Poetry Is...

Keep Stroking

2011-12-05T19:37:00.001-05:00

The skill to manipulate words

Is a thrill

From the inception to the delivery

It can entertain

Whether the process is carefully drafted

Or the whim of the moment is

Mysteriously crafted

The writer implies

The reader recognizes

“Watching the flame dance across the ceiling

Patiently waiting for the moment to cut in.”

In an instant the flame is envisioned

Is it symbolic?

If not, then why is it mentioned?

Flames don’t just dance

They also sway and flicker

Creating an ambiance

Adding light to the picture

Extremely beneficial to the holder of thought

It is a feeling

It is a vision

In fact carefully sought-

Reading to find

Or reading to feel

It is or isn’t

Completely embraced

But it has and always

Will BE

Simply a matter of taste.

Star Struck

2011-11-04T23:10:00.000-04:00

He is the starry night of my dreams
I tumbled through the galaxy
Each night to find him
He breathes and I inhale his love so sweet

Waiting many, many moons for us to meet
I retreat
He sprinkled star dust landing at my feet
Strolling through moon beams
Total eclipse sightings
Waxing and waning
It feels so exciting to be
Drenched in his meteor shower

Love: Let it Breathe

2011-11-04T22:27:00.000-04:00

Often in love

We confess

We address

How we’re going to do it

When we’re going to do it

And for how long

Let love breathe

While forgetting to

Let it take in

All of the

Inhibitions

as well as the possibilities

Let love breathe

Take a long walk with it

Sit down and talk with it

Making plans is a natural stand

But it can surely get out of hand

Believing that you’re running it

Let love breathe

Don’t forget ruin

Is the road to transformation

And for your information

That tiny string of thread

that you’re dangling by

Is stronger than you realize

Let love breathe

Love’s wind blows

The debris

Of the things we don’t need

So we can see clearly

The things that we do

If we just

Let love breathe

It requires time

It requires effort

It requires hope

To cope

The patience of realizing

what it really means

Let love breathe

It won’t happen before it’s time

It will force you to sit

Calling it for what may seem like years

Before you hear a single ring

Let love breathe

What it is to some

May not be the same for others

As one must discover what it is they need

The inhale

The exhale

To cough

Or sneeze

Let love breathe

Giving up and giving in

Sometimes produces the win

Then again if you don’t push

Love won’t shove

Then you’re sitting stuck

Unable to budge

Not wanting to accept

That right along with love

You have to breathe too.

Pitiful

2011-08-26T00:44:00.000-04:00

Parading across

Perfectly

Parquet floors

Pretending to be

Perched above

Pelts

Predators sought

Pleasure in

Ponding down on our

Princes and

Princesses

Particularly when

Passively we sat

Peering

Plumped with selfishness

Positioning

Palisades around our lives

Promising them with safety

PROOF

Propels as

Pain

Petrifies them

Permanently .

Still

2011-08-26T00:31:00.000-04:00

Standing still

Time is standing still

Still standing

Watching from the hill

Still amazed

By you still

Snow falls

Sun melts

Mornings are chilled

Flowers bloom

Leaves blow

Still I get a thrill

Wondering if

You know

While the seasons change

I say I will

Be in love with you

In love with you

Still.

Don't Let Touch Go

2011-06-08T19:17:00.001-04:00

waters reassembling
at river’s bank
lady sits sipping chai
thoughts running freely
Abruptly
awakened by the nymph
dancing feverishly,
for me? she gasps
indeed, he pleads
positioned politely
on bended knee
accepting graciously
arms opened gently
they embraced passionately
headline reads:

Love: Such A Tragedy.

something so innocently shared
between two impaired
by what some dare
to even express.
a fairytale to most
they abhor being close
denying the space
between now and then
to close,
creating forever
a place that lies within
so paper thin
blinking may cause
prevention; or an obstruction.
build the dream
don’t let touch go
let them jeer
let them cheer
just make certain to know.
mind drift
cast a wish
take a sip of devotion
aim high
do or die
sift the soil
planted seeds will grow
no matter what is read
no matter how it is typed
love, is certainly more than a notion.

