Writer's Block Wednesday (#28)

Happy Wednesday! The word for this week is drink. Wrote a poem about it. Wanna read it? Here it go...

Thirst Quencher

(for Kareem)

copyright 2011

Excuse me miss, can I buy you a drink?

No thank you.

Whatever you want, it's on me.

Please understand, I'm not thirsty

See, my man is...

hot chocolate on a cold night

vodka and pineapple juice when I wanna get it crackin'

sweet tea on a Saturday afternoon

egg nog and Southern Comfort while cuddling by the fire

camomile tea with a spoonful of honey when sickness is creeping in

wild cherry 7Eleven Slurpee when I'm feeling nostalgic about the "good ol days"

cold Dr Pepper sipped through a straw after a long 10 hour day at work

my red Kool-Aid any time and any day of the week

He quenches my thirst...

Tuesdays with Nikki (#17)

Oh how I love the poetic verses of Ms Nikki Giovanni....

Dreams

by Nikki Giovanni

Copyright 1968

in my younger years

before i learned

black people aren’t

suppose to dream

i wanted to be

a raelet

and say “dr o wn d in my youn tears”

or “tal kin bout tal kin bout”

or marjorie hendricks and grind

all up against the mic

and scream

“baaaaaby nightandday

baaaaaby nightandday”

then as i grew and matured

i became more sensible

and decided i would

settle down

and just become

a sweet inspiration

Spirit Filled Sunday #2

It has been a busy weekend. Thanksgiving with my family was wonderful. Delicious meals, heated discussions, walks down memory lane and plenty of smiles and laughter. Words can not fully express my love and appreciation of my husband, children, parents and brother. GOD surely did bless me!

With that being said, I have not written a poem for this post. Yep... it's true. But I do have a Word to share! At church today, my pastor preached on the following scripture:

But those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Pastor Fort shared the definition of "wait" according to Noah Webster: " to stay or rest in expectation until the arrival of some person or event"

and the definition of "renew": "to exchange... take off the old and put on the new..."

Are you resting in expectation?

Are you ready to exchange the old for the new?

When you are in a relationship with GOD you can call HIS name and know without a shadow of a doubt that HE will be there!

HE can exchange your sorrow for HIS joy...

your pain for HIS peace...

your doubt for HIS confidence.

Place your hope in HIM!

No matter what you are going through, you can experience comfort and peace in GOD.

Thought Provoking Thursday (#1)

Happy Thanksgiving! Today has been a blessed day. I am thankful to GOD for so many things: my husband whose love is unconditional, my son who is talented and bright, my daughters who are spunky, spirited and oh so loving, my parents who have given me a solid foundation, my brother whose laughter fills the room and my friends who keep me encouraged.

If you haven't done so already today, take the time to thank GOD for the things HE has done and for being who HE is: Prince of Peace, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End...

Today marks the beginning of a new blog: Thought Provoking Thursday. This blog will consist of a picture or an image or a word that is meant to provoke thought. That's it. It is that simple. Why? Because I get inspiration from so many things and perhaps on Thursdays, I can inspire you in some way as well. So if you are so inclined, post your thoughts...

Soul Food by John Holyfield

Writer's Block Wednesday (#27)

It's that day of the week. The day I conquer writer's block with a poetic verse or two based on a word given to me on Monday by my friend Whitney. The word for this week is "pictures". Here's what I got. So as usual go ahead and relax, reflect and enjoy!

Mind Full

copyright 2011

I see me

cooking you dinner

wearing just an apron and stilettos

whipping up lobster tails dripping in butter

bacon wrapped shrimp

and very dirty rice

i'm flirting

I see me

standing in front of a sold out crowd

on Broadway

receiving a standing ovation

on closing night

of a 7 month run

of my original stage play

i'm ecstatic

Got the pictures in my mind

The dream in my head

I see me

sitting next to Oprah

discussing my New York Times

best selling novel

she has chosen for her book club and

one of her "favorite things"

i'm beaming

Flip the photo album

see me

walking the red carpet

looking fierce and fine

wearing vintage Versace

Chanel accessories

Jimmy Choo heels

my handsome husband

looking fly in his tux

"Over here! Look this way!

Who are you wearing? You look stunning!"

