Story Archives 2001

pstrongbThe Po’Poets Projectbr /br / a project of POOR Magazinebr /br / C.D. Release Party br /br / and benefit... cause POOR is in fact PO’/bbr / /strong/p pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TDIMG SRC= "../sites/default/files/arch_img/524/photo_5_supplement.jpg" //td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby PNN Staff/p pThe Po’ Poets Project©br /br / are...br /br / Poets in Poverty br /br / using the Word br /br / to HeaL..EducatE.. br /br / on how to SurVivE..br /br / ThRivE and StaYbr /br / AlivE br /br / Through Race and br /br / Classbr /br / OpPressioN/p pThe Po’ Poets Projectbr /br / a national spoken word projectbr /br / because until low and no incomebr /br / adults and youth get to tell their stories..written by thembr /br / in their own voice- we will not be able to make change happen/p pbCome to celebrate the Po Poets Project’s first CD release!!!!/bbr /br / With Guest Hip Hop artists: The Prophets Of Rage br /br / D.J.SAKE ONE -Sppinnin Sounds of Resistance...br / and MmmmmCcceeee;Lateefah Simon /p pThere will be Food, Music, Rap, Baile,(Dancin) and Ed-U-Ka-Shun!!! br /br / All Ages Welcome!!! All Voices Heard!!! br /br / Open mike to Speak Back TO all “waRs” on Communities of Color and Low and No income folks locally and globally - /p pThe Po’Poets are: low income mothers and children, elders, hipHOP artists, poor youth, youth of color and folks, speaking back to race and class oppression through poetry and spoken word..../p pDonation $10.00-$20.00 at the door (No one turned away for lack of funds)br /br / CD’s on sale at the event-br /br / bwhen:/b7:00pm Saturday, November 10th 2001br /br / bwhere:/b@ The LAB artspace @ 2948 16th street at Capp st in the Redstone Bldg (1 block below Mission street) in Friscobr /br / For more information or to sign -up to read, sing or learn call tiny@POOR Magazine br /(415) 863-6306 /p pThe Po’ Poets are: George Tirado, Tiger Walshe, Jewnbug, Mari, Tanyica Simmons, Ananda, Leroy Moore, Dharma,Tiny, A. Faye Hicks, Anna Morrow, Leroy Moore, Belen, Joseph Perryman, Joseph Bolden, Dani Montgomery, Aldo Della Magiorra, Taisol Lopez, Marlene Sanchez, Helen Campbell, and “Tita” and special guests from The Homeless Prenatal Program, Coalition on Homelessness, Center for Young Womens Development, Youth Speaks, 3rd Eye, and more..... /p pAll proceeds go to the Po' Poets and to support POOR Magazine, a non-profit grassroots arts organization providing media access, creative arts and vocational education to low and no income communities locally and globally.../p p The CD production was made possible in part from support by The Friedman Family Foundation, The Themis Fund of The Tides Foundation, The Creative Work Fund, The SF Arts Commission, The California Arts Council, Raising Our Voices Program of Media Alliance and the help of all our supporters and subscribers!!/p pbEach week preceeding the Release Party we will be featuring the work of three Po'Poets. To find the entire collection of local and national Youth and Adult Po' Poets, click on the Po'Poets Project Button on your PNN pagebr / /b/p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p

pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TDIMG SRC= "../sites/default/files/arch_img/530/photo_2_supplement.jpg" //td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby Mari/p pAs I was talking to my friend asking her where are you going to sleep tonite?br /br / See, my friend got kicked out of her hotel that nite.br /br / i wanted her to stay with me, but she can't because I am homeless just like her.br /br / Then up and here comes this yuppie/dotcommerbr / thinking he's better than me and my friends. br /br / He stops and asks "What is this place?"br /br / WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!!!!br /br / What do you mean what is this place? br /br / This is where I sleep, eat, live, and breathe. br /br / This is where I wake up every morning. br /br / This place is a result of the gentrification you helped along. br /br / This place is the only housing I have left to hold on to. br /br / Then I look back at him and say "Do you know where you live,br / you live in a place wherebr / working class familiesbr / used to live until they got evicted, br /then you moved into thier house. br /Thats where you live.br / /p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p

pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TDIMG SRC= "../sites/default/files/arch_img/530/photo_1_supplement.jpg" //td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby Mari/p pSee, I'm caught up in this system that's made to bring down you and I. br /br / This system is made to oppress our people till the day we die. br /br / This system is called... br /br / EDUCATION! br /br / That's right I said it, EDUCATION! br /br / Where we learn that Columbus sailed the Ocean blue in 1492, but did youbr /br / know he and his men RAPED, KILLED, and STOLE from human beings like mebr /br / and you! br /br / This system forces me to go to a class where my people are put down, br /br / disrespected, and made to look like dirt. br /br / This is where I learn that we are the immigrants of this so-called country, br /br / and about how we crossed the border, well you know what? WE didn't crossbr /br / the border, the border crossed us! br /br / Is this America? NO, this is turtle island! br /br / How could this land be named after someone who is not even from here! br /br / So I stand up and say, Fuck this educational system, and the whole US of A!br / /p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p

pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby Samuel Irving/p pIn a prehistoric method,br /br / I study lifebr /br / From the point of br /br / The culture less exposurebr /br / To the sun, br /br / I am told that I am not br /br / A man even thoughbr /br / My hairs count many years br //p pBut yet affects br /br / Of my so called br /br / Taming ring throughbr /br / The echoes of cursed names/p piBoy/i/p pBecomes my titlebr /br / As I am engaged tobr /br / This field of order, br /br / Unlike the miseducationbr /br / That scorns my tired hands/p piBoy/i/p pI guess that’s me, br /br / Time is nothing br /br / But a beating awaybr /br / From the norm, br /br / For me and relativebr /br / To a common situation/p piBoy/i/p pRight away master, br /br / To pick some good br /br / Crops amongst ignorancebr /br / Entrapping my views/p pBOY IS NOT MY NAME/p pWhile the response comesbr /br / Through the blood scars br /br / Of my back, I am given a nicknamebr /br / That my own people adopt, br /br / But I can’t identify tobr /br / /p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p

pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby Staff Writer/p pThey towed awaybr / br /my house - a car-br / br /It was the last thingbr / br /I owned./p pIt was another ticket,br / br /A red tag day.br / br /They came around early- 2:39 am-br / br /Just like thieves in the twilight./p pI remember shaking in the cold,br / br /afraid-br / br /I knew I hadbr / br /no where to go-br / br /And feeling unlovedbr / br /by all./p pFor a moment mybr / br /mind wanders,br / br /A shock wave of feelingbr / br /runs rapidly through mybr / br /mind and body.br / br /I remember thinking,br / br /What has happened to society as a whole?br / br /As they sit around in ivory government buildingsbr / br /allocating themselves huge salaries,br / br /While others be comebr / br /impoverishedbr / br /by the secondbr / br /homelessbr / br /by the second./p pbr /And finally a red tag day.br / br /No housing and finallybr / br /my homebr / br /my only possessionbr / br /My car./p pPt 2br / br /We now face a bureaucracybr / br /Taking our things to pay those huge salaries!br / br /I am sorry to say my government-br / br /The one I so faithfully voted for -br / br /No longer loves it citizens./p pNo longerbr / br /will the native San Franciscanbr / br /be displaced and disenfranchisedbr / br /by the city where we were born.br / br /It is time for people to raisebr / br /their voices to the city injustices,br / br /put a stop mercenary practice andbr / br /greed./p pRed taggingbr / br /must stop Now!/p p/p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p

pstrongBy A. Faye Hicks/Po' Poets Project/strong/p pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TDIMG SRC= "../sites/default/files/arch_img/533/photo_2_feature.jpg" //td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby Staff Writer/p pThe PEOPLE are being Scatteredbr / br /shuffling along with, blankets, backpacks, shopping bags pushing carts/p pNo more Unity in the poor Nationsbr / br /Park benches uprooted----shopping carts over-turned, homeless people unjustly br /arrested/p pPolice circling around like VULTURES,camouflaged as Human Beingsbr / br /The sick living in doorways, behind cardboard boxes.br / br /Bathrooms locked, water fountains denied/p p“This is a sad state” Thought the tired so-called Bag Ladybr / br /Alone, Mental Facilities sorely tested, Weakened by a gnawing hunger.br / br /From her womb, Misery was etched upon her copper tone belly/p pShe paused too rest for a momentbr / br /Dark eyes glazing into the distant skiesbr / br /Pondering the next movebr / br /Remembering the Peaks of her non-existancebr / br /An old Lady at Eighteen/p pBirds flying in formation, overheadbr / br /Dark clouds floating, silently in shapes of nightmaresbr / br /Her only safe shelter the Blazing Sun, capturing her attention/p p“If only I had a Star to wish upon or Something I can get some energy from.br / br /She stepped upon the wet, well-cut lawn of a Californian City Hallbr / br /Its dampness drinking in nourishing her beingbr / br /Her breast painful from unused Mother’s Milkbr / br /Sticking to her dress, Ragged around the edges of her soul.br / br /Its wetness the Morning Dew or Her Deluge of Tearsbr / br /Coming from deep within a inner well./p pTHE POOR POOR NATION/p pAh, The grass, so soothin to her wiggling toes. COMFORTbr / br /Half worrying about Police Surveillancebr / br /Knowning she was on Public Propertybr / br /Not daring to restbr / br /Because a trespassing ticket, would dip off into her Funds?/p pThe gold nail polish on her sun burnt toes glinting magicallybr / br /Spiraling undrugged thoughts upward seeking SUCCORbr / br /A hole in the Bushy Hedges?br / br /Dare she rest? A Haven?br / br /Her curled into a Tiny Ball! Her hide-away bed The City Hall/p pWith its Black Gold Dome, warrin against a winter sunbr / br /A King’s Ranson, Battling against the principals of the Homeless Nationbr / br /Unnatural Flags, weavin in the Beautiful Breezes, Compromising Life/p pOne Nation Under God?br / br /YO! YESbr / br /The power hunger god!br / br /The prestigous god!br / br /The Greedy Gut god!br / br /And The blood thirsty one!/p pAh, Knowling she signed, Better get a move onbr / br /There is no rest for my weary Bones here.br / /p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p

