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Our featured poet is Akintiunde. He hails from Milwaulkee, WI and his book Black Moon Within Me is coming
out soon. His poetry will also be featured in Taj Mahal Review. You may contact him at Akintiunde@aol.com.
I hope eveytone enjoys his works and check your
bookstore for his book.
"Essentials"
Life's five essentials
Sun, oxygen, water, food
A Blackwoman's love
"I Had a Little
Knowledge"
i had little knowledge
of hereafters before learning
(this very instant)
that love,
autumnfallenleaflike,
wilts. and no matter how purely
nor abundantly one waters,
it cannot new life breathe
but
only too in it seethe,
making it a sad, meaningless and
(therefore) salted death
i this at a point am thinking
perhaps
a replacing?
a replanting in fertile soil?
but
as leaves turn and she,
i am left knowing in me
how little hereafter
life
shall be
"Exhale"
except where
there is utter
breathlessness, my sweet, there is
everywhere my formless love, wandering,
a vague thought searching
for
the breadth of its expression
you are a breath whose
breathe, because of the surrounding
air's asperity,
withholds your exhalation
waiting, praying for a calmness
within which to free you
but should it not chance,
my lady, the windsâ whirls,
we may never coalesce as
love's breathful thought; may dissipate
within infinite
insinuations of silence
A Nurse by Melissa Munson
Such strong, brave hands
like a warrior
Yet so gentle, filled with love.
A mind so quick and brillant
like
an astronaut
Yet so creative and inspiring
like the artist
A heart so controlled in emotion
like a judge
Yet,
so empathetic and caring
like a mother
A Nurse
"Challenge" by Jessica Reetz
Things in my life have come and gone just as it gets good it suddenly goes
wrong. I think to my self it just isn't
fair why do I worry, why do I care? I
think about my future and where im gonna be, I wish people understood me, I
wish
they would see. In my life I have felt different kinds of pain, but i always
remember the sun shines after the
rain. I've met this guy who I think is
actually true, Instead of all the gray my skies are turning blue. He understands
the
pain that I feel, maybe that's why our love is so real. He brings me up when
I am down, he make me smile when I frown.
He is my Heart and my soul he's the
one that makes me whole. I've meet so many guys but all but the all seemed to do
is
tell me lies, Late at night I wonder If they heard my hidden cries. I try to
be careful and hide from the pain, but think
this time I walked down loves lane.
Lord please be careful and watch my heart real close remember this is the one
you
chose. I'm risking my heart for pain and
sorrow but im the only one who has to look to tomorrow, this Is a challenge im
willing
to make please keep my heart close so it wont break. Things in my life
have come and gone just as it gets good it suddenly
goes wrong.
"Always a Part of Me No Matter What" by Charlene
It's been 9yrs. since you weren't in my life.
You left me at such a wrong time.
I was just 6yrs. old when you left.
I'm
just not quite the same no more.
But I guess it was time for you to leave,
And time for my life to proceed.
I
just don't know why'd this have to happen.
Couldn't there have been another way,
To let you live another day?
If
I could live my life over again,
I'd go back to the day I suffered so much pain.
I would risk my life to save you,
No
matter what I have to do.
You are the one that gave me a life,
And I wanted you to be a part of it till I die.
But
I guess this was not meant to be.
This is nothing but just a dream.
But not matter where you are,
And no matter what
I'm doing.
You'll always be a part of me,
Deep within' my heart you'll see.
"Sista, Sista" by Leevora DeShields
SISTA, SISTA, SISTA OH MY SISTA
TAKE MY HAND PLEASE. COME TAKE
MY HAND AND COME DANCE WITH ME,
TAKE
FLIGHT WITH ME AND FLY HIGH
ABOVE THE CLOUDS.
SISTA OH MY SISTA PLEASE TAKE MY HAND
AND RUN WITH ME FOR
A MOMENT,
LET US BE FREE TO RUN AND RUN AND RUN
WITH THE WIND TO STOP, WHERE AND WHEN
WE WANT TO BE.
SISTA
OH MY SISTA TAKE MY HAND AND FEEL
THE BEAT OF OUR HEARTS, THE FIRE,
THE PASSION OF THE HOT ZAFTIG BLOOD
COURSING
THROUGH OUR VEINS.
SISTA, SISTA OH MY SISTA TAKE MY HAND AND
HEAR THE TRIBAL MUSIC OF SISTERHOOD OF LONG AGO.
