In the same light that is what social networking sites have become.
For a few its a way to stay in contact with friends and family but
for the most part it’s merely a popularity contest. Whatever social networking site
appears wielding various means of communication be it status updates or
asking random questions, my generation stands in approval.

It kind of concentric circles though. Those who are active on these sites participate in
another popularity contest withing itself. Once you follow what’s popular, you must
then become popular there. Some have taken it very seriously and almost take on whatever gets the attention of members of these sites. Be it half-naked profile pictures, rude comical comments or over saturating themselves within the medium.

I speak not to condemn but as participator who caught on to the trend. First is what blackplanet, then AOL Instant Messenger, then Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and now Formspring. For some its an outlet, a tool to further their ideas and meet new people, but for the most part it’s about attention. Who’s the most popular of us all and what can I do to get people to pay more attention to me? These people hop from site to site trying to find support. These are the people who worry me a little. They post the same content in different places, constantly deactivating accounts and changing login names just to gain attention.

I am a man of balance and consistency. So when things are fickle or people show that they are unstable it worries me a little. I tend to shy away from those people. Whats most disheartening is that its people I’m close with who fit into this category. This new revelation gives insight into a lot of their choices and makes me want to keep them out of my circle.

In my circle, it’s not about popularity, its about being happy and doing what you enjoy because of your own curiosity not because a crowd you can’t physically see deems something to be trendy. I could be looking to far into this situation, but I’m an engineering major so the details matter, even if they don’t matter to anyone else.

its been years since we’ve been face to face,
and before then,
it was a few months,

so I barely know you anymore,
the context of your words
aren’t discerned so easily,
and your humor is followed by your
chuckle, and a look a confusion by me,

the only thing I connect with is your curiosity
and the pain you often revisit
when my voice travels through air waves
or text,

you often wonder why still,
how and why I could,
and I still can’t explain to you
enough

I  wanna make you smile again,
like i used to,
before I put you on a merry-go-round,
and spun you in circles with lies
until you lost your grip,
and fell off,

day dreams last for weeks
at a time,
so I’m MLK,
on a balcony,
not seeing her aiming for me

every slight graze of her hand
against my neck sent
chills and shock waves,
she turned me into a speaker,
amplifying her voice
in my head
until my brain recognizes
her whispers as tributes
to what heaven should sound like,

a conflict of interest,

a clamoring indifference

within the confines of

the verbiage that lingers

on breaths caught mid stride

when smiles define the profile

and

the wondering finger tips

winding and twisting

beneath fabrics and heart

strings,

heart chords that possess

a double meaning I can’t seem to play

back in any type of sequential order in my head,

I am one fighting against two,

an underdog against my own thinking,

a lost dog fighting against the elements,

hoping to decipher between my loyalty

and the aroma’s of lust that pull

me…away

my instincts are layered with doubt

simply due to the experiences

that have made themselves

more prevalent then my initial reactions,

I’m only sure of a few things,

and that’s where my faith lies,

that’s where my faith betrays me

and leaves me feeling like a fool,

for basing anything on the natural,

I recognize the truth,

The adjustments aren’t tentative,

They’re definite

these people aren’t neighbors,
but they act citizens of this
great country,
not informed but providing information,
stating obscene premises behind
who where why how and when,
despite knowing anything at all,

so I pear through my curtains
to match a face with a voice,
and can only see a blurred face
with his voice,

somehow or another
I feel his rage,
as if we are Siamese and conjoined at the hip,
and as he hopped around yelling
and screaming at woman he just pushed
out the car,
she began to gather the items that fell from her purse,

the makeup, lip gloss,
crumbled ones and fives,
condom wrappers,
and toilet tissue,
and small black item
she decided to keep concealed
in her hand instead of the purse,

and as he cocked back
so did she,
bullet met a swinging arm,
and the brick paved street,
met a man face to face,
2 more bullets added blood
to the already forming pool,
so that he could swim in the consequences,

lights from my neighbors illuminated
the scene,
she turned her back without forming a tear,
stepped up from the street onto the grass
in front of my porch
and began to walk away,

no one called the cops,
no witnesses testified,
this was a another night
on this corner,
on my block,

lives are taken and given back
to whom they belong

-Big Sean

which means you’ll shut up
if I make it seem like I care,
its mutual…