by Tariq Johnson
It is a time of Reflection to sharpen my perception of who I am and where I come from. The struggles that my ancestors went through, to overcome the obstacles of racism and achieve their goals. So the positive definition of the word N-I-G-G-A could and would become: Never Ignorant – Getting – Goals Achieved.
I am 58 years old, born in 1964 when Black Power really meant something to my people. We began to organize, unify and sacrifice our lives to change the condition we were forced to live in. My dad was a veteran paratrooper in the Korean War. He got shot in the head on his 73rd jump
into the jungle. He was blessed to make it and conceive me, my brother and my sister.
We were Miracle War Babies born during the Baby Boom era. My mom was part of the Black Panther Movement here in San Francisco. She was a member of the Economic Opportunity Council (EOC) and fought for the free lunch and other activities for us kids in the ghettos of San Francisco.
This was a real life revolution that wasn’t televised. This movement began, and progressed with challenges and struggles, which came with achievements and built our faith. Faith was truly the substance of things we hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. If it wasn’t for that we
would never have made it to where we are today.
I was so proud to be a part of voting for Barack Obama, back to back, and to watch him create jobs and opportunities that will forever be the most incredible part of Black History that my son, daughter and myself will never forget. The man even wrote me a letter thanking me for doing my civic duty.
We are Black History in the making.
May the peace and blessing of Almighty God be upon us forever.
*****
I Said I wasn’t Gon’ Fight No Mo
It’s by Design
It seem like I couldn’t
Fight no mo
So I had to pick up my pen
and write some mo
When things seemed like
they wasn’t right, No Mo
I prayed to God for the power to fight
Prayer prepared me for
every bout to give it my
all without a doubt
My fans keep cheering they
scream and shout
They really don’t know what
this fight is about
I’m not tripping on them
Hollering and screaming
Cause God is the one that’s helpin
Me fight these Demons
I’m tossing and turning
and just can’t sleep
I got to get up and pray
cause this shit is deep
The demons are all over out
there in the street
Nobody said this fight
would be fair
The demons is tricky so
I better beware;
This fight has ups and downs
Crazy twists and turns
If I get caught slippin
I’m going to get burned
I said i wasn’t gon’ Fight No Mo
Now I’m in it to win it
an that’s fa sho
When God got my back
There is no doubt
Im gone get in the rung
and knock they ass Out
*****
The Love of Poetry
Poets like me needs people like you
It gives our minds something
to hold onto
In our times of dire of stress
You give our mind some place to regress
As I sit back and meditate, My pen
is my best friend that helps me contemplate
and participate with love instead of hate
I make the impossible, possible for
you to read and believe
When I write from the heart of my
experience it makes it easy for
everyone to conceive.
It’s the gift from God that makes
me feel dressed with what I’ve been
blessed with. It is the best
way for me to express it.
