Soul Features x The Strivers Row | Miles Hodges - "What's in a Man?"

This is the first part in the "Soul Features x The Strivers Row" poetry series, and it features Miles Hodges performing a poem entitled "What's in a man?". This series captures some special moments, during the Row's visit to London in December 2012.
It was co-filmed by Jendella (www.jendella.com)
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@TheStriversRow
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[@prettyprincess8187]

I love his poetry because there's no flares, no frills, just truth. It's as if he's just having a conversation with you. One of those food for thought conversations. I love it.

[@SkidReplica]

When this man enters a room, he wishes to keep his chin up To carry with him a continental smile And a heart that lifts the floor like a splintering brass chorus of drums and saxophones Quest and Coltrane marching to Gettysburg at my feet With shotgun improvs that grow And rock steady playing like a humble base line for the beautiful The gorgeous shootouts that ring out throughout old Chicago jazz clubs And smokey New Orleans hallways He is a man He is a man because he claims he’s claimed his humanity Yet still walks with the melancholy whisper of everything mama couldn’t teach him Preacher couldn’t preach to him On Fridays when the party ends the clouds unclench their fists I walk home, empty pack if Marlboros in my back pocket Girl, I don’t know so well under my left arm laughing too damn loudly I sit under a poster of Hendrix with Mona Lisa-like eyes that follow me wherever I go and I wonder What’s in a man It wasn’t always like that though Before the intrigue of standing tall swallowed my skin Every boy had a smiling father to dribble him Every watch could stop if you please Every set of five fingers had a warm twin that fit But since then I’ve spent too many Sundays with the sun and girls just looking for dick Thought I had one once but now all I do is write black love poems The only thing she hates more than me are mirrors The only thing I hate more than love is not being in it Call it crystal eyed or young of me to say But some days I wake up wondering where have all the trumpets gone What makes a man And what have they done with Motown’s tongue When did the sound of my own breathe become not enough music to get me through the night And why can’t we let ourselves go in the nighttime without messing it up in the morning In the morning, wake me up like we died in each other’s arms twelve hours prior And had been planning to do so on breathe cue from the first time my lips cuddled your forehead I know my carpet may not taste as sweet as the golden gates but you slept here last night Some where between the bankers club and the eight ball from yesterday I was reminded that a broken heart bleeds red So my past, my insides got you looking like a fresh murder Can I be a man and clean that up for you? Can you love me just as hard if I’d rather talk some stuff out Rather picket fence my tongue quiet and slow like a steam across the whole navy Van Gogh of your body Cheek to back curve of your thigh until I disappear And there’s no more before, no more after Just a screaming white light rattling the inside of your skull like a drug addicted prisoner And a man standing tall with a motionless face Looking down on his work like a lost diamond

[@ashleykem8052]

Did he say, “girls looking for big?” Like a Sex and the city reference?

[@ghostfaceq6711]

Years later and I still know this word from word. I love his work

[@sosweet310]

Idk how many times I’ve watched this, but I will always love this poem ❤️

[@JaiHarris206]

I DEFINITELY WOULDA MSSED MY STOP. that wouldve been an epic ride.

[@tobiasgrey4372]

this man. This Man. This Man so easily speaks about what I've never had the words to express. Kinship through poetry. He's like the brother I've never met and the father to the child inside me. A child completely composed of truth, words and feeling. An accidental click brought me here. And it is here that my heart gave birth to my voice!

[@chazzlove215]

The only thing I hate more than love is not being in it

[@MzAmberJ]

"The only thing she hates more than me is mirrors."Damn,deep!

[@ViViCANSTV]

You all are so ridiculous. The golden gates is heaven! He's saying that his carpet isn't perfect but she slept there so it was enough even though it wasn't perfect!

[@barryforest2201]

I occasionally have to revisit his work. Definitely my favorite poet

[@lillymirembe4474]

Everyone that writes poetry wants to write like some version of him. So much truth and yet such rhythm and rhyme.

[@keithko007]

Miles Hodges poetry is thought provoking! What a spirit and old soul!

[@elijahhighsmith3755]

why is it when i clicked the video and put in my headphones turned the volume to a hundred to zone everything else out and just shut my eyes i was angry af but when the video ended i wasnt mad or sad i was just calm nothing elae but calm like his voice and words he spoke just lifted it off my heart like a ton of weight just left

[@taeso4027]

This always puts me in the mood to write

[@ShachemLieuw]

7people do not know what is in a man

[@reembelal7286]

Conversation with him would be enough to get me through. Where are all the men like this?

[@BillionaireMove]

THIS IS ON REPEAT

[@YoutubeFan974]

why was I not on that train

[@lovemachine225]

I just wannna reach thru and give him a hug :/ he seems wounded

[@ms123lsp]

OMD!! He was at crossarbour!! I live there!!! Oh Milesss.

[@whosbaddlillyc09]

This is everything if you keep listening to it over and over there is something new. #Deep

[@francisnunez847]

MY GAWD i think this dimension would physically collapse if he and I ever exchanged words. cause i don't only HEAR him, i SEE his words. Artist to artist.

[@Scythesyn]

If I just wanna talk some things out.

