I SEEN THE SMALLEST MINDS OF MY GENERATION 

ASSUME THE WORLD ENDS AT ELLIS ISLAND, 

THAT IT’S CAPITOL IS NORTH BEACH, 

AND FILLMORE IS A NIGHTTOWN STREET 

FOR WEARY INTELLECTUALS. 

MAN, THERE WERE NO HYPES AT STALINGRAD 

AND MALCOLM X IS REAL! 

SPARE US THE CAVILS OF THE NIHILISTIC BEATS 

WHO CRITICIZE THE CAVITIES AND CONTOURS OF THEIR NEST 

BUT NEVER LEAVE IT. 

WARM IN ITS FILTH, 

MAGGOTS IN A ROTTEN APPLE, 

WITH THEIR LITTLE PEN OR PAINTBRUSH 

THEY DERIDE THE FILTH THEY FEED ON, 

THEY FLUTTER BUT THEY NEVER FLY. 

LITTLE BEAT BEARDED BOHEMIAN BROTHER, 

THERE ARE CAPITOLS IN THIS UNIVERSE 

BEYOND YOUR BAGEL SHOPS AND BOOKSTORES. 

BANDUNG WAS NO CHIMERA, NOR CAIRO – 

YOU THINK WE ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM EGYPTIANS? 

OR THOSE IN TRES MARIAS WITH ZAPATA? 

BIRD SANG SWEET, BUT SWEETER IS THE SONG OF LA HABANA 

AND ITS ECHO DEEP IN MONROE COUNTY 

SWINGS, MAN, AND YOU ARE NOT WITH IT. 

MAN, LIKE, 

WHEN YOU TIRE OF POT 

TRY THOUGHT.