the sound/flow in 1's was better as far as im concerned, and i did think 2's was a bit long and simplistic, but a few of those lines in 2's just really did it for me:


>Rickety chairs and desks are the first things I recall
>With a classroom full of dangerous minds
>Or at least that’s what the state called us
>Black kids with a fire and thirst for knowledge
>Whether by blackboards or crack whores
>We was fitttin to learn sum’n
>
>And we did…we learned a lot about our country
>No, no, not through social studies or American history
>classes
>But by seein teachers not teaching
>While children are there reaching
>For someone to grab them and say they care
>
>We excelled in English classes
>In fact we mastered interrogative words
>WHY don’t we have new books?
>WHERE is the money for our schools?
>WHEN did segregation become legal again?
>HOW do metal detectors make me feel safe?
>WHO…cares?
>

wow

the second part was good but as far as im concerned this first part was just so strong- this poem would have been leaner and meaner in my opinion with just this half

the point was more than made here

really dug the poems by both but damn that ^ up there was just excellent