Poetry Spots: June Jordan reads "Song of the Law Abiding Citizen"

Season 1, Cut 14

[@dancewomyn1]

Just returning to her reading of this poem, anything of June Jordan live. I've watched these countless times over many years here on You'Tube...Why isn't there more! ? If I wanted to hear Bukowski, I could watch films of him reading live ad-nauseum! Why can't I find more June, more Audrey Lorde...!!!? There must be more out there. I love this poem for its cutting defiance...Just because it's legal, doesn't make it right! Guess I'm glad to have anything of hers to see all these years later.

[@joannkelly7994]

This woman was beautiful
I’m so many ways - and left a beautiful legacy. Thank you, June Jordan. Rest In Peace. Love you,

[@willfeen]

i watch this at least every month

[@PoetryETrain]

Thank you June & Bob, added to a playlist...

[@tonyyang2261]

so hot so hot so hot so hot
so hot so what so hot so hot
They made a mistake
I got more than I usually take
I got food stamps food stamps I got
so many stamps in the mail
I thought maybe I should put them on sale
How lucky I am
I got food stamps: Hot damn!
I made up my mind
to be decent and kind
to let my upright character shine
I sent 10,000 food stamps
back to the President (and his beautiful wife)
and I can't pay the rent
but I sent 10,000 food stamps
back to the President (and his beautiful wife)
how lucky I am
hot damn
They made a mistake
for Chrissake
And I gave it away to the President
I thought that was legal I thought that was kind
and I can't pay the rent
but I sent 10,000 food stamps
back back back to the President
so hot so hot so hot so what
so hot so what so hot so hot
Trucks cruisin’ down the avenue
carrying nuclear garbage right next to you
and it's legal
it's radioaction ridin' like a regal
load of jewels
past the bars the cruel
school house and the church and if
the trucks wipeout or crash
or even lurch too hard around a corner
we will just be goners
and it's legal
it’s radioaction ridin’ regal
through the skittery city street
and don't be jittery
because it’s legal
radioaction ridin’ the road
Avenue A Avenue B Avenue C Avenue D
Avenue of the Americas
so hot so hot so hot so what
so hot so what so hot so hot
so hot so hot so hot so what

[@bobholmanpoet]

Thanks, Tony!

[@tonyyang2261]

@@bobholmanpoet Thanks for uploading! Really loved listening to it

[@MsBeatJunkie]

Amazing!!

[@folklorico1979]

Amani & King Vision Ultra sent me here

[@bobholmanpoet]

Hello and greetings

[@Idlinfarm]

Great!

[@sensualwisdom570]

hey... I love her voice.. close my eyes and just listen SO HOT SO HOT SO WHAT!!!!! yea....

[@linazigelyte4775]

OMG where is this video from?

[@bobholmanpoet]

"Poetry Spots" ran on WNYC-TV in the 1980s.

[@rievans57]

Interesting.