Puttin’ on the Dog (for “Corner Girl”)

Is my shit correct? Is my vine correct? Are my kicks country or correct? Is my “do” down?Is my shit correct?Is my rusty black diction correct? Should my ever more erudite utterances be in “The Vernacular?” Should my presentation be theatrical and spectacular?Is my shit correct? Should my manner be mannered and laid back? Is my poetry Posey? Does it go to too far into haute couture noire? Does it come from hard facts and Fanon, or does it refer repeatedly to The Canon trippin’ in Trickster Mode, tryin’ to Trope-A-Dope???? Is my shit correct? But, hey, black poetry’s got more than one good way. The other day I asked a young Blood poet if my stuff was correct, if it was happenin’. He said, Breaklight becomes dawn, Ol’ Head.  The word “happenin” ain’t happenin’, ain’t “where it’s at.” Today it’s on. Word! Our work is all that. Everett Hoagland             Is your shit correct? Is your manner be mannered and laid back? When breaklight becomes dawn are you in Trickster Mode tryin’ to Trope-A-Dope or are you On?   Word, Tenthltr2u