John Yau (born 1950) is an American poet and critic who lives in New York City. He received his B.A. from Bard College in 1972 and his M.F.A. from Brooklyn College in 1978. He has published over 50 books of poetry, artists' books, fiction, and art criticism.
According to Matthew Rohrer's profile on Yau from Poets & Writers Magazine, Yau's parents settled in Boston after emigrating from China in 1949. His father was a bookkeeper. As a child Yau was friends with the son of the Chinese-born abstract painter John Way. By the late 1960s Yau was exposed to, "a lot of anti-war poetry readings in Boston [and] so I'd heard Robert Bly, Denise Levertov, Galway Kinnell, people like that. I don't know - Robert Kelly (poet) just seemed a different kind of poet. Mysterious, in a way. He was interested in the occult, in gnosticism and abstract art - things that had a particular appeal to me." According to Rohrer, Yau's decision to attend Bard College was motivated by his admiration of Kelly.
yeah this is for my brothers in the hood
and the high risers, on the mansions with the maids
we gotta come together, come on y'all
Case, Ginuwine, Tyrese and me R.L.
help me sing it falles, yeah
CASE
I'm sitting here alone
trying to face another day
gotta stay stong, hmm
to endure this pain
R.L.
I'm dealing with right now
it flipped my whole life upside down
i don't want your help
i d'n't need your sympathy, no
what can a brother do for me?
(see he can help you up when you are down)
what can a brother do for me?
(he can be your eyes when you can't see)
what can a brother do for me
(he can help you be the best man i can be)
(oh i can be, i can be, oh i can be, i can be)
he can help me be the best man i can be
(oh yeah, yeah.yeah)
TYRESE
(be the best man)
i made a big mistake
and i'm feeling so ashamed
and i don't want to lose my friendship over it
i've gotta keep the faith, yes i do
GINUWINE
cause i'm still your boy.i've got your back
that'll never, never, never.never gonna change
so i can just cite the truth
and keep smiling in your face
what can a brother do for me?
(he can help you up when you are down)
what can a brother do for me?
(he can be your eyes when you can't see)
what can a brother do for me?
(he can help me be the best man i can be)
(i can be.i can be, oh i can be, i can be)
TYRESE
i keep struggling but i'm trying my best
i got to face this with my own confidence
lord help me to forgive and forget
can you please help me to be a better man?!
R.L.
for the rest of the darkest nights
shines the brightest sun
i ain't the man i used to be
i'm better than before
what can a brother do for me?
(he can help you up when you are down)
what can a brother do for me?
(he can know the wrong to make it right)
what can a brother do for me?
(he can be your eyes when you can see)
he can help me be the best man i can be
(i can be, i can be, i can be, i can be)
he can help me be the best man i can be
(i can be, i can be, i can be, i can be)
he can help me be the best man i can be
(i can be, whoa i can be, oh i can be, oh i can be)
help me be the best man i can
CASE
cause he's my brother, brother, brother, brother
yes he's is my brother, brother, brother, brother
R.L.
sees when i'm down on my luck and
Car ain't running, women done left me
i ain't got nothing and it's cold outside
he'll give me a ride
when it's late at night
cuz he's my brother, brother, brother, brother
see sometime i might go astray but he'll lead me back the right way
and tell me everything's okay
cuz he's my brother, brother, brother, brother
brother, brother, brother, brother
oh i know sometimes you'll need me and i got your back
oh cuz i know you got mine
cuz you're my brother
and i love you, love you, love you
you can count on me, sing it
Case, Tyese and G, and are my brother, brother, brother
TYRESE
R.L. oh my brother
late up at night
if you need a helping hand just call on me
talking about my brothers, brothers, brothers
all across the world, my brothers yeah