Why yes. Yes I do.

See the pictures in my mind

Look at me

spitting poetic verses

on a Def Jam Poetry world tour

signing autographs

dining with literary greats

Nikki Giovanni, Sapphire, Maya Angelou and Ntozake Shange

There I am

speaking love, encouragement and inspiration

to young women

beaten down

by life's disappointments

sharing my testimony of God's never dying grace and mercy

I see it all...

My gifts making room for me

But first

I gotta

picture myself

getting up

off this couch...

Tuesdays with Nikki (#16)

It wasn't a Tuesday. It was a Friday. And I was with Nikki. Standing in her presence. Grinning from ear to ear. Before sharing a piece of her poetry, I want to share with you some of her words to live by...

Nikki G isms

#1: What I can't change I don't have to pretend is right.

#2: All writers live in our heads. We are unfit to be around people.

#3 The answer is always "yes".

And now, here is a piece by one of the masters. Enjoy!

Being and Nothingness

(to quote a philosopher)

By Nikki Giovanni

copyright 1978

i haven't done anything

meaningful in so long

it is almost meaningful

to do nothing

i suppose i could fall in love

or at least in line

since i'm so discontented

but that takes effort

and i don't want to exert anything

neither my energy nor my emotions

i've always prided myself

on being a child of the sixties

and we are all finished

so that makes being

nothing

Spirit Filled Sunday #1

Happy Sunday! I am committed to spend more focused time on this blog. In order to help me keep this commitment, I have created a new weekly post called "Spirit Filled Sunday". These posts will feature my praise poetry... poetry created and designed to give GOD the glory and to draw others closer to HIM. The goal of these posts will be to KNOW CHRIST AND MAKE HIM KNOWN (shout out to Pastor Fort and my Canaan church family). So please reflect, praise, worship, shout and enjoy!

Can't Help It

(inspired by Pastor Sherman Fort)

copyright 2011

Can't help it

HIS spirit

rises up in me

makes me lift my hands

sing my song

shout Hallejulah

Can't help it

gotta shout

HIS blood

covers me... ALL of me

my lies

my fornication

my spiteful tongue

my lustful heart

my coveting eyes

my sinful nature

Can't help it

gotta shout

gotta praise

HIS hands

shape

mold

fix

heal

comfort

deliver

save

Can't help it

gotta shout

gotta praise

gotta give HIM the honor

HE

carried the cross

hung

bled

died

rose

HE lives

Can't help it

gotta shout

gotta praise

gotta give HIM the honor

gotta call HIS name

JESUS

JESUS

JESUS

I just can't help it...

Getting closer to my dreams...

It's been awhile since I've blogged. Over 3 months to be exact. The last time I blogged, I was hurting...missing my daugther. I guess I needed 3 months to fully heal . I required the healing and gentle touch of THE TRINITY: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Thank you GOD your love and comfort. Tonight, I am no longer in a hurting place...I am healing and I am praising!

Three (there's that Trinity again) amazing things have taken place since August 3 that I would like to share:

1) I met my idol...the woman I dedicate Tuesdays on this blog to....yep, NIKKI GIOVANNI. She is more than wonderful....more than inspiring... more than a woman should be. I had the opportunity to hear her speak and then snuck backstage to shake her hand...the hand that is connected to fingers that write masterpieces. I felt like a kid at Christmas who got the very present she had been praying for.

2) I self published my first collection of poetry entitled, "Sometimes, I wonder..." It is my heart and soul in black and white on 95 pages. And I placed it in the hands of Nikki G. Yep, I sure did!

3) To date, I have sold 25 copies of my book... and only 3 of those copies were sold to family members! One costumer purchased a copy on Saturday and came back Sunday to buy 2 more as Christmas gifts for her 2 sisters. That's 3 copies! Her words to me were, "I could not put your book down. Your poetry is real and it needs to be shared. " Indeed GOD is blessing me and making room for my gifts.

Tonight as I shut down my computer and take my spot beside my bed to kneel and pray, I am beyond thankful. HE is taking me higher and higher... closer to my dreams.

To get information on how to purchase a copy of my book, please click the link below. After you read and reflect, drop me a line and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you.

Sometimes, I wonder... the poetry of Tina Sykes