The Oracle

 

  I was born on November 2, 1994. The day of the week was Wednesday so I would be filled with woes. Conceived from a single mother it seemed as though I wouldn't be an exception. My biological didn't bother. My stepfather wasn't any better. Any man that would enter my life had to make me a believer. A diamond in the rough would become my lives motto. Each and every one of my accolades and achievements would be sewed on my chest. Amongst people I stand as a general.     

  September 30, 1975, Baltimore's own was born. His father was a black panther, and his mother was a teacher. As a child he would struggle academically and socially. Captain America and Black Panther comics with a taste of Dungeons & Dragons open the doors for the boy's imagination. Howard University was where he would receive his higher learning. There he would meet his partner. Soon after they would have a son. This father would write a book to his son about "living in the black body". The book's title was something of the likes of "Between the World and Him". From his time at The Atlantic to his work in Marvel's alternative universes, this man has been nothing less than a powerhouse.  

  August 2, 1924, Emma Berdis Jones gave birth to the man, the myth, and the legend. Growing up a son of Harlem kingpins and pimps were his friends. Countee Cullen and Herman W. Porter would be his teachers while he attended Frederic Douglass Junior High. Throughout his life racism reared its ugly head from employment to education. He couldn't take the pain any longer so he would seek refuge in Paris. Living in a cabin in the snowy hills of France, he would write a semi-autobiographical book titled "mountains". The book would go on to be a best seller and his first work to be published. Success from the book gave him the fire he would need the next time around. Although he would go on to write many books his intellectual prowess shined brighter than any amount of ink that has squeezed out of a pen. Above all this man put being black over a lot of things, including his sexuality. The impact, inspiration, and contribution this man obtained cannot be measured. For thirty-seven years this man has been buried and his work still stands the test of time.     

  Oracles come in all forms. A man or a woman. Essays and short stories. Birds singing. The wind blowing. Babies crying and laughing. Transitioning from one life to the next. There have been oracles placed around us. We just have to pay attention.       

  My reminder to you is that I am nobody special. I am just a man that has been the possessor of many gifts. The only job I have been given is to inform and inspire you. Remember to work on the man in the mirror before doing anything. Look into the eyes of your children and spouse and tell them that you love them. Always take time away from the world. Protect your peace and build something outside the plantation. Stay ready and stay prepared.