CAN'T
YOU HEAR IT, THE HUMMING,THE HUMMING OF
THE MOTHER IN THE TENTS FOR WOMEN, A DEEP THROATY
HUM THAT SOOTHED AWAY
ALL OUR FEARS, THE DRUMS
SOFTLY BEATING TO THE RYTHMS OF OUR HEARTS AND THE
FLUTES SINGING LIKE A BIRDS UNFINISHED
ARIA AND
YOU AND I, YOUNG AND OLD TOGETHER AS ONE.
SISTA OH MY SISTA COME RUN, COME DANCE, COME
SING
N SWAY LIKE GRAIN IN GOD'S GREEN FIELDS.
COME, COME SISTA MY SISTA. COME DANCE WITH ME.
"Confident Woman" by Lachanda Smith
I can do bad on my own
I don't need the presence or
guidance of no man,to make my house in to no home.
Always struting around with your hands on your chest.
As if to think,
you can put me to the test.
Who are you tell me, what i can and can not do.
I guess you think, your the one that colored
the sky blue.
Like a cat, i always land on my feet.
There is no challenge, to big or to great, that i can not meet.
I
rise like a bird in the sky.
Try to catch me if you think you can fly.
I can handle anything you throw my way.
But
once you set the mood, out of my path, you best to try and stay.
I can do bad on my own.
Who are you tell me, i
don't have to be alone.
try and tell me, what you can do for me.
I already know how my life's destined to be.
on
the inside i am as hard as steel
However, gentle to the feel.
As proud as the highest scholar
I'll never allow myself
to be driven by the mighty dollar.
I stand as strong as ten men.
And although my heart is soft, my mind is something
you will never bend.
Try and test my courage.
You see, a woman like me you'll never discourage.
"Your Little One Always" by Lauren Burge
Remember when,
You first laid your eyes on me,
I
was fragile,
Naive, unaware of all that is to happen,
I had no way of knowing,
My mind could not have comprehended
what would come
Remember when,
You first held me in your arms,
I smiled,
Laughed as you held my hands in
your larger hand,
Remember how it all seemed to just fit like a two-piece puzzle?
It all fit so well, a match made
for eternity to come.
So what happened?
Where did it all go?
I grew with time, as did you
I learned the
ways of the world
How cold and merciless it is
I was unprepared for everything to come
We drifted apart,
Oh,
I never wanted it to turn out this way
Had I, things would be different
We would have more time for each other,
Time
to talk,
Time to walk,
Hand in hand as we used to
How could things change so much?
Tears
fall down my toughened face,
My hard exiled features turning with time,
Turning to stone and ice
I treat you like
just another,
Not some one as high placed in my heart as you
I do not know where time has gone,
Seconds pass
by slowly,
Never quite turning to minutes,
Yet the years quickly drift towards eternity
I do not know how to handle
half of what I take on,
You would try to help, but I would turn away,
To proud for you,
For your help
I
grew with the world and time,
Side by side the three of us,
Time, the World, and I,
Why were you not you there?
Because
you gave up
You tried and tried,
But I let the world conform me,
Transform me,
I do not know who I am anymore,
Neither
do you,
How could I nurse this infection?
I try to scream but it only comes out as a yawn
I have no time now,
I
would love to walk with you, talk with you,
But I cannot find the right words to say,
I know I should start with an
apology,
But I cannot even find those words for you to hear,
Now I am suffering,
Endlessly bound in pain,
No
one to turn to,
No one to call,
Tears are now what cradle me
And gently rock me to sleep at night
All because
I let the world conform me,
Transform me
I cannot find the way to say I was wrong,
I am one step closer to the
edge,
And I am about to break
I do not understand you anymore,
You have become cold and icy,
Or is that just
me,
Lookin' back at me,
What happened?
Where did we go?
I want it to go back to the way it was,
Back
to the days where we used to laugh and play,
Before I learned the ways of humanity,
This mess is my fault and I do
not know how to fix it,
Please take my hand again,
Let me cry on your shoulder once more
Hold my fragile hand in
yours once again,
I want to go back in your arms of safety and security,
Where the world is no more,
Where time
slows to a stop,
Daddy, please let me try again,
Your little girl,
Your little snowflake in the sky,
I need
you again,
Please,
Let me be that infant in your arms once more,
Because your little one needs you again.
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