Echoes

2011-05-14T18:31:00.003-04:00

Sharing a conversation with you
I sought out to find
The face behind the voice
After traveling many miles
and walking through the door of hope
I ran down the hallway of the unexpected
Love then dropped me to my knees
Made me reflect on the pursuit of a dream
What dreams meant
How they felt
What becomes of them when their left behind?
How could this be?
Was I losing my mind?
Reaching out for the sun’s rays

I began to bask in the warmth of them
drifted off in memories of truth
bathed in tears of pain and reconfirmed
the bond that trust creates.

Trust sealed a deal that flourishes during
and even after life departs.

The silence of a crowded area
Could never mask the hurt
Embraces and even smiling faces can never erase
The echoes of your voice.

Shine

2011-04-17T01:48:00.000-04:00

Poetry can’t be

Defined or

Confined.

What then would

Be the purpose

Of being

Inclined

To be left

Behind

With the rest of

Humankind

That try to

Undermine

And

Unwind

The gift

Designed

Find

And

Remind

Us all to let

Our own

Light

Shine?

Gemstones

2011-03-01T11:43:00.002-05:00

Wispy are the thoughts of a love affair so grand

Adorned with gems of emeralds and diamonds;

Shining brightly for the world to view

A jeweler‘s dream come true.

Fearlessly they set out to conquer

The air so brilliantly tucked beneath their wings.

Destined, though never did they lisp a word of despair

With a book in their hearts

Written on pages of time

They composed it carefully

Examining each and every line

A love divine

Writer and muse

Not to be confused with….

Obsession

Just mere direction.

The words seem

To assemble themselves perfectly,

Traces of passion’s kiss

Imprinted on the soul of each and every verse

Never coerced

He and she

She and he

Together creatively

Spread evenly

Examples of

Poetry.

Spent

2011-02-27T13:59:00.001-05:00

Counting days

Wishing I could

Cashum in and

Buy you back into

My life.

Please Stop

2011-02-19T11:15:00.003-05:00

Eyes bloodshot

Limbs disconnected

Inside is out

Outside is in

Skin tongue burned

Hair singed

Mind blown

From the bellowing of

Your harsh, harsh words.

A Promise

2011-02-04T10:54:00.000-05:00

The breeze

Flitters lightly

Through the pages

Of my heart

Leaving traces

Sorrow from letters

Written with a bond

Enveloped with a seal of devotion

Date stamped eternity.

Snowflakes

2011-01-04T16:40:00.000-05:00

Mesmerizing from the beginning

Each has its own identity

The blanket of many

Spreading quietly across the ground

Becoming a beautiful winter’s morning

Reflection

2010-11-24T15:41:00.000-05:00

Watching and waiting

Hoping only to view

Remnants of something familiar.

Created by anything but the

truth.

This art form and the love for it

Dissipates into nothing desired.

Holds no girth

No worth

It must be cultivated

Imitated

Saturated.

Reading books for words

Only to retain more words

In the attempt to use

Even more words.

The gift

The hobby

Or the sought after dream

Lays drying like A Raisin in the Sun

For if nothing is done

There will not be

Anything to reflect upon.

Off Course

2010-08-03T23:57:00.002-04:00

Notable sitings

Of mislead
Guidings
Caused shifting
In the interior
Lining.
Woe!
For the path
Overcome by the wrath
Relinquished
By the artist
Attempting to perfect
Their craft.

Not Jaded

2010-06-24T15:33:00.000-04:00

Jaded, naww

Just shaded by

Clouds that enfold

The light of your glow

Knowing

Yet

Wanting more and more to

Touch

Taste

And bathe in

The drippings of your soul.

The Tree of Promises

2010-06-13T20:02:00.003-04:00

A single leaf fell from the tree

Outside my window this morning
May it not end
Up in the pile of debris
To be swept aside
Or blown into the street
Let it blow freely
Inside the breeze
That magnificent breeze
With the rhythmic tease
That will forever

Keep me in a trance

While watching it dance.

TIME

2010-05-31T13:51:00.001-04:00

Forsaking the beauty of a sunset
While in the distant shadows of your mind

TIME
Reveals to you that
Things have become sublime
TIME
Staring into the watery deep
From the neckline of the ocean
Soaking the rays up like lotion
TIME
Where are the days?
Where are the hours?
Where are the minutes?
TIME
has changed gray skies blue
Created one and produced two
It has molded, melted, molded again
Then gave to you
TIME
And again, the chance to
Begin anew from this moment forward
And in this moment in
TIME
To reconcile, rejuvenate, rehabilitate
Act now before it’s too late
For
TIME
Waits for no one
For nothing
TIME
Sets the pattern
The date
It has no limits
It is never late
In fact it’s always on
TIME.

