Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics

By Buddah Desmond and Patricia Swann

Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics presents an eye-opening collection of poetry inspired by personal experiences, current events, history, culture, and social issues. This collection provides a glimpse into the mind of BuddahDesmond as he investigates our contemporary world. Written over the course of the last decade, these poems serve as an introduction to BuddahDesmonds range, voice, and style.

Prevail is divided into three sectionslife, love, and politics, each of which provides the author with an opportunity to thoroughly dissect his thoughts and feelings on each topic. Life challenges the notion of living happily ever after, considers the struggles of dysfunctional families, and shares the perspective of a laggard in a high-tech world. Love discusses the power of real, true love, the up and downs of relationships, and the difficulty finding a mate in the technosexual age. Politics explores the power of rhetoric and the underhanded maneuvering of politicians, as well as providing perspectives on many contemporary issues.

In this new collection, BuddahDesmond seeks to offer an underlying message of strength, persistence, and triumph.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781475916232

Buddah Desmond

BuddahDesmond is a writer, singer, artist, actor, cook, and user experience strategist/designer. He is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology and of the University of Maryland University College. He and his partner reside in Alexandria, Virginia. Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics is his first volume of poetry.

Book preview

Contents

Introduction

The Music of Life

That’s Where I’m At,

Where Are You?

The Most High is the Reason

Free

Pieces

The Ironic State of

Black Men in Society

A New Way of Living

A Dear Shout Out

Tragic

Gone Too Soon

Happily Ever After?

Normal?

So What?

Prevail

It’s Not That Serious

Stand Together: Bring Back the Days of Old to Deal with the New

Old-school Technosexual—Out

of Place?

Tonight

Power of Love:

A Contemporary Aside

So Much More

Nothing But Love

When I See You

When Love Is Not Enough

Done

Lust or Love

Love in the Technosexual Age

(Part I)

Love in the Technosexual Age

(Part II)

Love in the Technosexual Age

(Part III)

Computer Love

I Deserve

Flash in the Pan

Why’s It So Hard

How Will I Know?

Luther Is Love

The P/H Factor

The Power of Your Words

Same Shit under the Sun

Everyday Drugs

Past, Present, and Future

Freedom Lost, Freedom Gained

We Ain’t Going Nowhere

Desperation

Politricking

I’ll Never Understand

On the Edge of Change, Already Making History

A Moment In Time

Being Yourself

In Honor of Our Mother

Culture: Stripped from Its Origins

Insane Injustice

When Hate Kills

Thank Yous and Acknowledgments

Biography

For my family, friends, and all those who’ve inspired me to keep pushing, keep trucking, and keep growing no matter what. And to all those fighting to be who you are in a world that wants to silence you: don’t give in; you will be victorious!

Introduction

Prevail presents a sampling of poetry I’ve written over the course of the last ten or twelve years. Varying in subject matter, voice, and tone, this work touches on the ups and downs, highs and lows, trials and tribulations, and the many facets of life, love, and politics during this time period. These poems, proselike at times, offer insights into my world and the experiences of those around me.

The underlying sentiment or message of these poems, I hope, is one of triumph, strength, and persistence (hence the title). While the subject matter may at times be heavy, upsetting, raw, and in-your-face, there’s always a sense of hope and optimism.

We never know what’s coming to us in this life, but we do know that if we get through it—whatever it is—we will be better, stronger, and wiser. No matter what, we know we must prevail.

Enjoy,

BuddahDesmond

Life

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You have to go the way your blood beats. If you don’t live the only life you have, you won’t live some other life, you won’t live any life at all.—James Baldwin

The Music of Life

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Life is so complex,

Like the rhythms and melodies of jazz.

It’s ambiguous,

Always open to interpretation,

Constantly moving and changing, like the syllables of improvisational scats.

Each hour marks a line

Which all compile to create each day’s song:

Sometimes fast,

Sometimes slow,

Sometimes upbeat and jubilant,

Sometimes moody and melancholy.

The lyrics tell your story.

The situations, tasks, and events of the day are the notes.

You embody an instrument that plays accordingly.

Some days you may be at the top of the charts;

Other days you may not even chart at all.

Nothing ever really stays the same.

That’s the joy of opening your eyes to a new day.

One never knows what lies ahead

So when you get right down to it,

Life is a series of albums that detail

The colorful phases of your growth, development, and experiences,

All of the hits and misses,

All of the highs and lows.

That’s the music of life.

That’s Where I’m At,

Where Are You?

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You just don’t know how good you have it.

That’s what they say.

And maybe I don’t,

Because I don’t think about it;

I don’t think about it at all.

I don’t take anything for granted either.

I’m so busy workin’—

Hustlin’,

Groovin’,

Tryin’ to make moves,

Because I don’t want to lose,

Don’t want to be a failure,

Don’t want to be the player that gets played

Or hater who gets hazed.

I’ve got a much bigger focus—

A higher calling—

Where even if I find myself falling,

I know that I will be redeemed

If I do what is needed

To overcome the stumbles on the way to bigger opportunities and better days.

I’m in competition with no one.

Don’t need any comparisons.

If anything, compare me to me,

’Cause the music I rock to ain’t