National Poetry Month, G-Uknit style.

Tomorrow kicks off the 10th anniversary of Poetry Month in Canada. The theme this year is "Poetry Without Borders" - a celebration of the diversity of cultural traditions in the true North strong and free, and an exploration of how poetry can combine with other forms of creative expression. I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourite poems here in honour of Poetry Month, but then decided it would be more in the spirit of the thing if G-Knittah herself put down her glue-gun and composed a few rhymes. Drawing from one of my biggest inspirations, this month I too will consider how poetry (in particular, haiku - you know, that 5-7-5 sh!t) can combine with the creative expression of the Wu-Tang Clan. There's a shared methodology between haiku and rap music, I think. Both are expressive despite (or maybe because of) the limitations imposed by the form itself: haikus are limited to 17 syllables distributed over three lines, and rap lyrics (one might argue) by the number of syllables one can comfortably pronounce in one breath and over a beat. So to celebrate National Poetry Month, and to give mad props to the Wu, I offer a series of Wu-Haiku poems - haikus inspired by the lives and rhymes of the greatest rap group of all time. There will be 9 in all (you know, 9 Chambers...) posted here throughout the month. There will definitely be foul, offensive language which I will try to soften through the use of various typographic characters, so don't say I didn't warn ya. Starting tomorrow, Ima bomb atomically, Socrates' philosophies and hypotheses can't define how I be droppin' these mockeries, lyrically perform armed robbery...