This one was written off a photograph by Carrie Mae Weems.

https://tse3.explicit.bing.net/th?id=OIP.L4pqRTmzbCFrk47JcrX9MAHaIq&pid=Api&P=0

People

Get confused

Because

Society

Likes to pretend

It's the mirror

But that mirror

Is wrong

So often

The world

Beset by bad luck

(Broken mirror y'all

follow me)

Would fall

Into chaos

Anarchy, even.

First of all

The black woman

Any woman!

Should never ask

Who's the finest

She should know

Intrinsically

Irrefutably

I'm the finest

Because looking for answers

Outside

Only invites ignorance

Jealousy

Greed

And LIES

The truth is

The simple truth is

EVERY woman is so FINE

If she comes into her own power

The question

Itself

Is an artifact

LET IT BE AN ARTIFACT

Acknowledge

That beauty

Equals humanity

And humanity

INHERENTLY

Is equal.

Written from two photographs by Deborah Willis

https://assets.mica.edu/files/modules/fernandez_exteriormockup.jpg

https://www.artnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/deb-willis.jpg?w=682

Embrace me

But exit

See

I built a wall

Over 20 feet tall

And still

You entered

But my insides

Dark and beautiful

You wanted to repaint

You grabbed your brush

And a shade of blue

Such a tranquil hue

But it was for you

I

Was at home

In my darkness

I

Can let the light in

And not

Have to reupholster

For anyone's comfort

Serenity

Emanates from me

The goddess

The queen

The life unseen

The strife I've seen

But triumphed over

That

Is the color

Of my soul

Black

Is the color

Of my soul

And I've been

Transplanted

Migrated

Uplifted?

Societally gifted...

But I

Reject

That life

That change

They tried to make

I embrace

Every mistake

As the birth of truth

And there's a ladder

Baby scaffolding

Dare to climb

And the truth will ring

We are beautiful

We

Who don't look like you

I

Who don't look like we

They

With lost identity

She

He

We

They

Them

US.

It always

And forever

Will be about us.

So.

How about

If you don't know

What I

Am talking about?

YOU migrate.

I started writing

A glitch interrupted me

I lost

What I was going to say

How fragile

This mind

To have thoughts

Blown out like candles

To ride the wind

Like spores

That will never

Fertilize

Another mind

Wandering

Like my soul

This morning

A friend found me

Well

His words did

And they brought me back to life

Which was so surreal

As I hadn’t noticed

I was dying

But the blank page

Whispers live

Just as he shouts

“You’re alive!”

And I

Blankenstein’s monster

Charged

With the electric fire

Of new life

In my veins

Know with the certainty

Of a singed heart

I will do great things

After

I

get ready for work

I taste freedom

In the air today

Or is that loneliness?

I taste insult

With the undertone of injury

It's bitter

And unjustified

Well...

They justify it

But the mouth feel

Is unfairness.

And

Is that a note

Of jealousy,

Perhaps,

On the finish?

I taste space

Between words

It tastes coppery,

Metallic?

Like the blood

Of a bitten tongue

Because I want

To scream

You b!$@&

And instead

I pour

My whine

Into this poem

Don't pass me a drink

I lean on the edges of this moment

Test their viscosity

Is this memory

Going to pop and dissipate

Effervescent

Will it blend into

The million other mornings

I listen to the breath

Of a slumbering child

The sounds of another

Preparing for school

Even as

My heart clenches

In understanding

Of the transience

Of my routine

Already halved

Compared to others

Who didn’t implode their families

Perhaps this moment

Will stand the test of time

When life has obfuscated

The rest of them

Perhaps

My aching heart

My dripping mind

Will pull this poem

Out of time

And I

Will

Remember

This one morning

I held on

Breathed deep

And surrendered

To what will be

For the sake

Of what is

Right now

Another installment of our weekly poetry project!

I’m lost in space,

an asteroid spiraling,

out of the race,

baggage is piling,

and I don’t know

when I’ll find my way,

return to the show,

have an extended stay.

Yet strength

Is building

As you navigate,

Your rebirth

Will be worth the wait

There’s world yet to see

That’s baggage free

A place I too, long to be.

But how do we get there?

Is the question.

And how do we breathe air

as we wait sequestered.

The future looms

in dark and shadow.

I look past the gloom

for an open window.

The answer

Is in the breeze

Caressing

The tips of trees

The barren branches

And

The sprouted blossoms

Alike

When all you can do

Is wait

Just breathe

When all you can do

Is breathe

Just wait

Patience

was never a strong suit

Of mine

when it comes to women

But I’m learning

And things I can’t control

I’m learning

To let go

And let the rivers flow

And try to enjoy

The midnight city’s glow

The sunrise city

Is expansive

A great time

And place

To grow

I ask myself

Am I?

