, Said the Shotgun to the Head

For this assignment, I chose to read and write about Saul Williams' long poem entitled ", Said the Shotgun to the Head." This book is basically a 200-page long poem about politics, love and God. Saul speaks in the voice of a man who tells of the coming of a female messiah, and the book is also somewhat of a love poem in dedication to the events of 9/11. This being Saul's third book of poetry, along with many other movies and musical releases, the content is similar to his traditional politically conscious approach. The book is filled with social and political issues and Saul incorporates spirituality throughout the entire poem, making the reader question our current societal structures and beliefs as a nation.

His creative wordplay and vivid imagery is what captures me in all of his work. He is able to draw a mental picture in your head or make the words feel like a movie, where you feel you are part of whatever he is talking about. He began writing this book prior to 9/11 and had already decided he wanted to write about a female Messiah. He then tied in Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction and creation. Once 9/11 happened, it all seemed to fall into place, and Kali was official. One of the more powerful sections of the poem to me was when the people in the towers first met and fell in love, but never said a word to each other. The first boom exploded and they held hands as they jumped. It's extremely powerful stuff because it's a beautiful re-telling of terrible events that have really happened. He is able to make part of a tragic story into something that is an honor to those who lost their lives during 9/11.

The format of the book was effective as he used indentation, different fonts and different sizes, as well as some pages with a few lines on them, or even just black pages. He was able to mix up the design and keep the reader intrigued throughout. While at my age, I'm not typically big on political issues or anything to do with politics at all, I appreciate the approach Saul takes and how he tackles the negative issues within our society. He has a hip-hop-influenced brain and even though some of his work may not have rhymes or music in them, his work is driven by an internal rhythm that has a lovely flow.