i squeeze the life out of my toothpaste ‘til it gains more weight when it reinflates
i scrape my plate clean;
food’s not guaranteed but this meal is
our time together won’t last forever
so i’ll treat it as such
forgive me if my straw slurps loudly
as my drink is finishing up
in my work i’m real diligent
sorry if i’m not moving quickly enough
...
they say the love for money is the root of evil
what about the love for blessing my people
i wanna travel where i wanna go
where’s there to go when our funds are low
not enough to cover trips to the grocery store
today’s world is a consumers fright
no one wants to drive because the gas is high
and to escape for the night
turning to the gas that don’t explode when you light
...
“if money weren’t a concern”
is the preface of creative thought
we say
actions speak louder than words
yet at times
when we use neither
the silence screams
a chaotic mind
finds no peace in silence
with nothing but invasive thought
the stillness rocks the mental
like a small boat through turbulent seas
dear future me,
please don’t criticize me too hard
i’m trying too
i know you want the best for you
but everything i’m doing
allows for everything you want to do
i’ll take care of me
i know you’re doing the same now
maybe your practices are better
i’m just doing what i know how
i consider myself clairvoyant
but hindsight is much clearer
keep being a student of life
...
every now and again i’ll get tight about my money
i’ll remember that living the american dream is something done while asleep
that every dream i want to pursue is unattainable unless i can find way to make it monetary
i don’t need handouts,
i’m really not here to complain
but i cant stand to live a life that don’t fulfill me
a butterfly can’t see it’s own wings
yet it can trust itself to fly
don’t doubt your capabilities
simply for eluding your eyes
what you can’t see,
or appreciate in yourself
may be the same thing we love
and wish we had for ourselves
we’re our biggest critics
self-praise just isn’t promised
when we receive compliments we must listen
understand they’re being honest
...
i live unapologetically
i wouldn’t dare be sorry for being me
i’m unashamed of who i am
shame is assigned by the judgement of others
it’s just a word
or so they say
but it’s far more than a word when its used in rage
it’s more than a word when you want to speak with thunder
you wouldn’t say it’s just a word when you sought to keep us under
asking “isn’t it just a word?”
then i suppose retaliate is just a verb
let me guess, our reaction is worse
than the immediate action of words
you strung together hoping it’d hurt
...
i am at peace
in solitude
where the quiet things roam
my thoughts enact a moment of silence
alike rivers and wind flow
i have no destination
im content wherever i go
my peace cant be disrupted
i am in control
i place all the trust i owe
in mind, body, and soul
they say real ones don’t die
but if i go
would i be feeling that somebody lied
is the sentiment coming from pride
how could i possibly be any less
than every moment i was alive
they say real ones don’t die
well it must be true
when you real you must be bulletproof
i got nun to lose
i got nun to prove
when i meet my dues, i’m no less
...
my love is a flower watered by the influence of the 90s
im afraid i’ve been planted in the 2000s
this soil won’t work for me
i sense a disconnect from most people in my generation
maybe it’s me who’s disconnected
i don’t mind spending my day in the rain
like the previous years
no gloomy weather engenders pain
why let the rain be my tears
when i could enjoy splashing in puddles
loving, laughing, staying out of all trouble
carefree, no reactions, and forgetting the struggles we bare
being a kid again,
i lived to have fun, and walk around with no fear
finally feeling that once again in my older years
not for a moment will i fake what i feel;
i care to be authentic and deal with the real
if imma be mad; it’s real anger
real danger; broken glass
if for only a moment i were to channel the wrath hell has
but when im feeling joyful with zeal
i want to jump, play, n squeal, i think;
in my curiosity lives the child i’ll always be
...
dont walk in my footsteps
you don’t need to fill my shoes
i’ve uncovered most the puzzle
its on you to heed the clues
i wont make you do it
go ahead, you’re free to choose
walk alongside my steps
and when i reach the end,
walk past my footsteps,
create your own path
...
greed led him to his own destruction
death by his own desires
sometimes it feel like it’s the essence of our very being
we’re scared to take a risk n chase our dreams
maybe the fear isn’t eternal
what are we really afraid of?
fear itself?
we all have a spirit, a soul
a heart, metaphorically
a place deep down where we exist only to ourselves
some of us… are free spirits, who let our inner selves roam freely
some of us are confined; if not by the world, by us
scared to let ourselves be ourselves
some of us… yearn to be free spirits;
remaining locked away in the cocoon of societal expectations
pressured by the weight of others;
...
