A Right to Write

By Runas C. Powers III

There's no available information at this time. Author will provide once information is available.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984545138

Runas C. Powers III

Runas C. Powers, III is an author of six books. His first three books, are poetry collections. Powers first poetry collection is called A Collection Of Thoughts and it was published in 2005. A Collection Of Thoughts was followed by Powers second collection poetry, Heart Rhyme And Soul. Powers third collection of poetry was published in 2010 and is titled Simply Runas. In 2015, Powers published Verses Of Pain Of Love which was a collection of poems, two plays and a collection of essays. Verses Of Pain And Love was followed up by A Right To Write, which was published in 2018. A Right To Write featured a more in- depth collection of poems and three plays and twenty essays on various subjects and personal interest. Powers studied at Faulkner University and Troy University and as a accomplished author he has continued writing over twenty four years. In 2007, Powers was the first place winner of the National Career Development Association Open Adult Poetry Contest. Powers is from Alexander City, Alabama and it is through his love for the state of Alabama, God and overall life experiences that Powers finds his muse to continue writing. His goal and his soul's hope is to use his writing as a way to educate, inform and entertain.

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 by Runas C. Powers, III.

ISBN:                Softcover                  978-1-9845-4509-1

                          eBook                        978-1-9845-4513-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 08/10/2018

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

782561

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES

Momma, Momma Please Tell Me?

I Am Black

While Hanging From A Tree

History Is A Process

The Reality Of A Black Man When Dealing With The Police

Growing Up In Alabama

Hearing The Children Sing

Why Celebrate The Fourth of July?

Our Plight

Black Like Me

A Reaction to the Michael Brown Case

The Word As I Define

A True Focus

On With Change

Advice To The Black Youth

We Came From Glory

The Mis Education

Stolen Away

RECOVERY

You Can Find Love

The Outlook

Now I See

Good Bye Old Friend

My Testimony

I Have Learned

A Renaissance

The Decisions We Make

A Drunken Reflection

As I Walk On

The Attitude

The Signs

Going Through Thangs

Back In The Day

As it was

No Love

RELATIONSHIPS

My One True Bride

To Last

In Your Eyes

Hold On Tight

Why Fight With Love?

One Last Kiss To Say Goodbye

A Lover’s Wish

A Caged Bird Meant To Be Free

In Your Eyes

Starting To Fall

Every Time I See Your Face

The Definition of A Friend

I Must Be A Fool For Love

To See An Old Friend

Life And Friends

Ms. Jonez

A Beauty to See

Into Those Eyes

Beauty Lies In Her Eyes

A Song For Her

For Youth And Beauty

May Nothing Come Between

She

Out Of Passion

Pray For My Love

Crossing Paths

Bold Lyrics Of Love

Time Well Spent

Roses

Capturing Love

Love Radio

Love In My Tears

Relations

Her Beauty

A Kiss

Battered Wife

RELIGION

God First

Conquer All

Unconditional Love

You Have Brought Me So Far

Because God Is There

The Guiding Light

Salvation

The Sword

The Creator Of All Things

Blessed

Only

A Rhyme Of Grace

A Prayer

You Are God

Jesus Saves

What I Do

A look At Creation

LOVE

Love Is No More

Love What A Ponder

To Have You In My Life

A Sentimental Fool

My Well has Ran Dry

I Love You

So Beautiful

The Light of My Life

The Tears of a Fool

I Greet You

Watching You Dance

A Juxtaposition Of Love

Love And Lust

No More Than A Broken Dream

Not My All

The Winds Cry Love

You Better Step To Her

Lovers Forever

In Your Arms

Like The Wind

Love Rules All

Does Good Love Die?

Only For Fools

An Ode To A woman

Together You and Me

For Soulmates

PERSONAL

The Purpose Of My Craft

A Need To Be Free

A Prayer For A Man

Grateful For This Moment In Time

Friends

At Ease

A Test of Faith

For The Chance

To Find Me

Confessions With A Pen

In My Face

I Pour A Page

With A Kit of Spiritual Tools I Write

Forever Unashamed

For Fame

Why Should I Frown?

