Spoken Word Version - Poetic Prince Brother Gil Scott Heron

Leps House

Tuesday, May 1, 2011

Poetic Prince Brother Gil Scott Heron

Found language in the microphone last night
belonging to you brother
aspire to libretto brow
profess patois

my intro to Gil "In The Bottle"
meant more than just being in the wine bottle
it meant that in 1974 everybody was breaking out
like Gil . . . breaking out Billie, Nina, Coltrane, Hughes, Huey, X

he was not just "Pieces of a Man"
he was a man
he was our brother man
let's beat the congas and play the saxophone in the street
for our brother man

stumbling across dominance
spotlight a shone
upon your throne
East Village our home

to Baldwin's rainy days
a crowded Synagogue occupied
gathering Haven, Ginsberg and Ferlinghetti
mirrored Bohemian men threaded skin
the dead end
near Christopher Streets lonely bar

I too stumbling down doomed alleys
burden consciousness; seeking answers
toting burnt glass pipes
chiming baggy interior of a suit jacket
chasing you brother
chasing you brother
chasing you Gil into a new nightmare
alone and scared

no place left to hide pain
crack rat poisoning eating your membrane
you continue to protest
through the thruway of a boiled soul
spewing out necessary testimonies

I hear you
I hear you . . . our Poetic Prince lost
like us all

knowing you in stages
knowing you in stages
like black ink on white pages
your undeniable truth
shattering apprentice minds

we continue to protest
we protest with you
protest for you
protest before and now
through our microphones
we all speak . . . spoken utterances
Troupe, Last Poets, Baraka, Corso and Sanchez . . .

we all speak for you brother
we all walk with you brother
we speak
we speak
we speak . . . for you brother

© 2011 Lepadah



Poetic Prince Brother Gil Scot...
NEW COMMENT!
Wow breath taking poem here. Enjoyed the strength displayed here. I wish I could really sum up what I thought and felt while reading this poem in a single word, but that word does not exist. Very very mature and profound piece, and instant fav, I look forward to reading more of your works Bravo Poet

-Kenz
love peace and poetry