Pedro Pietri aka El Reverendo, my Spanglish inspiration, Nuyorican Poet idol… Resting in Peace, watching over all poets that speak the truth…

Excerpt from my poem Nuyorico dedicated to the legend himself:

Papi said Americanos don't have accents,
except the kind you sprinkle on your food
and pretend that compared to Abuelita's cooking,
your cooking's just as good.
Go ahead, pour some more on for me, call it Sazon even though it's made by Pillsbury
So obvious when the main ingredient is MSG, the message is to love all that isn't we
and the dough boy in the white house just goes Hee Hee Hee!
World War I, World War II, World War Infinity
But resistance existed through Word War Divinities
Coming in the form of El Reverendo Pedro Pietri
who fought a war of no good and plenty…
Yet he speaks to our people, forcing us out from behind tenement peepholes
to find a place where we can all feel equal and realize all along your heart
Knew You were so Rico…When you realize that, that's when you're there…
Welcome to Nuyorico.

I will forever honor his memory…"Ay Meng"
 

I've had this issue on my mind for years and every once in a while, I get reminded that I hardly ever speak out about it and that too is a crime. I saw Beyonce's video for De Ja Vu and I was disappointed to see her be the video hoe of her own video. What did you just say? Yeah, it bothered me to see the part with Jay Z rhyming, laid back in a chair, and Beyonce all over him, and he not once acknowledged that she was there. I know, Hip Hop MC's gotta be so cool, it would be uncool for him to maybe hold her, kiss a little bit, even look her in the eyes and smile… SOMeTHING, but NO!! He just sat there, basically ignoring her sexiness, her overly suggestive caresses. It doesn't matter that she's the "hottest chick in the game" who wears his chain (those are his words), or that she is absolutely beautiful, mega talented, and super rich, she still is not worthy of his affection even in her own video. Behind closed doors it must be another thing I'm sure, but the public message is that she is his token dime piece, really there to sweat, serve and make him look like the MAN. The message is continuously propagated that women are not as valuable as men, do not merit positive attention and respect, and I believe that there is an underlying hatred for all that is feminine… that includes mothers, wives, women, girls, homosexuals, and even mother nature. Even religion attacks women, disempowers the woman, and disowns homosexuals. Some of the most religious people in the world practice HATE and teach HATE, but true faith in God would bring about the understanding that God does not make mistakes, homosexuality has been part of life since forever and women are the true givers of life. Yet, we all call God our Father. Women who did not want to let go of their beliefs, rooted in nature, and pagan traditions (which we still practice today under the sheath of something else) were called Witches and were burned alive. Christmas is not Jesus' birthday, sorry to break it to you, it is actually the time of a pagan celebration for the Winter Solstice. I believe it was a Roman Emperor who wanted to create a larger army to fight for him, so in order to join the Christian soldiers with the Pagan soldiers, he invented this holiday to serve a very selfish purpose, power and domination. I am not trying to stir up any beef, quite the opposite, I am trying to bring about understanding, peace and respect for all people, for all beings, and for our earth. Since we live in a male dominated society, all the way down to our politics, I just want to give strength back to the disempowered and create some equality. I know, a lot of men out there are not feeling this and are probably highly offended… but the angrier you are right now, the more you need to figure out exactly why. If you feel compelled to beat your girl right now or want to go find a gay guy to bash along Christopher Street, you are probably suffering from some deep rooted issues that have been ingrained by society… it's not your fault that you feel this way, but it isn't right either.
On another tip, Bush signed a bill to build a "fence", which is more accurately called a WALL, along 700 miles of the Mexican border. Another wall of hatred, not against just women, but against humanity. hu-MAN-ity… All the wording puts man in a position of imbalanced power. When we hate others, when we teach hate, we go against God, whatever God is to you. If you don't believe in God, it doesn't mean that you don't believe in Love, which basically, they are one and the same. The Religion of Love is the oldest and the newest belief, amen and awomen too. In the name of the father, the mother and the whole family. Stop Hating!

Here is a survivor/rebirth poem I wrote, just so you can see that I have just as much reason to hate as anyone, but I don't, I won't, and I will not let others teach hate without saying something. This is called SHE:

She didn't expect to feel so good after looking in the mirror that night
She tried to get permission from her parents without a fight
She almost didn't recognize herself or her maturity
She wanted to see Al, who had asked her out forwardly
She met him at her uncle's house about two months ago
She liked his moves as she watched him dancing on the floor
She got a call last week from him, telling her he'd pick her up
She liked his voice, remembered his looks and was like 'yeah wassup'
She imagined a house full of young faces, blasting music and dancing
She felt like there could be a start to some fun and romancing
She wore her new pinstriped jacket with a frilly miniskirt
She pulled her hair down to the side like a flirt
She felt important driving in his car, his house was out in Jersey
She got out, was greeted by noise and was noticed by nobody
She sat there smiling, listening, and tried to make conversation
She noticed him drinking, smoking, and not in moderation
She felt ignored, after an hour was bored, wanted to call a cab as she walked towards the door
She remembered her coat, felt a lump in her throat, went upstairs to retrieve it and maybe leave him a note
She was followed and was startled as he blocked the bedroom door
She was shocked when he told her that she really wanted more
She did like him, but she didn't know him like that
She started to scream, hoped it was a dream and kept pushing him back
She fought, she yelled, she lost, she fell
She left her body there and swore never to tell
She let some years pass believing she was at fault
She let him get away with sexual assault
She found a journal one day and tried to write herself together
She realized she was strong and wouldn't stay quiet forever
She now lives her life so differently
She speaks out and can admit that she is really me

My friend Emanuel Xavier inspired me today with the following email. Hopefully you too will be inspired to LOVE and teach PEACE.

Emanuel wrote to me:
It's been a year now since I was attacked on the streets of Bushwick by a group of more than a dozen teens. The police never followed up and their faces have long since faded from memory. The silver lining in all of this was the acoustic neuroma that shifted as a result of the beating and was discovered in time before I mysteriously collapsed one day from fluid blockage around my brain. Today, I only have a scar left on the back of my head, the inability to tear out of my right eye and the hearing loss in my right ear which requires a hearing aide I am resistant to get. Otherwise, most people forget with the flash of a smile I am happy to still have thanks to the doctors. I draw inspiration from the knowledge Halle Berry is also half deaf from a brutal beating which never stopped her from anything (Thanks for the info A.B.!) Though I still feel it was a random act of violence and not a hate crime, because of who I am, it got enough attention to remind us of the battles we must still fight in our own city. It was only months later that Kevin Aviance was attacked in the East Village and just recently that Michael Sandy was killed. Let's not forget Sakia Gunn and Eddie Garzon and Rashawn Brazell and so many others of our brothers and sisters lost to hate and violence on our very own streets or struggling to survive like Dwan Prince. This is not to mention the many others that were simply not covered by the mass media. Stay safe and remember there is still a place in the world for love and peace.

Check out the new poem posted at http://blog.myspace.com/emanuelxavierartist

I LOVE YOU ALL, even if you hate me. The opposite of Love is not Hate, it is indifference. So what you feel you hate, you really have passion for.

Peace Out.