To Me, With Love

You, On My Mind

white snow falling on black streets
you, on my mind

the arrival of spring
awakens the earth with every shade of green
you, on my mind

summer
melting the senses
hypnotizing the body into submission
you on my mind

autumn
caressing
inviting
enticing the soul into a myriad of unspeakable pleasures
you on my mind

I lay in bed and wonder in the darkness
am I on your mind…?

With Lust

lust
seduced me into a moment of unfaithfulness
it drew in my wandering gaze
as your fingers were felt reaching out to me in a dimly lit hallway
sinfully exploring my hair
my mind 
consumed with a myriad of thoughts

social
historical
carnal 
poetic thoughts

a street hustler on the corner
I bought things I never intended to buy 
never needed 
or wanted

the door left ajar
a low light seen on the night stand
I slowly creep
again
along the dimly lit back hallway 
not wanting to get caught red handed
as I satisfy my moment of gratification

couldn't help myself

transfixed
memorized 
lusting
when I saw the first three lines of your poem
fever pitched curiosity 
hating the term
"nosey"
but it is what it is
and t...

Rain Check

I promised no one in particular
besides me
that I would sit myself down
flip the light switch
listen for the sounds of my computer coming to life
wait for desktop icons to appear
the moment is silent
someone is waiting for me to write something that I never promised to do today
wasn’t on my
to-do list
my
honey-do list
I procrastinate
again
maybe 
I’ll get around to doing it tomorrow
but I am in front of this thing
lit up
dressed up
awaiting my command to address society
impropriety
blackness
whiteness
anything to do with
my love for you
for us
for our people
maybe a prayer to Him
if I die before I wake
please don’t take away my pen
until I finish what I promised to no one in particular
that I would write something today
half glass empty<...

Before I Let Go

I was gonna sit this one out
 
sit in the back row
while other poets dip their big toes into 
imaginary
deep crystal blue waters
a phantom
glistening reflection of ourselves
a warning
that we’ve been down this dusty road
too many times before
 
the call for us to be filled with 
American pride
and we're not to remember those who were lynched 
and died
returning from fighting for we know not what
a warm 
summer 
stirring breeze
returning black soldiers lynched
strange fruit
swinging from low hanging trees
minutes after stepping off the train bound for home
and never getting there
 
and don’t get me wrong
don’t get it twisted
critical Race Theory on tap
grotesque looks
we are barely mentioned in public school histo...

I Think About Things

I think about
things

great and small
short and tall
how much it will cost
the interest on monthly payments
and can I fit it in my budget

I think about
things

right and wrong
short and long
the impact it will have on me
will it be detrimental to my family
benefit my people
today
tomorrow

I think about
things

dark and light
strong or slight
will it bring me immediate star status
no questions asked at the velvet rope
unlimited bottle service
preferred table in the back corner
facing the front entrance
the front entrance
never sees my back

I think about
things

young and old
bought and sold
random thoughts running through my mind
anything sparking a memory and a comparison
maybe something I got away with
youthful indiscretions I s...

It Comes For Me

I detest the taste of it

it's unpleasant aroma set before me
wanting to turn away and ask for a replacement
reheat it to a more golden brown crust
or
just up and demand a refund
walking away
with the intent on providing the most adverse review on social media
regaining my senses
writing each word with malicious intent
regretting nothing
monitoring for the many
“likes”
I am sure to follow

not supposed to hate
not what I was taught yesterday
right after some proverbial golden rule thing
but 
it touches a nerve
itches where I can’t properly contort my elbows
and reach that spot with sharpened jungle fingernails

I look it in the eye
after the fact
after the screams
after the moans
dissatisfied
what was I thinking at the time?
cigarette smoke clears ...

Clean

was once a poet

then survived the rinse cycle

writer of poems

Don't Get The Wrong Idea

don’t get the wrong idea
when you read the words I write
and listen with attentive ears
to the words I speak

just because you saw me dancing in the street
and celebrating for days on end
when I heard that afros
black panther tee shirts
and berets are back in style
I have no plans to burn down your houses
your cathedrals
your temples
your mosques

if I happen to ask your daughter to a movie
or find the house at the end of your block
quite attractive
there’s no need to call in the national guard
sign petitions
or rush to the pharmacy for an immediate refill of tranquilizers

I am celebrating who I am
where I came from
thanking my God every day
that He chose me to be
black
and you
whatever you happen to be

in fact
I invite you to celebrate with me

and if you teach m...

Next Of Kin

I
did not 
could not prevail against the gates of hell
knew I wasn't flying the friendly skies
arriving at the heavenly gates
had no defense for it
a tormenting
slow
painful death I suffered in the early hours of the morning
too early 
for them to come and take me away
to early
for someone to pen a decent obituary
story of my life
the roads less travelled
and the broad highways I was told to stay away from
the good
the bad
the indifferent
I saw the lights on the side of the road
stopped in to many an establishment I shouldn't have
sat myself down a spell
and overstayed many welcomes

when they write my obituary
watch for pieces of parchment succumbing to flaming embers
a broken black pen
with black ink
dripping 
staining the wooden parquet floor below

J...

Message In A Bottle

these words might find you
or you may find these words
one hundred years from now
or maybe more

it might find you somewhere inside my house
a silver box in the basement
or under a loose board in the attic
there will be no lock on it

it might find you as you weave through cobwebs
inside my unused garage
in the back seat of a car covered in layers of dust
manila folder in between the seat cushions

it might find you somewhere in the backyard
on a spring day in the future
as you plant flowers or flower seeds
the soil will be quite fertile

it might find you on some internet site
if such a thing exists in the future
a casual search of writers from my today 
subject for a school class project 

and if these words find you
or you happen upon these words
one hundred years from now
or maybe more

th...