The Sun Light Of My Heart

Because I Write

Tears

How I Spent Life

A part Of Life

Feeling Good With Life

The Game I Love

Against The Odds

Pleasure

The Reason Why I dream

The Pen Dance

I See Clearly

Walk Tall Stand Tall

Will You Remember Me

I Got Heart

Judge Not

The Best Christmas

To Write

FAMILY

Just Smile For Me

A Mother’s Love

Congratulations On Your Graduation

A Poem for A Nephew

Pass It On

A Father Like You

I Salute You

For You

You Carried Me

Raven

My Mom

POLITICAL

In Horror I Scream

As If Our Lives Don’t Matter

A Time Of Rage

Why Fly A Rebel Flag

All Over Religion

Because Of Bigots

Ether Or?

Why Can Anyone Get a Gun?

Where Is The Liberty?

It is Sad To Say

The Question

You Know You Are A Racist

A False Sense Of A Utopia

Pain, Poetry, and Politics

To Rebel

SPIRITUAL

Praying Hands

My Heart / You Saved Me

Love Conquers All

The Blessed

Pray Always Pray

Some Things

The Force

The Therapy

DEDICATIONS

A Poem For Nelson Mandela

Saturday’s In The Fall

Mr. Medgar Evers

Oh, Mothers We Honor You

He Died For Us Too

To Lose His Life

Alabama The Beautiful

To Say Goodbye

For This Occasion

An Ode To Afro Sheen

A Poem For Mr. Joe Louis

A Poem For Jesse Owens

Our Own Separate Ways

A Civil Rights Icon

A Second Look

For The City Of Boston

Two Legacies That Live On

An Ode To Spring

A life Lived Only To Inspire

A Tribute To Jimi

One Last Cry

One For Haiti

Choices

The Pain of Fame

INSPIRATIONAL

A Better World Today

Fear Of Right And Wrong

I Hear The Bells Ringing In My Soul

Sustained By Joy

Still I Rise

I Am Just Dreaming

Forever Blessed

With In

For All Of Us

So Just Watch What We Do

Fear We Must Face

When God Cries

The Praise

The Seventh Letter

A Series of Plots

Be Calm

To Write A Poem Part 2

As The Bells Ring

The Sorrow Of Song

An Ode To Love

I Spit

Street Wise

Soul And Passion

In The Morning

The Antidote Called Hope

To Lead

A Breath Of Gratitude

PHILOSOPHICAL

With Life We Dance

A Tragic Theme Song

No Surprise

Beyond What I See

The Voice Of Poetry

Following Dreams To Destiny

What Lies?

I Dance With Life

Attitudes

As I Look Toward

The Nature Of Things

Only More Poetry

Life Part 2

Life Without

I Could Cry

Pass On

For The Light

As We Go Through Life

On Borrowed Time

By Writing Rhymes

I Bleed

Cross Roads

Foolish Man

One With Nature

The Simplest Of Things

Sometimes Success

Hard Times

A Rose

My Theme

A Picture And A Frame

What Is So Cool About Death??

The Plight Of Ignorance

The Process

When Night Falls Down South

Scribbling

Ups And Downs

Struggling Part 2

Changes

Due To Change

For The Solution

An Escape

A Take On Life

The Route

Art, Truth, and Beauty

A Destiny

Open Mind

Fragments

The Broken Hearted

The Tragedies Of Reality

The Process Of A Poet

The Road’s of Life

Who Is To Say

Love No More

The Night

A Stream

The Answer

A Veiw

THE PLAYS OF A RIGHT TO WRITE

He Came to Believe

Two Sides Of The Track

Redemption of a Dream

INTRODUCTION TO THE ESSAYS OF A RIGHT TO WRITE

A Future without the Rebel Flag

An Unsung Hero Of Civil Rights

One Who Died For Our Rights

So We Could Be Free

Marching On

The Contrast of Django Unchained and 12 Years A Slave Two Movies

Come As You Are

The Trouble Of Following Man

African American Or Black?

Amendment One to Me

A Right to Learn

Knowledge Is Power A Take on Fredrick Douglass

Of My Opinion

Despite The Odds

Three Of My Literary Heroes

The First African American Poet

The Kid

From 1st and 10 to Glory

The Real Sugar Ray

The Impact Of An Alabama Quarterback

Dedication

First of all to my savior Jesus Christ, I give Him all the praise, honor, and glory.

