Poetry
From “Dear Soul...”
Darkness
Scents of frustration
are pouring out of me
like the scent of liquor
pours out of a drunk
Masked impurities of anger
are veiled by the façade
a smile, a nod
the loveable precocious laugh
yet these people passing by
are so oblivious to the obvious
They can’t see the fire
that lives behind my eyes
because they ignore the flames
that are dying down inside
9/5/2005
Diary
Diary
I am
an everlasting personality
A soul that has risen
From the grave
I was strong
And beautiful
I was sensitive
Yet vulnerable
I was caring
But could be mean spirited
I was loved
And yet I was hated
I was a mother
And I was a sister
I was a neighbor
And a childhood friend
I was the woman
Behind the counter
Unappreciated and fatigued
I was passed by
On the streets
Becoming the unseen
But now you are sitting
Reading my words
Hopefully moved
By my story
But will you remember my legacy
And share the diary
Of a young black woman
7/10-7/14/07
Family
Family
Empty place mats
at the table
feel like home
Where dinner’s at six
sometimes at five
and even under
a watchful eye
two thirty
We’re not
the most conventional
and conventional
we are not
We don’t eat
as a family
barely share feelings
as a family
and yet this
is my family
We seldom say
I love you
They’ve never said
I love you
never held hands
or even shared
a simple kiss
Sometimes I wondered
if they stayed together
for the kids
And we don’t
really celebrate the occasions
An anniversary
I’ve never seen it
Birthdays
don’t really acknowledge them
Special days
from my childhood
now seem like a foreign dream
as I get older
Virtually non existent
and unimportant
Is this normal
Am I normal
Would you consider us…normal
Maybe we’re not
the most conventional
even bordering on dysfunctional
but our love is a love
that is not loveless
within my family
it actually does exist
5/24-5/31/08
Signs
I am holding
onto a love
that I know
I should set free
but so in love am I
with this man
who chooses to deny
the emotions
that exist for me
He views me
like his diary
wanting to tell me everything
all the while refusing
to see past the friend
that lives in me
I saw the fear
in his eyes
the night the orchestra shined bright
heard the angels cry
when he openly accepted
the feelings
that were swept aside
I even felt his hands
on my newly tanned skin
when we basked
in the quiet glow (sigh…)
I can still remember feeling
the sand between my toes
So how do I
ignore the signs
the Universe sends to me
when all those signs say
that he and I should be
7/5-7/6/07
