the slow walk, the walk of zombies and snow.

We don't owe nobody, don't own nobody, and don't know nobody who listens to Garth Brooks.

We don't owe nobody, don't own nobody, and don't know nobody who listens to Garth Brooks.

Khaled Mohamed maybe, but not Garth Brooks.

Khaled Mohamed maybe, but not Garth Brooks.

Leonard Jeffries maybe, but not Garth Brooks.

Leonard Jeffries maybe, but not Garth Brooks.

Maulana Karenga maybe, but not Garth Brooks.

Maulana Karenga maybe, but not Garth Brooks.

Professor Egypt himself, but not Garth Brooks.

Professor Egypt himself, but not Garth Brooks.

How you gonna practice an ancient philosophy in 1994 and expect it to work for you when it didn't work for them in four?

How you gonna practice an ancient philosophy in 1994 and expect it to work for you when it didn't work for them in four?

Silly rabbits, Afrocentrics are for kids.

Silly rabbits, Afrocentrics are for kids.

Grownups walk in the sun, avoid snow at all costs, and attend narrow nationalist pre Afro historic lectures as much as they listen to Garth Brooks.

Grownups walk in the sun, avoid snow at all costs, and attend narrow nationalist pre Afro historic lectures as much as they listen to Garth Brooks.

The phone rings.

The phone rings.

It's 6.

It's 6.

30.

30.

It's not her.

It's not her.

Fresh green peppers, diced onions, marinated in tamari overnight.

Fresh green peppers, diced onions, marinated in tamari overnight.

Mushrooms sautéed in olive oil for three minutes.

Mushrooms sautéed in olive oil for three minutes.

Fresh green peppers, diced onions, marinated in tamari overnight.

Fresh green peppers, diced onions, marinated in tamari overnight.

Mushrooms sautéed in olive oil for three minutes.

Mushrooms sautéed in olive oil for three minutes.

Fresh green peppers, diced onions, marinated in tamari overnight, mushrooms sautéed in olive oil for three minutes.

Fresh green peppers, diced onions, marinated in tamari overnight, mushrooms sautéed in olive oil for three minutes.

I removed a package of Japanese stir fried vegetables from their freezer, where they had been sitting overnight.

I removed a package of Japanese stir fried vegetables from their freezer, where they had been sitting overnight.

Enter mock duck.

Enter mock duck.

Not real duck, fake duck.

Not real duck, fake duck.

Fake deal.

Fake deal.

Real late.

Real late.

She's supposed to be here.

She's supposed to be here.

I'm supposed to be finished.

I'm supposed to be finished.

Supposing it's 8 o'clock and she still ain't here.

Supposing it's 8 o'clock and she still ain't here.

Supposing the game is on in one hour.

Supposing the game is on in one hour.

Supposing she comes at 8.

Supposing she comes at 8.

45 and expects to eat.

45 and expects to eat.

Supposing she don't call.

Supposing she don't call.

She don't.

She don't.

Supposing I sit down to eat by myself.

Supposing I sit down to eat by myself.

Supposing I finish eating and sit down to watch the game.

Supposing I finish eating and sit down to watch the game.

Supposing I find that the game has been preempted by another game.

Supposing I find that the game has been preempted by another game.

I thought he retired.

I thought he retired.

Maybe him just tired.

Maybe him just tired.

Replenish the body, black people.

Replenish the body, black people.

Feed the mind, African people.

Feed the mind, African people.

Reawaken the soul, Sun people.

Reawaken the soul, Sun people.

Chocula for the children.

Chocula for the children.

Food for the dissatisfied buppies.

Food for the dissatisfied buppies.

Chocula for the CBC.

Chocula for the CBC.

Food for the NAACP.

Food for the NAACP.

BET.

BET.

BDP.

BDP.

BBD.

BBD.

You and me.

You and me.

Everything that survives on this planet needs food.

Everything that survives on this planet needs food.

Ask the questions, poets.

Ask the questions, poets.

Answer the questions, scientists.

Answer the questions, scientists.

Probe the mind.

Probe the mind.

Teach the truth.

Teach the truth.

Grow the child.

Grow the child.

Till the soil.

Till the soil.

Plant the earth.

Plant the earth.

Work the body.

Work the body.

Study the mind.

Study the mind.

Watch the people.

Watch the people.

Love the people.

Love the people.

Cross the desert of your black mind.

Cross the desert of your black mind.

Cross the desert of your mind.

Cross the desert of your mind.

Sprinkle water on black brain cells.

Sprinkle water on black brain cells.

Sprinkle water on your brain cells.

Sprinkle water on your brain cells.

Reward your desert with spring water.

Reward your desert with spring water.

Return to the way of the flow of the water of our people.

Return to the way of the flow of the water of our people.

Beware.

Beware.

The wrong river will take you to distant places like wacko Texas, and South Carolina highways, and 7 by 9 foot cells, and separated marriages,

The wrong river will take you to distant places like wacko Texas, and South Carolina highways, and 7 by 9 foot cells, and separated marriages,

and lonely nights, and tapped phones, and repossessed cars, and ripped condoms, and overdue flowers, and 9

and lonely nights, and tapped phones, and repossessed cars, and ripped condoms, and overdue flowers, and 9

to 5s, and renovated plantations, and late retirements, and multiple organ failures, and late dates, and late dates.

to 5s, and renovated plantations, and late retirements, and multiple organ failures, and late dates, and late dates.

And late dates.

And late dates.

Glancing on the kitchen table, I see my paste up, wondering, when will I get tired of this job?

Glancing on the kitchen table, I see my paste up, wondering, when will I get tired of this job?

The three month itch is almost up.

The three month itch is almost up.

When will I retire, or better yet, when will they tire of me?

When will I retire, or better yet, when will they tire of me?

I mix the citrus fruits with the melons, the nicks with the rockets, and escape to my TV room where I eat

I mix the citrus fruits with the melons, the nicks with the rockets, and escape to my TV room where I eat

three months of insecurity, pain, laughter, and joy in three minutes.

three months of insecurity, pain, laughter, and joy in three minutes.

I stood up, contemplate whether leaving the juice would make me any less Afro neolistic.

I stood up, contemplate whether leaving the juice would make me any less Afro neolistic.

Suddenly, the phone rings at 10.

Suddenly, the phone rings at 10.

30.

30.

I answer.

I answer.

The voice asks, How are you?

The voice asks, How are you?

It's her.

It's her.

She who doesn't see the wine, and the glasses, and the vegetables, and the duck, and the juice, and the juice, and my tears.

She who doesn't see the wine, and the glasses, and the vegetables, and the duck, and the juice, and the juice, and my tears.

Didn't I tell you I had to get my hair done today?

Didn't I tell you I had to get my hair done today?

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

She asks, What's on my mind?

She asks, What's on my mind?

I hesitate, wondering whether I should tell her that I mix the citrus fruits with the melons.

I hesitate, wondering whether I should tell her that I mix the citrus fruits with the melons.

Instead, I choose to calm her unnecessary guilt ridden simplicity with the fruitful culmination of my evening long introspection.

Instead, I choose to calm her unnecessary guilt ridden simplicity with the fruitful culmination of my evening long introspection.

Everybody's conscious, but when we gonna eat?

Everybody's conscious, but when we gonna eat?

Peace.

Peace.