Secondly I am blessed to have my parents Dr. Runas Powers, Jr. and Mary Alice Powers for their love for me is without question. Thank both of you for your undying support over the years as my dreams would not have ever been possible without your prayers and encouragement.

Acknowledgements

The gift of life is the most precious thing anyone can ever have. My awesome Lord and savior Jesus Christ continues to bless me in so many ways. He has giving me many talents that I try to use to glorify His goodness and love. It is creative writing in different forms, which are a few ways that I choose to express my love for God. When I write, I try to let His mighty blessings flow through my pen as I praise him when I write. I thank God for creative writing, as I use it to praise Him. Through the trials and tribulations of life, He is always there and his love sustains me through the storms of life. It is with great joy, hope, and most all faith that I know the good Lord will always take care of me. Although, life it self can be hard, trivial, and confusing with the world’s troubles that seem so everlasting but it is my faith in God that fuels my fire to continue my passion as an author.

Throughout my life, my family has really been the corner stone for my support. Their love and edification, has always helped me grow in many ways spiritually. My parents, Dr. Runas Powers Jr. and Mary Alice Powers, are the best. They have always given me the encouragement to continue my pursuit of my dreams of being an author. With their huge hearts and constructive criticism, they have enabled me not only to improve as a writer but to grow as a man.

I want to say thank you to my two sisters, Tiffany Reid and Trina Stevenson and my brother in law, Rodeny Stevenson. They give me the greatest joy allowing me the wonderful and special opportunity, of being an uncle. Their beautiful children are so special and gifted and I am so blessed to be around them in my life. My oldest nephew, Caleb Reid and his sister Raven, are just simply amazing. While Kaden Stevenson and his sister Kai, are growing up so fast and doing so many wonderful things. These young gifted children, only inspire me to dream even further of how bright their future will be. With these young children being a part of my life, they provoke me through God giving me creativity and energy to write.

As I am blessed so much in life with family, it is noting better to enjoy being with them. I have always believed that it is so important in life, to know about your family’s history and roots. It is because of my families’ past, the blessings of God, hard work, sacrifice, and giving back, which has helped me to be the man I am. I am firm believer that if you know from where you come from, than you know where are going in life. My family tree on all sides, consist of many great individuals that I could not name them all. Yet their own individual legacies, have given me strength to endure. The Powers and Price family, my cousins the Salter family, has always encouraged me to not only write but to love, laugh and enjoy life. My cousin Nettie G. Salter, her family have always opened their doors and they have very generous hearts’ with their time, fellowship and love. I thank them and I am so proud to have them as apart of my family. I am so blessed and honored just to call them friends and family.

My cousin, Jessie B. Heard and his wife Mrs. Yvonne, have always taken the time to help nurture me as man. I have so much respect and gratitude for their ongoing support over the years. I have grown so accustom to hearing their voices on the phone and I like seeing them with smiles on their faces which is nothing but pure joy to me.

The Burton and Tuck families are my hometown family relatives’ that are always their to lend a helping hand. My cousin, Homer Burton and his Mrs. Alma are the best for giving me pep talks when I am down. They also are always generous with their time that they allow me to have. Without them, I would hate to imagine myself not having their great friendship but also our family ties and love that we share.

I also enjoy talking to my cousin, Jeannette Boddie. She and her two children, Randy and Alisa, are always so friendly every time I see them and they are full of hugs and love.

I also love my Memphis, Tennessee and Detroit, Michigan families. The Shelton’s and the Fields have really helped to shape my life in many ways. I have so many Aunts and one Uncle that I love to hear from or visit. I have many lively cousins that are very well accomplished and I have a lot of respect for them and I have really grown to appreciate their love and fellowship over the years. I have so many cousins to name, and I won’t name them all. Although, the entire family is always a blessing to be around but I have enjoyed my talks with Monkia Shelton. Our talks over these last few years have helped us to grow closer.

As for my Detroit family, it is my great aunt Vernell Turnage that I recently had the honor and privilege to finally meet. She is a very wonderful person, whose Godly wisdom and presence, has really guided and inspired me to grow. I thank her and the rest of Fields Family for the awesome hospitality, support, and love.