I ask you

Am I?

You are

the sunrise city

and I am the sunset

and the glow of lights

I look for my sunrise

on the horizon

and imagine

a different sunrise

and a different horizon

Every morning

until I find home

The winter sunrise

Brings only an echo

Of warmth and light

A reminder

Of their existence

But reality

Remains cold

I am

The winter sunrise

Jealous

The glow of lights

Is always beautiful

At night

But the winter nights

Are cold and lonely

The lights may shine

Like will o the wisps

Luring lonely travelers

To the cold, wet swamp

I’m the darkness

In the icy night

Where shadows lurk

And nightmares dance

But maybe

I’m the nightmare

Dancing on your periphery

Not of this world

But in it

Casting unnatural shadows

To bring shade

Where there is only light

And wakefulness

To the endless night

Not of this world

But in it

Describes me to a tee

So maybe we’re both ghosts

Or shadows

Dancing in dreams

That can be nightmares

But perhaps

Could become good dreams

And lights

In the distant sunrise

Shadows dance

And ghosts rejoice

Zombies dream

And angels have nightmares

The sun rises again

I am in the same place

As when it set

Am I happy in this space?

I am not mad

Change is hard

Life is harder

When life is easier

Will I change?

Stagnation is hard

I long for movement

For the gift

Of improvisation

The freedom

To live on my own terms

The freedom

To die on my own terms

If only I knew

What those terms were

Defining terms

Is how you break

From stagnation

So much imagination

Yet your vision

Remains clouded

Caught in the web

Of society’s

Rights and wrongs

We are the artists

We write the songs

Sing your terms

Free yourself

Free me

The stench rose

Thick and swift

Choking the senses

Stinging the eyes

So that tears

Betrayed

Even the strongest of us

The ring

Around the bathtub

Once tinged brownish-black

With dirt and grime

Now shone reddish-brown

The color of crime

Sweeping emotion aside

I engaged my analytical brain

Surveying the scene

Memorizing every stain

The protrusion of her heart

Right through her chest

With nary a severed vein

Was there evidence

In the candy wrapper

Crumped on the bathroom floor

Housing half a bar of chocolate

Filled as it was

With ants

Come to dine

On the bounty of tragedy

Was there motive

In the sheen of oil

Atop the bloodied water

Or proof only

Of a bubbly bath

Some 5-6 days ago

While months from now

I will be celebrated

For apprehending a murderer

Closing another case

These images

Will haunt my mind

Forever

Still

I love my job

Though sometimes

I chase it with whiskey

The quiet

Is profound

More than brevity

A temporary cessation of sound

The quiet is forever

And that's why

A thousands swords

Would hurt less

I know

That nothing is forever

I KNOW THAT

But knowledge

Is

so

quiet.

Another installment of the Poetry in Pieces series, a responsive work w/@ledlevee. See prior pieces for the full explanation. ^_^

I search my mind

For a place to start

For that shining womb

That creates new art

And everything

Starts pouring out

I forget about

The fear and doubt

And I find a rainbow

Imagination’s glow

Glow with me

Shine with me

Spin with me

Dine with me

Words are my rainbow

Livening the sky

For now I can live

Without asking why

Run with me

Fly with me

Laugh with me

Cry with me

Words are my sunrise

Scaring away the dark

Now I can breathe

Let’s leave our marks

I brave the grind

And inject my heart

Straight into the doldrum

There, now it’s art

The art of a life

With creativity

On standby

Are my wings clipped

Or can I still fly

I finish the grind

The end of a doldrum day

A week of code and bytes

I’m ready for a holiday

I’m looking for light

That ignites the heart

The fire and ecstasy

Of poetry and art

Did you notice

How glitter graces

The floor

Gravity

Does not defy logic

But

Creativity does

I fly with ease

When the weight

Of my mood

My empty plate

Sometimes

Is far too great

And heavy things

Aren’t supposed to fly

But the words we cry

give me wings

And for a weekend

I escaped the grind

Leaving all

My worries behind

Parked them

In three garages

Thank you for that

And with wings of freedom

I escaped the nightmare

For a couple of days

No problems or cares

Other than figuring out how

To find the next adventure

Living in the here and now

In a carefree dream

Monday hit like a hammer

But I was light on my feet

Dodging the bullets

Melting concrete

Which tried to encase me

My thinking

Too fluid

My movements too quick

Here’s hoping my thoughts

Don’t start to stick

Monday came at me

full force like a freight train

but I was rejuvenated and ready

to take on a busy day

after a weekend in the big city

with the best company I could have had,

and today ended

with me laughing with my three year old,

listening to music with my five year old,

cuddling with my seven year old,

and tucking my nine year old in,

kissing her goodnight,

and finding meaning for a day.

