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[Rhymes/Poetry] [Revolutionary History] [Black August] [ULK Issue 83]
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Mi Hermano: Lost But Never Forgotten

by USW36 of United Struggle from Within August 2023
The blackest pupils you’ve ever seen
       Es mi hermano
A man who wore his emotions on his sleeve
       Angu ndugu
i’ve only touched his finger tips
& even that violated the policy of no human contact
But it’s mi hermano …
i’ve never seen a grown man cry
That’s how I remember those blackest eyes
i literally sob at the feet of the giant
his mattress rolled up at the front of the cage
& me sitting cross-legged on the tier
it’s how I spent my hour, every hour I was ever allowed
to be out my cell.
Had to beg the officer, almost like saying yesa massah
At least that’s how I felt it to me
But at that moment there’s no place in the world
i’d rather be than with mi hermano
His enemies think they got the last laugh
& you should’ve seen how the
badges danced …
The captive told the captor that’s a captive that’s
better off dead
But it’s mi hermano & this is something i
never will forgive!
BLOODY AUGUST 2023
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [Racism] [Minnesota] [ULK Issue 82]
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White in the Mix

by a Minnesota prisoner July 2023
I hear white privilege being spoken
of by people,
I’ve never known anyone graced by that
steeple,
Me and mine came up from the gutters
where it’s dark.
Shunned as no good white trash from the trailer park
Yet supposedly cause of my color I’m a ruler
of this earth,
Never mind the fact that I’ve been dirty and
broke since birth,
Powdered milk and government cheese that don’t melt,
Holes in all my clothes impoverished is all I’ve felt,
People miss the point when they blame race,
Last I checked me and mine are with you in
the same damn place,
It’s about class these days money and property,
The rich on top then us on bottom in poverty,
It ain’t about the color of skin anyone may hold,
It’s about that beautiful equality in communism
to uphold,
Misdirected anger can make a wise man a fool,
Don’t let the rich subtle tactics make you a tool,
I don’t care how you look on the yard my brother,
Raise that communist flag high for that ideal
don’t see no color.

MIM(Prisons) resonds: We agree with the author when ey writes, “People miss the point when they blame race,” but we disagree that therefore it is just about class. The idea of “not seeing color” is common among the conservative bourgeoisie protecting white power, but it is also common among the general population in this country, of all nationalities. That’s why the bourgeoisie uses it, it resonates with many and it sounds righteous. It sounds kind of like opposing racism, and for some it really is.

Yet we challenge the Minnesota prisoner to see beyond eir individual experience to take on a sociological understanding of the world we live in. We do not challenge the facts written in the comrade’s poem about how ey came up, and we agree that in prison, in most cases, prisoners are one class facing the same oppressor. But the poem ignores the reality that there is an historically European-descended nation of people that on the whole are living a privileged life off the backs of the world’s majority who are the exploited. One must put on blinders to the majority of the world to talk about Amerikans as the poor and exploited – and this is a type of blindness that we must combat.

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [New Afrika]
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Forced

by an Illinois prisoner June 2023
Forced to face a foreign decision,
Forced to embrace a foreign religion
Black and white begets a foreign collision
That’s unprecedented destroying our vision

Forced to pledge allegiance
While praising the dead,
Ignoring the living and only free
In the head,
Independent thinking is the
thing that they dread,
Death or freedom is the
Reason they fled.

North Atlantic ocean created
The distance,
Accompanied by an ideology
That made us defenseless,
Proving them wrong
And making the difference
Ancestral pain created resistance.

For removal of chains
Charge them a fee,
Shackle their minds
Convince them they’re free,
Felony conviction
Is slavery for lease,
As the murder of kins
Was the removal of peace.

New rap songs
Spiritual potion
Internal revolution is the only resolution,
Read the constitution and it’s void of a solution,
No black inclusion, so freedom’s a delusion
No black inclusion, so freedom’s a delusion
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[Rhymes/Poetry]
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Ovastand

by an Arkansas prisoner May 2023
Wut Good Is A Mind Without Knowledge?
It’z Equivalent To Packin’ An Empty Gun
If We’re Speakin’ In Symbolics.
Glock 40 Filled Wit’ Dummy Roundz.
Been Lied To So Long Don’t Even Kno How
Tha Truth Soundz.
Bein’ Taught To Hate Ourselvez!
Tha Poor Killin’ Tha Poor, But Seem To Ignore
Tha Onez Who Take Our Wealth.
Kan’t Ovastand If You Fall Fa Propaganda.
Quit Chasin’ Easta Bunnies, No Mo Milk And
Kookies Fa Santa.
Spendin’ Our Whole Life Savins On Theze
Pagan Celebrationz.
Then Tha next Year Slavin’ Sufferin Ekonomik
Depreivationz.
Perplexed By Our Situation, Constrained By
Lack Of Ovastandin’.
And So Easily Pacified By Simplistical
Demandin’s.
Sayin; All I Eva Wanted Wuz Some Jordanz
And A Gold Chain
Even The Scarecrow Had Enuf Sense To
Try And Find Himself A Brain.
So Who’s To Blame Fa Tha Perpetuation Of
Diz Mental Genocide?
If I Dies We Lose 2 Livez Brotherly Bound
Together Like We Were Geminiz.
From A Nation Of Great Mindz Supreme
Mathmatikz And Masta Buildinz.
But Look At Us Now, Our Math Iz Division
And All We Masta Iz Destruction And Killinz.
And Wut About Our Children We’ve
Entrusted Wit Our Future.
Who Are Afraid To Go To School In Tha
Dayz Of Mass Shootaz.
Stricta Gun Lawz Won’t Help Because
Shootaz Recordz They Are All Clean.
So Fuck Ya Background Check!! Give Me
Dat AR-15.
Wut Hunta Needz An Assault Rifle? You
Shootin’ Deer Or You Huntin’ Man??
Anotha Attempt To Control Tha Population,
When Will Diz Nation Ovastand???
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [Black Lives Matter] [ULK Issue 82]
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Aftermath Tears

