They Call My Work "Nigga Poetry"
Poem by Joseph Chambers // art by Fernando Amaro

I hate the fact that like, i write raps.. and poems.. but i really don't like to rap.. but like, when I tell someone like, YO, I'm nice with the words.. their like eminem or whatever.. I'm like NO its just poetry and alot of peopel say.. no u write nigga poetry.. so i got really upset and wrote:

Have you heard words of wisdom?
I have...
in the sibilant whispers of unseen beings... should I share?
would you listen? to my - not quite right nigga poetry...
cause this ain't poetry, and I ain't wise
I never learned your proper forms, your rules, your standards...
I just borrowed the language
is racism contagious?

surely not to my intellect...
I don't rationalize... this IS nigga poetry
I SHOUT and make this heard
you gotta hear these words... these wise words
like Steven Biko I'll BLAST this nigga poetry 'til they kill me
don't you get it? life is poetry...
well... life is nigga poetry
and this poem, this poem needs saving
I am a poem
won't you give me asylum? political asylum... before they draft me
because wars never end
I fight like a madman to get a bowl of Fruit Loops every morning!
and I'm still wondering where Yellow #5 came from...
I'm still wondering where the first four went!
I'm still wondering,  "Why am I always sick?"

...I'm tired of this fight... I just wanna know peace
the peace of bumblebees and filtered sunlight
I wanna feel the honesty of this nigga poetry
I wanna give LIFE to this nigga poetry
I re-read this and thoughts - BURST in my head... like colors... like fireworks
like I was in The Giver and just saw red for the first time
I can feel the wisdom... I can feel the life
in my nigga poetry
MY nigga poetry
my truth
Todd's truth
Drago's truth
the truth Joseph sees...

isn't truth wise?
and if this is truth then isn't this wise?
if I hadn't learned just a little of your language I might say:

“FUCK your poetry”

I just did say: “FUCK your poetry”
just did it in a way you could understand...

My nigga poetry has a bigger penis than yours.

but...
like Tupac said Life Goes On
so... even if you don't like my nigga poetry
I'll still have MY - Words of Wisdom”