Its through family ties that I learn so much about my roots, history, and proud legacy. It is family that makes life so special. I always try to cherish my moments with them as I continue to learn and grow as a man.

Friends are the special people in my life that are not family. People such as Donna Putnam, Walter Ashurst, Rodney Long, and Rose R. Chapman have always graciously given me their gift of valuable friendship. Throughout the years, they have tremendously helped me continue to endure in many ways. From my college days, to where I am now, these great individuals are very vital in encouraging me. I see friends as those that we meet along the way in life that help and shape our lives. I thank you all, for continuing your ongoing love, prayers, and support.

Life is a process of education that is everlasting and I have a great deal of respect for education. I find educators quite fascinating, as I have enormous admiration for all educators. Teachers on all levels have a very difficult task of preparing their students for life. As I have grown to be a man, I have come to value the education that I attained. Through out the years, I have had the great privilege of being taught by so many brilliant and dedicated people. These educators have inspired me to not only write but to be a better man. A few individuals that have really made an impact on me are Mr. Gorge Minor, Dr. Jo Ann Bryant, Mr. Flynn Murphy, and Mr. John Curbow. These fine people helped me and guided me not only as a student but as a author. I personally believe that a student can only be as great as their teacher but not ever better. It is through life’s enduring process of education that I yearn to continue to learn as I aspire to write. I give credit to the development of higher learning, as it was in my early college years that I discovered creative writing. It would begin with me writing poetry and I found my life’s calling in being an author.

As a believer in Christ, I want to thank the following Churches, Passion Church and the Alexander City Church Of Christ. They always have their doors open and their hearts open even more. I always enjoy my church fellowship and all those I come in contact with. God’s love is so awesome and even more so everlasting and His word will always keep me safe and protected. I would like to name a few of my brothers and sisters in Christ who have extended their fellowship and love to me, Everett and Gloria Bolware and Andy Graham. Knowing the Word of God never changes and it is infinite and almighty and the Bible is the only book that will forever last and will always stay in print.

I know my calling is writing and it is a blessing to use the gifts and talents that God has given me. I am inspired by living life to the fullest and following my dreams. It is through creative writing that I inform and educate others. My overall goal, is to praise and glorify God using my gifts as a writer. With poetry, essays, and plays, I want to reach people and hope to inspire others to strive for their dreams.

In closing, creative writing for me is a wonderful gift that God has blessed me with. Over the years by His grace, I have continued to praise him in all that I do. No matter if it is poetry, plays, or essays, I use these devices to express my love and worship of God. Not everything I write is clean cut or pretty, yet its through my passion that I try to inform, entertain, and educate. Throughout this journey, their have been so many people who have been so supportive of my career. I have been so blessed with numerous great God sent people that really helped me to create this work. Since there are so many, I will only name few that were instrumental in this process. Such as, The Adelia M. Russell Library staff, Faulkner University, and Troy University. I also want to thank Central Alabama Community College and Landmark College. I have been highly fortunate to have had the opportunity to seek higher learning at all of these fine institutions.

I would like to express tremendous gratitude to Mrs. Julia Abrams and family, Mrs. Joyce Robinson, and Mrs. Gloria Boleware. I also would like to thank Mr. Willie Knight for his support and encouragement and also Mrs. Teresa Moten. I would also like to thank all that I failed to mention. I thank you all for your support and God bless you all.

Introduction to the Poetry of A Right to Write

Poetry is a great art form that I use to express myself in many ways. It is through poetry that I try to not only entertain but also to inform. With poetry, I feel that I have been called by God to write and use it to tell others about God. My career as poet has been one of endurance, hardship, but also with many blessings. Through the ups and downs of my life, poetry has always been there. With poetry, I write my life’s joys, tears, and pain. With poetry it is a way that not only I communicate but I convey ideas and feelings as I try to reach others. Over the years as a poet, I continue to find great joy as I write. For me, poetry is not only an art form it is a way of life that I live and express. I take this art form very seriously and to me writing poetry is a tremendous sacrifice and a self-discipline. Through this discipline, I can use poetry to worship and praise my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. It’s through Him that I have this great gift and talent and it is through poetry that I soul search, as I continue to develop not only as poet but as a man. Not all of the poetry that I write is non -secular but it is art that I use to educate, entertain, and inform. When it comes to writing poetry, to me it is more than just a few words on a page of paper. It is the very essence of a few words on a page of paper that form meaning and purpose. Although when I write poetry, I am not always conventional when it comes to themes, variation, style, meter and rhyme schemes. The poetry that I create is very vital as the words that I choose to use form meaning and through meaning, I have inspiration. I use poetry as a vehicle to inform and most of all to praise God.