They say time heals,
i’m still waiting
my sorrow kills my impatience
unwated thoughts; intrusive invasions
like rain, tears spill - the waters wading
as my time is wasting
im still not praying
for the day i say the sorrow’s fading
tomorrow’s waiting with open arms
learning to let go, evading harm
...
breathing’s not a choice, you don’t decide to do it
your lungs function of their own volition
so yes, you’re alive, but have you lived?
do you explore?
many men reflect and they deplore but only on they death bed
when life itself is unsure, that’s when we’re sure we could’ve done more
...
my credit card payed off
i have no debt that i’m dumping
there’s no loan to my name
i don’t owe nobody nothing
i pay my dues when they’re true
i didnt get here on my own
i give credit where it’s due
there’s not a soul that is owed
...
A friend who celebrates when you’re winning and works with you when you’re losing
Loving you at your best & worst. for a true friend’s love is unconditional.
A fidus achates worth fighting for
Not leaving your side through turmoil but planting the bond in strong soil
Determined. not only for themselves, but for the betterment of those surrounding.
Everybody at the table eats. no one unaccounted for unless they get up from the table and walk out the door.
...
i don’t have a name
apparently you know me.
i’ve been called many things,
my name is not one of them.
i’ve been asked about where i align,
in case i don’t have a name,
a label will be assigned.
but my name is not a team name,
my name is individual.
my name is not my party,
my name is not political.
my name’s not my successes,
my name is not my failures.
...
love is wanting more for someone than they want for themselves
has my personal escape turned to my personal hell?
am i a caged bird? my cell is workin too well
a victim of my hustle am i too locked in?
“Make sure you don't forget me."
One of my good friends said
As if, for some reason, they were solely a loose thread
I remember the people I spend time with
Who make moments feel timeless
I remember the people who made me think
I recognize the people who stay well prepared
I appreciate the people who maintain good character
Occasionally I forget what breakfast was
Even what I had for lunch
But I always remember and appreciate the things people have done
you only face a setback if you step back
for moving forward opens doors worth more than yours before
“where one door closes, another opens”
not always
though a closed door isn’t inherently bad.
we face quagmire because instead of looking for open doors,
we knock on the locked ones waiting for a different result.
manually spinning hands on a watch doesn't move the hands on the clock
motion doesn't depict progress
100 $1 bills is heavier than 1 $100 bill
quantity struggles to compare to quality
not to say we couldn’t reach quality through the perseverance of quantity
but to lack quality is to lack the associated value
the price of success
i might submit is simply sacrifice
what are u willing to lose
for what youre willing to gain
to pay the price
doesnt have to mean giving up ur life
a sacrifice that’ll suffice is giving up time
time to achieve the goals you set
to reach the peaks of the mountains u climb
know that small progress is still progress
as clouds pass, the sun shines
things change as does time
looking through my eyes like ur looking through a camera
would probably bring discomfort for the fact im outta focus
i suppose having the understanding that i cant see becuase of light
made me pay more attention when i had the sight
...
i appreciate integrity as much as i respect accountability
honesty is being real to others,
integrity is being real to urself
cus how u gon be real,
if ur not real to urself?
if u have to sacrifice your integrity to win,
then u didnt.
cus if you sacrificed ur integrity to win,
then something’s missing
here for a good time not a long time is poor mantra, but anything else is hoping you live long enough to live a good one.
Clocks are good examples of a better way to spend your time.
The clock spends its time wisely
Never caught up over something silly
Idle hands make waste
Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking
The arms keep spinning
Demonstrating the only way to live is to keep moving
i have times where i dont belong
times where im not so strong
i have times where i cry simply because of songs
i have times where i write my poems
and i smile when people know them
i have thoughts
i have feelings
i have personas with experiences i've never been through
...
you dont know a person til they dont get what they want
it’s true character who choose how they respond
entitlement says “why dont u give me whats mine?”
realism says “give me some time”
and a good man probably sits there in silence
understanding “i’m not owed what isnt mine”
...
I want to be the best I can be
I want to dream so hard when other people lay on my pillow; it hurts
I want to work so hard that when other people are working, they feel idle
I want to live so hard that following my footsteps means putting in the work
I want to have a community so tight that it feels trible
I want to live a life where I don't say, "that's just how life goes."
I want to live for myself, not for survival.
...
