Social Butterfly

By Shakeria Camper

… In some eyes I am the
Same as I once was,
But now I have evolved,
Like the crescent moon
And the rising of the
Sun and the moon, like
A caterpillar slowly
Dancing in the wind …

Shakeria Camper is a woman of faith who loves to strengthen and uplift others. In her debut compilation of poetry, she shares inspirational reflections from a women’s prospective while exploring a vast array of emotions, her identity, and steadfast faith in God.

In poems that compare love to a flower in bloom, sadness to a dark cloud, and agony to a sweltering desert, Camper intertwines complex emotions
with the beauty and unpredictability of nature as she reflects on life, love , and heartache. Included in her collection is a touching verse that highlights
a mother’s unconditional love, the agony of being torn between good and evil, and the power of a woman’s intuition.

Social Butterfly offers a lyrical glimpse into a woman’s soul as she emerges from her cocoon and learns to spread her wings.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Sep 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483451176

Book preview

bloom.

A Look in the Mirror

Sometimes I look

At myself in the

Mirror, and I know

I’m not perfect,

But I never came

To realize my true

Worth.

Sometimes self-

Hatred tears me

Apart and rips

At the very center

Of my being, not

Saying those three

Simple words, "I

Love you," or

Knowing the true

Person inside of

Me.

Tears flow, and

Sometimes I cry

To try to hide the

Pain that dwells

Internally, slow

To burn self-love

Is something that

I have to learn,

But sometimes its

Hard when vomit

Fills your throat

And your stomach

Begins to churn.

But a mirror never

Lies if a person is

Truly genuine inside.

It reflects the inner

Beauty, one of strength,

One of courage, one

Of love, one that is

Reversed from a heart

That is as cold and

As hard as stone.

A mirror always tells

The truth, and a simple

Glance is all it took

To see the sadness of

The person staring

Back at me from

Inside its womb.

A Single Tear

Sadness lingers over

me like a dark cloud,

and my heart is torn,

and happiness is no

where to be found,

but I will not shed

a single tear.

Loneliness has seeped

into my soul because

you are no longer in

my life, and I walk

around in gloom, and

I am enclosed in my

own womb, but I

will not shed a single

tear.

I am filled with misery

and pain from within,

and a smile once planted

on my face no longer

remains, but I will not

shed a single tear,

because the world did

not end when you

walked out of my life,

but instead there was

a new beginning.

Agony

Walking in a hot,

Sweltering desert

With no water to

Quench my thirst,

Or shelter to protect

My body from the

Elements of the

Earth.

In the depths of

Hell, its flames

Rip open my flesh

Until there is

Nothing left for

All eternity without

A single soul not

Even god to reach

Out for me.

Standing on top

Of the highest

Mountain, falling

Continuously until

I reach my death

And gasp to take

My last breath.

Living my whole

Life alone, old

And frail, not

Even a friend

To take my hand

As I walk through

Wet sands.

Not being able

To look into your

Eyes or see your

Face every single

Day as you walk

By, not being able

To see your smile

That could last

A life time like

A beautiful open

View, or to spend

A single second

Or minute without

You.

An Angel Touched My Heart

I never knew that an angel

could touch my heart. I

never knew that an angel

could touch my soul, so

gentle, so loving, so kind,

and yet so bold.

I never knew that an angel

could walk into my life

and make me feel this way,

deeply touching my heart,

but still yet I am afraid.

An angel touched my heart

and brought joy into my life,

if only for a brief moment,

this angel seemed to make

everything all right.

With his gentle loving kindness,

and caring ways, wishing he

could forever be by my side,

but yet he could not stay. He

slowly drifted out of my life

and chose to walk away.

An angel touched my heart

in more ways than he’ll ever

know. His smile was as beautiful

as the sun and worth more

than gold.

An angel touched my heart,

more than he will ever know,

and allowed my heart to grow.

To soar and reach for the sky,

once more, and filled my life

with a happy song, but now

the angel I once held close

to me is gone.

Angel’s Wings

You’ve finally got

your angel’s wings,

and now you are free.

Free to fly among the

clouds in the sky.

Free to walk through

heaven where you no

longer have to worry,

where there will be

no more tears to cry,

because you are now

nestled in the arms

of the lord, and he

will keep you safe

from harm.

So fly away, because

many tribulations you

have faced, but do not

fear, because now you

are in a better place.

Angry Black Woman

Just because

I’m a strong

Black woman,

and sometimes I

have a tendency

to put my hands

on my hips, it

doesn’t mean

that I’m liable

to throw a fit.

And just because

I get angry doesn’t

mean I’m PMSing.

It just means that

like you my day

has been