Concrete Thoughts: A Collection of Urban Poetry

By La’Shawn K. Nicks-Bey

Enclosed in this book you will find a true collection of original urban poetry that takes the reader from their seats and on a journey in the life and into the mind and thoughts of a true person of the streets. As a first time author La'Shawn K Nicks-Bey has brought his A game to the table as he opens himself up for the whole world to seem him and life through his vision.

You will be overwhelmed and surprised by the artistic intelligence and raw emotions that is applied to every word. So buckle up and prepare for a roller coaster ride from the cold streets though the experiences of lost love, science, history, and pain to political views, world corruption, and lessons learned from being in a gang.

Concrete thoughts is a powerful must read that is packed with heart filled poetry with a urban and controversial edge, and in it's education this book is definitely set to arouse and to tickle the confines of the sleeping mind.

Enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456761783

La’Shawn K. Nicks-Bey

Born the youngest of six siblings on Oct.1, 1971 at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago Illinois, I was raised in a housing project called the Dearborn Homes, where for me, life seemed to be a never ending struggle, but despite the gangs and all the violence that was around me everyday, I always maintained my ability and my passion to write and to be creative. My father worked for the steel mill and was a bouncer at a club in down town Chicago at night where he eventually lost his life, I was either 4 or 5 years old when I lost my father, but I still have vague memories of him, then at the age of 15 I lost my mother to cancer, and since then, I've been raised in the streets and by the streets, because after my mom died my family just went their separate ways, so at this age I was forced to live a life that my mom had always sheltered me from, in this life I learned the real and true meaning of hustle and survival, and in this life I've done almost everything imaginable just to live to see another day, the organization that I was affiliated with became my second family and my loyalty was to them. Although I did two prison terms in Illinois, all of my willingness to write was forgotten until I was doing my first prison sentence in Minnesota for Aggravated Robbery, my passion for writing was renewed and it was the first time that I decided to take my writing seriously. In 1996 when I was released from that term, I got back to hustling, but still I appeared on a top Minneapolis radio station to say a few of my poems, I even remember a few people calling the station to say how much they liked what I had to say, it was all good, but poetry wasn't putting no money in my pockets, so I kept on hustling and writing until on Jan.11,1999 when I got picked up for shooting 3 people in North Minneapolis for beating up a relative of mine, I got sentenced a year later to 163 months and my life as I knew it was over, I lost everything!!! I felt bad for losing all of my material possessions, but nothing came close to the pain that I felt for losing my wife and our daughter, right now as I write this I could feel a cold emptiness inside my chest, but still I stay strong with the hopes of re -establishing the unity and the bond that I once had with my family. But in light of everything, I want the words of my poems to touch the hearts and minds of people like me, I put true life experience in every word, Real will recognize Real, so peep game.

Book preview

© 2011 La’Shawn K. Nicks-Bey. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse   03/28/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4567-6178-3 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-8796-2 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010915750

Printed in the United States of America

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

DEDICATIONS ….

CONFUSION ®

WOMAN ®

(YOU ARE)…. ®

THEY’RE NOT? ®

OPPRESSION AND PERSECUTION ®

THE RINGING ®

WHO AM I ®

WHO’S THE ENEMY®

SWEET SADIE MARIE®

DEAR LORD ®

IF ONLY I COULD®

"WHO AM I (PART 2)®

MY FLOWER®

SHATTERED DREAMS®

THE INVISIBLE MAN®

THERE IS ONLY DEATH®

THE SHADOW OF DEATH®

MOM’MA PLEASE…®

WILD FLOWER®

UNTITLED®

I AM FREE…®

BLACKNESS IS POWER ®

DARE TO DREAM®

BROTHA’ TYRONE BLACK®

ENEMY WITHIN®

ALL POEMS AIN’T LOVE POEMS®

IF AMERICA WASN’T AMERICA®

BARE NAKED®

BABY GIRL(REMINISCE)®

BLACK BOY LOST®

RAP ACTIVIST/THUG ANGEL®

EBONY PEARLZ®

FOREVER….®

MIND THOUGHTS®

GOD SENT®

SUNNY SIDE DOWN®

BELLY OF THE BEAST®

THE GAME®

STOP!®

I WILL SURVIVE®

BITTER TEARS®

SIGNS AND SYMBOLS®

CLARITY®

TAKE ME AS I AM®

ILLUSIONAL LOVE®

BLOODY TEARS®

WHERE WAS YOU….®

SILENT CRIES®

DEATH THROUGH PASSION®

SILENT WAR®

STRONG BLACK MIND®

NEVERHADAFRIEND

MY LIFE….®

A TIME THAT NEVER WAS®….

