Ayun ([info]ayun) wrote,
2009-07-24 12:27:00
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Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

I.
From half a mile away
In Central Square
Where police still hang
After headquarters moved
Because they are called here eventually
And they like that Italian place I go to.

II.
The unused tricycle.
And the occupied holding cell.

III.
If he really said
"I'll speak to you your momma outside,"
That would be the best part.

IV.
On top of a hill called "Class"
Looking at another hill called "Race"
Or the other way around.
It is hard to tell which hill is higher.

V.
Chapter 272, Section 53
Once applied
To "rogues and vagabonds."
It now merely threatens
"Common railers and brawlers."

VI.
Everyone should be afraid of the police.
Even though no one should have to.

VII.
Amy lived on Ware St.
She sat in my living room
Describing how well Skip dresses
How he smiles at strangers.
That southern thing.

VIII.
Andy had never heard of Gates.
But knows one of the cops
Who showed up in a news photo.

IX.
A Cambridge cop once yelled
Because I came too close
To an exploded manhole.
Then, deferentially,
"I'm sorry. I don't want you to get hurt."

X.
Melissa Harris Lacewell
thought you should know
#SkipGates...likes white folks.

XI.
If you yell at a cop in my part of Cambridge
It is usually okay.
As long as you are homeless
And intoxicated.
Or crazy.

XII.
Malcolm X. asked
What do you call a black man with a Ph.D.?
In Cambridge, you call him a rock star.
Some people do, anyway.

XIII.
I too have had
Just-got-back-from-Asia jet lag.
It makes you crazy.

With all due apologies.

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  • 17 comments

[info]emzebel

July 24 2009, 17:54:57 UTC 2 years ago

This is really rather brilliant, my dear.

[info]ayun

July 24 2009, 17:57:09 UTC 2 years ago

Aw, thanks!

[info]kirkjerk

July 24 2009, 18:04:25 UTC 2 years ago

GOD brilliant.

May I repost w/ all due credits + links??

[info]ayun

July 24 2009, 18:05:42 UTC 2 years ago

Go right ahead. Anything not friends locked is fine to repost.

[info]kirkjerk

July 24 2009, 18:06:21 UTC 2 years ago

Awesome.
And so right about the "yo momma" line!

[info]badriyaz

July 24 2009, 18:10:21 UTC 2 years ago

Most balanced commentary I've yet to see!

[info]ayun

July 24 2009, 18:30:53 UTC 2 years ago

:)

[info]jasonlizard

July 24 2009, 18:56:29 UTC 2 years ago

Nice observations. Take advantage of being crazy and go yell at some cops. ;-)

[info]ayun

July 24 2009, 19:43:30 UTC 2 years ago

If I do that, they'll never let me into that Italian place again.

[info]thelittlebeast

July 24 2009, 19:15:56 UTC 2 years ago

Fabulous!

PS He's one of my favorite poets!

[info]ayun

July 24 2009, 21:23:51 UTC 2 years ago

Glad you liked it.

I actually don't know much else of Stevens - but I should remedy that! I think there's a few of his poems in a collection I have...almost time to go home from work anyway.

[info]pyrric

July 24 2009, 21:10:51 UTC 2 years ago

I know which to prefer!

This is brilliant, and light-years better than the incessant NPR coverage I've been listening to all day. They should hire you!

[info]ayun

July 24 2009, 21:25:30 UTC 2 years ago

Re: I know which to prefer!

Well, to be fair to NPR, I don't think I could keep this shit up 24/7. I'd certainly entertain a 'contributor' offer, though. ;)

[info]encyclops

July 24 2009, 23:54:13 UTC 2 years ago

I don't know if it speaks more to your writing ability or my avoidance of current events for the last couple weeks that it took me until X to be sure this wasn't an already-famous poet you were quoting.

[info]ayun

July 27 2009, 01:35:53 UTC 2 years ago

Nah, just an already-famous poet I'm utterly ripping off.

Anonymous

July 26 2009, 18:11:16 UTC 2 years ago

Gates used this trope himself in Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man (http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1995/10/23/1995_10_23_056_TNY_CARDS_000372419?printable=true) in The New Yorker. Good topical verse nonetheless. Thank you eversore (sic) much.

Anonymous

July 27 2009, 18:29:17 UTC 2 years ago

Raymond Patterson got there first. Anyway, the Stevens is all about adaptive use of a traditional form. Well done!
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