CONFUSED

2010-05-17T01:25:00.001-04:00

doing
doing it well
well enough
enough to seem
seem that
that I know
know what
what I am
doing

Poetry

2010-04-06T23:08:00.001-04:00

Poetry

The beauty of it all, is

That it befalls simplicity

Some wonder if it’s meant to be

Yet the words come and go so graciously

That it leaves minds to question

The validity

of the messenger.

Take the time

Search your mind

Breath slow

Let it flow

Check your ego

And for all that know

and please remember

We are just mere vessels.

2010-01-31T06:24:00.000-05:00

Settle

for what you get

for nothing less

for only the best

Settles:

…dust does just that

and the remedy for an upset stomach known as antacid

Settling:

when it seems all possibilities have been exhausted

Settled: nestled deep under six feet.

Unique

2010-01-07T12:49:00.001-05:00

For: Ms. Sonia Sanchez

Wow
What
Wonderful
Ways of rhythm you
Write to.
Why
Would one’s eyes ever
Wander
When you describe
Wildflowers
With the sweet aroma
Wrapped in the earth’s soil.
Wounded from the
Wiles of the
Wrongdoers,
We people
Withstood
Winds of change and still
Willingly spread our
Wings
Wide.
Woe for
Whatsoever is
Waiting to
Win us over, for
Wails of joy
Will resound
While
Watching their tactics
Wither in the sun
Wither in the sun
Wither in the sun
Wither in the sun.
(taken from Echoes Resound Forever)

Remembering

2009-12-17T18:18:00.000-05:00

I walked in this particular morning
Her eyes were weak,
But I thought it was from a lack of sleep
She said, baby will you cook me something to eat?

It took me by suprise
As this was the second time
We had the chance to meet.
None-the-less my heart overruled my thoughts
And I said, yes ma'am my treat.

When I returned with her grits, eggs, and sauceage
I still can remember her grin
I sat and talked with her while she ate
Assured her politely I'd take back a dirty plate.

Then the times grew few
When I'd see her pass my window
Thoughts of her grew even more intensed
I began to think, "this don't make sense"

While talking to my neighbor
I just had to ask
Hey, have you seen Ms. Mary?
He replied yeah, and ain't that a shame?
Her ole' man should take all of the blame!

That's when he told me about the BIG DISEASE
with the little name

Yep! You know the one that claims all the fame.

See, Ms. Mary's husband was a carrier
And she got it full blown
Health insurance cancelled her
And he left her alone

He was far gone by the day we met
She was half gone by the day we met
But yet, she was hungry and I cooked her breakfast.

Quilt of Peace

2009-12-13T11:04:00.000-05:00

Merely a spectator
Yet this saga has me intrigued
As if I was playing a part myself.

I watch as the path takes unwavering turns
Recognizing the pieces of peace
Being woven together like a quilt
Remembering when there once
Was an abundance of chaos
Surrounding, leaving their life as a tattered sheet

I'll be glad when the cover is complete
In hopes to then view them in their
Peaceful somber of sleep

Never to be awakened by nightmares of defeat
Wishing them security so sweet

That they'll taste 'em in even in their dreams.

Who Is Selfish?

2009-12-11T19:03:00.000-05:00

You wanted to know
So I told you
You wanted to see
So I showed you
You wanted to eat
And I fed you
Now you still want more.

I gave you my time
I spent my dime
So, now what you gon' do for me?
Don't accuse me of behaving selfishly
I didn't complain when you said
'We were meant ta be'
I tied my boots and hit the front line
I marched to your tune
Now how dare you turn the station
When the radio is playing mine!"

Precious

2009-11-11T18:21:00.000-05:00

Arranging and rearranging words
That reveal rays to guide
Darkened pathways
They're kind, kinder, and
Expressed in the kindest of ways
Singing across pages filled with dyes
Submerged ever so gently
Into a lagoon of pastels
Reminiscent of the rainbow
Only to leave traces
Of the Gold greater than
The most tangible treasures.

WOW

2009-10-13T08:36:00.000-04:00

Lemee go!
It’s funny
‘cause that’s one of the things
you jokingly said to me
weeks before you died.
that phrase lingers in my mind
like fog to the sea
still I can’t believe
things fell in line
for you to leave me.

