Click here to listen to Blackman Preach read this poem.

Stray bullets still ring out around South Minneapolis

the 34th block & Chicago—

as the Fall season stands still for Tyesha—

Tyesha Edwards the intellectual

they’re killing our messengers

in who’s time

there was no time

as tears pierce the blue siding

where the sobbing will never end for the guardians

of Tyesha — who signed their very last permission slip—

for their daughter?

To go on an eternal trip with Jesus

y’all need to hug

someone close to you

‘cause promises don’t come tomorrow

and there is no guarantee.

Headlines read, “In Another Country She’d be Alive!”

which to me — is a blanket statement and the independent writer

in the Newsroom

of the Star Tribune probably lives in

Edina or Bloomington, Minnesota

where their children DO NOT have to worry

as — stray bullet still ring out around South Minneapolis

the 34th block & Chicago

where random bullets has copyrights for yet another life

while the young thugs who were playing war-games

in the bright hours of the day

have me walking—

have me walking—

walking the stairs of the United Methodist church

as — a downward spiral of intense agony for

Brandon Hall & Tyesha Edwards family’s

combined sobbing paralyzed

my

knees

& I am motionless

erect in the worship-house with the mourners of this

young messenger who left written documents of,

oh, how she loved Jesus—

oh, how she loved Jesus—

oh, how she loved… Jesus?

as my anger upstaged questions to answers,

I will never receive alive.

So, I will continue to pray with open-eyes

for clarity

as the procession leads to the resting place

of this adolescent warrior

who America could not protect from it’s own gang wars

as shots for Brandon & Tyesha still ring out downtown

& South Minneapolis

the 34th block & Chicago

with messengers leaving the world violently

so does one enter the world violently

with a mission from the creator

“get the message to the people in the struggle before the

harvest comes.”

And to those who have had enjoyment while allowing

God’s children to suffer in unsafe communities

where bullets pierce the hearts of families

around the world to date

& the perspective is kind of grim for the members

of the dearly departed Tyesha Edwards—

as I said in the beginning

I’ll say to the end…

Stray bullets still ring out around South Minneapolis

the 34th block & Chicago.

The preceeding words are lyrics from the CD State of the Ghetto Address

Click here to listen to Blackman Preach read this poem.

Blackman Preach has the following statement about this poem:

This piece was dedicated to Brandon Hall, the University of Minnesota Football player who was murdered and Tyesha Edwards, an eleven year old African American girl who was shot and killed instantly while doing her homework with her little sister. These two deaths had an effect on me, the U of M campus and the community at the time. Peace

Note: The weekend of November 17-18, 2007 at the Upper State (New York) Independent Awards, Blackman Preach took home the plaque for the Best Poet. Blackman Preach believes it is very important to thank those who took time out and voted for him. If you think the lyric and music production on Bumpy Tymes was serious, just wait until you see what he's cooking for the third album... Word Up!

BlackCommentator.com Spoken Word Columnist, Poet Blackman Preach (Cedric T. Bolton), is a poet (spoken word artist) and producer, born in Pascagoula, Mississippi and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. Cedric received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Washington University and currently resides, with his wife, in Syracuse, New York.  He is the Founder of Poetic Black Fusion, a writers' workshop that provides access and opportunities to poets of African Ancestry living in Central New York.  He is also the co-founder of Voices Merging, a student-run poetry organization (spoken word) at the University of Minnesota that provides a social outlet for undergraduate students to develop as writers, network and express themselves on stage. He has been writing poetry for 14 years and is published in the Ethnic Student Center's Newsletter at Western Washington University, The Spokesman Recorder, and St. Cloud Times. Click here to contact Blackman Preach.

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