Wednesday, July 04, 2018

e:Merge - Our Young People Speak for Themselves:: Dear Prime Minister :: You don't live on blocks. You don't know jack.

Our Young People Speak for Themselves

THE POWER OF WORDS

In our last newsletter we mentioned the poetry and story telling workshops our London young people have been doing with renown poet and musician Nego True.  This month we thought we'd allow their work to speak for itself.  Get ready because this is powerful stuff...

THEY CALL IT...

They call it Graffiti
We call it art
They call it gang music
We call it...

Singing from the heart

They call it knife crime
We call it survival
They call us gang members
But that's just a title

They think that we're just statistics
I call us young kids with potential
How do they expect us to stay away from crime when our estates aren't even eventful?
They think cause we're poor that we're worthless like a rubbish pile
But we're on road every day, you can call that survival
They think that our lives are a joke
But there's no revival

They talk about the 63 murders
But never an individual
They still think their lives are more important
I find that hysterical
Rest in peace the fallen
You'll always be remembered
As amazing and lovely people
Not just any gang members.


ANTIDOTE

I have the secret to the stabbings and killings in the nations.

I know this might sound basic,

But I know about this antidote that could really help change things.

Most people use it but don’t really engage in it.

If Trump knew about this he'd probably pay for it.

It could really make a shift.

Only problem is

People only use it after the problems raised quick.

They rarely use this medicine before something really bad happens,

Or unless they want something really bad quick.

And the kids, we see this

We deep in it.

We know exactly why you're trying to give us the medicine now,

But we needed it before things got wild.

I got the antidote

This could help kids achieve their dreams

And stop crime from teens.

I know this is going to sound outdated,

But the antidote could change things.

 

What's the antidote you ask?

 

A Conversation


DEAR PRIME MINISTER

Why you so sinister?

You don't know jack about the street

You don't know nothing about the struggle.

All you care about is the weapons.

You don't live on blocks

You don't know jack.

 

You don’t have to worry about your safety

Don't know what we have to do to survive.

It's either ride or die.

 

Every time

Hiding out on the block

Riding

You don't know why this is happening.

Knock on your door

Finding out you're in trouble.