My Inner City Blues: Views from My Reality

By Angela Waters

Thought-provoking insight into the reality of the inner city and from the perception of a member of the Beloved Community. These poems are a collection of both the physical and spiritual dilemmas faced as one struggles to make sense of a world that appears to care little for the people and forgets the message it sends for those who are supposed to be civilized and models to aspire to become. This book speaks to the need to speak truth to power regardless of how the reality appears. For those looking to try to understand how one can stand in the middle of chaos and still believe God is on their side and that God will make a way and bring them out of the darkness of poverty, fear, low self-esteem and lack of hope this is an eye-opening, faith-building must-read. The poems are timeless as the situations and the reality of learned helplessness remains unchanged. Written in easy to read language using ebonics, euphemisms, and common terms make this book palatable food for thought.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Nov 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781794770881

Book preview

My Inner City Blues

Views from My Reality

By Angela Waters, M.Div., M.A.C.E.

God’s Female Servant

Copyright © 2020 Angela M. Waters, M.Div., M.A.C.E.

All rights reserved.

Any unauthorized broadcasting, public performance, copying for profit, will constitute an infringement of copyright.

Written permission may be obtained by emailing [e-mail].  Permission is given for use as teaching and discussion purposes with appropriate credit given to Angela M. Waters.

ISBN 978-1-7947-7088-1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and above all we give thanks to God for allowing me to see and understand the reality that many go through every day in that ‘other America,’ and the world at large.  Thanks to Fiona Lynch who patiently helped me to gather the process of self-publishing and for her encouragement to get my projects into the hands of the public.  Thanks to Josephine Dokes-Rhodes, who kept me motivated and accountable.  Thanks to my husband Rupert who while he has never read my works and doesn’t have a clue about what I have been through; loves and cares for me so well.  Special thanks to my daughter and friend, Edna Herring-Cooper who has been a rock of mines and has for many years.  Humble thanks to all those whose lives are depicted in this work for I am because we are; and we are because I am. 

CONTENTS

My Inner City Blues

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

WHAT DO I SEE?

I, I JUST CAN’T

LET’S JUST CLOSE OUR EYES

THE LITTLE BOY AT THE LAUNDRAMAT

LOOKING AT THE BIRDS

OUR VILLAGE SAFE AND WHOLE

361 JOSEPH E LOWERY

RESPONSIBLE HEALTH

A LIE IS A LIE

WEST VIRGINIA AMERICA WATER

TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO HATE

THE LITTLE WHITE BOY

MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE

PLEDGE ALLEGIENCE? NO SIR REE!!!

BE ME

YOUR WORDS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Angela Waters

WHO AM I?

INTRODUCTION

Blue is said to be a calming color, a color that brings images of water and beautiful views of sky’s with clouds in happy shapes for many people.  But blue also is the color of bruises, and poisons that take life away and ink from pens that give death sentences to people who may be innocent, falsely accused or one who is fighting the pain of depression and poverty.  The cities like Atlanta where many of these poems were written has an inner city that is known as, ‘the Bluffs,’ where I lived, after graduating from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. Some of these poems were written in Charleston, West Virginia where the plight is basically the same.  These poems reflect the poverty, pain and despair I witnessed and endured.  If it had not been for the Lord on my side, and for me knowing how to pray; I may not have made it out. 

These poems are able to provide a glimpse of the ills of this civilized land and perhaps more importantly they are able to hold the mirror to America and initiate meaningful, positive conversations that can help us to heal from the many forms of racism and injustices that has been systematically imposed on humans from many ethnic backgrounds by white supremacy being the dominant culture.  I have written the poems so they are able to be read easily by using common language for the ‘Beloved Community’.  It is my