COME WALK A DAY…

MOORISH PRIDES®

SUN KISS®

DEITY®

HER SONG®

BLACC BUTTAFLI®

I COULD’VE DIED®

–AT FIRST SIGHTS® –

DARK VEIL®

A MOTHERS’ TEARS®

VISION OF LOVE®

–SECRETS OF THE NO.9®–

RHAPSODY®

MOOR HISTORY®

BEAUTIFUL®

CAN I TRUST U?®

MY EULOGY®

MINDMATICS®

EBONY QUEEN®

SUICIDE NOTE

THOUGHTS OF A

UNCOMMON THUG …

SOUL OF A

LOST THOUGHT….

PAIN

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DEDICATIONS ….

This book is first of all and foremost dedicated to the loving memory of my mother, the greatest mother to ever live, Mrs. Vera west Nicks–Martin, her inspiration is the very driven life force that spinal and flows throughout my veins. To my beautiful daughter Sadie Marie, your laughs and smiles are enough to inspire the whole world, you are truly the sunshine of my days. To my Brothers and Sisters: Johnny Nicks, Phillip Nicks, Sam Martin, Mary Banks, Henrietta Culverson, and Sharonda Nicks.

To a host of Nieces and Nephews: Kenyetta Nicks, Nikia Nicks,Vera Nicks, Nidjia Nicks, Tamarra Culverson, Na’Keisha Nicks, Nigari Banks, Sandra Culverson, Isaiah Culverson, Johnny Nicks Jr., La Trice Nicks, Na’Shawn Banks, Jeremiah Culverson, Gabrielle Grover, De’Angelo Grover, De’Oncio Jackson, De’Andre Jackson and all of their kids that I can’t mention at this time.

Last but certainly not lease, To all of the fallen soldiers from the Dearborn Homes in Chicago to Tangle Town in Minneapolis: Bay–Bay, Killa Mack Bones, Lee Nix, Rodney Griffin, Twon Mack, Lil’Man, Crazy Richard, Vera, J.A., Ju–Man, Coon Killa, Biz G, Julius, Chris, Lil’Man, DO–Dirty, Kenyatta, Lil’ Homicide, Talaney, Free, Tute, Nino, and Frank Nitty, may all of these brothers souls Rest In Peace.

If there is anyone that I missed, please believe me, it wasn’t on purpose, so don’t hold it against me, and remember always: If we don’t change, we don’t grow, and if we don’t grow, then we are not really living.

Special Dedications to: The Moorish Science Temple of America, Larry B. Hoover, and Jeff Ford, these individual entities are the who and the what that has motivated me to be a leader, have a vision, and to live by the divine principles of: LOVE, TRUTH, PEACE, FREEDOM AND JUSTICE. Also, to those brave brothers that stood on the battle line with me when I was fighting for my life: Tony–Man, Man–Man, Lamont(Tank)Griffin, Antonio(Tom–Tom) Johnson, George(Bow–Weed)Robinson, and William(Wolf)Robinson. I would like to thank all of you brothers for having my back thru the hardest struggles of my life, love doesn’t even begin to define the feelings that I have for you all.

 "

CONFUSION" ®

As I sit here in a world that’s full of darkness and pain I suffer with myself and all of my inadequacies.

No, I’m not perfect nor do I choose to be, I am satisfied with myself but still I’m not happy, I love my life but I don’t want to go on any more with a life that’s like mine.

In my world everyone is the enemy and no one can be trusted, I try hard to avoid those that’s not of my world, but yet I want to get to know them, I want to study them, I want to learn their language and find out why they are different from me and others of my world.

In all of my worlds darkness I tend to be searching for a never ending light that I’m really not looking for, at times I can hear a eminent voice that’s both familiar and unfamiliar to my ears, and through the thick darkness of my mind I can clearly see two hands stretched out as if to embrace me, to comfort me and to secure me, in that I know that this