2023 came so quickly

I blinked and the year was gone

It did it’s damage

I am crippled

And humbled

In its wake

But I soldier on

For the kids’ sake

And start this year

With a hopeful

And grateful

Heart

I’m trying my best,

somehow made it alive

through a year of pain,

but somehow survived;

the kids are my life support

but I wish I could thrive,

my hope is dwindling

for no matter how I strive,

it seems all options lead to failure,

all paths lead to danger,

all roads are empty

save for shadows and strangers.

Shadows hide truths

And strangers

May become friends

Teachers

Or lovers

An empty road

Is devoid of roadblocks

And danger

Is the warning light

On the dashboard

Of life

Our paths have converged

For the time being

Let’s live a little

Shall we?

I went through a bit of a rough patch so I wasn't writing my daily verses. Finally got caught up though and I'm hoping I'm back on track for a while! Here is the fifth installment of the poetry over time project where @Roses311Sublime and I write responsive verses once a day (except sometimes the days aren't consecutive) until we have seven days worth of poetry.

Feeling satiated after enjoying an anime convention with my family these past two days.

Spent some much needed time with my wife, kids, and our close family friend.

Met voice actors, bought new reading material, observed lots of great art, made wonderful memories.

Now is the perfect time to make some art of my own, and hopefully inspire someone else.

Just like the artists this weekend that inspired me.

Yet despite feeling good, I'm also so tired, and not ready for the return to the work grind.

But it must be done, and creativity must win out, including at work.

So I will work on consistently writing these verses this week.

Looking forward to getting inspired by your words.... thank you my friend.

The cold has teeth this morning

Grateful for my coat

I love to hear about your life

And that it’s not all rote

My time I spend meeting ends

But save some special moments

To cherish family and friends

Before time passes me by

At times I wish I didn't have to work for so much of my life.

Yet it does make those special moments you speak of more precious.

It is good to work, and make a difference in the lives you serve.

What we learn at work, can make us better for our families and friends.

I need to improve at managing and balancing my time, and not using fatigue as an excuse.

Here's to another day to work at it.... I won't give up trying.

Time management is my fatal flaw

I never can seem to do it all

But when it feels too overbearing

I steal a moment to myself

Set my work up on the shelf

Prioritize my mental health

Read, write, draw or play

And that moment can’t be taken away

Making time for your self is essential, not selfish.

We get one guarantee in life, and that is getting to spend your whole life with yourself.

So building yourself up, and growing to love the person you are matters so much.

The better we are to ourselves, the better we will be to others.

So making your mental health and art a priority, is an excellent investment.

I love present me more than I loved myself in the past.

And if I put the work in, future me will love himself more than present me.

I love that life’s journey

Has brought me to you

And writing the verses that we do

I know the style’s all over the place

And the poem has an unsteady pace

But there are diamonds in this rough

And for me that’s more than enough

I couldn't agree with you more.

And I can't wait to see what is in store.

Getting to write with you is a wonderful gift.

Collaborating on these poems gives me such a lift.

I appreciate this adventure, and now I turn it over to you.

Can't wait to see what you write next, I enjoy the work that you do!

Turning over what I find

On the southernmost shore

Of my easternmost mind

I marvel at all that’s underneath

The gracefulness of truth

The eternity of peace

The healing power of love

The universe in a crease

The mind can be a scary place to traverse.

Yet it's one of the most important journeys we'll ever take.

If we can overcame the temptations, doubts, and fears,

We can become unstoppable.

Our thought life can be our best friend, or our worst enemy.

I choose to use my mind to be beneficial, and hopefully inspire others.

I will soak in the inspiration that so many amazing artists fill the world with, yourself included.

As long as I have it, I want to do good with my mind.

I need to keep cultivating it, growing and learning.

Intention is half the battle

The other half

Is action

I admonish myself

For not allowing

My actions

To follow my intention

I want those who feel cold

To find warmth

I want to make the world better.

And I know I can do more than I am.

But I think it is ok to start small.

Work on my attitude.... my patience.

Practice being kinder to others.

Especially those that aren't kind to me.

I still need and want to do more for others.

But this is a good place to start.

Starting small

Is a great place to start

I want to live

A little smaller

With my heart

A little bigger

Today

Is a great place to start

Your reminder to start small couldn't have come at a better time.

I want to enjoy the holidays, crush reading goals, wrap up the writing of some fantasy story arcs, be a better husband and family man, be a better representative for my faith.

Yet I feel so overwhelmed, so tired, so unsure of what to do first.

But if I focus on some small steps to get back on track, that will inch me closer to the finish line of my goals.

And the discipline I will learn, will help me in the next race.

It’s important

To give ourselves

The time we need

Exhaustion

And overwhelm

Are signals

We need to slow down

Even if only a moment

Hope this New Year

Finds you renewed

I look forward

To sharing more

Writing with you