African American Studies

Momma, Momma Please Tell Me?

Momma, Momma please tell me

why a little black boy

like me,

is not free?

Momma, Momma please tell me

why America,

does not recognize me?

Or why don’t they like the color of my skin?

And why do they

want my life to end?

Or why don’t they want to educate me properly?

Is this just because I am a little back boy,

Momma don’t you see?

Momma, Momma please tell me?

What is the answer to this painful mystery?

I think I know,

what you always tell me.

It’s because I am a little black boy, you see.

Just because they hate me,

due to the color of my skin,

that does not mean in life that I can’t win,

and grow to be

a strong black man.

To live, dream big, and do whatever I want and can.

Momma, Momma please tell me,

I can be anything I wana be?

With God as my king,

I can do anything.

Momma, Momma why me?

But Momma, Momma why not me?

137659.png

I Am Black

Defined by color,

as a curse.

Being last not first,

those who see,

me

are terrified.

Or they can’t identify,

I was taught lies,

to despise,

myself and others

like me.

So we couldn’t rise,

just to continue on with our demise,

of each other,

and be not wise.

As I am always under attack,

it seems as if

in life,

I always lack.

I guess so,

because I am black.

I am black.

137656.png

While Hanging From A Tree

While hanging from a tree,

defending life and liberty.

Look at what,

the American dream did for me?

All I wanted,

was out of poverty.

To be free,

and to see,

that I could attain a dream,

by doing my thing.

Seeing life,

expressing it when I write,

beyond two wrongs,

that don’t make a right.

Yet, in spite

of life,

I live for poetry to write.

So within,

my soul I pen,

as I think way back then.

My ancestors who hung from trees,

died defending their lives and liberty.

Just so I could be free,

and when I write,

I think about the American dream,

and what it did for me.

While hanging from a tree.

137654.png

History Is A Process

For us,

history is a process,

of twisted opinionated facts.

It purposely holds us back,

keeping us suffering

as we lack.

We are mentally programmed

to feel less of ourselves

as blacks.

So for ourselves,

we must search for the real facts.

Most say that history,

is a mystery.

I say history is the present,

that has not become

the past.

There always will be,

a first,

and the last.

It is not so much,

when it comes to the truth that we don’t understand.

It is about breaking the cycle of the miseducation of the black man,

instead of waiting on or leaders to form a plan.

So I urge us on,

to keep keeping on.

But to search for the true hidden facts,

so we can empower our people and never lack.

137652.png

The Reality Of A Black Man When Dealing With The Police

As a black man,

I must be in reality

about society.

It is as if the police kill us for fun.

And for a voice,

for us

is no one.

They use their brutality,

for notoriety.

As they climb their ranks,

with their attitude toward us so stank.

Making these times full of insanity,

as it seems like every day,

becomes another tragedy.

It’s a crime to not respect human life,

and survival is a never ending existence of strife.

As we black men die for less,

but we are still so blessed.

Although it seems to others,

that our lives or worthless.

Still I say that we are priceless,

and in so many ways invisible.

As others don’t realize that we black men die

over a simple principle,

called human life!

As we are cut down by life’s knife,

while our love one’s grieve in pain.

Because more black men die in vain.

The police treat us like target practice,

and then turn deaf ears to our activist,

calling us reverse racist.

So if a black man is to resist arrest,

then it can be taken as if he has a death wish.

I wish all this madness would stop,

although sad to say it won’t,

until the whole world goes pop.

137650.png

Growing Up In Alabama

Alabama’s racial dilemma,

has always been stigmatizing,

victimizing, and downright terrorizing.

Yet, still I don’t have fear,

because I was born and raised here.

Growing up playing in the woods,

where my four fathers where lynched,

as they hung from trees,

fighting and dying,

for what they believed,

which was freedom.

