"My masculinity is a facade." Damn and I mean damn that was the line that got to me. This entire piece was beyond epic, I loved every darn line. I had to clap from behind my screen.
This had me thinking. I am only 1. But when you think about it; that is all any of us are. We are just 1. Except when you have all your life experiences, and the love of your family and friends. With these things you become 1+, and that is when you truly become yourself.
It's hard for people to express emotional pain just like the physical pain he couldn't talk about. It's usually associated with masculinity to be tough, beyond that pain, like he was talking about earlier.
Baby Brother is three years younger than me He is a free ticket to an amusement park He is the front row at a comedy show A museum of laughter Baby brother is always a good time Being raised by a single mother meant that my job was to take care of him which was always easier said than done In third grade, he lost a set of keys to our house no less than twelve times When my mother saved up to buy these expensive jackets for christmas He left his on the playground the first day he wore it to school The teachers called my mother because he talked in class Because he fought in class Because one time in the first grade, he kissed a girl open mouth in the back of the class Baby brother is hip hop at a summer barbeque He is loud, always gets the party going And no matter how out-of-pocket he is You cannot imagine a single thing in this world without him When he began learning about addition He excitedly told me about it on our daily walk home from school He asked “Javon, what’s one plus?” I, confused asked “One plus what?” We went back and forth like this until he finally gave up and said “You know, for you to be so damn smart, you don’t know nothing” That moment always stuck with me. It is the earliest memory I have of failing as a teacher Baby brother, these days is teaching me a lot He’s teaching me so much. I think about one plus, and I think maybe baby brother stumbled on to something accidentally I think one plus is baby brother and his wife One plus is baby brother, his wife, their newborn daughter One plus is family It is endless possibilities One plus is love because love does not always make sense But it always adds up In these days Baby brother is adding up Baby brother recently got married and I was not his best man And honestly I wasn’t mad at him, but it did hurt a bit Baby brother and I were never really that close growing up together, I used to beat him up often At some point, I began hitting him so much that he started to hide till my mom came home But this was never my first act of violence We teach boys that in order to become men they have to kill off their emotional selves, and I became a damn good drone I blew up everything in my path My firsts were hammers I treated everything like nails My masculinity is a well-hung portrait in the hallway of a crumbling house And everytime the wind blows, it’s the only thing I think to grab nowadays I’m afraid it’s all I’ll have to hand down to my children My masculinity is a facade It’s poorly built for a suburban neighborhood trying to fool us into thinking the entire system isn’t coming crashing to the ground Is an armadillo a small mammal with a hard shell who knows how easily it can become roadkill When I was younger I broke my collarbone playing street football with baby brother they left me out in the middle of the street like a lost Jesus or something they didn't believe the boy was in as much pain as he could not say he was in and isn't that just a perfect metaphor?
" 1+ is love. It doesn't always make sense but it always adds up"
“The boy was in as much pain as he could not say he was in.”
"My masculinity is a well hung portrait in the hallway of a crumbling house" wow. took my breath away
They didn't believe the boy was in as much pain as he could not say he was in. Damn, I felt that.
This made me miss my late baby brother. He was 3 years younger too.
Mpumelelo M It gets better.
Mpumelelo M keep on moving god bless
I don't know why but I just adore the line "My masculinity is a facade"
Dana T. Me too. It really sucked the day i figured it out. Wasted my time and youth being the wrong kind of man.
"My masculinity is a facade." Damn and I mean damn that was the line that got to me. This entire piece was beyond epic, I loved every darn line. I had to clap from behind my screen.
1+ is my new favorite math problem
Toshi J same
I love Javon Johnson sooo much. I couldn't click this video fast enough!
Jasmine Pruitt same
me too honestly
I’m a simple person, I see Javon Johnson, I click.
Life of A Hijabi yessss !!!
This had me thinking. I am only 1. But when you think about it; that is all any of us are. We are just 1. Except when you have all your life experiences, and the love of your family and friends. With these things you become 1+, and that is when you truly become yourself.
He never fails to amaze me.
Javon is always a welcome and refreshing voice.
1:30 the deep laughter in the back! This poem hits so hard
“For you to be so damn smart, you don’t know nothing.”
