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Late last year, one week day, I memorized my piece
And drove hours into the city so I could say my peace
Traffic was a monster and parking was a beast!
Cold, sweaty, and late, but I arrived at least!
Waited in line for 20 minutes, and paid the admission fee
The audience was young, gifted, and black, nearly the opposite of me
I arrived too late to sign up and share my poem
Vowing to return again one day to really show ‘em
After listening to the talent and reading the room
Most were half my age
If I got up on the stage
The Apollo’s sandman might magically appear and show me the broom!
Most of the performers told us to follow them on IG, TickTok or Snapshat
I whispered to Siri and asked what the h3!! is all that?
The talent was dope, but I gradually realized that my time had long passed
Then an old school poet slowly got up on stage and showed his entire a$$
A baby boomer launched in a tirade laced with outdated raunchy verses
The audience dug it and laughed at each of his curses
His poem was decent, but I couldn’t decide which was worse
Was the mostly 20 something audience laughing at (or with) him rehearsed?
