Writer's Block Wednesdays (#10)

Welcome back to Writer's Block Wednesday. Last week I was on vacation and didn't get a chance to post. But Whitney did send me a word: PIONEER. So here is my take on that word. As always, I invite you to reflect and enjoy...

Do You Know?

Copyright 2007

Do you know?

I don't think you know...

My beautiful sistas and my fine brothas

I don't think you know.

It's time that you knew

and since knowledge is power

allow me to push your buttons.

There's a blessin in every lesson

so allow me to educate, emancipate, communicate and prayerfully motivate

We are quick to go to the club and

get our groove on

Run down to the college campus and

stomp the yard

Hit the concert venue and

find ourselves caught up in song

But it's time...

It's time that we make our presence known in the boardroom

Not the mailroom, the break room and dare I say, the bedroom

Stop putting those dolla dolla bills in the next man's pockets

and put some in ours

Follow the examples of

Jay Z...

CEO, HNIC, H to the O- V to the A...

Roc-a-Fella records ya'll

And what about John H. Johnson

founder of the world's largest African American owned publishing company

breaking us off with Ebony and Jet and

Fashion Fair Cosmetics

"Girl your hair looks good!"

Better give thanks to Sarah Breedlove

better known as Madame C. J. Walker

Pioneer of modern Black hair care

And lest we forget

"Harpo....who dis woman?"

That's Oprah Winfrey

Producer, magazine publisher, book critic, philanthropist, billionaire

most influential woman in the world

and a sista

Do you know?

I don't think you know.

No more excuses.

Excuses are tools of incompetence

and we are NOT incompetent.

Bust through the window of opportunity

Take your place among

Bob Johnson, Clarence Otis Jr., Raven Symone, Will Smith, Spike Lee, Shonda Rhimes,

Tyler Perry, Susan L. Taylor, Linda Johnson Rice, Sylvia Rhone, Magic Johnson,

Chris Gardner, Russell Simmons, Tracey Edmonds and yes

even Sean "P.Diddy" Combs

"I thought I told you that we won't stop. I thought I told you that we won't stop..."

And the list goes on and on and on

So now you know

My beautiful sistas and my fine brothas

School's over.

Handle your business.

Tuesdays with Nikki (#9)

Just got back from my husband's family reunion in Atlanta. I had a great time meeting his family and hearing stories from back in the day. But most of all, I enjoyed seeing the huge smile on my husband's face and the joy in his eyes. The Nikki Giovanni poem I selected tonight is dedicated to my man. Perhaps you too can relate...

The Way I Feel

By Nikki Giovanni

Copyright 1975

i've noticed i'm happier

when i make love

with you

and have enough left

over to smile at the doorman

i've realized i'm fulfilled

like a big fat cow

who was just picked

for a carnation contentment

when you kiss your special place

right behind my knee

i'm as glad as mortar

on a brick that knows

another brick is coming

when you walk through

my door

most time when you're around

i feel like a note

roberta flack is going to sing

in my mind you're a clock

and i'm the second hand sweeping

around you sixty times an hour

twenty-four hours a day

three hundred sixty-five days a year

and an extra day

in leap year

cause that's the way

that's the way

that's the way i feel

about you

Tuesdays with Nikki (#8)

It's Tuesday! Time to honor the talented Nikki Giovanni. The poem I selected tonight reflects exactly how I am feeling right now. I am in the process of looking for a new job. My current gig is ending in September. I am a little frightened about the possibility of not having a job and enjoying the material luxuries I currently enjoy. So with that in mind, Nikki spoke to me through her poem entitled....

Luxury

By Nikki Giovanni

Copyright 1975

i suppose living

in a materialistic society

luxury

to some would be having

more than what you need

living in an electronic age seeing

the whole world by pushing a button

the nth degree might perhaps be

adequately represented by having

someone there to push

the buttons for you

i have thought if only

i could become rich and famous i would

live luxuriously in new york knowing

famous people eating

in expensive restaurants calling

long distance any time i want

but you held me

one evening and now i know

the ultimate luxury

of your love

Writer's Block Wednesdays (#9)... even though it's Thursday

The word for this week is EXPRESS. I pondered...I wondered...I wrote! I came up with two offerings. So without further ado, join me as I "express" myself...

i’m not ready...

Copyright 2010

if i were to

truly

fully

express what i feel

there aren’t enough words in any language or

hours of morning, afternoon or night

true expressions of love are

private

intimate

beyond public display

to fully express myself

would be to

let down the guard

i’ve built up over the years

strip to my core

throw open the curtains

let up the shades

so the question is

are you ready?

am i ready?

what if you don’t like what you see

aren’t impressed with what i say?

my expression would be

worthless

instead of

worthwhile

so, i guess the answer is

i’m not ready...

Ex press

Copyright 2010

What I wouldn’t give to

feel my

ex

press

his lips to mine

A kiss

different than the

last kiss

that happened back then

I’m certain

this kiss

would mean

something more

erase the pain from before

The memories of

his hand holding mine

while his eyes

searched the crowd for another

late nights

“hanging with the fellas”

coming home smelling like

cigarette smoke mixed with Vanilla Sugar body spray

7 unanswered calls

4 sent texts with no response

1 lame excuse ... “my cell phone died”

yet...

what I wouldn’t give

to feel my

ex

press

his lips

to mine

Tuesdays with Nikki (#7) ... even though it's Wednesday

I'm late this week. The 4th of July holiday and illness got me behind. Last week's Writer's Block Wednesday word was COLDEST. I think tonight's poem from Nikki uses that word perfectly. Reflect and enjoy....

Hampton, Virginia

By Nikki Giovanni

copyright 1975

the birds flew south

earlier this year

and flowers wilted under the glare

of frost

nature puts her house in order

the weather reports say this

will be the coldest winter

already the perch have burrowed

deep into the lakes

and the snails are six instead

of three feet under

i quilted myself

one blanket and purchased five

pounds of colored popcorn

in corners i placed dried

flowers and in my bathroom a jar

of lavender smells

my landlord stripped my windows

and i cut all my old sox for feet pads

they say you should fight the cold with the cold

but since I never do anything right

i called you