From “peestain”

1. He reminded me of the character Willis Jackson from the TV show Diff’rent Strokes. This prompted me to reimagine a dark narrative of a Willis who would be bullied for having all of blk Harlem caked on him inside his new Manhattan boarding school. In front of a studio audience who wouldn’t laugh.

 



note:

This is an abbreviated and revised version of a series of poems exploring the backstory and trajectory of fictional characters, based upon other fictional characters. Any and every other day, I wake up and wish that the blk child who inspired this trip into imagination grows up to have a head full of gray.

 

 

 

 

 

 

20.30 [re-featured & re-rubberband-id]: arnold aka be blk aka pretty in feathers aka de fione one, wood, oil paint, ink, plastic, tape, harold’s chkn mild sauce, rubber bands



 

 

 

 

  context
 

1. In cypher with a 4th grade class inside the land of teaching art, I met a young king named Lontavius who was called Peestain by all the people at this particular school. Legend has it, one day during the school year prior, Lontavius asked Mrs. Beckom for permission to use the restroom and her response to him was that he had to wait until the classroom’s bathroom break. But little dude decided to take him bathroom break right then and there at his desk. He pissed himself. While sitting in his chair. He was sent to the office. His mother nor his emergency contact could be reached. And by the time the classroom’s parent volunteer went to get him a fresh set of clothes, the shaming and name-calling had already begun. Dude had a new nickname and reason to be in the Principal’s office. Anytime a classmate called him Peestain, be it on the playground, classroom, lunchroom, gym, or wherever! Anytime a classmate called him Peestain, the congas and battle cries would commence.

      a. congas & battle cries = generic term to describe the sound of desks and chairs tumbling, and classmates laughing, screaming, instigating &/or jumping in the fight.

2. Was the Poet-In-Residence at this school from October to February of that academic year, and I witnessed dude get into altercations over the usage of this name. Each altercation he was sent to the Principal’s office and written up for fighting. I never saw or know if anyone ever got in trouble for calling him out of name and/or bullying him.

3. Right before winter break was the last time I saw him get into a fight over being called Peestain. Signing out, he was sitting, in the Principal’s office. Arms crossed. Huffing and puffing. I asked him what my guidance counselor asked me after my umpteenth fight for being called Crooked-Foot or Mr. Moonboots: “How many more people are you going to fight?” He said nothing. Slicing tension, I asked, “So. You just gonna Karate Kid until your limbs pop off?” He shook his head in the affirmative.  

      a. Mr. Moonboots = Referring to orthopedic shoes.

      b. Karate Kid = Generic term for fight and/or person who fights a lot.