By The Time A Man Is 35

You Say To Yourself, Well, This Poem Isn't Going To Be Any Good, But I'll Write It Anyway.

When An Elder Turns To Face The Dead, That Means He Turns Away From Facing The Future And His Own Retirement In Phoenix, Let's Say. He Turns And Finds Himself Facing The Children.

We Did Not Come To Remain Whole. We Came To Lose Our Leaves Like The Trees, Trees That Start Again.

I Got About Half The Time I Wanted To Write Poetry. I Got About Half The Time I Needed To Be A Father. So There Is Something In Adulthood That Has To Do With Accepting The Half Of Things, Allowing A Renunciation Of The Other Half, Accepting Half A Basket Instead Of A Full Basket.

One Out Of Three Black Men Are In The Criminal Justice System In Some Form. Their Despair Is Beginning To Resonate Through The Entire Culture; That Is Why Suburban Children Want Rap Music.