Seize the Times, Be conscious—An Instrument of the Black Radical Tradition
by SEKOU DJALI
in Fall 2024
Trey Campbell, Untitled, 2024
[Meant to be read in conjunction with “Afrikan Revolution” by Imamu Amiri Baraka]
Baraka said I want a poem that kills [sssssssss],
So—right on!
Smile[eeeeeeeeeeeee] Brothaman[nnnnnnnnn],
Smile[eeeeeeeeeeeee]Good Sista[aaaaaaaaaa],
Smile[eeeeeeeeeeeee] all Chilren of da Sun[nnnnnnnnn],
We are instruments fa tha people;
Hear me ancestas[sssssssss],
Play me with your beautiful Black rhythms[sssssssss],
Cause we is outside[eeeeeeeeeeeee],
Dancin fa you,
Moving fa you,
All thru tha streets[sssssssss],
We be beautiful Black people and we be movin[nnnnnnnnn],
To tha,
rhythmic force,
Of the pulsatin flames,
Of the eternal sun;
Black people be conscious[sssssssss],
Afrikan people all ova tha world be conscious[sssssssss],
Tha future is ours[sssssssss],
and we will create on our feet not our kneess[sssssssss],
It is a future of great works and freedom!
[and]
We can not crawl thru life drunk and unconscious
We cannot get high and dance thru life;
[or]
Read the shade room thru life;
[or]
wear vests and red boots;
All of our lives[sssssssss],
Give all of our live[sssssssss] to parties,
And work with no reason,
But live in a prison of white domination.
Be conscious! Black people be conscious!
Negroes! colored people! afro-americans! be conscious!
You know you can run your own life!
You know you can have all the freedom,
and land,
and good life you need,
So be conscious Black people be conscious[sssssssss],
Free yourself soul brotha smile[eeeeeeeeeeeee]
Free yourself good sista smile[eeeeeeeeeeeee]
For tha sun says to seize the timez[zzzzzzzzz]
—right on Baraka! Yea! Dig it!
Sekou Djali is a Master's student of Africana studies at Georgia State University. His research interests are but not limited to, Intellectual histories of Africana studies, African Centered Education Curriculum/Practices, Black (inter)Nationalist epistemologies, Disciplinary Sucide, Anti-Disciplinary and Adisciplinary epistemologies. He is a teacher K-2 at Kilombo Academic and Cultural Institute and seeks to initiate a guidance of Black Studies out of the academy and back wedded to the community that gave birth to it.
