Coming from Somalia, K'Naan grew up around lots of gun violence. Even though the way of conflict resolution over there usually ends with violence, the idea is they would like to use it as a last resort or avoid it all together.

The Microwave Generation is obviously a younger generation. In the future, they will be the heads of the nation (i.e. when they grow up). The nation is also on a steady decline; socially, economically and even spiritually, it seems that it gets worse with each new generation and unfortunately it won’t get better until we reach rock bottom (i.e. crash and burn).

The microwave is the cooking option you choose when you don’t want to wait for the food to be cooked in the oven. The comparison is being made that, much like using a microwave to cook your food more quickly, people of the Microwave Generation don’t take the time to properly learn things and just look for the quickest route.

Temporaries and quick fixes are the name of the game with the Microwave Generation. The microwave was invented to replace the work of the oven. The microwave cooks food much faster but does not cook it as well. They weren’t designed to cook better, just faster.
Rockwell talks about how the people in the Microwave Generation are more interested in speed rather than substance. They don’t want to wait for things, they want them as soon as possible and become unhappy if they are made to wait.

The irony of this line is excellent! Capturing the theme of the song, he describes how people are unable to focus on anything for an extended period of time (attention deficit). He then follows that line up by asking what he was saying, implying that he had already forgotten.

Rockwell is so skilled with his descriptions and story telling that he is able to paint a picture in the minds of even those who are blind. Even though they are unable to see, his lyrical ability has overcome that.

Diamonds are formed out of carbon deposits deep beneath the Earth’s surface with the help of extreme heat and pressure.

What Rockwell is saying is that he doesn’t let pressure get to him, instead he lets the pressure excel him into becoming better.

Here’s some more info on diamonds:
http://geology.com/articles/diamonds-from-coal/

Important things vital to emergencies are usually kept in glass containers so they are readily accessible when needed. Rocky is one such thing.

Duncan MacLeod is a character in the Highlander television series. Highlanders are immortals who can only be killed by being beheaded, usually by other immortals in battles to the death.

The theme of this poem, is one of America (and Europe) being swept clean of the civilization that has taken it over. Ferlinghetti talks a lot about Indians and the idea behind this poem is giving the land back to the Indians the way it was before the settlers came.