pstrongBy Leroy Moore/Po' Poets Project/strong/p pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TDIMG SRC= "../sites/default/files/arch_img/533/photo_2_feature.jpg" //td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby Staff Writer/p pI can’t restbr / br /My disabled brothers and sisters are dragged, shot and beaten to deathbr / br /Society is scared of him..Big, black and mentally illbr / br /Take him away and give him more pills/p pI can’t sleepbr / br /My disabled brothers and sisters are living on the streetsbr / br /The ADA has done nothing for me br /Listen to my life/p pGot raped in a shelterbr / br /Got robbed on the streetsbr / br /Three strikes and now I’m in prison for life/p pI can’t restbr / br /28 million dollars for Ed Roberts’ Campusbr / br /Can’t even get my SSI cause I have no address... Does anybody care?br / br /Disabled youth abused in foster car..Segregated in school.. now I’m on welfare/p pMy disabled brothers and sisters are put to rest...br / br /On the streets, in psychiatric wards and in prisonbr / br /But I feel your spirit and anger in my chestbr / br /I won’t rest..Your spirit and anger won’t rest /p p...We won’t let you rest/p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p

pstrongBy JewnBug/Po' Poets Project/strong/p pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TDIMG SRC= "../sites/default/files/arch_img/533/photo_2_feature.jpg" //td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby Staff Writer/p pThirstin fo affectionbr / br /cradle me next 2 mi momas wombbr / br /punches came like tremorsbr / br /hard movingbr / br /hard restinbr / br /momas cryinbr / br /daddy almost killed mebr / br /young lady, no longer a babybr / br /datin n matinbr / br /he’s beatin me dailybr / br /my child me escapinbr / br /2 b beat bi another manbr / brbut survive as seed root soilbr / br /we r outkast in a landbr / br /runned bi vessels dat posses demonsbr / br /dat justify me mi childbr / br /livin on da streetsbr / br /eatin scrapsbr / br /washin up wit paypatowels in public bathsbr / br /mi only means of livinbr / br /u call trashbr / br /Hey I ain’t no garbage!br / br /but u r a garbage manbr / br /robbin mebr / br /rapin mebr / br /Why do u hate me?br / br /FleshBoneSpritbr / br /me mi child growinbr / br /without sunlightbr / br /without spring waterbr / br /growin as one with eachotherbr / br /child and mother.br / /brbut/p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p

pstrong pMore shocks as a possiblebr / dialog to nip war in thebr / bud, br /falls on a one-track mind. /p pPeople, don't vote the wrong guy inbr / we didn't vote in the first place.br / I'm just 'thinkin ahead./p/strong/p pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby Joe B./p pb"DARK STAR" "NORTHERN ALLIANCE" SOUNDS FAMILIAR?/b/p pI thought Darth Vador's dark twin lives and we reside on the "DEATH STAR" /p pWe few rebels of the "Northern Alliance" must decide to end this "Enduring Freedom" or we will surely lose our rights./p pI am for the troops they're doing the jobs trainned for but soldiers should be last resort - secret talks should continue./p pI am thinking these thoughts as I walk under the Bart Station./p pIt seems as a species our Warlike tendencies are still needed, however as with other bygone anachronisms it must be tamed, abandoned, and only used when there's no other choice./p pWe did have choices, warnings, before the actual event but chose to ignore the waking nightmare of Sept. 11, 2001. /p pThese horrible acts will continue until... War as a way of settling problems is no longer an option. /p pThe "Nuke 'em syndrome works both ways, It may be our turn to experience radiation burns and/or multicolor mushroom clouds. Bye./p pbrPlease donate what can to Poor Magazine orbr / br /C/0 Ask Joe at 255 9th St. Street,br / br /San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA/brplease/p pbr /For Joe only my snail mail:br / br /PO Box 1230 #645br / br /Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102br / br /Email: a href="mailto:askjoe@poormagazine.org"askjoe@poormagazine.org/a/p p/p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p