Retirement Party

This piece was originally a challenge made by a friend to freestyle a poem on the spot, because I told her I was retired. This is also my first piece in nearly 10 years. So there’s irony in the name lol. Walk with me, IT, HAS, BEEN, YEARS, since I’ve been on stage, YEARS since I was inspired to opened that book, tell my story and turn the page, my homegirl E told me just today, with all these injustices boy the people need that poetic rage. I told her I wouldn’t even know what to say, she said, yeah you do, cuz it’s the same different day, cuz everyday we face the same injustice in a different way. So look these people dead in the face and tell em you get back on the starting line cuz I’m back in the race! But I don’t feel it tho , so should I fake it til I make it? Tell the truth to covered ears and hope and pray that they can take it? I guess God gave me a gift, is it fair that I forsake it? And have you noticed the only letter I been rhyming with is “A” yet? Aaayee! But I could rhyme B with C, and C with D, and D is me, but that’s another story let’s get back to E. See, she told me, I gotta walk before I run, then I heard my grandfather’s voice saying, fight the war til each battle is won, so who knows, maybe I’m not done. I don’t spit no-more, I don’t even talk my no more. Cuz I’ll say some plain English and they’ll take it as a metaphor. I’m semi retired to the game, I got tired of talking to em, I felt like I was saying in vain. Felt like I was taking through em.