I found out my big sister died due to an over dose today and i thought of this poem. She tried so hard but her pain over took her. She was 3 months sober. I love you more sissy. I'm so sorry
I am so emotionally connected to this poem, it gives me chills every time I watch. "How come all the woman I know destroyed themselves? What am I trying to buy myself out of?" ♡
It's about finding ways to deal with pain. When you turn 20, you have begun to lose the wonder in the world. You see the ugliness and the pain. She is looking at herself and seeing parallels in these tragic women, like Billie Holiday. When you are young you think it's so easy to stay off the wrong path and not wind up like those women, the drug addicts, the prostitutes, but you learn that pain can drive you to anything.
"Did my bones sacrifice something that y heart did not consent to?" "I promised my unborn that she wouldn't have to start on her knees because we've come too far by faith for that. Or have we?" Best Lines
I'm in graduate school studying literacy education. My first assignment for one of my classes requires us to transport to a pivotal time during our adolescence that was significant to our perception of literacy. Here I am. I remember being in the audience for this show. I'm in awe of how far the members of this collection have come and so glad that I can revisit these moments.
I saw this when it first got uploaded, I was in school in CA and I dreamed of being able to watch them perform live. I still come back to these poems almost 10 years later.
I watch this poem everyday, and I find new things to love about it each time. "Addiction is doing the same thing even when its not fun anymore" resonates with me on so many levels.
This is one that I must watch everyday!!!! It touches my soul....reads into places that I never knew could be formed and remain. Jasmin I am glad God blessed you with this beautiful gift.
"I've learned to not put anything past women" #Truth Anything thats Jasmine does moves mountains. & Jennah....that voice makes time stand still. simply well done. This poem goes so HARD!!!!!
"Addiction is doing the same thing even when it isn't fun anymore... it's the dizzy and the dancing after the music fades and I'm still moving" Strivers Row... Amazing each and every time!
You are beautiful in every since of the word...... You are Wat they call mahogany..... Your essence flows freely through my soul as you speak.... I love you...
im 20, and theres picture of billy holiday hanging on my wall... and I'm checking her arms for needle marks, wondering why such a beautiful woman didn't choose a more classier diction, why she didn't marilyn monroe the pain pretty in cocaine lilly white billy, if it makes you feel any better i like you more than her. The dresses of woman don't blow for just any wind or maybe you aint blow the right men, I've learned not to put anything past woman... you taught me that. Stare clear at the light.. and look at the moon, cuz when you looking at the sky, I'm looking at the same sky as you. the base is slowing, certain secrets won't allow you to wear sleeveless dresses momma told me, you wont be able to wear the ones with the drape back and embroaded shoulder seen over you crime scenes like I've taught you, billy... did you wear that gardenia in your hair so you wouldn't smell yourself rotting? how did that work for you ? because I'm 20 and I'm trying to find the easiest way to not look like i am hurting... can you help me.. wether i wither or kissed a night too still, the man i fell for got his heart broken by girls prettier than me, girls prettier than me have broken my heart if you knew that you would be remembered would you have erased your finger prints, would you have worn more foundation I'm here and I'm standing in the mirror, trying to figure out if i should iron the creases out of my dress this morning Stare clear at the light, and look at the moon, cuz when you looking at the sky, I'm looking at the same sky.. as you. Billy, how come all the woman i know destroyed themselves.. what am i trying to buy myself out of, a diction is doing the same thing even when its not fun anymore, its the dizzy and the dancing after the music fades and I'm still moving, I'm standing at the head of the table holding my fathers hand i see azmeets bleeding the food hoping that she doesn't find the dirt under my nails.. is this the part when we're gonna decide to stop dancing, I'm coming home and I'm looking less like my mothers daughter and i hate just as much as she does.. tonight, our lip stick will either smear or apologize for being so assertive.. will i die here.. will my bones sacrifice something my heart did not consent too... billy... i promise my unborn daughter that she would have to start on her knees because we've come to far by faith for that...... or have we.. Stare clear at the light, and look at the moon, cuz when you looking at the sky, I'm looking at the same sky.. as you. the last quarter has flushed itself into the belly of the jukebox, his lips has released its kiss from the saxophone, but I'm... but I'm still here... dancing... can someone tell me if I've crashed yet ? Stare clear at the light, please look at the moon, cuz when you looking at the sky, I'm looking at the same sky.. as words were left to say, to tell you to shout, too lonely to go away, what is there left to say, to tell you to shout, too lonely to go away.