Juan Jose Minion
10/30/1965 - 10/13/2008

Cliche'

2009-09-17T17:33:00.000-04:00

“That's the way the cookie crumbles”
“Be careful what you wish for”
“If you make your bed, lye in it”
“Hind sight is 50/50”

Clichés they are
Yet holding some truth.....

That old cookie ain't stale yet
Those wishes are coming true
This bed is pretty comfortable, even if it ain't to you
Looking behind as well as forward seems to be clear

Ultimately
FAITH is and will always be
The assured expectation of things hoped for,
the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld
Therefore what is beheld has come to be
Out of things that do not appear.
For this, gratefulness is a must
And in patience we all must trust.

©Nina Simmone

Irony At It's Best

2009-09-17T17:30:00.000-04:00

Drained of all emotion,
‘cept love
Dats d onliest thang
That seems to remain.

Funny ain’t it?
Seems like everythang leaves yo mine
But yo heart b treacherous.
© Nina Simmone

Brain Stutter

2009-09-14T21:40:00.000-04:00

Thoughts of
letters
words
sentences
phrases
stanzas
books
pages
paper
ink
and poems
Have all divorced one another in my mind.

By All Means

2009-09-14T19:01:00.000-04:00

Don't stop now
We've come too far
Renewing the energy that once vibrantly shown through our skin
Must have a core to be tapped into again
Keep striving
Keep grinding
Keep walking
Keep talking
Straighten out the path that somehow has become crooked
Be you
I'mma be me
We'll figure this thing out eventually
It's as simple as four minus one equaling three
Life will shift
But still it has to
BE
Be whatcha like
Be whatcha don't
Be for real Or Life won't-- Let you BE.

-Nina Simmone

And Baby Makes Seven?

2009-09-14T14:50:00.000-04:00

Who knew?
Life will come by swiftly
Hope you have some type of foundation
Or a good pair of running shoes.

Eyes of the blind see everything you don't
Minds of the blind see everything you won't
Lives when intertwined can be a challenge to most
Enjoy it to the fullest
Or at least to the most

Everyone plays a part
It happens that way from the start
Be smart
Guard your heart
Walk cautiously
Run Steadily
And remember to laugh a lot.
©Nina Simmone

Obscure Friends

2009-09-14T14:43:00.000-04:00

Loving him more than ever
But wondering if……
My love is truly what he needs
What he wants
What he feeds…
On, or off of?

Maybe I’m blind
Maybe I’m wasting time
Whose time, his or mine?
I feel confined inside this emotion
Can’t breathe
Can’t see.

The spew of venom
He so freely spat months ago
Has finally stuck to the bottom of my shoes
I’m paralyzed and can’t move
The misery he spoke so
Angrily of, has finally
Reared its head in my mirror
I see it in the morning
It’s in the rear of my view when I’m driving
I see it in the monitor when, I know I should be working
Pain flickering inside my veins
Causing me to lye awake
For hours reciting the frames
From one scene to the next
I’m vexed he’s perplexed
What’s Next?
The beginning of two?
Or is this still the soloist
Awaiting to play yet again another solo?

© Nina Simmone

Sun Kissed

2009-04-08T23:18:00.000-04:00

Enchanting traces of lips
Caress the essence of
Toasted almond skin

Bronzed beauties
Shimmering anew
Shades tinted
Their courses set for perfection

Hazel hues
Chocolate bars
Caramel ribbons
Mocha swirls
Combining of the two
Or to be blessed with many
Long before alterations
Pills and creams
Extensive surgeries
Denial made possible
By brainwashed schemes
Tawny tips the scale
Procured by imbalances
Beauty is plentiful than ever
Behold!
Such treasures compelled by the heart
Not always biased in decision
Just organically planted feet first
Soaking up the rays
Until time indefinite.
-Nina Simmone

Think Too Much

2009-04-08T11:23:00.000-04:00

Here again thinking
I’m often reminded
That I do too much of
Reflecting on what if
Or what could’ve been
Just in case I miss something
Or something misses me
I like to imagine
How I want it
Or would have liked
It to be
I ponder and ponder
My mind often wanders
The journey can be long
Sometimes it’s a quick trip
Regardless of what
I MUST ADMIT,
It seems to always
Return to you