sometimes i sit at my kitchen counter
with a cup of herbal tea
and the sports section
and i plan another revolution

the sports pundit class is a joke
but i am not laughing
albert pujols for nl mvp is a joke
but i am still not laughing

this award should strike fear
into the heart of the dead machine
what better way to fight the power
than to give the award to amerikkka’s most wanted

barry bonds is a lovely thug
like my theoretical boyfriend tupac shakur
his smile is a knife with teeth on it
he was once a pirate and now is a giant

go ahead talk yr shit about him
(i was saying this to my grad students the other day
as we enjoyed some ladyfingers and pinot grigio)
he’ll just laugh at you and hug his children

they say he is a cheater
i say america is the cheater
mike lupica is a lapdog with a laptop
joseph mccarthy with a tiny penis

barry bonds is larger than life
his muscles his homers his smooth intelligent head
he is the cracker’s worst nightmare
dont be afraid little crackers he is the truth

if pujols gets this award
you should all be in the streets
setting cars on fire like a pistons championship
flames licking catlike at thom jefferson’s dream

no justice no peace the new national anthem
i will be right there with you
sitting at my nicely appointed kitchen counter
with some herbal tea and a big smile

Nikki Giovanni is a poet and activist who teaches at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She was Ebony Magazine’s Woman of the Year in 1970 and she has received two NAACP Image Awards for her poetry. She really does have a “Thug Life” tattoo.