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.

Newark, NJ on the rise

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

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.

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?

Hurricane Sandy

“A rushing mighty wind”[i] blew threw

Whipping up walls of waves

Sweeping amusement away

Filling cracks

Crevices

With swirling debris

Announcing for all to see

Majesty in its raw power

“A rushing mighty wind” blew threw

Trees bending…bowing…dancing…

Sporadically swaying and cracking

As limbs break away

Flying into space

Crashing and smashing

The reality of what was

Pulling down wires

Igniting fires…exploding in time

“A rushing mighty wind” blew threw

Flood waters submerging cars

Roared into homes

Engulfing victims snuffing out lives

The death toll rises

 As tremendous trees

Fall to the earth 

Announcing more fatalities…

“A rushing mighty wind” blew threw

As darkness spread across the land

Broken humming bird sounds

Eerily peeped between whooshes

Of the wind song

Howling obliteration and destruction...

Airborne roofs shed shingles

That mingled with agony and tears of loss.

We shall rebuild shout voices intensifying from devastation and desolation

We shall succeed sing voices together in harmony and unity

We shall prevail…for this is our destiny.

---

[i] Acts 2:2

Heart of Light

“Home again

Home again

Jiggedy"

Home is where the heart of light lives!

Home is a place

Where people related through history

From a blood line

And a love line

Pass together through time.

Home is a place

Where people are spiritually joined

In a unified hope

That circumstance and chance

Will not destroy the thread

Upon which solidarity is fed.

Home is a place

Where memories from past moments

Are embedded in space

And come face to face

With what is and what was.

Home is a place

Where the storms in life sometimes

Rain sadness from clouds of pain

Yet compassion is there

Just the same.

Home is a place

Where people share

Care

And nurture the sapling of youth

Encouraging it to grow and bear fruit

That will reach across

The boundaries of th

 Home is a place

Where people rest

When the harvest is gathered

And winter comes

Along with the weariness and satisfaction

From a job well done!

"Home again 

Home again 

Jigeddy jig"

 Home is where the heart of light lives!

The Beat of the Street

The beat of the street

The beat of the street

Street beat

Street beat

Feet running in the street to the beat

Of marathon miles piled high on a heap

Of life’s choices...voices rejoice

For the goal setters whose better turns to best

When concentration and determination

Fly together on the wings of the wind

Feet running in the street to the beat

Of the joy of life riding in the light

Through the night whispering of hope

In spite of darkness and desolation

And drug highs that mimic

A pseudo escape into a state of elation

Feet running in the street to the beat

Of the evasive dollar...concerned voices holler

Don’t be fooled by illusive jewels

Or the bling bling of a counterfeit reality

Filled with the superficiality

Of a laughter that hides pain and shame

Feet running in the street to the beat

Dreaming dreams that may fade

Yet at the dawn of another day

determined to leap over hurdles

In order to grasp that golden ring

And in triumph be able to sing success!

Then concentration and determination

Fly together on the wings of the wind

And direct the beat of the street...

Street beat

Street beat

Environment Rap

Garbage…filth everywhere
Sure is hard to breathe this air
Fumes from pollution contribute to disease
Choking the lungs…making people wheeze
Rats…roaches…waste …spit
Broken down buildings where living ain’t fit 

What a mess!
What a mess!
Made in the name of progress

Contaminated water running through the drains
Vaporizing into acid rain
Chemicals dumped in rivers and streams
Ground water poisoned and it can’t be seen
Food we eat sprayed with bug killer
Chickens given hormones making them bigger 

What a mess
What a mess
Made in the name of progress!

Trees in the forest chopped down
This is not environmentally sound
Ozone layer full of holes
So each person now is exposed
To the harmful rays of the sun
Cancer has become a risk for everyone

What a mess
What a mess
Made in the name of progress!

Global warming is now a threat
Carbon dioxide in the air changed the climate
Record heat, storms, fires, drought
All these changes brought about
By man in his quest for financial gain
Sacrificing earth and that’s a shame!

What a mess
What a mess
Made in the name of progress!