by a California prisoner May 2023
Can equal justice really be counted upon,
or will it be another Black shot dead
on the front lawn?

Police suffocating Blacks with their knees
Is the new hanging,
All this yelling, marching and burning things down
But ain’t nothing changing.
The list of Black youth being killed
by police grew longer,
but the memory of George Floyd in Minneapolis grew stronger.

We need to start recognizing, humanizing,
and see the unrequited injustice,
never forget the Declaration of Independence
ain’t no fate and irony in this,
we need to fight for Dred Scott
And the dead forgot for emancipation,
we should know a universal equality
will never get passed in this nation.

A cry from the heart,
can’t echo through the cracks,
until the litany end
what it do to Blacks.

Let’s put an end to the painfully
gradual process,
If we can shrink the blue foot print,
we can make an actual progress.

We know reform isn’t enough
We need heart and power
in their voices,
because only aftermath tears of justice
will see rejoices.

4P’s Vanguard

Panther Progress

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 81]
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Gone Astray

by Comrade Tatum January 2023
Ain’t got no time for that Jamaa drama,
let’s squash the squabble, squabble,
and fight for more Black Power.
Wasn’t Huey & the Panthers a perfect example?
I guess not cause it’s still Black on Black in this very hour.
We suppose to be brova’s,
showing mad love to one another,
know what I mean Kaka?
But instead i’m emptying this four-five,
all in ya head wit nuffin but lead “Bye-Bye”!
I guess we said fuck the movement, HUH?
let’s keep on adding to Black problems.
But didn’t George say to the people a promise?
I guess most of you saying promises are meant to be broken.
George, Jonathan and for Bobby all day in vain,
haven’t you caused enough heartache and pain
we all should be a damn shame,
but never mind all that,
let’s remind the younger mwenzi’s why Jamaa came.

Long Live Da Black Guerrilas

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [California] [ULK Issue 80]
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Reggae Song

by a California prisoner January 2023

Chorus X3:

We Black and we Brown Don’t back down! Whatever happens to the people Will come back around, Our roots one day Will plant the ground, Smile to the world Dont accept that frown.

1st Verse:

We revolutionary Native people holding glory. We come from poverty Considered the majority, Jah and Allah know We are panthers and lions. We take a stance And raise our hands against violence. We Black and we Brown And won’t back down. Whatever happens to the people Will come back around. We all want justice and equality No more immigration. No more blood, sweat, and tears Of border intimidation. We are Zulu warriors And Latin Kings. Freedom Asylum Our everlasting dreams. My people African descentdant And Puerto Rican. Peace and harmony Is what we seeking. This for the La Raza Haitians And nation of Ghana. For Jah we blazin This marijuanna. We just want to torch the flame. For liberty We just want to live the same. With dignity.

Chorus X3:

We Black and we Brown Don’t back down! Whatever happens to the people Will come back around, Our roots one day Will plant the ground, Smile to the world Dont accept that frown.

2nd Verse:

We native spirit And Latin-x. Our plan is to take back The land next. Free the refugees And prisoners. This for the semitic village Visioners. We just want to fly high In the sky like the birds. We chanting for freedom Don’t you hear these words. This for the continent of Africa. My Cuban brother And those left in Attica. We forever freedom fighters For George, Jonathan, and Khatari. My people died for this land Rastafari. The dread blood shed For black, green, yellow, and red. This for emperor Sellassie And the pharoahs dead. We celebrating Juneteenth And Cesar Chavez. Our Independece Day To live on the rez. No longer shall we live To be racial profiled. Before we die in hell We will go exile.

Chorus X3:

We Black and we Brown Don’t back down! Whatever happens to the people Will come back around, Our roots one day Will plant the ground, Smile to the world Dont accept that frown.

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 80]
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Reflect!

by a Federal prisoner November 2022
Life’s purpose works us unmercifully.
The first degree is knowledge of self.
The repressed anger dangers everyone around.
The compound is stilled, lockdown!
The wild sounds in between their ears
Are quieted by a cell.
The hell in the mind tortures through silence
The obvious is far fetched till it hits home
The zone of protection lies in the hands of another,
My brother.
Gun in hand,
He stands for a heavy hand of justice
But homie its just–us.
The price of fame is to become lost.
To lose myself is to gain.
I stand here today for my life’s purpose.
The words hurt more than any sword.
No guard or judge can protect you from life.
No strife or burden can protect you from your heart.
From now till your ending,
Are you living your life’s purpose?

