Life Is Beautiful: La Vita E Bella

By Mylia Jaza

"Few things in here are what you'd expect. I loved that!" -Charlene Timol, Los Angeles, CA

"Anyone who doesn't know about Mylia Jaza doesn't know themselves. These poems are the poetry of all our lives." -Robert Bolin, Detroit, MI

"Whether or not you're a risk-taker, adding this book to your library will net nothing but positive returns." -Susie Palmer, Jackson, MS

"This is the first poet to come along in a long time and deal head on with a variety of issues." -Laverne Vancouver, Colorado Springs, CO

"This book inspired me so much. I feel empowered." -Troy Lewis, Manhattan, NY

"I didn't like poetry much before reading some of these poems. Now, this collection will be the first book of poems in my own poetry library." -Beth Stanton, West Palm Beach, FL

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Mar 26, 2003
• ISBN: 9781469782539

Mylia Jaza

Mylia Tiye Mal Jaza, a Mississippi native in Dallas, is an entrepreneur, writer/editor, voice-over artist, model and vocalist. A graduate of Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, Mylia has more than 10 years experience as a published writer, professional editor and requested freelancer. Her works have appeared in publications including: Intercessors For Christ Newspaper, The Dallas Morning News, Teen Graffitti Magazine, Eclipse Magazine, The Arlington Morning News, The Clarion-Ledger, The Jackson Advocate, The Dallas Examiner, The West Jackson Journal and Narcissus Literary Magazine. Life IS Beautiful is a collection of poems and Mylia?s first independent literary publication. [e-mail]

Book preview

Contents

Living History

Her

Him

A Birthday Wish For You

Forgotten Place

Them

INDEED

CHANGE

ACCEPTING YOU

Humans

Awakening to Spring

The Cell

Can’t Lose

Solidification of His Love

Face to Face

The Sounds

Blinded Women

Musings

The Messenger

In Overtime

Your Ways

FREE ME

The Making

He Said

Futuristic

Victorious

STUNNED

Love’s Survival

Babe

Your Work

Fantasies

Value Most Highly

When We Discovered Us

Ready

The Lover I Await

I’m Talking About

KNOW

YES

How

FIRST

All the Time

FINALLY

Go

Nothing Wrong

Upon The Encounter

You May Be The Ultimate

I’m Glad

To Me From Him

For the Honor of Love

Final Goodbye

Music of Mobility

Love is Funny That Way

Trying to Understand

SHADOWING

Be Loved

SPOTLIGHT

Lost One

When It Comes Down To It

Baby

Friendgirl

Love and Respect Are A Must

The Source

ME

Almost Hating You

Experienced Love

I DON’T WANT

Tracks Exposed

REALIZATION OF SELF

Divine Pimp Slap

Loving You For Real

Reality Check

Kinky Nappy Truth

WATCH THE DOG THAT BRINGS

THE BONE

REALLY

WHY TELL ME

The Prize

Emancipation Declaration

Mississippi

Too Much Too Soon

You’re Taking Your Time

Doing Me Right

Nil Zilch None

Why Have Her Pretend Me

(Who Does Your Love Go To)

You Can’t Hide It

Here it is

Darling Don’t Deny

Since That’s Your Game

It’s All The Slow Dance

Now You Know Why

Healing

Your words held sincerity

Trickiest Performance

You Say It Was Me

A Thought Replays

About Taking Risks

Adrift

And Through Endurance

Mark Time

Chit-Chat

Come Pray With Me

Crisp Air

Agape

Flodging Dogs

Musings

Jousting

Move Today

A Thank You

MUSINGS

Each Prayer

Knowing You

You’re The Love

Aloft

Little Romancing

Almost Lost

Does It Matter

There Are Those

None Nor I

Hating Hate

Optimism

Don’t Give

Each Day

Anyone With A Beating Heart

Star of Love

Love Is Not Just Red

Love Versus Reality

Just The Way You Are

False Feelings

If You’d Be My Guy

Confession Denied

Did We Lose Our Love

The Way You Make Me Feel

Try Again

A Meeting

Kept Quiet

The Association Seen

The Departure

Turned Away

Saying Goodbye

Lustful Contemplation

She Saw

My Sweetest Sugar

Drenched

Resistance

Warming Up To You

Keep You Happy

Deep In My

Queued with Tickets

All These Years

Somehow

My Man’s Got

Jazzin’

Jumping Inside

Musings

For What They Are

Thinking The Same

You Amaze Me

Mine By Design

That Is Us

About the Author

I dedicate this collection to Jah the Mother and Father,

my beautiful mother Susie, without whose perfect love I would know of no Creator

my debonair step-father Richard for attempting to fill the void

left by my rugged, free-spirited father George,

and to my siblings (George, Latonia, Latisha and Richette)

for always understanding, accepting and loving me.

