off menu
don't confuse
what you want
with
what's for sale
united states of philadelphia
part of freedom is non-negotiable
poorest big city in america
but we rich in spirit
(and also capital)
see there’s change in these
couch cushions
if you just take time to dig
we’re just poor in the way
that sidewalk acorns
can’t grow leaves
“poor” the way that movie girl
is “ugly” before her makeover
(but we stan a bitch in glasses)
you might fuck around and
catch these hands
you might slip and fall and
find these hands catch you
cause brotherly love means we will
cuss you the fuck out
if you fuckin up
cause we love you
and brotherly love means when
these streets take one of ours
we take to these streets
cause we love you
our mascots are neon chaos
our main exports are “wish a nigga would”
our national flower is a
little black girl in beads
who saw the police think
they were above these hands
and raised her voice
to sing our national anthem:
“aight, bet”
welcome to
phila-
fuck-around
and-find-out-
adelphia
(try the pretzels)
firelight
part of freedom is non-negotiable
i am looking at the mountain
and wondering the grade
the trek that lies ahead of us
the waters we will wade
though beasts within the forest dark
still gnash their teeth with glee
i’ve got my trusty firelight
and you to walk with me
the road is long and treacherous
and so far we have marched
past smoke and plague and turbulence
and men with evil hearts
and though the path ahead of us
we scarcely can foresee
i’ve got my trusty firelight
and you to walk with me
so take we now, a moment
while uncertainty abounds
we’ll need to keep on fighting
but for now we can sit down
for when the slope ahead of us
reveals its true degree
i’ve got my trusty firelight
and you to walk with me
the internal compass
the first two sensations
were pleasure and pain
the first two emotions
were love and fear
the first two words
were yes and no
observe,
consider,
and act
a prayer while stretching
does it hurt
or is it just loud?
weather or not
lightning, thunder
rain, and sky
calamity abounds
but with release
comes inner peace
and life
from watered ground
the beat within
we’ve spent so long
fighting
over who gets to
lead us
we never stopped
to ask
why our heart
isn't enough
fruit of knowledge
an “apple core” is just
a story we keep repeating
to reject the
parts
of something
we can’t accept
eat the whole apple
seeds and all
full speed ahead
may you chase after
your heart’s desire
with the clarity and joy
of a dog chasing a ball
internal combustion
part of freedom is non-negotiable
the flame burns in the engine still
manhattan to western shore
’neath blackened soot and orange sky
the engine cries for more
we never forget, yet scarce recall
what history’s thrown on the pyre
still bound to the engine, desperate for fuel
—and everything’s cold to the fire