Ariono`-jovan Labu'

Sacrifice

--for Tupac

     For us
     mud children of
     forsaken tribe
     you weighed heavier than tattoos
     hip- hop
       or resistance
     towards unholy governments.
 
     You wore our scars
       measure for measure:
 
     Black
      Loud
       & Proud!”
 
     Learned us
     how perfection only
     blooms from imperfect settings;
       ugliness the subject
     harmony it’s stage.
 
     How all us born
     into this system of tribulations,
       two strikes-
     pigmentations of bruised eggplant
     don’t need for
     capitalistic freedoms
     to know peace.
 
     You illustrated
       our manhoods
     & our weaknesses.