I can’t... this man never fails to move me and make me laugh at the same time
This speaks volumes, Beautifully spoken word.
Every word hit
😭😭😭😭
I'm the baby brother in my family this poem hit close to home.
me too
This was beautifully honest in so many ways
Beautiful! Made me miss my late baby brother too! RIP Lane
Always my favorite to go poem about toxic masculinity and the raw emotions are always so powerful
I LOVE JAVON JOHNSON 💕
this is so wholesome bruh i was tearing up
It’s been so long. We’ve missed you.
Wonderful
Moved to tears
My older brother was killed 4 years about but still hearing all this brother stuff makes me so happy
2020 and this poem still hits hard. Guess it's still adding up 🙄
Javon is incredible
funny/sad "it is the earliest memory I have of failing as a teacher" because he is a professor
i like his work and he is
Poetry!!!!!!!!!!
ugh i got chills this is so good
That was so great!!
Baby Brother smart
Yes
you always bring your point home. what is one+ though?
AMAZING !! But when are we getting another poem from Rudy Fransico!!!!!!
sarah murashiki I’d assume soon. He has a new book titled Helium coming out at the end of November!
Exequelley ahhh thanks for letting me know!!!
Damn
Can someone explain the ending?
It's hard for people to express emotional pain just like the physical pain he couldn't talk about. It's usually associated with masculinity to be tough, beyond that pain, like he was talking about earlier.
🤯🔥🔥
❤️
Baby Brother is three years younger than me
He is a free ticket to an amusement park
He is the front row at a comedy show
A museum of laughter
Baby brother is always a good time
Being raised by a single mother meant that my job was to take care of him which was always easier said than done
In third grade, he lost a set of keys to our house no less than twelve times
When my mother saved up to buy these expensive jackets for christmas
He left his on the playground the first day he wore it to school
The teachers called my mother because he talked in class
Because he fought in class
Because one time in the first grade, he kissed a girl open mouth in the back of the class
Baby brother is hip hop at a summer barbeque
He is loud, always gets the party going
And no matter how out-of-pocket he is
You cannot imagine a single thing in this world without him
When he began learning about addition
He excitedly told me about it on our daily walk home from school
He asked “Javon, what’s one plus?”
I, confused asked “One plus what?”
We went back and forth like this until he finally gave up and said
“You know, for you to be so damn smart, you don’t know nothing”
That moment always stuck with me.
It is the earliest memory I have of failing as a teacher
Baby brother, these days is teaching me a lot
He’s teaching me so much.
I think about one plus, and I think maybe baby brother stumbled on to something accidentally
I think one plus is baby brother and his wife
One plus is baby brother, his wife, their newborn daughter
One plus is family
It is endless possibilities
One plus is love because love does not always make sense
But it always adds up
In these days
Baby brother is adding up
Baby brother recently got married and I was not his best man
And honestly
I wasn’t mad at him, but it did hurt a bit
Baby brother and I were never really that close growing up together, I used to beat him up often
At some point, I began hitting him so much that he started to hide till my mom came home
But this was never my first act of violence
We teach boys that in order to become men they have to kill off their emotional selves, and I became a damn good drone
I blew up everything in my path
My firsts were hammers
I treated everything like nails
My masculinity is a well-hung portrait in the hallway of a crumbling house
And everytime the wind blows, it’s the only thing I think to grab nowadays
I’m afraid it’s all I’ll have to hand down to my children
My masculinity is a facade
It’s poorly built for a suburban neighborhood trying to fool us into thinking the entire system isn’t coming crashing to the ground
Is an armadillo
a small mammal with a hard shell who knows how easily it can become roadkill
When I was younger I broke my collarbone playing street football with baby brother
they left me out in the middle of the street like a lost Jesus or something
they didn't believe the boy was in as much pain as he could not say he was in
and isn't that just a perfect metaphor?
😭😭😭😭💓💓
I don't understand? Someone explain detail by detail.
It's so opening because I'm the one that got beat. I never heard his perspective.
why the fuck did he dab at the end
I didnt get the meaning? Can someone explain it to me?
Is this school Appropriate
Grab me baby brother.....amazing
He sound like Kanye
First