XXVIII A Revolutionary Start
“A Revolutionary Start” the poem I wrote and was awarded the grand prize for when I was 17 years old, revisited for the first time in years you can see the video here and/or read it below:
I’m not a poet.
But What I say comes from my heart.
It may not be enough, I know,
But I know that it’s a start.
I’m not a poet,
Because I can’t put my heart into words.
Who am I?
I’m Alec Stephens III.
And in case you didn’t know,
Total Freedom are my words.
All this talk about “keep the dream alive?”
Well you better first revive.
Because these are the days that we struggle to survive.
And while King’s Dream dies,
The American Nightmare thrives.
But what is “the dream?”
You seem to know,
Or so you’d like it to seem.
I try to be kind to everybody, because that’s what I do,
But let me ask,
What happens when you see me and my multicultural crew?
What? You don’t remember? You caught that amnesia flu?
Well I have a good memory.
I’ll help, I’ll remind you.
Often times you ignore me,
When five times I greet you.
Do you consider me a threat?
Or just inferior to you?
How would I know?
You never gave me a clue.
Do you think this entertainer is just happy and content?
Im not, and I’ll remain unsatisfied until the day I can repent.
I had wild younger days,
My mind was often in a daze.
Reminiscing on my wasted years,
I have my dreams when I’m asleep,
When I’m awake I have my fears.
I don’t claim to be rapper,
I don’t claim to be a writer.
But I’ll tell you one thing,
I’m a lover and a fighter.
I entertain to ease my pain.
I bring the drama, so I don’t bring the tears.
You don’t want to see me cry,
Because then you’d know why.
The tears of a clown pour down,
When there’s nobody around.
But let me come back here to this thing,
This honoring of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Far more important than his dream,
Were his words to “Let Freedom Ring.”
Now, instead of Civil Rights.
We’re plagued with constant gun fights.
It’s some cold hard days in the battle for human rights.
Oh, don’t be fooled, it’s bigger than blacks and whites.
There are grays and greens and blues,
There are beautiful days after stormy nights.
Let’s find the truth.
Let’s do what’s right.
Let’s make the Sun come up,
On this hard day’s night.
All you have to do,
To make the Dream grow.
When you pass me or anybody,
Be sure to say, “hello.”
I know it’s not enough.
Like I said in the beginning.
But you do your part,
And I’ll do my part,
And what we’ll have,
Is a Revolutionary Start.
Reflecting on this piece all these years later, it’s amazing to me how relevant it still feels to me now. We elect a new President on Wednesday, let us remember that we are just getting started with the work that needs to be done. We can simultaneuosly celebrate the historic election of the first Black BIPOC Woman as Vice President. We can celebrate, and keep pushing the conversation forward.
