PIECES 0F SHA LOMKEVI N COVA L - Bo0MERANG

Sep 21, 2026

Poetry and performance text centered on Kevin Coval’s themes of violence, media sensationalism, and youth experience in America. The opening section “Bo0MERANG” uses repeated onomatopoeia and vivid street imagery to critique political rhetoric, racial scapegoating, and consumer-driven entertainment that reframes tragedy. Subsequent content includes an “ELEGY FOR LIT X” passage honoring “Mama Africa” and memory through hip-hop lineage, spiritual language, and poetic remembrance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

CONTENTS

Bo0MERANG4

ELEGY FOR LIT X

080

MEETING AN AMERI CAN BUDDHA

DISCI PLINE

PIECES 0F SHA LOM

FAMI LY FEUD

FLOAT ING IN THE DEAD SEA

HEAR 0'I SRAE L

REMEMBER

PIECES0F SHA LOMKEVI N COVA L | △
E T S
H O U S E
LIBRoRY
From the Collection of
Reeue
Jouathan
厂
a | | --- | PIECE S 0 F SHA LOMKEVI N COVA L KEVIN CoVA L,poet,emcee,essayist,activist and educator,has performed extensively internationally and nationally,from CapeTown,South Africa at The Parliament Of The World's Religions toBombay,India.Featured on Russell Simmon's HBO Def Poetry Jam,he has shared a stage with Cornel West and Amiri Baraka,openedfor Ani Difranco,closed for Ntozake Shange,got down with jazzlegends Kahil EI'Zabar and Ernest Dawkins,and blessed mics withemcees Bahamadia and Medusa.Kevin teaches and creates work-shops for Young Chicago Authors,Guild Complex and The Universityof Hip-Hop,helping to facilitate the growing youth writing communityin the city of Chicago. ◎ 2001 Kevin Coval All rights reserved.No part of this publication may bereproduced,unless for reviewing purposes,without priorpermission of the author. Designed and edited by Erin Lyons Printed by Smart Office Services346 N.JustineChicago,IL 60607312.362.1120 To contact the author,e-mail:melekyonin@hotmail.com CONTENT S Bo0MERANG4 ELEGY FOR LIT X 080 MEETING AN AMERI CAN BUDDHA11 DISCI PLINE13 PIECES 0F SHA LOM16 FAMI LY FEUD20 FLOAT ING IN THE DEAD SEA23 HEAR 0'I SRAE L25 REMEMBER 28 1 B00MER ANG 54 minutes agothey were searchedby in-school security for being high school studentsone day after Colorado. why they gotta search us?we didn't do anything. we begin our class with the Tribune's headline: MAYBE NOW AMERICA WILL WAKE UPBill Clinton says.and they don'tknow what he means because the violencebecause the violencebecause the violence which has shocked a privileged blind sector of the populationcontrolled their movement since conception. they have already woken up at nightto the CLACK CLACK buck shotnot knowing whothis timefifteen suburban folks arrived to deathsooner than they nightmared. it's just how it is.it's like the other daymy cousin got run up on and shot three timesbut Janet Reno's psychologists aren't comingto hear my trauma,youknowwhutimsayn???? here they wake upto CLACKCLACKterrorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr of jackhammering gentrificationmaking families'homes mobilepounding job loss and tax hikesuntil white dog owners move in. my head vision is haunted by surreality.fake blood dripping onto the streets of actual homicide. yo Kev!for real man. this is one thing they can't blame on rap music.cause Tupac didn't kill in Colorado.no colored man killed in Colorado.so who you gonna blame? and every radio mouth runs to blabber committee hearings.Harvard professors of education and retired Lt.Col.'s emergefrom thinktank utopian vacuums to scream their esteemed opinions.theories of which video game impregnated suburban white teenswith violence fit for inner city residents. around-the-clock live coverage of deathinterrupted by consumer announcementsfrom the people who bought you IndonesiaJUST DO IT!JUST DO IT!JUST DO IT! but IT in the face of a lost teenagerreads like a divine message. …and for more on this story let's go to the scene of the slaughter.yes Peter,i'm here with young scared hero victim.he's wearing camouflage cargo pantsand an old navy bomber jacket. now son,what is the one thing you've gainedfrom this experience? / again. what is the problem? senators and religious fundamentaliststake up arms and dollars to determine,clash in popular culture wars to graffiti HATEon the ungodly system they evangelized. this world bought for youby missionary corporationswho encourage you to spendmore time in front of their alter-nating NATO bombs dropping out of advertisements we worked forwhile tough talk shit hosts punch egosand kick suffering around like foreign labor. how do you express your anger?i asked Latino students in rm.222and lazy second period english class they answered just chill kick it wit fri

FAQs

Who is mentioned as the author and performer in the document?

The document states that Kevin Coval is a poet, emcee, essayist, activist, and educator, with extensive international and national performance experience.

What is the focus of the “Bo0MERANG” section?

“Bo0MERANG” reflects on searched-on youths and media/political responses after a Colorado incident, using repeated sound effects and street-level imagery to criticize violence and scapegoating.

What does “ELEGY FOR LIT X” express?

“ELEGY FOR LIT X” is a tribute to “Mama Africa” in Wicker Park, weaving memories, poetic lineage, spiritual reverence, and hip-hop disobedience into remembrance.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by River Wang