Poetry Suite: Jay Mazyck

FMBM 

I’m thinking of ending things 

and this poem ain’t about telling u why 

This poem not for u. 

This one is for my mom 

Who showed me the phrase “I’m good” can be like breathing 

That these niggas can truly kick rocks 

And that you better build urself up cause sometimes that’s all u got 

Don’t expect nothing 

Don’t ask for nothing 

This poem is not for you 

This one is for my grandma 

Who taught me that love isn’t verbal 

It’s action 

It’s putting ur money where ur mouth is 

Spending time 

Listening 

Love is listening 

And waiting and working 

She taught me that Love is God 

And that God is in me 

Therefore I am where love resides 

This poem is not for you 

It’s for my father who was never there 

Who taught me what distance meant 

Who showed me what absence does to a human 

Because of him 

I know what A man pretending to love you for 30 mins look like 

When he slips up on ur name and calls u something else 

Or forgets ur birthday 

Or never calls or texts 

When he does show up it’s a special occasion 

He enters as of his presence is the gift 

But some how it’s not 

Somehow the gesture is not a gesture but a habit 

And the habit is annoying—no, infuriating—no, painful—no, numb. 

This poem is not for you 

Cause I’m done giving u shit 

This poem is for everybody else actually

This poem is for anybody else 

But this shit here def ain’t for u 

Bring Back Jodeci (1995) 

Niggas be real thin these days 

No depth 

No juice 

No flavor on the first approach 

Maybe After the second stroke 

they’ll spill a secret or two 

Cry about they ex or failed music careers or some other dumb shit But the truth is 

They ain’t filled w much 

Unfortunately 

Niggas ain’t built like they used to be 

The thickness runs rare these days 

And The real buried themselves so deep they’ve become plastic U ever tried sleeping on plastic? 

Fuck that shit 

Im making a distress call 

To the men in the back 

Watching the fraudulent thrive 

And the givers fumble 

Rise up from your seat 

And sing a real song 

W vamps and bridges 

A nice 6/8 like they used to play 

This autotune shit is getting old 

I’m tired of the samples 

Of the post production hiding flat niggas w sharp tones Gimme a man who don’t need to lipsync 

And let me sit back for once 

Brutus and the rest 

I always love it 

When men do that thing 

Where they open up 

But not really 

A very earnest attempt 

At being vulnerable— 

‘I love you’ 

An admirable feat 

When men hug 

The earth quakes 

Sea levels rise 

Clouds turn pink

When fathers stay 

And Brothers don’t die 

And husbands don’t leave 

I like dat 

I love it 

When they care enough 

To try to love 

An admirable feat 

Lovely are the men 

Who love just enough 

Who give 

A fraction of the rock 

Honorable 

Honorable 

All honorable men 

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