30/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

They're both too old
For playing games
Yet mature enough to know
What they want
Nothing has changed
In the last fifty years,
Men still want sex
Women still want love
The gears are shifting
But the lines are the same
He doesn't want commitment
She wants to hyphenate his name
They sit at the table and discuss
Strategies
But in the end the plan
Is still lame
They have secrets, sprinkled with some truth
They admit it
They want to do the do
But in the morning
He's the same
And she is too
Nothing's changed
And they're both fifty-three
So she decided
He can do him
And she'll stay free!

29/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I write with my back against the wall
Looking up towards the ceiling
But my eyes are focused
On letters being pressed by
My thumbs
I write laying on top
Of my bed
On my stomach
With my elbows buried
In the sheets
I write while sitting
On the table
And my feet swinging
Back and forth
Making that swishing sound
I write standing still
With my legs spread apart
While riding the train
To help keep my balance
And when I'm thinking about
Writing I have visions
That cause my heart
To race
And my toes curl
And then I close my
Eyes
And my whole body
Jerks
And I moan
Puff
And sing
And when we're done
It's performance poetry!

Missionary Position

28/30 Haiku

Time did just fly by/ I realized when I started/ twenty-nine Monday

Yesterday

Love's Flight

I'm too much of a lady
to tell you the things you really need to hear
like you're handsome
and all but a bit
too arrogant
which is comical
because your
insecurities
scream louder
than the heights of your flesh
your life is a mess
and you got nothing
to offer me
in other words your
plate is empty
but you're too
cocky
to see your shortcomings
and
I'm too much of a lady
to set you straight
so I'll walk away.

Love's Limits

Writing because it rights the wrongs
that lay around in my head trying
to confound me
I know what I know
but scribing helps to remind me
that the melodies in my head
best serve me when I put them to music
creating my own personal song

I write because it's therapeutic
saving me hundreds of dollars
keeping me on my own couch
behind these four walls
I need mirrors
all around so I can see
my beauty which lies deeper
than the eyes

Writing because it rights the wrongs
that lay around in my head trying
to confound me
I know that you have no idea
of the depth, I am, buried internally
you're only allowed to see the me I present
but once you've touched
the heart of me you've touched all of me.

27/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

Those spaces between the lines
Thick, thin, colored and redefined
They take you places
From here to there
Right next door, across the state
And to another world
Pages
Turning one at a time
Smooth, ragged, shiny from laminate
Notes in margins
Help to remind
This is where you hope to see
Your name in lights, bright
In print, simple
Black and white.

That Book

Tupac Must Be Smiling

I sat down one day at work

to try and pump my poetic

side

I found his book

something about a rose

and something harder than dirt,

concrete

his passion

and his words

hit like bricks

yet soothe like

chamomile

he speaks

of justice, lost, blind and found

he speaks of truth, strength and love

abound

so many things have changed

since he saw life last

I’m thinking

Tupac must be smiling

because of all people

Nelson Mandela

is free

at

last.

A Warm Girl

Her presence

feels like the sun

caressing the length

of your skin

Her words are

like dripped

caramel over

the apple of your soul

Her eyes see to

you but seldom thru

you, because she’s

affectionate

Her arms want to embrace

you like the handmade

quilt your grandmother

use to make

She’ll raise your body

temperature

like gas on a low

burning fire

A compassionate girl

she’ll spin your world

and cause a dance

in your heart

This warm girl.

26/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I woke up
in love
this morning, again
newly found stimulation
lying around
in God's creation
from the ground up

I woke up
in love
with me this morning
went to sleep
by prayers, meditation
and counting
sheep

I woke up
in love
this morning
with the joy in knowing
that come the end of July
I'll be sitting by the ocean
with my family

25/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I'm too tired to write/ and that's not the same as block/I'm too tired to write!
Exhausted

24/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

If you take me by the hand
I'll gladly traverse the land
Alongside you
Under skies of blue
I'll go wherever you go
I'll listen closely to know what you know
If you take me by the waist
I'll love you slow, never in haste
Under the moonlight
Behind closed doors, out of sight
I'll do what you do
All in girl style, though
If you take me by the heart
I'll live for you, in part
Under the watchful eyes of heaven
And out in the open before the nation
I'll love you for eternity
As you have already begun to love me.

