READ | Katie Madison

BACK IN THE DAY

Back in the day

when things were cool

and word of the way

was letting love rule

and our school of thought

was taught

in small batches

and subtle doses

I only know

what I know

...and although

we come,

we also go,

and what I know

is what I share

And what I’ll say

is things were cool:

We real cool...

back back back in the day...

What set us free

was when we could be just you and me

taking to the time to see

eye to eye

heart to heart

and spirit to soul

looking back

to track

the crack

in time.

Fracturing...

the rhythm

in the rhyme

that [ syncs | sinks ]

space

and sublime...

I’m just me, and all I got is my word.

Whether or not it’s heard

is to be discovered

Back in the day

when things were cool

and word of the way

was letting love rule

and our school of thought

was taught

in small batches

and subtle doses

I only know what I know.

Although we come, we also go

and what I know

is what I share

And what I’ll say

is things were cool:

We real cool...

back

back, back in the day...

Before the lights come on

every last neuron

was wired fast hereon

our paragon

so our magnetic

geodetic

Afro aesthetic,

Unapologetic,

Nature

could nurture

the future.

There’s few who

take note, too…

What I wrote, you

don’t have to

laugh it off

with a cough

or scoff

this philosophy.

Ain’t got a cost, it’s free!

Made for you and me...

eventually You’ll see,

maybe...

Back in the day

when things were cool

and word of the way

was letting love rule

and our school of thought

was taught in small batches

and subtle doses

I only know

what I know

...and although

we come,

we also go...

and what I know

is what I share.

And what I’ll say

is things were cool:

We real cool...

back

back in the day…

three

sixty

hum turn

bee around

bumble

and I’ve found

some-thing

in the crumbling

t

u

m

bli

n

g…

Mumbo-Jumble

stumbling

I

learned

to fly,

my

only

job

to stay

humble

change’ll come

Kingdom come

Queens’ll come

rearrange income

out with the new

and in the old

led by the few

who choose to hold

the hands of those

that stand

on the those who came

long before

and dug their toes

in the distant shore

what’s in store

is taking back

taken land

take your stack

and a crack a book

take a look

see

who’s

sleepin

on the rook...

white moves

first,

Black moves

second,

but the guess,

“Who’s house”

is reckoning

beckoning

the paradigm shifts

....who’s house is this?

Back in the day

when things were cool

and word of the way

was letting love rule

and our school of thought

was taught

in small batches

and subtle doses

I only know

what I know,

and I’m...here.

...although

we come,

we also go,

and what I know

is what I share

And what I’ll say

is things were cool:

We real cool...

back

back,

back in the day...

I’ve been here before.

I opened my eyes

and carried my thighs...

to the shore.

I stood tall

and dipped

my body in

falling within my bones.

My toes tingled

and, my neck stretched,

as kisses mingled my skin,

skimming the tip

of my lip

and imprinting

the brim

of my hip

delicately

as I slipped

further

into myself.

I remember now.

I’ve been here before.

The doorway was hidden

and the lazy forbidden fruit

was spoiled.

As I gathered soil

from the Earth

I was reminded

my worth is kind,

dead

or alive.

I’ll survive if the head

of the beetle that sings

brings a new melody

to the dew dropping

sweetly each spring.

As the morning rings,

I remember

I’ve been here before.

The water was fine

and what was familiar

was mine.

Peculiar

that familial

loss

tosses

enough

into the mix

to toughen

the fix

betwixt

our noses.

If I go first

maybe you will follow.

I was once afraid to[o]...

but…

I remember now.

I’ve been here before.

To My Sister | ah | a | uh | sibling

I owe you an apology.

It’s not that I...

didn’t know that we...

Well...

I…

I owe you an apology.

the parts of me

that I wanted to see...

that I wanted to show…

...You know…

I owe you an apology.

The pathology

of one's own biology

is substantially

and categorically

reflected

in Our ability

to methodologically

navigate

interpersonal

sociology...

so….

I

owe

You

an apology.

It’s You and Me

and together We...

...Yea.

Exactly.