I've never left a comment to any video, but this one I couldn't pass on without. Watching the reaction of the crowd and being completely tuned into every word, this is poetry. Beautiful.
she is saying how can someone so beautiful do something so ugly and she sort of wonders how can she find beauty in someone who did something so ugly .its about beauty externally and internally .
Jasmine Mans you will never understand what your poetry does for me. You are one of my role models. You make me want to be a better artist and to capture all my feelings/emotions/stories in my artistry(dance). You are absolutely amazing and I feel everything that you feel. Beautiful and inspirational. Black girls like me need more black girls like you to lift them up. I cannot go one day with out hearing your poems. AMAZING ABSOLUTELY AMAZING
IVE SHARED TEARS FOR MANY PROFOUND POEMS, HOWEVER THIS WAS REMARKABLE. THE AMOUNT OF TALENT PLACED ON THAT STAGE AT ONE TIME SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. AM-MA-ZING!
I like this a thousand times..one day I hope to create something as beautiful and captivating as this collaboration..Love it!! Admire you two beautiful women!! Keep up the wonderful work!!
My heart is just breaking and breaking and breaking, I love the Strivers Row, they have helped me to learn, understand, love, remember, forget, and forgive in just youtube video's. I need to see them all in person and hug them and maybe tell them all in person how they have changed me.
I found out my big sister died due to an over dose today and i thought of this poem. She tried so hard but her pain over took her. She was 3 months sober. I love you more sissy. I'm so sorry
So sorry. This pain is real.
My condolences
So sorry for your loss sweetheart ❤
I am so emotionally connected to this poem, it gives me chills every time I watch. "How come all the woman I know destroyed themselves? What am I trying to buy myself out of?" ♡
💯💪🏾
Sameee
soon as i heard the chords i got emotional, it's touching! everything
"because I'm 20 and I'm trying to find the easiest way to not look like i am hurting... can you help me" Love this.
🔥🔥
Every once in a while I'll google my name and find gems like this 🥺❤
It's 2020, and this is still my favorite poem. Ever.
Came back just to hear it
2021 for me
2023 and we still her babyyyy 🥹
It's about finding ways to deal with pain. When you turn 20, you have begun to lose the wonder in the world. You see the ugliness and the pain. She is looking at herself and seeing parallels in these tragic women, like Billie Holiday. When you are young you think it's so easy to stay off the wrong path and not wind up like those women, the drug addicts, the prostitutes, but you learn that pain can drive you to anything.
Amen
instaBlaster
Whew!
I’m 23 and this hits home because when I was 20 I didn’t know life could be this hard 🤎
Still watching this in 2018. This poem will never lose its magic. I hope this video never goes away.
I'm here 2021
Last of a Writers Creed me too. Love you.
"Did my bones sacrifice something that y heart did not consent to?"
"I promised my unborn that she wouldn't have to start on her knees because we've come too far by faith for that. Or have we?" Best Lines
🔥🔥
I'm in graduate school studying literacy education. My first assignment for one of my classes requires us to transport to a pivotal time during our adolescence that was significant to our perception of literacy. Here I am. I remember being in the audience for this show. I'm in awe of how far the members of this collection have come and so glad that I can revisit these moments.
I saw this when it first got uploaded, I was in school in CA and I dreamed of being able to watch them perform live. I still come back to these poems almost 10 years later.
this needs to be available on their iTunes compilation. its soo beautiful
💯
I could listen to this poem ALL day! It touches me like no other!!
Rennie J me too I play it every morning at work
💯
"Will I die here? Did my bones sacrifice something my heart did not consent too?" POWERFUL
Indeed
I watch this poem everyday, and I find new things to love about it each time. "Addiction is doing the same thing even when its not fun anymore" resonates with me on so many levels.
I heard this poem for the first time at 17 and it took me 9 years to fully appreciate it.
When the man cried in the front that broke me!
I missed that part
Still gives me chills after seeing it 100 times.
Ikr
Listening to this again after the billie holiday movie on hulu. Soooo touching
Words can't describe how beautiful this is...