As to be apart of God’s kingdom,

for color God doesn’t see.

That’s what my grandma used to tell me.

As civil rights runs through my veins,

deep like the mighty waters of the Mississippi,

my people are still fighting and dying to be free.

From dying to read and write,

to voting,

even if it meant gun toting.

Now today, Alabama’s racial dilemma,

is still stigmatizing and victimizing.

But I thank God today,

for my people fighting and dying,

for what Alabama may become,

for my future decedents,

to have their day in the sun.

And for all races be equal as one.

137648.png

Inspiration: My Niece Raven Renee Reid

Hearing The Children Sing

I heard the children sing,

Lift every voice and sing.

Everyone knows,

Martin had a dream,

and Malcolm said by any means.

I have seen things like a black man becoming president.

Still the struggle,

has been hard fought and diligent.

Our people,

continue to come

clear and intelligent,

but still the enemy attacks.

Yet we strive,

and not lack.

Perseverance defines us blacks,

so as I hear,

the children sing,

Lift every voice and sing.

Today I still know,

that Martin has a dream,

and Malcolm said by any means.

So with hearing the children sing,

I am amazed and inspired.

Yet I am yearning,

and learning

for what joy the future brings.

As I am hearing the children sing!

137646.png

Why Celebrate The Fourth of July?

Why celebrate the fourth,

when we were never free?

July 1776,

was not liberty for me.

Our independence,

it was just more

of a war,

on my people

trying to get free.

From hanging from a tree,

where we are still fighting today.

As I sit and think and pray,

for a better way,

the struggle

is still on today.

I say,

it’s a form of modern day slavery.

Some of it we brought

on ourselves,

some of it was knowledge on the shelf.

That we could not attain,

so its just more pain.

As we try to use our brains,

while in so many ways,

we still are trying to fight

for our rights.

In so many ways,

as these days

go on,

we must stay strong

and hold on.

Because the end is never near,

you can see the hurt in our tears.

As they continue to kill us,

with the police,

while we wait for

the violence to cease.

Because we know,

without peace

there is no justice.

So that’s why,

many of us still die,

fighting for justice

and liberty.

Because the black race’s plight,

is a fight to be free,

and freedom is something

that we may never see.

So why celebrate the Fourth of July?

When we never free!

137644.png

Our Plight

We were taken from our ancestry,

forced into existence of slavery.

Only to eventually,

hang from trees.

And never to know,

our real families’ history.

For us, America is a disenfranchised society.

It lacks love in the form of humanity.

So, we exist caught up in insanity.

If we are proud then it is seen as vanity.

Yet, no one wants to admit to these sins,

when it comes to the color of our skin.

We are still condemned,

waiting to be free,

to really embrace racial equality.

But until then,

we will always be judged

by the color of our skin.

Visualizing the horrific images embedded into our brains.

Our peoples plight is nothing but a long journey of pain.

An example of us, always hanging from a tree,

being still taught today

that our ancestry

starts with us beginning in slavery.

137642.png

Black Like Me

I am your brother,

still that you can’t see.

Because you see me

darker than you.

Although you are lost,

and don’t know what

is true.

You still think you are better than me,

just because your skin is lighter than mine.

So,

I ask how do you define

black?

Or is it an identity that you lack?

Just because you are lighter than me,

does that make you better than me.

Or is it a fundamental truth that you ignore?

Just because you are lighter skin,

and you think you have more.

But the truth is,

no matter that your light skin,

you are black just like me!

But most people have eyes that can see,

that you are black just like me!

137640.png

A Reaction to the Michael Brown Case

Ether they lock us up

and throw away the key,

or kill us with police brutality.

While some wonder why,

we still need to fight for racial equality.

We die for less,

causing much stress.

I guess

that’s why

so many of us

are depressed.

Trying to survive,

these turbulent times.

It is so hard

to keep this off your mind.

The sadness

of this madness,

knowing there

is no peace without justice.

But it seems,

as if justice is only served

just to us.

We must

continue to march on

and to keep

the dream alive,

and do more than

just survive.

137638.png

The Word As I Define

The word black

that I define

as I use my free mind.

This means to me,

a form of liberation

and admiration.

