This week, I’ve been whispering poetic Muhammad Ali trash talk to myself on a regular basis.
Although Ali was dyslexic, he was constantly exploring with language- from creating short and metaphor filled rhyme to mock his boxing opponents, to a moving tribute for the black victims of the 1971 Attica prison massacre, or by sharing one of the shortest poems ever written (see below).
Photograph by Gordon Parks
Transcript:
”That's when little Cassius Clay from Louisville, Kentucky, came up to stop Sonny Liston.
The man who annihilated Floyd Patterson twice.
HE WAS GONNA KILL ME!
But he hit harder than George. His reach is longer than George's. He's a better boxer than George.
And I'm better now than I was when you saw that 22-years old undeveloped kid running from Sonny Liston.
I'm experienced now, professional. Jaws been broke, been knocked down a couple of times, I'm bad!
Been chopping trees. I done something new for this fight.
I done wrestled with an alligator. That's right. I have wrestled with an alligator.
I done tussled with a whale.
I done handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail.
That's bad!
Only last week I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick! I'm so mean I make medicine sick!
Bad, fast! Fast! Fast!
Last night I cut the light off in my bedroom, hit the switch and was in the bed before the room was dark.
And you George Foreman, all you chumps are going to bow when I whup him.
All of ya. I know you've got him.
I know you've got him picked.
But the man's in trouble.
I'm going to show you how great I am!”
These rap like rhymes that traveled through time made me smile, perhaps they even made me feel a little stronger.
Thank you, Mister Ali.
Great //ɡreɪt/
1. of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above average.
2. of ability, quality, or eminence considerably above average.
xez
Photograph by Gordon Parks