Minnesota Youth Gang Research Project Minnesota Historical Society
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0\4 (05.3 Tape 1 G Interview with THE POET 18 year old Black American East Saint Louis Interviewed by Kate Cavett Hand in Hand Winter 1996 at Boys Totem town 57.37 P: My name is the Poet. J'm in BIT lockdown right now. And I wrote a couple poems for these young brothers and sisters can here out here. And here they go. The first one will be Blacks. Project Blacks. Blacks kill one another. Blacks smoke weed. Blacks smoke crack. Blacks on Blacks. Blacks in the penitentiary. Society Blacks. Research When will it stop? Have to be afraid to live on our clocks. Why can't we be proud of what we are? Not a color or a gang, it aU seems the same. I remember a time when we loved who we were. We got beat for it, killed for it, but a few seemedGang to care. Blacks do this, Blacks do that. Historical Ifs all not surprising. Blacks gots to wake up and prepare for our uprising. We're getting labeled, Black people. We're not supposed to be equal.Youth But I have something for them. A first, second, and then a sequel. My people we will not get erased by guns, gangs, genocide, Or any sort of claim for our race. Blacks about to stand up and be proud of what we are. Come on, Black people,Minnesota I can feel it in my heart. A new beginning must come and here is where it starts. BlackMinnesota people wake up, see the light, and emerge from the dark. I just seen last night, another brother has been slayed. We're rapidly dying, Black men, While the morgue and the funeral home rapidly gets paid. I'm about to leave you now, with these words. Do not mistrust. But none can do it. No one except us. Words of wisdom by The Poet. COPYRIGHT: HA ND in HAND, Post Office Box 65522, Saint Paul, MN 55165 - 612-227-5987 The Poet 2 59.57 A Man. What is a man? Are you not a man because you hold your brother's hand? When you were little, you were fine to do it. But now you're older, and you never knew it. What is a man? Does a man have to be hard with a mean face? Does a man have to act like he is misplaced? Does a man have to own everything he knows? Project What is a man? Are you not a man because you have no clothes? A man must grow from a seed to a boy. Must a man hide all his joy? What is a man? ResearchSociety A man is made up of two souls. One of copper and one of gold. Are you a man because you can take another's life? If a man lives by the sword, thenGang he may die by the knife. What is a man? Historical Are you a man because you tote a gun? Will you still be a manYouth in jailor on the run? A man has no sunshine when he is behind bars. Then he knows how precious are the moon and the stars. Are you man when you have achieved your goals? What is a man? Minnesota Are you a man when you turn your allies into foes? WhatMinnesota is a man? Can someone please tell me, What is a man? I am and I love who I be. By The Poet. COPYRIGHT: HA ND in HAND, Post Office Box 65522, Saint Paul, MN 55165 - 612-227-5987 The Poet 3 K: Do you want to read another one? P: Yes, I will. I wanna decide which one should I read. K: You can read several. 1.01.43 P: Well ok, thank you. The System. The system is something that is destroying my people. The system is purswaying us to pick up a pistol. The system is hard. Project The mind game that it plays. The system is a machine that has numbered our days. The system puts poison into my community. The system gave us weapons to kill and progress with no unity. The system is strong and powerful and the things that I must do. The system is a fisherman's hook and the bait are meSociety and you. The system has separated the generation Researchnow from the one before. The system has let us see the generation to come, but have closed the door. The system has us killing our own brothers and sisters. The system has us thinking to care for one another is injustice. The system is harsh with fowl andGang criministic rules. The system is a pack of hyenas laughing at u, the influenced of fools. The system is cautious, not to be madeHistorical the wrong steps. The system is whipping us badly, leaving us with bulk welps. The system does notYouth make me want to cuss. I want to cuss at the ones who fall into the trap. Us. But I can't because I love you. by The Poet. Minnesota Minnesota COPYRIGHT: HA ND in HAND, Post Office Box 65522, Saint Paul, MN 55165 - 612-227-5987 The Poet 4 1.03.36 P: This will be my last and final poem. It's called My People. MY PEOPLE My people, I say, with such reason, We change too much, just like the season. My people, I say, every day in my eyes. Project My people I hear, when a young mother cries. My people, I have, fell in the dirts. My people, I say, it just seems a blur. We are people of color, all of us are. My people, we are close together, but yet so far apart. Mr. Pettiford came and he was such a great speaker.Society My people, I say, we must be good listeners.Research My people, I say, the time is coming. We are backed in a corner and I'm tired of running. My people, I say, it took 400 years. My people, I say, to stand up toGang our fears. My people, I say, we have to stop fighting. My people, I say, and start uniting. Historical My people, I say, we are scared of one another. My people, I say, theYouth community is going under. My people, I say, we are living in flames. We are burning our own homes and losing the game. My people, I say, I must leave you with this. My people, I say, because I am pissed. Minnesota The Poet. Minnesota That's my last and final poem. Thank you. K: Have you written a poem just about gangs? P: No. I haven't written a poem about gangs, but I've written a poem about a gang experience. K: Have you. Let's hear it. 1.05.51 COPYRIGHT: HA ND in HAND, Post Office Box 65522, Saint Paul, MN 55165 - 612-227-5987 The Poet 5 P: The person on here, I'm not going to say his name, who it's about. It's called The Dirt, a part of what has molded me. THE DIRT The dirt I did, it was a shame, Project playing with fire that was the game. I laughed and I laughed til I found myself crying. Nobody knew it, but inside I was dying. The dirt I was doing, no one knew. I had to put two slugs in the man from my own crew. Society How could I do it? Killing a friend? Research At the funeral looking at his family with a devilish grin. If I had a second change, would I do it again? I really couldn't tell you. I killed my best friend. I did so much dirt, I should be ashamed. I wasn't forced to do it; no one is toGang blame but me. I killed a friend. May he rest in peace. Historical I can't understand the demons in my head. Sometimes I fell like I'mYouth living, but dead. The dirt I did, I really can't explain. The last words when he said, when he called my name. Do I feel remorse? Inside I do, But on the outside, I must be loyal to my crew. The dirt I did, I barelyMinnesota want to talk, But the demons in my head at night they stalk. TheMinnesota dirt. I was taught to be better. My morals were supposed to have been fine. But in my thoughts, killing was so divine. You had to kill to show love in the 'hood, I thought. It was set up to be paid for, and like a fool I bought. I have did so much dirt, and I can't change that, But I will try so hard to give life back. Even after tonight, I still have a chip on my shoulder. COPYRIGHT: HA ND in HAND, Post Office Box 65522, Saint Paul, MN 55165 - 612-227-5987 The Poet 6 The weight is on me, like a 50 ton boulder. The dirt I did made me think ahead. It's a sad tale while my friend lay dead. The day in the alley made me feel so cold. To take another man's life, I was so bold. I did not kill him, but it feels like I did. I didn't pull the trigger, but I brought him in. When I say brought in, I mean persuade him to be. He didn't see it coming, those two bullets he received. My thoughts now, is my thoughts daily.