Unpublished handwritten poem on an off-white 8 x 10.5 sheet of notebook paper, signed at the bottom in red ballpoint, "Tupac A. Shakur," who adds a dedication and date to upper right, "(exclusively 4 Simi by 2Pac) 8/17/95." The poem is entitled "What [drawing of an eye] Believe," and was written by Shakur while he was incarcerated in New York's Clinton Correctional Facility. In full: "Is it wrong of me 2 Approach u this way / and unload my passionate wishes / R u surprised? Flattered? Afraid? Offended? / Or maybe a little suspicious / I believe in wishes, sensuous kisses / and attraction at first sight / I believe in hugs, Falling in love / and making love on rainy nights / I have no fear of rejection upon reflection / some things Aren't meant 2 be / What I couldn't imagine is us not having the opportunity 2 c / Many men will bring u promises / some of them will lie / A few of them will make you laugh / Most of them will make cry / From your first love 2 your final love / There's a true love in between / The love that becomes a part of u / Injected into your bloodstream / I am not a psycic [sic] or a prophet / and I don't have a crystal ball / But I believe I am this love 4 u / The greatest of them all." In fine condition, with three horizontal mailing folds. Written less than two months before his release from prison, this poem reflects a side of Shakur perhaps never before seen—an incredibly rare piece of original 2Pac lyricism. Exemplars of authentic Tupac handwriting are scarce and, as a result, our third-party authenticators are unable to render an opinion. However, based on our experience with Tupac items, and this item’s strong provenance, we fully support this piece.
