redemption song

living in a land from whence I never came
not knowing the home of my ancestor's name
surrounded by minds trapped, trampled and shackled

but, like my unknown family, never spirits tackled

not my place of origin, but where I reside

not where my spirit, but where my worries lie

here, in the midst of ignorance and hurt
are a people filled with endless, contagious hope
hoping for the future we can nearly taste
hoping all these passions won't prove waste
hoping those with so-called power will give it a taste:
the remedy offered by we to heal this place
hoping for a saving grace of some kind
hoping for a people who choose to free their own minds
hoping that our hoping will become rearranged
into something more than hoping that can create some change
it's here that I am, and here that I'll be
til I'm convinced that here's no longer where I am destined I be
ignoring the implorin that try to test who I be
cus I am called amongst rainclouds to be one seen clearly
tired of just hopin; I want my people to see
we no longer only have
redemption song

Photo: Donald Black, Jr, 'Bound by Hope'

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tell me what ya want (what ya really really want)

I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with this phenomena of men who want what they want until they get it. Specifically, I have trouble understanding how one doesn't know how to handle what they claim is their desire.




Cats say they want the best of both worlds (hey- so did I). Someone you can chill with, bring around the boys, low-maintenance, similar tastes, and [bonus] a lil sum'm sum'm every now and then (and times in between) with no strings attached. Sounds pret-ty ideal right? Especially for college. At least that's how I, and guys I've known, have felt.


Fast forward.


Boy gets Girl. Girl is someone you can chill with, bring around the boys, low-maintenance, similar tastes, and [bonus] someone who'll give you a lil sum'm sum'm every now and then (and times in between) with no strings attached. Boy is so mesmerized by Girl's awesomeness he doesn't know what to do with himself and starts actin all crazy so Girl leaves, wondering if anyone can actually handle her cool.


There seems to be a gap somewhere between Boy finding Girl in all her awesomeness and Boy trippin. Any light you could shed on this would be greatly appreciated.


'preciate it,
Chaina

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poetry

where the weather changes unexpectedly
(be it refreshing or cruel)
there is poetry

the frame more or less remains the same but the insides change
they always, however, mean something to me
he is poetry

tender or cold; a forced connection is made
for me it is love, another unhope
she is poetry

that thing with which you're said to love
the one that daily beats: life won
it houses poetry

that feeling that you cannot grasp
yet still somehow manage to have
it comes from poetry

that thought not yet put into words
exemplified in the wind's rustle through the trees
it leads to poetry

infinate nothingness
minute something
everything that is, isn't, and will be
can be found in poetry

all those without
all that within
begins and ends in poetry

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stormy weather

I heard a lady say

somethin bout stormy weather comin her way

once her someone left her

there were times when the storms mimicked my pain

tears uncried released from the sky:

raindrops heart heavy as the lightening striked

and I did he from my life

but that lady
seemed like she sang her sad song forever

I remember a day
sittin outside

on a bench in the rain

light'nin then thunder then light'nin again
overhead
thinking of leaving to find shelter and staying instead
so serene
we watched and enjoyed from our seat in the front row

there was a storm before that
I tensed my body as the thunder crashed into our private party pushing us together
fingertips firmly pressed to my back
he was my shelter then

I see where she was coming from
but I've lived a little, and a lot I've learned
thought about it and decided
stormy weather aint so bad after all

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