Saul Williams excerpt from "Said the Shotgun to the Head"

[prospect6941]

this part of his book is heavily influenced by 9/11...hence the 6000 feet above sea level line and the 3000 bodies and cockpit.

I used to have a link from an interview of when the book was written about this book where he went into detail about the book

[MarshallSProduction]

"Mother Nature is a whore, said the shotgun to the head" is referring to Kurt Cobain, [mother] Nature is a whore - lyrics to In Bloom by Nirvana, and said the shotgun to the head, simply how Kurt Cobain died.

[thisisacunt]

@MarshallSProduction really thats deep i dont even know who kurt cobain is

[flavorinyoear00]

"mother nature's a whore said the shotgun to the head"

I was like 21 when the book this poem was in came out. Man, to be that wide eyed kid again. How I interpreted them back then is totally different than now.

"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn"..Charlie parker

Saul Williams is the truth.

[MicrophoneRebel]

One of the most brilliant and powerful poets and brains eeeeever!!!!

[Shnauzmax]

DMT

[Dressedlunch]

In my head it's pretty obvious what it means... "Mixer in between my dreams and reality blend" to me is that there was a possible, a reality... but still the chance of that to accure was so small it would still be unthinkable. Like 11/9... a mix between a dream and reality, the unthinkable thought.

the backwards dancing slaves in the mosh pit... just says that they were all blinded, not to be blamed for who they are but for what they have done.

the title, is the world in general...

[funkazoid2511]

marvelous...thank for posting

[teamdgo]

@symphonyjones83 and Mike209000

Yes, America does have a poet laureate.

And actually, Saul Williams, esp now with the release of Niggy Tardust, is more the epitome of Race Is Man-made Bull Shit, destroying racial barriers and definitions. ( he does the call & repeat, "When I say 'Niggy,' y'all say 'Nothing!'") And actually, America has recognized Gwendolyn Brooks (AMAZING and more about black consciousness than him) and Rita Dove as poet Laureate already (both black poets)

[shognation]

i wish i could like this poem, but all i like is the title...

[Broomy]

@shognation Have you read the entire poem? This is only an excerpt. If you have and you don't like it, then I feel sorry for you.

[shognation]

@Broomy is the poem the entire book? or is the book a collection of poems. either way i might read it.

[Broomy]

@shognation It's an epic poem, not a collection.

[symphonyjones83]

@mike209000

america will never recognize saul williams bc he is the epitome of the sleeping giant that is black awareness.

[BrokenHeartedWorrior]

I think "Said the Shotgun to the Head" is a poem sending the message that no matter how much you love the earth, you'll get screwed in the end and die.

[shannons1991]

i really don't think thats the intended message.

[Mike209000]

Does America have a poet laureate like England does? If so, this guy should be it.

[furubayukintohru]

brilliant man. brilliant poet.

[EatMyVegetables]

I think it probably does have something to do with Trent Reznor's work, but he does that thing, where it is all sort of linked together, so, after that he probably links it to Kurt Cobain. (After 'said the shotgun to the head' is something like "Then it all smelled like teen spirit") and goes on to talk about teenage angst and what not, which is what he was known for sybolizing. I don't know. I haven't read the whole thing in too long..

[afrikahnoir]

it has NOTHING to do w/trent rezor's work.

[EatMyVegetables]

Well, I'm sorry to have voiced my opinion. I see now it was a stupid idea, being as there are people out there like you who are so fucking certain. Thank you so much for educating me.

[afrikahnoir]

ur welcome

[tygerrstile]

not to mention saul has a damm album!!

[ediglo]

if someone dropped a beat on this shit saul would be the best rapper ever

[kyoaria]

They have, and he is! I mean; fuck! Nine Inch Nails Did!

[DocSloth]

and saul did himself and with other collaborators two albums before niggy tardust.

[1PostPoMoMaN1]

Yeaah! :)

[ShaktiShiva108]

@ediglo Pretty sure Saul is the best rapper ever.

[thisisacunt]

@ShaktiShiva108 hello hes not a rapper hes a spoken word poet

[ShaktiShiva108]

@thisisacunt He's both a rapper and a "spoken word poet."

Don't need to have backpack to spit the truth.

[thisisacunt]

@thisisacunt fuck you hes a spoken word poet

[thelimbokid]

Question!  Is the line "mother nature is a whore said the shotgun to the head" a reference to Trent Reznor's work? I remember hearing that line in Survivalism...

[kittenkate]

I always thought it was a reference to Kurt Cobain/Nirvana. The song In Bloom has the line "Nature is a whore"

[dbecks51]

maybe True but i think it goes deeper, the westerner takes his life(shotgun to the head because he(she) is moving away from the easterner ideals

[minusxero]

It's the reverse. This poem came out before Survivalism.

[traci229]

yes, trent actually borrowed that line from Saul. Saul was, and still is, an amazing artist in his own right, way before Trent took him under his wing. That's why trent chose to produce him - he saw how amazing he was as a poet/performer.

[alizajk1]

i thought the book was amazing..I met him and he signed it! :)

[isareturns]

I purchased the book a week ago. Thinking is fun when King Saul is the reason. I hope his star is aligned with mine in February when he recites his message at George Mason University. I'm looking forward to getting my books signed also.

Where did you meet Him?

[chicagolegend]

great book!

[tlcbird]

Oh my. 

Thank you.

[jaydogg408]

good book/poem

[crissy2008]

i wish it was longer that shit was tight though.

[spaded1605]

its a whole book called "said the shotgun to the head" its fuckin awesome

[amanuelamanuel]

wow