I was a big fan of Muhammad Ali when I was a boy
I was introduced to him while he was laying flat
on his back after being dropped by Joe Frazier in their first fight
he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine
and it struck me that the magazine was mocking him for some reason
I used to watch his fights and cheer for him
and I was always disappointed when he lost
The thing about Muhammad was,
he'd make me feel squeamish when he talked
he was so brash and outspoken
and contrary to the accepted norms
that I wished he'd shut up
A part of me felt like he was being used by the media
to show how ill-mannered the black man was
keep in mind I was just a boy,
but I remember having these feelings
When he talked to Howard Cosell
I'd say no Muhammed
don't mouth off and I'd get uncomfortable
listening to him brag about his greatness
I didn't know what a poet was until I heard
people calling Muhammed one
I remember liking some of his poems
and being disappointed by others
he was hit or miss
