All posts by Jody Harris

Jody Harris is a multi-faceted individual who uses God given gifts to make the world a better place. He currently resides with his wife Keelah in Chattanooga, TN, where they run the Keeody Gallery. Jody started out as a conscientious rapper (1988-2015), before fully assuming the role of a spoken word artist. His influences include: Gil Scott Heron, Saul Williams, Nikki Giovanni, Zora Neale Hurston, and the Harlem Renaissance. He has performed from New York to Atlanta to Chattanooga and shared his work proudly. He recently released a chapbook entitled "word sound power" and a poetry CD called "Feel Trip”. From lecturing about Pablo Neruda or Langston Hughes, poetry is in his DNA. He has degrees from Atlanta College of Art and Georgia State U. Jody is on Facebook and Instagram @jodyelectronica.
Authors A-H, Poetry 2020

Word Up King – by Jody Harris

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Words should never be used as weapons,
The mass destruction it causes can wear us down.
In those tense moments,
Leadership should step up.
KING stands for Kindly Invoking Natural Generosity,
It should be shown equally to the majority and the minority.
Definitions state what a word means,
Reshaping how it is used.
Seems like the laws regarding race, uplift the abuser
Further punishing the abused.
I’m not the enemy
Treat me with respect.
Stepping on each other’s toes is useless,
We’ll never learn this new dance.
The aim of conquering innovative new ground is a sign of progress,
Moving backwards doesn’t help us at all.
Kitchen Interiors Need Groundwork
From the ingredients to the utensils,
America needs a different recipe for Harmony.
Knee In the Neck of George was too much,
A Knee In the Neck of George touched off a rebellion
That is what KING stands for.
The K stands for the Knee
The letter I stands for In
The letter N stands for Neck
The letter G is for George.
Souls of those we miss often visit.
If you’re out of the office and tune in with the universe,
You’ve often missed it,
Titled crowns still have meaningful substance.
Swag and style vary from person to person,
There is no need to impose on the life of others,
Feel free to open your own museum of you,
Especially if the Holy Spirit advises you.
Dr. King marched peacefully,
He protested in a non-violent manner
In the midst of personal attacks.
Police brutality and racist policies embrace hate-fueled violence.
Words of affirmation try to countermeasure those acts.
We hold these truths to be self-evident.
Our goal should be making the world a better place,
Free hugs for everyone while supplies last.
Put words as weapons down and take our love off safety.

Image credit: Artwork by Jody Harris