Poetry By Ye: Kanye West Wrote a Poem Called 'Dead' Here's What We Think It Means
Kanye West has penned some new poetry that has left us asking questions.
The performer has been very public about his feelings during his very public divorce with Kim Kardashian. The public nature of the divorce is much of Ye's own devising, having constantly posted
to Instagram and other various platforms every step of the way. He has loudly exclaimed his anger, his desire to get Kim back, his love for his children, his threats against Pete Davidson, his new relationships and more. However, according to TMZ, the poem he has recently posted to his Instagram account gives readers a new cause for concern.
The poem is titled Dead and describes West's realization that he is in fact dead. In the words of the poem he plainly says that he was murdered. He is describing how life is going on without him now that he has passed. Pointed stanzas attach themselves plainly to the drama of the divorce such as, "My kids would dance for me in a home I once led/But kids see ghosts so they didn't know I was DEAD."
The poem speaks to the growing sense of powerlessness he is starting to feel. "Only people who loved me would visit in their dreams instead/They would come to my grave and sprinkle some bread/So on my tombstone the birds would be fed/I would give no requests but nothing was said/Cause no one wanted to tell me/that I was DEAD." Similar feelings of powerlessness are reflected in a later section which reads, "Won't anyone listen to a word I said/Of course not sir/You know how long you been DEAD."
Through these phrases, West puts a voice to his perceived voicelessness. When he could once say things that everyone would quickly respond to, he is noticing a significant shift within his life wherein people are not hearing the words he says - something he illustrates through his metaphorical death.
Ye's poem ends with the phrase, "I found out one day at the newsstand in purgatory/there was a front page article of my murderer's story/I was so surprised at what it said/This info is for the living/And surprise...You're DEAD." While West has refused to clarify who the poem is about, the release of this poem came shortly after the internet lit up with stories of Kim Kardashian being officially single. While Kanye's legal team sent out clarifying information, the news was already out. The finalization of singlehood put the nail in the coffin West fought to avoid. Through all of the posting, many swung to Kim's side in defense of the seemingly dangerous threats the performer was putting into the world.
This poem, more clearly than anything else he has posted, conveys the truthful pain not only of this separation but of feeling voiceless. We hope that it has helped him to work through these very real and powerful emotions.
