Should You?: Judge a Book by Its Cover

By Howard Donal Peace III

A book of euphemisms. In todays complex society, people have so much to do and so feel that they are always in a rush. Their noses are buried in their electronics, and despite being so connected, everyone is further away from each other than ever before.

Should You?, a new poetry collection by author Howard Donal Peace III, takes that complexity and conflicts as its inspiration, exploring the question that we all occasionally ask: why no one else seems to know how to drive when we are on the road.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Dec 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781480839540

Howard Donal Peace III

Howard Donal Peace III is the son of a hardworking Nabisco factory worker, single mother, and confidant. He decided to put his education to work and try on someone else’s shoes. He currently lives in Richmond, Virginia.

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Copyright © 2016 Howard Donal Peace III.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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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.

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ISBN: 978-1-4808-3953-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-3954-0 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016918793

Archway Publishing rev. date: 11/23/2016

Contents

Just Listen – Poem 1

What Is That Boy Talking About? – Poem 2; Chapter 1

Animal Kingdom – Poem 3; Chapter 2

Tell ’Em – Poem 4; Chapter 3

Circles – Poem 5; Chapter 4

As I Reply – Poem 6; Chapter 5

Sex Appeal – Poem 7; Chapter 6

Trippin’ – Poem 8

This Is Part Of That – Poem 9

Sisters – Poem 10; Chapter 7

Scream – Poem 11

Soul – Poem 12; Chapter 8

i – Poem 13; Chapter 9

Faith – Poem 14; Chapter 10

Whatever – Poem 15; Chapter 11

Being Glue – Chapter 12

Un-notice-able – Poem 16; Chapter 13

Growing Up – Poem 17; Chapter 14

Barely Passing – Poem 18; Chapter 15

And but And – Poem 19; Chapter 16

Should You?

Judge A Book By Its Cover

This publishing is illustrated for the reader to perceive the abstract thoughts one chapter at a time. By doing so, one will allow the gate of their questions to have proper directional flow, so that there will be little, to no traffic, on the highway of self-preservation.

Deeper the hole; you dig, the more you will find, But, when it rains, the harder it is to climb out of the mud.

Just Listen

Love doesn’t hear

Misconceptions of

Why we are here.

Do you hear?

Feeling stuck in the dark,

Trying to hide in the limelight—

How did we get here?

Am I going to die?

Feelings I get,

Life moving so fast

Almost as if it’s just a flash.

The feeling of being frozen

Doesn’t leave;

Gazing into headlights

Like a deer,

I’m still just sitting here.

Do you hear?

My pain

Probably won’t;

I don’t complain.

Feeling as if I’m

To go insane,

Thinking love isn’t

A member

Of my brain.

Fight to stay sane—

How?

When the feeling of being poor

Is always at the front door,

How to stay happy?

When feeling so alone,

Most people

Would have crawled home.

As people, we don’t like people; we like their value …

Do we like people or their value?

What Is That Boy Talking About?

Why point the finger?

Why point a finger?

There is no one there to blame.

We all are alone

In this place

We call home.

I don’t mean that literally;

I mean this physically.

You are on you own.

We all have one body

That can get us home.

There is no switching sides.

As I replied

To the man in the skies,

See,

You only get one chance

At this thing called life.

I don’t know about you;

I’m not trying to lose the fight.

I wake up every day with three things on my mind:

God, family, and work.

Most would say,

"No, naw,

What about the money?"

To me, that is

What work is

(The same as time).

If you really want something,

You work for it.

You don’t just go buy it,

‘Cause spending money

Can only get you broke down,

Disgusted.

If you work for it,

When you get it,

You have earned it.

Sometimes it takes

You putting in

Blood, sweat, and tears.

And when you fall down,

Pick yourself up,

Dust it off,

‘N’ try again.

Pray next time you will be more prepared.

All you can do is work in your time.

Nothing is guaranteed

Except death;

Even that can get a li’l iffy.

So don’t stress.

Stop the fuss;

Have more fun.

No judging—

Start loving.

Always remember you don’t have to like to love.

Love is a feeling;

Like is an expression.

P.S.

It’s harder to like than to love.

Have you ever been ridiculed?

Well, if you haven’t, either you are emotionally strong or have just been flat-out blessed when it comes to your emotions.

Being ridiculed, on its own, is a tough experience to handle; add dealing with, your emotions and you’re up a creek without a paddle.

When you have been drained from the inside,