Poem - My Face Tat Says I Voted

Here's the poem I wrote based on the idea that was explored in my previous podcast episode. To me, the poem presents the idea better than the actual explanation, which is part of why I enjoy the medium.

Here's the poem:

Not sure if you follow hip hop,
But lately there's been talk about
The rules of rap beef and
How far is too far...
 
At what level of fame
Is it ok to hate
on another person's spouse,
or dying best friend?
 
If the game being played
Is a cat and mouse charade
Of the mouth,
Mindless entertainment
Character assassination via
Oratory acme bricks,
When does the harm come in?
 
When the hustle never ends
The show never quits
 
Not sure if you follow politics
But lately there's been
A lot of talk about the
Elevated rhetoric
And who's responsible
For the violence
 
In what shape of space
Is it ok to hate?
 
Home studio,
Writers room,
Or Oval office?
 
If attention is the name of the game,
Why not cry wolf?
And when nobody comes running,
Assume the role yourself?
 
Not sure if you follow me or not
But the other day I got a lot of comments
About a decision I can't undo
 
I voted.
 
Yeah I got the sticker for social proof
But please hold your "yeah"'s and "woo"'s because
I voted for Ted Cruz
 
And while you carefully select your preferred dialect of boo
Let me say I voted for Trump too.
 
Decisions I can't undo.
 
 
I'm not here to explain why
Or to debate the issues
Just to share my point of view
 
Cause the moment I tell you WHO I voted for
 
is the moment of "truth or fake news,
 
The "I Voted" sticker turns into a face tattoo
 
Not sure if you follow the youth,
But they are more than willing to
Tattoo their face,
dye their hair red or blue
Have scandals with women and
Talk about opioid addiction
until you do
 
Now does that sound like a rapper or a politician to you?
 
I have a scarlet letter
Across my cheek
A symbol of free speech
Ideas I believe
With my own set of
shadows behind me
 
My face tat says I voted
 
And as much as I condemn
Inciting violence, aggressive speech, misogyny, and money making policies,
From MAGA Hats to Wu Tang's CREAM
It seems that's what's running the country
 
Why does the beat of our own drum always sounds the catchiest
 
Not sure if you catch my drift,
But I'm trying to make sense of whether
 
Life imitates art
Or if
Rap imitates politics
 
Do I listen to my conscious
Or whatever the trending topic is?
 
Play one party track
Or listen to both sides of the media spin?
 
Sign with a label
Or stay independent?
 
Now, that's what I call an entertaining argument!
 
 
 
Time for a definition:
 
A Potemkin Village
In politics and economics is
Any Construction built solely
To deceive others into thinking that a situation is
Better than it really is
 
In rap, that's called capping
In politics, that's called a campaign
 
Regardless of if you wear a
Power tie or icy chains,
 
The number for the money phone
Stays the same
 
Rappers went from being the dealer to the fiend
Politicians went from diplomatic to obscene
 
And we all live inbetween the web of clicks and streams
 
And just like Lincoln,
We will watch the theater play out until
It's too late to avoid becoming the victim
 
 
While everybody keeps pressing play
On a release date
Or election day
 
 
Those who have ears to hear will listen

Follow me: @aarondunnworks

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