This book is also dedicated

to friends, associates, perceived foes,

readers and strangers,

as it is dedicated to all our

thirst since birth for love in its entirety

with peace as its eternal companion.

Love, faith, honesty, courage, innocence, creativity and fulfillment

are the gifts embodied in this work. Each, I also dedicate to those I love.

May the hedge of God’s grace never leave our dwelling places.

Living History

Quickly

Crossing

The room

I

Peered

Beyond the glass

Seeing

Outside

It

The world

I

Reflected on life

Experiences

Of me

And

Those before

Dreams

Fulfilled

Yet seldom disclosed

So

I

Smiled

Proud

Of my being

Proud

Of this Blackness

And

In that moment

I

Realized

What it was

To

Live

One’s

History

Her

(All About Me)

None is she like

Though character and features may resemble

Her nature is delight

Yet with all she’s cautious and nimble

Sage is she

Making years of life give others shock

Eloquence flows naturally

Intuition serves as her master to all locks

Words spoken

Bring a truth others have happily sought

A true token

Loving souls over things that can be bought

Stretching high

As postured as a century-old pine

Ending the lie

That beauty never-ever couples a smart mind

Seemingly always flying above

The ailments of life—whole and part

Capable of giving the deepest love

But will not ever risk damaging her heart

Him

He

Makes me

Break

Rules set by me

While lovingly

Appointing for me

New ones

To willingly

Follow

He

Moves as any man

Would

While gliding

Place to place

Conscious of his being

Aware

Of what occupies his

Time and space

He’s

Strong

Loving

And my dear

And

Everyone knows

He’s

Glad

To have me here

He

Is a man

Exuding control

Unconsciously

Yet steadily

When I need him

To take charge

As a wise man

Well

Should

Ever

He wants

And awaits

My

Input

While

Remaining willing

To make

Our time together

Result

In our satisfaction

A Birthday Wish For You

We all have that special day

which ushers in our newest year.

We also all want our most special people

to share in our joy by being near.

But looking around it’s obvious you’ve found

friends who really care.

And I’ll bet even those who are indisposed

tonight think of you from there.

Maybe it’s because you’re so engaging

when your curiosity has your interest piqued.

Or maybe it’s the way you commit endlessly to your tasks

no matter what time of day, or how hard the week.

Undoubtedly this is a day worthy of praise;

your parents are glad for this child of their crafting.

And if what I see is indeed the man you’ll be,

then I can’t wait for the completion of the drafting.

You’re a man loving integrity,

even if honesty means confessing shame.

You’re a friend who’s truly trustworthy,

and I’m glad to know your name.

Forgotten Place

It seems my mate has forgotten his place

He’s quit running and we’re still in this race

Nothing revealed is him except the face

A king pleading the pimp and playa case

In the beginning was Love, Him and Me

Love promised to hold us in peace eternally

He long sat with me on thrones with graceful ease

My throne’s now my home: His, life among the thieves

Spending his time with those he should turn away

He boasts and discloses what he never should say

He’s lazy, lacking drive, and always keep goals at bay

Those who should be his worker are now his preferred lay

He used to be very kind to me, loving and so true

We always created things that bring life and as a couple we could pursue

We’d be spontaneous, and love each other constantly and on cue

I would often tell him, I’m proud to be Queen to the King that’s you.

I felt that then and meant every word I said

Being secure and exemplary were the lives we led

Building kingdoms while having our breakfast in bed

Handling business to perfection using both our heads

But with the new years, he turned a new leaf

My eldest Prince soon adopted the same backward-type belief

That the Africans have power only in her or his meat

And don’t require love, males are men only with women at their feet

To get the many, only takes a little this and that

And in a second, at the drop of a hat

You’ll be on top, and see the full effect

But the wife and children will only hold you back

My king left our lives, and has been gone since that day

I did well rearing the children people say

My four children and I are home with Peace; today I see my man’s face

Sad they buy into the colonialist illusion and prove true myths that cripple our race

Them

As the music stops, His eyes’ fire intensify

No longer mesmerized by the melody

Her dance now is for Him

She’s His love of loves

And most loved One indeed

He’s Her cherished warrior

And for Her He is willing to bleed

As lucid waters at foreign shores

Do more than flow

Waves grow and lives survive by forging Their way

Her way is made, She’ll help make the way for Him

He’s Her loveliest love