My Love's Pledge

23/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

Touch me
Everywhere
From the inside out
Stimulate my brain
With words that provoke
The emotions
With monumental impact
To the love quotient
And run your fingertips the length
Of my nerves
In a good way
Leave me speechless
Touch me
Everywhere
From the inside out
Tap my heart muscle
Make it want to dance to the music
Invoked by your rhythms
Let our beats mesh
Palpitate when one lows
The other highs
Contracts and relaxes
We move in unison
Touch me
Everywhere
From the inside out
Penetrate my walls of resistance
With your purpose eloquent
And make me
The lifeline of your
Memories.

22/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I'm A Fan

I like the sounds of rubber
Bouncing, dribbling up and
Down the court
The squeak of sneakers as they
Race to beat the clock
The swish of leather passing through
That just right rope
I like the ping of the ball on the backboard
And the roar of the crowd
I would love to be in the room
With the others being loud.

21/30 Love on the Run

I desire the most from him like
The promise attached to the last word
His last breath
That would bring him one lie closer
To death
Because truth his
He's constant
Consistent in leading me around
The bush
I go fishing by the sea of love
And I catch nothing
Bait, that's all I have
And I never bring anything
Home
I desire the most from him
In my daze I walk miles
And my buckets have holes in them
And by the end of my daily journey
My resilence has leaked out
I've had more than my share
Disillusions and disappointments
Abound
I just need to get over him

20/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

Why do I even care
Why do I tell him
My where's
When after it's all said and done
I'm still the lone one
Holding onto a memory
That fades in and out of view
With the mention of his name
Flashbacks running around in
My head
I'm crazy about him
But not sure if he's good for me
Because time keeps moving
While emotions become placid
And love flails

18/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

Morning love
Love mornings
Waking with you on my mind
Thankful for the times
Coming that I'll be holding
You in my embrace
Instead
Time has had it's way with us
Yet it seems like
Distance has placed
Miles upon miles
Between my tears
And our smiles
Pictures in frames
Pixels and tweets
Lips locked is but a memory
Bittersweet

17/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I'm not trying to break your spirit
Or your back
So you won't hear me
Or feel my words
Saying anything
That sounds like
Anticipation
Expectation
Because that's just
Too much pressure
To perform beyond measure
Just maybe you'll never
Get it right
But you'll die trying
Or simply go insane
And then who's to be the blame
I don't want my name stretched
Out in the sentence along with
Anyone's demise
I'm not trying to break your spirit
Or be the reason you find it so easy
To tell lies.

Not Your Alibi

16/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I tried to tell them in more ways than one
what it is you dislike about me
shines bright like the sun
I didn't create it
but I am part of it
by the hands
by the breath
by the thought
and by the heart
I'm way past your
tainted perception

I tried to tell them in more ways than one
injustice shall have a fight
but it won't come from me
at the end of the day my support system
has documented all the wrongs inflicted
there's a force that will respond
to every misguided vendetta or
retaliation against me simply because one
doesn't understand the strength of my ethics

I tried to tell them in more ways than one
there are boundaries set in place
for their protection and for my grace
they shall suffer the same pain and then some
that they tried to inflict on me
revenge is saved for Him who can
give it justly
I'm just a humble servant
with a glow that shows

15/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I'm in love with my imagination
Of him
Seems to be the only way we
Both win at least
That's what decorates my insides
Here in my daydreams
We like who we are
Our behaviors mesh
He ain't trying to rescue or repair me
And I ain't trying to change or trick him
We just harmonize like the lips
Of an artist on the metal
Of my harmonica
He kisses me and I melt
He smiles and I melt again
Like oil and water blend
Making butter that glides
On bread
He feeds me
And I nourish him
I'm in love with my imagination
When I close my eyes
And hold my breath
I feel him
Cover me like a blanket
Soft, firm and comforting
I exhale
He inhales
Me
Like I'm his survival, his gravity
Polar tendacies
We're connected
Galaxies apart
I hold onto hope and romance
Because he's real, he has to be
But for now
He's creativity
My imagination
My pen
My poetry.