Agreed
It's like all roads leads to this poem, I keep comming back here, each time finding something new. Lots of love to the entire strivers row
"Addiction is doing the same thing even when it's not fun anymore." #Truth
💯
"The man i fell for got his heart broken by girls prettier than me, girls prettier than me have broken my heart."
So much people can relate to that. ^
Girl's uglier than me have broken my heart, were all in the same boat :( ...pretty or ugly.
We gotta stop we with this ugly pretty mess
It goes BOTH WAYS…WOMEN DON’T HAVE ANY MONOPOLY ON HEARTBREAK
This is one that I must watch everyday!!!! It touches my soul....reads into places that I never knew could be formed and remain. Jasmin I am glad God blessed you with this beautiful gift.
I cannot stop watching this over and over.
Im 20 and Im trying to find the best way to not show that I'm hurting, can you help me?
I've been listening to this poem since i was in high school. Now that I'm 20, I can finally truly understand and I cried
Still love this video almost 10 years later
"I've learned to not put anything past women" #Truth Anything thats Jasmine does moves mountains. & Jennah....that voice makes time stand still. simply well done. This poem goes so HARD!!!!!
Jennah Bell's voice is beautiful! I would purchase her music.
She's like so relatable. Amazing
I REALLY wish to hear more from miss.Jasmine. We need more poems from you, We love u deeply.
******the man i fell for got his heart broken by girls prettier than me, girls prettier than me have broken my heart**** best line for me.
💯
"Addiction is doing the same thing even when it isn't fun anymore... it's the dizzy and the dancing after the music fades and I'm still moving" Strivers Row... Amazing each and every time!
I’m 23 and this hits home because when I was 20 I didn’t know life could be this hard 🤎
You are beautiful in every since of the word...... You are Wat they call mahogany..... Your essence flows freely through my soul as you speak.... I love you...
the guy in the front is all emotional and thangs lol awww he's tearing up :)
i love all ur poems jasmine! so inspirational ever for a 13 year old.
Whew... I'm crying.
im 20, and theres picture of billy holiday hanging on my wall... and I'm checking her arms for needle marks, wondering why such a beautiful woman didn't choose a more classier diction, why she didn't marilyn monroe the pain pretty in cocaine lilly white billy, if it makes you feel any better i like you more than her. The dresses of woman don't blow for just any wind or maybe you aint blow the right men, I've learned not to put anything past woman... you taught me that.
Stare clear at the light.. and look at the moon, cuz when you looking at the sky, I'm looking at the same sky as you.
the base is slowing, certain secrets won't allow you to wear sleeveless dresses momma told me, you wont be able to wear the ones with the drape back and embroaded shoulder seen over you crime scenes like I've taught you, billy... did you wear that gardenia in your hair so you wouldn't smell yourself rotting? how did that work for you ? because I'm 20 and I'm trying to find the easiest way to not look like i am hurting... can you help me.. wether i wither or kissed a night too still, the man i fell for got his heart broken by girls prettier than me, girls prettier than me have broken my heart if you knew that you would be remembered would you have erased your finger prints, would you have worn more foundation I'm here and I'm standing in the mirror, trying to figure out if i should iron the creases out of my dress this morning
Stare clear at the light, and look at the moon, cuz when you looking at the sky, I'm looking at the same sky.. as you.
Billy, how come all the woman i know destroyed themselves.. what am i trying to buy myself out of, a diction is doing the same thing even when its not fun anymore, its the dizzy and the dancing after the music fades and I'm still moving, I'm standing at the head of the table holding my fathers hand i see azmeets bleeding the food hoping that she doesn't find the dirt under my nails.. is this the part when we're gonna decide to stop dancing, I'm coming home and I'm looking less like my mothers daughter and i hate just as much as she does.. tonight, our lip stick will either smear or apologize for being so assertive.. will i die here.. will my bones sacrifice something my heart did not consent too... billy... i promise my unborn daughter that she would have to start on her knees because we've come to far by faith for that...... or have we..
Stare clear at the light, and look at the moon, cuz when you looking at the sky, I'm looking at the same sky.. as you.
the last quarter has flushed itself into the belly of the jukebox, his lips has released its kiss from the saxophone, but I'm... but I'm still here... dancing... can someone tell me if I've crashed yet ?
Stare clear at the light, please look at the moon, cuz when you looking at the sky, I'm looking at the same sky.. as words were left to say, to tell you to shout, too lonely to go away, what is there left to say, to tell you to shout, too lonely to go away.