For my predecessors,

my ambassadors,

who fought

and died for my rights,

to help the black plight.

From their own testimony,

I gain insight

that I express when I write.

So the word black

as I define,

basically to me means

to have a free mind.

137635.png

A True Focus

A follower but a learner,

a revolutionary like Nat Turner.

Spiting Amazing,

like Harriet Tubman’s

Pistol blazing.

Steadily sparking,

like Martin.

True and a original like the garden,

ready to put a man in check

come correct, straight, and direct.

I am mentally strong,

and physically strong.

Ready to right my wrongs,

they say I am without a culture,

yet they prey on my demise

like a vulture.

I know my history is purposely hidden.

Trying to make,

knowledge for me

to be

forbidden.

Yet, I am quite fortunate

knowing my heart, mind, and soul.

It is so intricate,

it is through

this that I compose these lyrics.

As I arise like the tide,

I describe as

a scribe,

but the pain inside

reparations can not hide.

With so much pride,

I tell truthful tales.

With two sides which

correlate,

love and hate.

So we must relate

with this I must contemplate.

I feel so irate that black on black crime

is a genocide.

That must

subside,

or we will always stand in a constant great divide.

137633.png

On With Change

A hoody for Trayvon,

a prayer for Dr. King,

to keep the dream marching on.

One for the song,

"Only the strong

Will survive."

Oh, alive

is the dream of Dr. King.

With Obama as his main theme,

oh, things are in a current change.

But what does not change

is the pain,

of those who we lost.

While trying to get our point across,

with that being known,

many bridges are to be crossed.

Along,

as life goes on

we must continue on

and stay strong.

The road we have taken,

is not to be mistaken

and we are not forsaking.

Although constantly we are awaken

staring at the dream.

With change,

as its main theme.

So we must continue to bring on change.

137630.png

Advice To The Black Youth

Black youth

take aim and fight.

Let your souls take flight,

stand tall

and don’t fall.

Act on peace,

take control of your streets.

Black Youth.

Study your roots and history,

continue to take your education seriously.

Hold your head high,

and let your dreams fly.

Listen to your elders,

learn that love is bigger than four letters.

Always show respect,

young men,

your women you must always protect.

Practice working together,

so we can be a stronger as a nation under God.

As we know these days and times are hard.

Black Youth.

137627.png

We Came From Glory

From kings and queens

we came from glory,

but yet we hear a different story.

Many are miseducated,

while a lot of us fought to be educated.

We went from separate but equal,

to going to school with white people.

From the back of the bus,

and Dr. King marching with us,

to a black man playing major league baseball,

while we continued to fight for Jim Crow to fall.

From Barbra A. Johns at age 15 who lead a school protest

doing her best.

While Claudette Colvin was first to refuse to give up her seat on the bus

but Rosa Parks received the fame.

But with all of this pain,

yet still we stayed on a path to attain.

The dream,

to now a black president.

Oh, how our people came from glory

but yet we hear a different story.

137625.png

The Mis Education

They teach us that we rode slave ships,

and beat us with whips.

Some teachers said we would be nothing but drug dealers and pimps.

They had many of us thinking to be black was a curse,

and that we had it the worst.

Yet, we became doctors and nurses.

In America, our black history

goes no further than slavery.

We never learn about the A Shate Kings,

or Hannibal Braca.

So we become shame of our past,

although we know freedom

must come at last.

Yet, we are not taught that we came from glory

and we are purposely overlooked when it comes to the story

of history.

Although, we helped make this nation what it is

so they give us one month of the year

to hear,

Some of the awesome things we that we have done.

We have been around as long

as the copper sun.

Yet, we are not taught the proper knowledge

although we attend college.

It is time we learn

so the tables we can turn,

and we can feel better about our past.

While persevering our freedom through history so it can last.

The Mis Education

137623.png

Stolen Away

We were stolen away

but our strength was to pray.

Existing through pain,

it was suffering

again and again.

We lost our history,

so now it is a mystery.

Today our children need,

to learn to read.

But for that our ancestors had to bleed.

Yes, we where stolen away

but our best answer was

and is to pray.

137621.png

Recovery

You Can Find Love

You can’t find love,

in a bottle.

You can’t find love in drugs.

