Kevin Young - No Offense

No Offense

If you wonder why
I'm not laughing, go ask
Brian, the sixth-grade cutup
the one with the most direty jokes
who requested the tribal African song
Tina Singu each music class, black
vinyl spinning while Brian made
faces, knowcked his knees together
like eggs. If you are curious about
me, just ask the boy who riddled 
the whole playgorund or me 
and my friends walking
home: What do you get
when you cross a black person

with a Smurf? I am sure today
he would answer you, would explain
now that he mean No offense just
like he did then above the crowd
of girls leaning close or the boys
trying to get his timing down,
just as after the punchline 
he always said You know I don't
mean you. It's OK. And when 
you see that boy whose last name 
I don't seem to remember, be sure
to tell him that this here Smigger

could care less yet could never care
more, that my blue
and brown body is more
than willing to inform
him offense is on hostage
I have never taken.