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This poem is dedicated to the ART of Poetry.

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WHAT IT IS

Tell me, what is poetry and a P-O-E-T?
Is it someone on stage shouting deities ?
Is it someone regurgitating history ?
Or does it have more to do with creativity ?

I thought a poet was supposed to use the art
Of writing and speaking to touch one’s heart
By weaving their experiences and knowledge they have to impart
Not just by using big words just to prove their smart

Does a poet have to speak in rhythm all the time ?
And does every single line always have to rhyme ?
Does the topic have to be something defined ?
Or can a poet just write what’s on their mind ?

See, I hear so many people saying what poetry is and is not
But who defines poetry and categorizes one’s thoughts ?
Who is to judge one’s expression and say what’s hot ?
And can poetry truly be learned ? Or even taught ?

Can a poet use abstract similes and metaphors ?
And can they be sensitive sometimes ? Or must they always be hardcore ?
Isn’t slammin’ kinda like the art of war ?
And Yo, aren’t there any philosophical griots anymore ?

It’s like everybody sounds like somebody else
Doesn’t anybody’s flow come from their inner- self ?
It’s like they all got SLAM, LOVE JONES and SLAM NATION upon their shelves
And they biting, cloning and stealing styles to obtain fame and wealth

And yea, must every poet say poems that are funny ?
And are poets supposed to stay broke , or can they make some money ?
And are they selling out if they try to put food in their tummies ?
And wind up doing a commercial, a movie, or T.V. show cause they hungry ?

I ask these questions, cause in reality, there are no saints
Nor supreme rulers who get to decide what it is and what it ain’t
The universe has already thought every thought you could ever think
So we’re kinda like old cars that are just covered with brand new paint

We, being poets need to show the art ITSELF respect
So I wrote this to even put MYSELF in check
Cause every time we speak, someone or something we effect
So can poetry be anything and everything ? CORRECT !!!

There’s not one thing in this dimension that by itself can be defined
All energies are co-existing and oftentimes , they’re intertwined
Other times they represent opposite polarities or may be aligned
But they all come from the ONE great divine mind
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So poetry cannot be boxed, cubed, nor pigeonholed
Hell, the word poetry is only 2,000 years old
What was it called before that when a story was told ?
Or wisdom was passed down , say 5,000 years ago ?

Were there people like us sitting around a fire ?
Was competition or community their focus and desire ?
Was it done because acclaim and gifts they wished to acquire ?
Or was it done to truly take the people’s consciousness higher ?

Ask yourself what your interpretation of poetry does or did
For yourself, the world, the universe, or even the little kids
Are you trying to change society or make it in showbiz ?
Cause whatever you think poetry and a poet is
Well hell, that’s what it is...

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from P​.​O​.​E​.​T., released September 9, 2012

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TONY B. CONSCIOUS image

TONY B. CONSCIOUS Los Angeles, California

A renaissance man (Harlem Renaissance that is), TONY B. CONSCIOUS
is the personification of AFRICAN- AMERICAN culture.

He is (amongst other things) A B-BOY, BEATBOX,EMCEE, GRAFFITI/VISUAL ARTIST (known as “THE GHETTO VAN-GO”), Poet/ Spoken Word Artist, Vocalist, AUTHOR, ACTIVIST, VEGAN VEGETARIAN and PHILOSOPHER.

ALSO a member of THE UNIVERSAL ZULU NATION and THE TEMPLE OF HIP HOP. ... more

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