There's no time in the future
Because it doesn't exist
It's the hope of what's to come
Hoping it does
There's no time like the present
Because the present you can change
There's no time to borrow
Do it today
There's no time tomorrow
I've had a long time
To learn many things
Through trials
I thought it would never end
I'm trying to be rich and famous
Not because I need the clout n attention
But because a 9-5 has been suitable for nothing but a lesson
I'm learning how I couldn't work this job and afford to live in a building without help
If every two weeks, I make less than 1000
Then my first paycheck goes towards the house
The second goes towards food and bills
Cutting close enough for me to cry when the milk spills
It's easy to say you'll do something knowing you won't
Piecing together words hoping you say what they want
People express their thoughts through their words and their poses
If you watch their body, you'll learn their mission.
If you rather talk about it than walk it, that's your decision.
But the world is changed by your example, not your opinion.
Sometimes I sit and pay for better days.
I say pay instead of pray, for I’m invested in change
I've been tasked to be patient, a valid statement
But the action happens when you get tired of waiting
Fake it 'til you make it
Acting like I’m better than I am
Living like I got nun to lose
Void of a better plan
if god is listening he not listening to me
cus when i used to pray i'd feel neglected
then i'd sleep it off
thinking if he real he must be well off
to never need to check on me or give me equal odds
i remember at church camp when i would weep to god
asking why he keeps hitting snooze on my ringing clock
I've heard people saying to fake it until you make it
What about the people who made it n kept on pretending?
How long do they fake it for
When I choose to keep it real, I get called fake for it
Perception is the way you interpret something
Translation is the way we understand things that defer
While learning a new language, I’ve realized how easy it is for what you say to be lost in translation
The problem may not be that what you're saying is wrong
It may be that what I’m hearing is wrong
Maybe I haven't learned the words to understand you
Perception is similar in the fact that
What I say and how you understand it plays a considerable role in interpretation
...
With a glass half full:
What transpires when you're too close to the fire?
The heat warms your body and keeps the cold from approaching
What happens when you stand a little close to the grease pot
The smells reach your nose, the anticipation of a not-so-empty stomach ensues
What happens when you trust someone you just met
They greet you with gifts their comments are kind
...
i am ignorant.
i know enough to know that i am ignorant.
I’m intelligent, but i have my work cut out for me
i have a great ability of understanding
i understand i have a lot to understand
The power of the people is stronger than the people in power
That's why when people can't eat
Leaders who aren't leading are devoured
When people are neglected, do not receive attention or protection, but are recognized for tension
There's no choice but to protest it
We knew no one was going to stand for us,
So, we stood up for ourselves
...
roses are red
violets are blue
you can't speak on my life
unless you've moved a mile in my shoes
...
ode to my poetry
ode to those who notice me
and recognize the quoting and the reading i hold close to me
ode to the cadence, ode to the rhyme
ode to the statements written line by line
...
i peeped my poems put together parallel to puzzle pieces
imagining the puzzle persevering past completion
knowing half the ones i write rarely reachin past deletion
thats the problem with perfection
when i focus on the message
i invite you in my mind to gift a glimpse of how im thinkin
Gil said the revolution won't be televised
I wondered why until I realized
You'll never see the hearts of men
two nights ago was our final goodbye
i din't know until the day after
i gave you a hug once more
and your body was cold
i had tears unrelated to laughter
time feels like its moving slower
i don't know if i can keep going without you
life is a walk in the dark
and you were my light
i dont want to move forward
behind me you shine,
forever,
i miss you dad
First Stan Lee and then my father passed
the creator and my hero passed
to help me hide the fear i tried laughter
with tears, cus joy didn’t come until after
I'm fortunate to have the privilege of being your son, pops
I understand you didn't always have the greatest example
But we did.
...
...
im desensitized
not in the sense that i have no emotion,
but in the sense that i have pools of tears but i still cant fathom what really happened
and thinking happy thoughts leaves me saddened
finding the whole you gone
knowing
im just a fragment
Rest Easy❤️
08/29/2021
without the sinners
youd be judging the saints
quick to judge
cus you couldnt stand to be late
not overweight
just got a ton on my plate like dinner
they say hate the sin
but love the sinner
but if hate wins
then who’s a winner
...
i was born here. so in turn, i was forced to pledge allegiance to a nation that's hard to love
to a flag that i see waved in dismissal of all the needs that we plea for
the united states are so divided that its no wonder hate is multiplying, adding onto everything i dont like abt this place
...
i pledge allegiance
to Black liberation
and social and economic freedom
for all brothers and sisters alike
and to the movement
of Black power and pride
standing up for justice
and equity
by any means necessary
...
blood on the leaves, actions as cold as december
ornaments on the trees
with names we wont remember
blood on the leaves
not ripe with sugar but ripe with rotten truths
not even eve in the garden of eden would eat this fruit
...
