"TEDxVirginiaTech"
I know why 4 times 4 is 16; because in the third grade Ms. Campbell taught me. Proving to me that 0 times 10 isn’t 100 and that teachers don’t live at school.
I know how to solve all of our issues with education. I know because Lean Six Sigma taught me; how to maximize quality and minimize waste. Imagine if our educational system operated at manufacturing students at a rate of 3.4 defects per million. Using DMAIC, define measure analyze improve, control. I know because I’ve had a few black belt teachers.
I know everything, and the only thing you know is you’re a jerk.
I know why you are scared of tests. I know why you do not excel in school. It’s because someone told you C’s and D’s equal degrees but never told you there aren’t any 2.0 (GPA) jobs.
I know it all. And it is because I am so poetically prophetic.
I know why stomachs growl; because Ramen is more than an arm’s reach away and the McClone combo and genetically modified everything never looks like it did in that commercial. But the taste is always worth it. A small dash of high blood pressure, a few spoons of high cholesterol, antibiotics, steroids and meat glue. I know because I’m hungry right now. And need something that’s finger licking good. I know.
I know what makes you mad and grinds your gears; because Kony 2012 taught me. We get sucked into the current trends and forget all about the issues that truly matters because of a real nice video clip and a Facebook page that everyone likes but no one wants to come with me to start Fargo 2013 and I know more people in debt than with degrees and next time, we should occupy the highways.
I know why you sleep. Because of Mary J, or that needle piercing your vein and every other drug in your blood sang you a lullaby, the constant self-medication for meditation and why you survive by the backs of Law abiding citizens who struggle day to day and check to check from working their butts off.
I know everything, from The Weekend. Because I’ve been good since Thursday.
I know how to spit a quick 16 bars, because the fact remains that your favorite rapper went to college. These rapping actors perform daily, “Microphone, Lights, Camera, Action, Spit bars about murder, crime and served time, CUT” then go home. I know because I’ve seen each and every last one of their degrees.
I know that you can change a life with just a word. I’m not saying through conversation and phrases, I said just one word. I know of your thoughts of blade glides and contemplating suicide and I know that you could’ve been saved you heard just one word; because they weren't strumming your pains with their fingers or singing your life with their words but killing you softly with their silence. And sometimes that one word is “Hi”; sometimes it not you just passing by or being orally armed to do bodily harm, when someone is seemingly screaming for poetic justice. And if you can change a life with just a word, imagine how many it would take to change the world. I know because I studied a many of Words I Never Said and because I saw a million flashcards on YouTube.
I know your problems. I know your struggles and pains. What’s inside your brain and the source of the rain in your soul that keeps your soul.... stained.
I know why we have dreams, why we have aspirations and goals.
I know what you are capable of...achieving; because I've seen it in my nightmares and on the news.
Think of what you know.
I know a little bit, just a little. Like why most would volunteer to be a victim rather than a pay to be a success.
I know that if I set myself on fire I’d be a trending topic with a million views because the world would rather watch me burn. People would pay a lot more to see me fail than succeed. I know because I learned it from Mayweather, Mr. Woods and LeBron.
I know almost nothing. Or maybe just can’t remember.
But I do know what you did. What your baby bombing I mean baby booming generation did.
Because you see there are known known’s. There are things I know I know. I also know there are known unknowns. That is to say I know there’s some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknown’s. The ones I don’t know I know.
I know why it rains. Each drop is that from the tears of those whose tears were never seen. Each crack of lightning is from the cries and screams that were never heard. I know because of Rwanda in 94’, Cambodia from 74’-79’, Darfur in 03’; I know what was done from 1933 to 1945. I know about 1620 to 1865. About 1865 to the present. I know because the memories of generations of pain cannot be erased and can be seen in our eyes.
I know the two richest places in the world. Sparkling with creative genius and talent. Actors ready for their Training Day, Composers that could rival Mozart and Bach, Billionaires that could’ve made their first million with ease, Authors with thoughts of writing books as powerful as a Bible, Rappers that weren't Ready to Die, but Live; because the two riches places in the world are the tomb and the womb. Souls with greatness buried or born within them. I know because Mr. Nugent said for me to “Fulfill my Passion”. And Eric Thomas said I had a unique opportunity to make my dreams become a reality.
I know why kids cry, men yell, and women scream. Because pedophiles, murderers, and rapist terrorize this earth and if or when they are not judged by what you think to be god, they will definitely be judged by mine.
I know that I should have died a million times over. But I too had a dream and have yet to fulfill it, and am blessed to make it to this stage.
I've told you everything that I know. I know everything....Which means I know nothing.
Moises Seraphin