I've never left a comment to any video, but this one I couldn't pass on without. Watching the reaction of the crowd and being completely tuned into every word, this is poetry. Beautiful.
This is a masterpiece, I love Jasmine Mans. I couldn't help but notice during a few lines she had the Drake hand thing going on.
💯🔥🔥
she is saying how can someone so beautiful do something so ugly and she sort of wonders how can she find beauty in someone who did something so ugly .its about beauty externally and internally .
Awesome piece foreal
Jasmine Mans you will never understand what your poetry does for me. You are one of my role models. You make me want to be a better artist and to capture all my feelings/emotions/stories in my artistry(dance). You are absolutely amazing and I feel everything that you feel. Beautiful and inspirational. Black girls like me need more black girls like you to lift them up. I cannot go one day with out hearing your poems. AMAZING ABSOLUTELY AMAZING
Blessings
I hope that all the people in the strivers row know they are changing my life with there poetry.
Man I tell ya she gives me some type of feeling man I love her words and the way she says them with the feelings!
Did you wear that gardenia in your hair so you wouldn't smell your soul rotting ? 😭😭😭
🔥🔥🔥
I'm in love with this!
I will always love Jasmine Mans , when she speaks I can feel every word touch my heart
OMG.........I literally have no words. and for me that is a feat
i love Jennah Bell voice..its pure heaven and jasmine i love her...they make a great duo
And I'm crying...
I am in awe. Pure, raw, talent. I love strivers row.
Jasmine always touches me with her poetry
after reading billie holidays bio this poem makes so much sense now
💯
IVE SHARED TEARS FOR MANY PROFOUND POEMS, HOWEVER THIS WAS REMARKABLE. THE AMOUNT OF TALENT PLACED ON THAT STAGE AT ONE TIME SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. AM-MA-ZING!
💪🏾💯
I like this a thousand times..one day I hope to create something as beautiful and captivating as this collaboration..Love it!! Admire you two beautiful women!! Keep up the wonderful work!!
2022 and still listening
This is everything.
Back in 2021 to hear this masterpiece
one of my favorite poem
Holy.....I can't even think of a word so I'll give it amazing!!
this made me cry, so beautiful .
I LIVE for this poem..i gotta listen to this like everyday. I know this poem verbatim.
tears everytime
Jennah Bells voice reminds me of Tracy Chapman!!! That haunting perfection!!
the man I fell for got his heart broken by girls prettier than me...... teary
Ikr
I cant wait to do something like this!!!!!
My heart is just breaking and breaking and breaking, I love the Strivers Row, they have helped me to learn, understand, love, remember, forget, and forgive in just youtube video's. I need to see them all in person and hug them and maybe tell them all in person how they have changed me.
aww man the things Jasmine's poems does to me. i love this girl, an inspiration. and Jennah;s voice is beautiful.
Simply Beautiful
Jennah's voice is heaven
Listening to this in 2020 and thankful it's still here. Won't forget the first time I heard this. Inspired me that poetry is more than words.
I absolutely love this!
I don't know if I was breathing through this poem but the deep breathe you take in after it finishes feels like heaven
so beautiful!!
absolutely beautiful..
The music and the poem come together so seamlessly. Jasmine, you are blessed.
I can’t stop watching this
This gives me life
chills man
Thank you!
Jus beautiful. Thank you
This is just so beautiful.
this comment is pure perfection. Well said!
i cannot stop watching dis over and over..***u da best Jasmine***
Still beautiful
"Billy did you wear that gardenia in your hair so you wouldn't smell yourself rotting, how did that work for you?"
WOW. Jasmine Mans and Jennah Bell have a way of leaving me speechless every time they open their mouths.
Soon as she starts singing my fucking heart starts melting !!
finaly! my fave
oh god , oh god... Jennah Bell's voice.
if I was ever asked to describe it,, i'd call it a pillow.
so soft, I just want to lay and sleep in it.
yas .
Oh how I wish I was in that audience
Chills
Still listening in 2020!!
"Did My Bones Sacrifice Something My Heart Did Not Consent To."
beautiful.
This was deep very beautiful
Beautiful
I just saw the Billie Holiday movie this weekend and all I thought of was this poem. So beautiful
i had to quote this on fb love it
Please come to Atlanta!