[@destiny5065]

Took me years to realize what he was talking about. It's almost as if he found pride in playing the girl.

[@Countduk005]

This Poem is cleary slept on , a hidden Gem!

[@francesdaniels5725]

How could ANYONE "dislike" this.. "My insides got you looking a fresh murder. Can I be a man & CLEAN that up for you?!"

[@jordanyear2330]

Bruh this is still the illest poem I've ever heard

[@cfg1110]

some people listen to music when they get ready for the day or to go out at night... i listen to this on repeat lol

[@bideeg5]

All these black girls runnin' to him...............myself included.

[@ladyinluv110]

Holy Mother of Goodness. "I can't be a man and clean that up for you." "The only thing I hate more than love, is not being in it." "I know my carpet may not taste as sweet as the golden gates but you slept here last night". Sigh.

[@BritniMichelle1]

7yrs later, here i am.. asking , where have all the trumpets gone ?

[@kristen8064]

"Sometimes I wake up wondering, where have all the trumpets gone?" accurate.

[@luphelele]

two people pressed dislike by mistake. forgiven.

[@billionairenow81]

I come back to this alot!!!

[@sterlingking]

That slight smile he gave took my breath away. I had to rewind a little bit bc I was lost in it. When I see such beautiful people I can't imagine them being alone and not finding someone that loves and appreciates the beauty I see from the surface. Bc I know being with them it gets much deeper. I'm including myself. I concur with the statement of the only thing I hate more than love is not being in it. It isn't fair, smh Thanks for sharing love. U all always touch my heart.

[@LizLubega]

Oh my... Breathtaking...

[@mariawest2012]

ohh.my.gosh. no words.

[@Dietchickenwings]

What ever happened

[@billionairenow81]

Master Piece

[@SapientaJess17]

Can you say DOPE?

[@HollaBlackGrrl]

Great poem I love Miles but dang can they get rid of that jank ass background noise lol

[@sincerelydaja]

Brilliant .

[@Lavaboy1738]

This shit is so tight.

[@LittleMissSpice]

oh, behave

[@sumaiyabebe]

Oh, Miles.

[@malasiastanley6717]

Miles Hodges ... i just love you (: his poetry is just really deep and it makes you think ... words just cant describe how wonderful you are

[@85peepers]

"the only thing I hate ore than love is not being in it." Best line that has ever poured into my ears.

[@bleuaja]

my man.

[@JoyfullyAde]

woah.

[@SajiSamii]

Sometimes there are no words that can adequately express the feeling...

[@ShachemLieuw]

We need more poetry from Miles, after being fans for years

[@FoodForEars]

Could someone explain to me how they personally interpret this poem?

[@nasembapauline7196]

Its hard to concentrate on the poem when he has the face of an angel.

[@lucytaylor8449]

All that talent makes it hard to find real love. Don't let it break you though.

[@moongod5790]

You just described my love life in one comment.

[@lucytaylor8449]

+PoeTECH Justice I understand free thinkers. Don't give up!

[@AlRose7]

All I want is to talk to him for 10 minutes... 10 minutes

[@destinymorris6783]

"A humble bass line for the beautiful"... I love how he says beautiful.

[@sophiagonzalez9978]

! "He's A Man Because He Claims He Claimed His Humanity"

[@charbonnet69]

dope as always son ive replayed this poem 4 times nice

[@Tahmia100]

Man this guy is to Dope! His poems are beautiful.

[@GodsCameroonianBaby]

you fall in love the second his mouth opens..

[@amrita494]

I can't stop replaying this. It's just amazing.

[@bonniescott198]

that was so beautiful i wanted to cry.

[@BillionaireMove]

OH MY GOD!!..THIS WAS AMAZING

[@Trill0ve]

First his words....beauty follows x

[@TheBlackVelveteen]

I am all kinds of in love with this.

[@Tre2011Y]

Oh YaaaS...Love it

[@longhairdontcaregurl]

Welp..I'm pregnant.

[@VanityBlaq]

that part got me!!!!

[@Dilson9307]

what does he mean by "i know my carpet may not taste as sweet as the golden gates but you slept here last night" ?

[@whosbaddlillyc09]

maybe she's bisexual and he was comparing himself to her past love

[@Dilson9307]

lilly moore woah, thats interesting.i never saw it like that before.

[@whosbaddlillyc09]

Dilson9307 or the other thing I can think of is she was a stripper, he said the golden gates and that's pretty much what a man would refer. calling the strip club the golden gates. #shrug that's what's so awesome about spoken word you interpret, how you please. ;)

[@TheIronLoft]

I'm super late but I think what he meant is that although his house is not as put together as he is- she still made the decision to sleep there and so she should not judge him and his humble abode. Some times people can build a perception of a person based on appearance but when they see them for who the are, the truth can sometimes be scary and raise concern.

[@elijahhighsmith3755]

He may not be perfect he may not have it all bit it was enough to get them both through the night

[@tripleomusic]

Beautiful!

[@joshualewis2118]

He spoke my thoughts

[@FancyMFPants]

I you you,lolz..

[@devinedorianwhite]

I lovvveeee him

[@lauralewis8451]

goosebumps

[@Missjones90]

wake me up like we died in each others arms..... i love this !!