14/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

Justice shall prevail
The beginning was strained
And the middle was twisted
Energy has been zapped
But not depleted
Forces of evil have encamped
And held captive
Chains have a weak link
Calamity has a new address
I've been rescued
Revived, resuscitated and renewed

13/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

Haiku

Find a good, smart man/
Wait on him to discover/Hide yourself in view

Solace

I rearranged the
Furniture in my living space
Shoved the bed up under
The window
Nights like this I'm glad
I did
A glass of wine
And a cool breeze
Dinner and a movie
I do me
Very well

12/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

You ain't trying to change
Me but your words are spoken
Like a two edge sword
And neither side is
Shaping me
There's only bleeding
And the blood has found
It's way to your hands
Not because
Of the first aid
You're trying to render
After the torture
But because you
Neglected to put
A handle on your
Weaponry
And you now
Realize
That you cut yourself
Before
You stabbed me.

Capricorn

I confess
I'm bossy
because I got the authority
mixed with anointing
and someone wants some of it
so they let me speak into
their life
now if I'm not teaching
or training
I'm assertive
I know what I want
I'm determined
and destined

I confess
I'm bossy
and experience has me
living out loud and confident
but I'm also subserving
and if you know me like you
think you know me
you would've seen
me behind the scenes
in the shadows
gaining strength for the
journey

I confess
I'm bossy
and if you recognize
it in me
that means
you see you
even if the you
that you see
was you yesterday or yesteryear
as the saying goes
"It takes one to know one"
Now chew on that
and let's rise to the
occasion

I confess
I'm bossy

11/30 Soul Strong

It's what's in me that counts
That essence
That stirs up
Souls
That power
That engages and ignites
Fires of freedom
Dances of delight
It's what's in me
That has some
Persecuting
Pressuring
And slandering me
But that one thing
That's in me
Has already risen
And assured the
Victory

Everything is
Debateable
And then it turns
To arguing way too fast
And you're ready to
Walk out the door
We don't even have a
Relationship, courtship or a
Friendship
With all the ideas we got going
On in our heads
We should write a
Manual
And let that be the reason
We even looked at each other
More than once.

10/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

Haiku

He's a good man for
Business, but love is lacking
Relationship dead

Salute Straight Up

He say bossy
I say assertive
How you want me to
Cater to you
While simple hospitality
Gets buried
Out back like a bone
By a dog too hungry
To realize he left
The best meat attached
To the under side
He say bossy
I say assertive
Like the alarm clock bongs
To wake me up for
An interview
But my pillow knows
I never went to sleep
And I'm ready to slay
Dragons and rescue
My ownself
He say bossy
I say assertive
Yeah I got sargent
Stripes on my shoulder
Instead of the proverbial chip
But at anytime I choose
I can hand them over
To you
But alas you ain't ready
My dude!

9/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I'm that woman.
She's been hiding
Under the cover
Of brown skin
Just abiding
Not disturbing
Yet providing
Strength to the masses
Never totally depleted
But reserved
Until most recently
Flood gates sprang
Open
Or was it the built
In pressure relief valve
She cried
And after the Hand
Wiped the tears away
The view was clear
As crystal blue Carribean water
I'm that woman.
Now get out the way!

8/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I am the backbone
The voice of reason
The eyes that see
Beyond the nose
And when the tune
Is right I know the things
Of man that are out
Of sight
I have been the backbone
That carries the weight
Of the business
Served
The wait that is
Patience almost
Lost
I'm the one paying
The second cost
I was the backbone
They don't know
But soon they'll see
When the light shines
On the darkness
And what's left
Will only be a mere shadow
A footprint
And a hope
Of me.

