SnAKe BiTEs: "You Are Somebody" and "Her Last Party"

(These poems, from the LadyLee Blog Poet Laureate Snake, were first posted in January 2007)

You Are Somebody
( a poem for the King Holiday)


Whether you’re here or gone, right or wrong
You were meant to be.

You were meant to be somebody from the second you were born.

So don’t criticize, or knock one another
Cause it’s really not that hard to try to love your brother.

Don’t get hung up on what you’re not.
Be proud of who you are and whatever you’ve got.

Cause it’s a cold cruel world, causing kids to cry.
So if you’re hanging your head?
Kiss your ass goodbye.

Be proud of your heritage!
Rejoice in the fact
Whether you’re red, yellow, green, brown or black!
We all got a purpose in life to achieve.
And there’s something else that you better believe:
You are somebody!



Her Last Party
(In Memory of Ms. Fannie Mae Smith, Snake's Grandmother)

When you come to her Last Party
Don’t come with your faces long,
But come with memories that are pleasant,
In your heart, let there be a song.

The place will be full of flowers
And she will be dressed grand.
The only thing that she’ll be sorry for…
She won’t be able to shake your hand.

When we go to her Last Party
She don’t know how soon it will be.
The daily paper will print the invitations
Then everyone will see.

We’re gonna hold it in a church-like place
And no one will be turned away,
At the place where we will have her party,
Many friends will come and pray.

If you come to her Last Party
We won’t play any games,
But there will be a register
Where you may sign your names.

As we stand and sing praises
In voices so silently,
Telling each other
Or thinking of what good thing
We remembered of her, you see.

When you come to her Last Party,
Our Lord will be the host,
Because among all her friends,
He loved her the most.

He bore her cross on Calvary
He’s bearing her cross today.
When we leave her,
He’ll still be with her
To comfort her on her way.

When we go to her Last Party
In spirit she’ll be there.
And as we stare at her,
Right back through close eyelids she will stare.

And as we say she looks natural
That is as should be.
Because at her Last Party
Who should look more natural than she.

She did the best that she knew how.
It’s up to God to take care of her now.

You raised 7 kids that were truly raised right,
Then after, you had grands:
One began to write.

So this party is for you
Even though I slip and slide.
But the day of this party
We will still keep the pride.

Because you were strong
And we still know how to get through.

That’s why this party’s just for you.

4-U Fannie Mae Smith 7/25/27 - 1/12/07

Now the party’s over…

Written by Snake and The Sangin’ Diva (Snake’s sister), your grandkids.