 Think!!!
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [First Nations] [ULK Issue 80]
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Warrior's Feet

by Lone Wolf November 2022
  Within the memories that I keep,
Is a warrior’s pride,
Listen close and hear the beat,
Of my heart inside.

  For in my soul the sound of thunder
Echoes from the past,
To fill your life with the wonders,
Of shadows that I cast.

  Because I walk with warrior’s feet,
Left from those before,
All I have to do is seek,
Our ways within my core.

  Ancient blood runs through my veins,
Knowledge that is vast,
All the heartache and the pain,
Oppression that still lasts.

  Reservations are just a jail,
Built without a wall,
To keep us all within a cell,
Except for gaming laws.

  But gaming laws are just a ploy,
So we fight each other,
The privileged few become a toy,
Forgetting we are brothers.

  There’s many Nations that never signed,
Any peace accord,
Now it seems we cannot find,
The way we lived before.

  United we must try to stand,
Divided we will fall,
But as I walk upon this land,
I will never crawl.

  The government will make us pay,
Just to take our rights,
But its a game I will not play,
I would rather fight!

  I’ll walk with ghosts of my past,
Our war will never end,
Within the shadows that I cast,
The ancients live again.

  When I breathe they come alive,
Their hearts will beat with mine,
Even when I finally die,
Peace I will not find.

  From within we’re torn apart,
For paper that is green,
Forgetting where we get our start,
On paths and mountain streams.

  We lost our way through the years,
Blinded by the games,
Losing sight of all our tears,
And our elder’s pains.

  But if they came alive today,
Would you stand with pride,
Or would you run away that day,
To hide the shame inside?

  I refuse to surrender or ever fall,
Accepting our defeat,
So I will stand up straight and tall,
And walk on warrior’s feet!!!

(P.S. This is about how the government puts us against each other through the gaming laws and blinds us with bullshit!)

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[Culture] [Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 79]
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A Letter to My First Love

by a Federal prisoner October 2022

When we first met, it was truly love at first sight. i was a young, wild, Gangster Disciple… and unfortunately i was a parasite. You walked into the room, and… you began to speak. i will never forget your first words: “Dare To Struggle! Dare To Be Free!”

Our eyes were fixated on each others. It was like you were talking directly to me. i was captivated by the things you had to say. i was overwhelmed by your Divine Inner-G! You sent chills throughout my body, but the message i still didn’t quite understand. So you walked over and put your arms around me… and whispered in my ear: “Free The Land.”

The way you walked, and the way you moved, intrigued me. Your pride in being Black was intoxicating for sure. From that moment on i knew that i had to have you… because you were just too much for me to ignore.

So We began to date casually, and… you let me know that if i were really ready to step up and be your man, then i had to let go of my gang-banging mentality. i had to go from Gangster Disciple to Growth and Development. i had to learn what knowledge of the self meant. i had to take time and learn the New Afrikan Creed. i had to learn all about FROLIAN, which you called The Three Phase Theory.

i couldn’t believe how committed to change you were. You told me you had a plan, and i recall smiling at you and asking, so what is this plan? But you had this intense look on your face… the most serious look i had ever seen. Then you took me out west with you to Oakland, and… you introduced me to Comrade Huey P.

I will never forget his words of wisdom. He taught me that to give my life for The People is the greatest honor of all, and that it is better to die on my feet then to live on my knees. He told me that We are at war, and… that the price of freedom ain’t free.

This motivated me, because, all my life i was willing to die over a color or for which way a person wore their hat. i recall asking you why you think i was so willing to do this? And… you replied, “N’dugu, Willy Lynch taught you that.” i was sickened to my stomach, and i couldn’t understand how this could be. So you took me back to The Land–Chicago–and introduced me to The Chairman of the Black Panther Party.

Chairman Fred Hampton was a flame thrower, very charismatic… truly something to behold. i will never forget what he told me: “i am a Revolutionary! i have given my life to The People!”

All the things you were showing me, made me rise in love with you even more. Especially when you taught me about the bravery of 17 year old Comrade Johnathan Jackson, and… when you let me read your personal Prison Letters from Comrade George.

You taught me about Queen-Mother Assata Olugbala Shakur. And… how the Black Liberation Army liberated her from kkkaptivity and got her to Cuba. You taught me about how this racist system tried to murder Comrade Mumia Abu Jamal, even though they KNEW he wasn’t a shooter.

You gave me the lessons of Comrade Geronimo Ji Jaga, who went to prison for 28 years for something he didn’t do. You showed me how this fascist system will do anything to neutralize to the 21st Century Voices Of Total Empowerment… the same way they dropped the bomb on MOVE!

You gave my life purpose and meaning, and for that i will never put anything above you. i honor you on our anniversary, Black August, but every single day i will show you that i love you. i just wanted to write you this letter, my first love: The New Afrikan Liberation Struggle!

FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS 21 Gun Salutes to ALL this Black August

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