Prompt : write a "what got you here" poem.
Today,
I wonder what a degree means...
in a world where peace prizes
prove only to be tokens
and hope only sounds good
in campaign slogans
and love is only as fickle as
the Arctic is frozen...
and tsunamis are only as deadly
as the earthquakes that throw them
and the governments are wicked
so people over throw them
but not before the soldiers and tanks
show up to mow them
down, but we get up
cuz we got far to go and
even after four years
there's shit I don't know, fam
and even after 23 years
there's a me, I didn't know I am
so what does a degree mean
when my world is so damned?
© copyright KrisDeLaRash 2011. All Rights Reserved.
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I feel kinda bad.
I just ruined something for my sister.
She was telling me about this new alternative song she likes called "I Need You Now" apparently by Lady Antebellum. Now, my sis isn't the biggest fan of Alternative music...I can remember countless ridicule during my emo kid days (That's just fine. Made me stronger once the tears dried). But that is not the point.
I told her I hadn't heard the song. Actually, I haven't heard any of their music. And it all comes down to their name which is pretty repelling.
I told my sister, "I just hate their name. A lot. You know, antebellum? The Antebellum South? That's a reference to the South before the Civil War...that ended slavery...? I mean, the racism is implied. I mean, maybe they aren't racist but, just seems pretty lame since they are from the south...so why choose that name? You know?"
You know?
Well, just in that moment, I realized that I had turned into my father.
My dad used to ruin everything it seemed when we were kids. I couldn't watch Aladin cuz it had magic in it (not becoming of a Christian). I couldn't listen to rap music cuz it was profane and violent (not becoming of a Christian). I couldn't celebrate holidays cuz they were pagan in origin (not becoming of a Christian). Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
My dad did not always succeed in keeping me from those things, but he succeeded in teaching me to dig deeper; To seek knowledge. To be critical. And to evaluate based on not just what's good for me, but based upon what really is the greater good.
In the world of academia, it's appreciated but usually this "skill" of mine pisses people off (I ruined Avatar for a lot of people by critiquing the racist, heterosexist/heteronormative themes, and ruined Jay-Z for a friend of mine after revealing that he has stock in the prison system). But sometimes, it really saves the day.
And I guess, this is my little way of saying "Thanks Pops."
My kids will get to watch and listen to pretty much whatever they want. But afterwards will have to write me critical essays. lol
P.S. - I aint sayin Lady Antebellum is racist. I just think their name is SKETCH