"So conceited"
When you show self-love
Not "self-deprecating" when you show self-hate
Why are your true colors when you slip up
Why are your true colors when there's a mishap
Why aren't my true colors representing all the good times that I have had
Negativity sells, so your worse side represents you
...
how much a dollar cost?
well it depends where you from
some places its a luxury
others? a crumb
some shake at the amount
maybe give you some praise
others‘ll scowl and disregard it as change
how much a dollar cost?
question inspired by kendrick
its a little hard to scale
see, there isnt a metric.
how much a dollar cost?
give the answer some thought.
to me it’s hardly valuable,
thats the privilege ive got.
Clouds are an obstacle
The sun through the clouds
Letting its light shine through
The moon through the clouds
Luna's light illuminates the darkness
The stars through the clouds
Gifting us a glimpse of its beauty
All of these concealed until their powers revealed
Clouds bring rain
They damp the day
Clouds also provide shade
Clouds conceal the moon, catering to our sleep
Can't count the stars, so we count the sheep
I couldn't walk a mile in your shoes
You have your struggles; I’ll walk beside
I couldn't walk a mile in your shoes
With you, I’ll walk a mile in mine
I couldn't walk a mile in your shoes
If I have a car, you have a ride
I couldn't walk a mile in your shoes
My being ahead isn't your being behind
A voice for the voiceless staying silent is pointless like a broken pencil and dull knife
I don't see what the point is
Saying actions are louder than words doesn't make up for your silence
A chance to make a difference overlooked is a violence
A reactionary overlooks the cause when they learn an effect
You must look at the bigger picture and analyze the rest
You don't avoid studying, then get mad at the test
Or get angry at the closet when you don't know how to dress
...
You brighten up the room
You're the light switch
Your smile contagious
Especially in the dark, your light's lit
You work 12 hours as the sun's night shift
After giving all that life, you're left lifeless
You're the listening ear
With your own worries
But no one to tell
...
we concentrate on the future
seldom the present
then wonder why we miss the past
period.
...
You brighten up the room
You're the light switch
Your smile contagious
Especially in the dark, your light's lit
You work 12 hours as the sun's night shift
After giving all that life, you're left lifeless
You're the listening ear
With your own worries
But no one to tell
...
Do you ever see someone go back on their opinion
When someone says something else
They don't want to be different
There's power in opinion but more in influence
If you state your opinion
I have no choice but to respect it
But if I comment on mine and yours changes
Then you've been influenced
Your opinion changed
But it wasn't your doing
You're saying new words but not of your choosing
two pandemics,
one is mental,
one is viral,
both are making your health spiral.
the virus attacks your insides,
destroys your immune system.
mental health makes you wish you were immune,
suicide makes you another victim.
you stay silent and they ask what's wrong.
you spout your issues and they don't listen.
Some things are meant to be closed
Windows, doors,
Toilet seats.
But a closed mind is a horrible thing
Open to new things
Open to change
You like when flowers blossom
Open your brain
...
It's said the worst pain is death
Pain for who
You won't feel the pain
You live in memories
Your legacy doesn't stop then
You only truly die
When you've been forgotten.
I came from a woman,
Just as you did.
My heart pumps blood,
Just as yours does.
Please don't kill me,
I'm human too.
told mom i'd never take em
but sometimes
i think i want to be dead
the pain's not physical
i'm not aching
it's literally all in my head
maybe just a pill
i need the strongest drug
i need your love
We protest a murder
Your only concern?
Windows broke
My heart broke too
It’s easier to kill someone
Then it is to get justice
Same reason we don’t have peace
My soul yearns for understanding
What makes you special
...
when you change yourself for someone else
you do a disservice
to everyone who loves you for you
be careful,
you harm Yourself too
it's hard being one person,
why be two?
The distant friend I don't keep in touch with
I rarely talked to you
I know who you are
You know me
It's been a while since I reached out
I'm hoping we can turn things around
Walk along common ground
Maybe I could get to know you too
Maybe I’m too nervous to talk to you
If I got to know you
Maybe we'd have a lot in common
Maybe I’d learn something
Maybe you'd be good for me
I hope we're not better as distant friends
what's the price of success
does it cost a fortune
does success mean money
who decides my success
can success look ugly
did I still succeed when there are some above me
do I determine my success
does success cause envy
does success mean people will no longer be friendly
did I waste too much time
they say everybody loves success.
why do they hate mine?
I am a leader, courageous, and strong.
I wonder if anybody else needs help
I hear a community cheering eachother along.
I see a community striving and doing well.
I want a community with an impenetrable bond.
I am a leader, courageous, and strong.
...
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