8.31.06 - For Hasan
for the rebel spirit of hasan shakur
by Walidah Imarisha
No stay
There was no stay
We can’t stay
Here
II
Where is ossie
And why did he have to leave us
Because we need
A eulogy
For another shining black prince
III
29
years
old
too young
to be an ancestor
and too old
for this world
he’s gone onto a better place
said the bearded white man
at the candlelight vigil
outside of the prison
one candle for the
eight people
there
FUCK YOU
He fought for this place
He has moved on
But it is not to the peace
Of your white jesus
It is to the arms of the ancestors
And comfort
But he knows
Even in death
His work is not done
IV
107 degrees
black crayon melts
the words burn up
oh fuck
hasan
burned up
we lost again
did we
in the car
outside the funeral home
where they’re going to burn
him up
don’t cry
hasan said
this is yr show
so im sitting in this car
with all the windows rolled up
sweating instead of sobbing
writing
with a melting black crayon
staring at 11
bright-as-yr-blood mesh bags
full of all your worldly possessions
cuz u said
what does crying get you
waste of time and you never had
no time
to waste
so I don’t waste tears
words
or time
and its 6:45 pm
and at 5:58 we still had hope
and at 6:07 my stomach knotted
and I thought I would puke staring at the razor wire
and at 6:18 the press came out
and we knew
that this battle
was done
and you
were
wherever you are
in the sky
in the dirt
in my heart and fist
won’t stop
can’t stop
won’t ever let them
stop
you
I am mourning my loss
Because I wanted you here with us
To see where this revolution thang
Will lead
And I rage at their brutality
Vultures feeding on any black flesh
They happen to find
And they are never sated
But I know this is not
A victory
For them
Today
The first and the last
Time I saw you
You stared at me
With those world worn child eyes
And rumbled
Watch what I’m going to do
Whether they kill me or not
Watch what I’m gonna do
Ima make the ancestors proud
V
Welcome home, baby
I missed you
We’ve been waiting for you
Our arms are here for you
Stretching across the atlantic
And this time
No bars are going to stop us
You can rest
Only for a minute
Cause them
Back there
They still need you, baby
VI
Everyone has to leave this world
One way
The wise sistasage said
You leave in your sleep
Or strapped down on their table
But you leave
There is an African belief
That when you die in battle
Your spirit becomes a warrior
And continues to fight
If they thought hasan was fierce
Before
They have no idea what he can do
Let loose of the shackles of flesh
Joined with all the ancestors
Named and unnamed
Unleashed
A furious storm
A ferocious wind
The blood in your veins
Singing in your ears
Telling you
Yes
Yes
We can do this
He’s in the whirlwind now
And if they thought he was trouble
Before…
VII
an avenging
warrior spirit
there is joy
in this
He is a body
This is war
And there are bodies
There will be bodies
Either way
Fight or run
Confront or cower
Bare our teeths
Or grin and bear it
We will die
It ain’t like
We never seen blood before
Fight for freedom
Or live this shadow existence
Of death
Hasan chose life
VIII
I wish
I coulda
Written
You free
But words
Are no good
For getting free
Just for writing directions
So others can follow
But they don’t lead
The way
Only your feet do that
IX
We will honor
You
With tears
And
Bullets.
That’s the only eulogy
You wanted