Monday, February 2, 2015

The Road of Impossibilities




In defiance I travel the road of impossibilities refusing to succumb to the futility of the human condition…news of the day blasting away with the atrocities committed in the name of power…blatant behavior moons empathy…stress pulls out knives and carves the kindness out of hearts…

Yet the sun rises in majesty capturing in space the beauty of existence…

Visions from the past of ships bearing human cargo speed towards an unknown destiny. Families split up…torn apart…a magnificent heritage ripped from the souls of a captured people…screams reach into the din of the new millennium filling prisons with attitudes of deliberate anger.

Yet the flowers bloom in spring dropping petals of love

Green fertile land snatched from the grasp of an indigenous people…avarice  justifies theft in the name of progress…prejudice and hatred hold hands singing of new beginnings while the blood of the people runs red in rivers…feet bloodied by a long trail of tears…bodies collapsing to return to the dust of the earth.

Yet the waves of the mighty ocean beat the rhythm of the tides against pristine beaches.

Jim Crow straddles the fence with hypocritical cries of “you can make it if you try”…”you can have your piece of the pie”…whispering voices slither along the streets bombarding minds …you failed the test…you failed the test…you dumb…you stupid …you poor…you hungry…need some money?  The bling bling of opulence blinds the reality of risks…life becomes devalued.

Yet the Grand Canyon in its layers of multi-colored strength signals the rock of ages


Ice crystals falling through the atmosphere freeze moments of fear into failure immobilizing action. Frigid temperatures stifle passion. Aspirations transform into desolation slipping off icy crevices. Translucent icicles hang on corners of dreams that never materialize slowly dripping back into the cycle of life.

Yet snow-capped mountains stand tall in their stately magnificence weathering blizzards whiteouts, snowstorms…forever proclaiming permanence in a passing reality.



Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Newark, NJ on the Rise










Mural by Malik
Whitaker-Hardaway


Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky
Daring to ascend from the ashes of
Racism
Political opportunism
Violence  
And economic uncertainty
Presently soaring in a restorative reality
in search of a promising prosperity

Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky
Whitney Houston
Sarah Vaughn
The voices of a multitude of angels sing on...
Soothing the hearts of the people
Bebop-ing through despair
Bending the flat five into thoughts that care
Scatting hope into the air

Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky
Amiri Baraka writer extraordinaire
Dared to defy the establishment
And now a new torch of hope burns bright
Shining light on New Jersey's largest city
Demonstrations...collaborations...unity...prayer
Prayer for Newark and Newark's new mayor...
The honorable Ras Baraka

Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky
Urban hot spot shouts
Stop the school to prison pipeline
Stop the decimation of public education
Youthful voices
Heads held high...proclaim to the sky
That justice will prevail
The people will not fail

Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky
Community activism fires up complacency
Calling for all to stand up in  solidarity
To confront social issues to push for that breakthrough
To have freedom in the new millennium
Freedom from mass incarceration…
Freedom from self annihilation
Freedom from bullets of bigotry


Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky
Newark's artistic legacy trumpets self determination...
Kuchichagulia!..Singing...swinging
Dancing...prancing...painting across the horizon
We will not die but but live
To sound the call to all…
The call for liberation…the call for the emancipation
Of the many beautiful minds currently suspended in time.

NewarkNJ on the rise
Newark, NJ on the rise
Newark, NJ on the rise
A silent silhouette against the sky

Monday, January 26, 2015

When I Lift My Eyes to the Sky





When I lift my eyes to the sky the magnificence of colors in creation soothe my troubled soul. Swimming in turmoil through turbulent waters navigating the human condition wiping away the dilemma of days lost in the rapid passing of time.  Hours devoured pursuing a flat line of self-serving deeds…combative aggressive types intensify the hype vicious in their pursuit of power. Greed the cataclysmic seed to success reigns…yet the fortissimo sound of unified voices harmonizes hope.

When I lift my eyes to the sky the magnificence of colors in creation soothe my troubled soul.  News of the day rocks reason in a season taunted by hostility.  Demonic voices destroy tenuous threads of sanity.  The rata tat tat of assault rifles signify the right to bear arms while babies crying with fear who want  mother love…papa love…family love…wail and weep drowning in a sea of retribution…yet gurgling music tones sing “Joy cometh in the morning!”

When I lift my eyes to the sky the magnificence of colors in creation soothe my troubled soul. War ravages the earth.  Cultures clash…civil war erupts…ideologies abruptly declare the right to eradicate with hate ideals of difference. Poison toxins contaminate breath…bombs explode…bullets mock life laughing at resistance mowed down in the name of dogma…yet a peace encompasses the universe tolling a bell of love that cuts through strife heralding the fragility of life.

When I lift my eyes to the sky the magnificence of colors in creation soothe my troubled soul.




Thursday, January 22, 2015

Who is this Jesus?













All over the world people have heard this name
There is no doubt about his fame
He came to earth as a symbol of love
Sent to us from God above
Assigned by his Father a difficult mission
He sacrificed his life for sin remission
He was beaten and bruised for our evil ways
Yet his spirit of love lives on today

Who is this Jesus?
Who is this Jesus?

God gave us Ten Commandments to live by
Moral standards to apply to our lives
“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy…”
The day to worship God and him only
Thou shalt not kill…thou shalt not steal
Don’t lie on people…keep it real
No adultery…no envy of others
Show love to your neighbor…your sisters…your brothers

Who is this Jesus?
Who is this Jesus?

But man could not keep the royal law
So God sent Jesus to be an example for all
Starting with his miraculous birth
He went on to perform many miracles on earth
He healed the sick…gave sight to the blind
And invited all to his table to dine
He fed a multitude with one fish and some bread
And even brought loved ones back from the dead

Who is this Jesus?
Who is this Jesus?

Religious leaders in their jealousy
Had him tried for blasphemy
He was tried convicted and crucified
Defeated the grave and came back alive
Now through Him we can have eternal life
He gives us peace in the midst of strife
He gives us joy in the place of heartache
And continuous victory over our mistakes

Who is this Jesus?
Who is this Jesus?

 When we are depressed and can find no comfort
Jesus is there to ease our hurt
When we are shackled with an addiction
Jesus becomes our restoration
When we are in jail locked away
Jesus frees our spirit each and every day
When bad health has beaten us down
It’s in Jesus our healing can be found

Who is this Jesus?
Who is this Jesus?

No one is perfect…we’ve all done wrong
Yet to Jesus we all belong
We confess to Him the sins we did
And in the name of Jesus God will forgive
Jesus is the hope for humanity
He sacrificed his life to set our souls free
He knocks at the door of our hearts
So let Him in and he’ll never depart!

Who is this Jesus?
Who is this Jesus?