3/30 Springtime

My mind be on
Some new shit every time
You come around
Engaging
Stimulating
Bothering
Disturbing
My seemingly
Left alone moment
Once again
You sneak up on me
Like a caterpillar
Falls from the sky
With a thousand legs
And I don't feel you
Until I see you
And my hands
Fling you through the air
Cause I'm appalled
That I wasn't aware
That you got that close to
Me, dammit
You done gone an
Upset my world again
But in a good way
Pretty little butterfly
Is what you'll be one day
But meanwhile
You're disturbing
My rationale
My logic
And my engineering
Got me waking up in the
Morning because you're
Stuck in my subconscious
Consciously
And I'm hearing birds singing
Outside my window
And my eyes are still heavy
But my mind is saying
Let's go do this
And my body u
Saying shut the hell up
So now the phone is ringing
And voices sound liike
Radiance
And now I'm broke
Broke off in good pieces
Because my heart just
Took flight
Again
I hope this is the last
Time you fall on me
And we can
Attach ourselves
To the limb
Of the tree
Get wrapped up
And hang around together
For what seems like
Centuries
And become
New life
Free to soar to
The highest of heights
With the wind and our dreams
My mind be on
Some new shit everytime
You come around.

7/30 National Poetry Month Challenge

I'm a woman
of many talents
and characteristics
that Jesus gives
but you don't want
to push me close
to the edge
because I won't jump
but I'll fly off
the handle
and give you a piece of
my mind
I'm a woman
of distinction
I move with purpose
and yet I'm a servant
I aim to please
to provide comfort
when you're in my
zone
but don't take advantage of me
I leave you
I'll be gone

6/30 Poetry Month Challenge

The way to a man's heart
Is as different
As each clover
Found
The three leaf
And the haystack
Four leaf
But when you
Acquire it
A treasure is yours
To behold
Like the jewels
In the earth
And the diamonds
Buried deep in coal
The love of a man
Is as well worth the find
As a woman is worth her weight
In gold

5/30 Poetry Month Challenge

I have every reason to smile
just walk with me
and you'll understand
just walk with me
for just a little while!

4/30 Centered

No man is an island
Misanthropic
Though he may
Try
Or think it so
Ego, out of control
Such a lonely state
A solitary stance
But even in the
Middle of nowhere
The sun finds you
There
In your reclusiveness
And bears down
Until you start
Talking to yourself
Considering the alternative
And one is surrounded
By the waters of time
A choice or a consequence
Left to sulk or rejoice
No man is an island
But an unfriendly, standoffish
And lonely soul.

1/30

Poets do it like this
And sometimes
Straight to the point
With precision
And paper
Making cause and purpose
Plainly understood
We use passion
Pens and pencils
To give voice to our thoughts
And your feedback
So the masses and the majority
Can be heard
So the silent and the poor
Don't get overlooked
Misunderstood
Or left behind
Words are powerful j
And moreso when given life
Through performance
Or speech
Get a mic
A megaphone
Or a box
Stand up
Stand on it
Just stand for something
Make a difference
Change a mind, a world
Or a direction
When it's all
Written, spoken and copyrighted
And put to beats
We become a drum
And the globe marches
To a rhythm set
Poets do it like this

2/30 Rays

My ray of sunshine
Has been hidden
Throughout my lifetime
Yet
It's not all that's needed
To see
For when I close my eyes
From within everyone and everything
Is precisely clear and visible to me
One will never know the depth
Of my soul from the outside
Search, feel and breathe the same
The revelation
Is still elusive
The revolution
Turns
Revolves and swings me
I'm a pendulum
The beginning and the end
Yet eternity
My ray of sunshine has been hidden
Deep within
But today I think I see him
Looking back at me
I'm a reflection of the love I seek
Come closer
Cautiously
Sychronosity
Because loves fire
Burns hot and hotter
But doesn't consume
For I am diety
Godlike simplicity
to touch me
Is to know me
To feel me is to kiss
To have me attached
Is penetration
My ray of sunshine
Just came in.