But you can find love in God,

through good times,

and through bad times.

He is always there,

he always cares.

Never will he let you down,

just ask and he is always around.

So seek his love and grace,

and the pain he will erase.

Let him take first place,

into your heart.

Because he loved us from the start.

As his love is blind,

just remember you can’t find love in the bottle or drugs,

but in God you can always find love.

137619.png

The Outlook

To be clean,

is a dream,

and to see life as a beautiful thing.

To live serene,

and to have peace,

and to live free,

to be,

anything

or do anything,

you want to do.

To see life as a blessing,

and to not worry.

So no stressing,

as life comes with a deeper look.

To live and learn,

is more knowledge that is in a book.

Life is the lesson,

which is always the blessing.

As life is worth the fight,

and love is life.

137617.png

Now I See

Now I see

clearly

that the streets

where not meant for me.

Although the pain,

of the game,

is all the same.

Nothing but shame,

to a lonely soul,

on drugs

living out of control.

Always chasing a buzz,

thinking that this is all that life was.

Now I see clearly,

that life doesn’t stop

for nobody,

and there is a difference,

between love and a party.

Although life goes on,

I now know,

that the streets

where never meant for me.

That I now can clearly see.

137615.png

Good Bye Old Friend

How do you

say goodbye,

to a great friend?

How do you tell him

that this the end?

Those fun rides,

partying and watching

The Crimson Tide.

To really start drinking beer,

not knowing the danger that was near.

Or what would we become,

as we partied

and watched the sun

come up?

Thinking that was fun,

today I know,

life goes on

and what is done

is done.

Yet we shared some great highs

and lows.

While taking our fair share of blows.

But the Lord knows best,

that’s why I am blessed.

Even though,

its so hard to say goodbye

to an old great friend,

knowing this is the end.

But as I lose a friend,

yet I gain a better one in the end.

One who loves me,

to no end.

So as I say,

goodbye to an old friend

as I know my life

is just about begin

not end.

137612.png

My Testimony

I use to smoke weed

and sell.

Drink like a fish,

I thought I was free

but I was trapped in hell.

The truth of the matter,

I almost died out there.

But I learned to say a prayer,

and now I live to tell,

that Jesus is alive and well.

He saved me,

when I was ready to be free.

And I know that he loves me,

so I use poetry,

to tell my testimony.

Yes I had a life of many test,

being on this quest,

knowing my heavenly father knows best.

I don’t have to look to heaven in the sky,

because my father’s is in my heart,

and that’s no lie.

People lived to die,

I died to live.

And I thank the lord to be awaken,

not forsaken,

life is time taking.

So I thank Jesus for making

a way out of no way.

For that I am grateful and I pray,

to help others turn

from being astray.

And it all leads back to

just ask him,

and those hidden chains

he will break.

He will do for you what he did for me,

just ask and you will see.

As you shall be free,

because God is love and mercy.

We are not worthy,

but thank God for his glory.

Now you have now heard my story,

that is called my testimony.

137610.png

I Have Learned

As I inhaled

in life I rebelled.

Blunt smoke,

and sarcastic jokes

was I.

To live a life of a lie.

A false identity,

ideas from pills,

and illusions.

Which kept my mind,

in so much confusion.

Drama so in depth,

false thinking,

six feet deep.

The hell I raised,

while lost in the insanity,

of haze.

A moment to gaze,

no matter the consequence would faze.

I was into it more than a phase,

so lost was my ways,

in those days.

So street struck,

waiting on luck.

Hidden and forbidden,

out of touch,

with reality.

Ready to blame society,

for my self-inflicted pain.

Just because I wanted,

to continue to dance with Mary Jane.

So I rebelled,

but that’s my story to tell.

Now that I am clean,

I am ready to tell any teen,

that smoking green

an’t so cool,

it’s just the life of a fool.

But some never learn,

so they just continue to burn.

but at least I have learned.

137608.png

A Renaissance

I died once,

but had a renaissance

of the mind, body and spirit.

So out of these lyrics,

I formed my rebirth

on earth.

A soul,

and heart once torn now whole.

Gaining wisdom and hope,

with prayer I cope.

I once was dead in the spirit,

but I am alive in the flesh.

Although God sent me