Thought Provoking Thursday (#17)

From the camera lens of the incomparable GORDON PARKS...

Norman Jr. Reading in Bed

1967

© Gordon Parks

Writer's Block Wednesday (#43)

My 8 year old daughter and I recently had a discussion about poetry. She said "I like your poems but most of them don't rhyme." I explained to her that poetry does not have to rhyme.

She concluded "even if it doesn't have to, it should."

I seldom write poetry that rhymes... usually the words, thoughts and feelings don't come to me in that form. However, for today's post, I put on my rhyming cap just because my daughter said I "should."

The word this week is OAK. As always, I pray you will relax, reflect and enjoy...

me under a tree

Copyright 2012

laying a blanket

underneath the tree

resting my body

enjoying the breeze

birds provide the soundtrack

as i reminisce and think back

to the moment when you walked away

even though you promised you would never stray

you left me broken and confused

feeling worn, beat down and used

looking in the mirror at a woman i no longer recognize

months ago i never would have believed you would be the cause of my demise

call me stupid or maybe just completely naive

desiring a man that was never purposed for me

now i found myself under this tree

a fragment of the woman i used to be

Tuesdays with.... (#12)

This week I want to share a piece by a poet whose work I admire as much as that of Nikki Giovanni. Those of you who know me know that this means a lot. Both poets speak truth in poetic verse that is easy on the ears and heavy on the heart. I want to be clear, "heavy on the heart" is not a negative thing. When I say it, I mean their words lay on my heart and take residence there. It is a good thing... poetry that makes you feel.

This week's poet is Sonia Sanchez.

photograph by

Laylah Amatullah

Ballad

(after the spanish)

By Sonia Sanchez

Copyright 2007

forgive me if i laugh

you are so sure of love

you are so young

and i too old to learn of love.

the rain exploding

in the air is love

the grass excreting her

green wax is love

and stones remembering

past steps is love,

but you. you are too young

for love

and i too old.

once. what does it matter

when or who, i knew

of love.

i fixed my body

under his and went

to sleep in love

all trace of me

was wiped away

forgive me if i smile

young heiress of a naked dream

you are so young

and i too old to learn of love.

Spirit Filled Sunday #17

I am sure many of you are aware of the Trayvon Martin case. I will not go into details as you can get the details with a simple Google search. I am also not going to express my opinion about the case... opinions come a dime a dozen. But what I would like to do is state some simple facts:

1) Trayvon Martin was shot and killed.

2) George Zimmerman,the man who admitted to the police that he shot Trayvon, has not been arrested.

3) Travyon was a 17 year old African American male, wearing a hoodie and carrying a bag of Skittles and a ice tea when he was murdered.

4) Zimmerman was carrying a loaded gun.

5) Trayvon was somebody's son.

This last fact is what has led me to this post tonight. I am the parent of an almost 16 year old son. My son is African American. My son wears hoodies. My son drinks ice tea and occasionally eats Skittles.

While we are so wrapped up in the politics of this case, I don't want to lose sight of the fact that a child has lost his life. Parents have lost their son. I pray that as we wear hoodies in remembrance of Trayvon, as we sign petitions and as we march for justice in this case, that we also get on our knees and pray. Pray for the family of Trayvon. When the media shuts off it's cameras and the house is quiet around them, I believe this is when the fullness of their grief takes hold of their hearts. Our prayers are needed. Lift up Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton: Trayvon's father and mother. Call them by name. Ask GOD to give them peace that transcends all understanding. Pray for GOD to give them comfort in their sorrow and bless them with memories that will bring unspeakable joy.

I ask you to pray for our children who are growing up in a world where simply walking down a neighborhood street with a hoodie can cause you to be labeled "suspicious" and "up to no good".

And although some may find this odd, I also encourage you to pray for George Zimmerman and his family. Two families were effected by the tragic events that took place that night. Prayer is needed for both.

And lastly, I ask you to pray for GOD's will to be done and for acceptance of HIS will.

I will be praying. I pray you will be too...

Rest in peace, Trayvon Martin. Rest in peace.

Thought Provoking Thursday (#16)

Your thoughts?

Writer's Block Wednesday (#42)

The word for this week is "park". Here's what I got. As always, I pray you will relax, reflect and enjoy...

Long Term Parking

copyright 2012

might as well

park my car

in your driveway

gonna be here awhile

sitting on your couch

eating at your table

bathing in your tub

staking my claim

pulling weeds

planting flowers

painting walls

making this house a home

tearing it up in the kitchen

putting it down in the bedroom

might as well

park my car

in your driveway

ain’t no other place

i’d rather be

Tuesdays with.... (#11)

This week's poet is one I became familiar with when I was in high school. Initially I was not drawn to her poetry, but some of her quotes gave me inspiration. Now that I am older and (more mature) I have developed a fondness for her poetic verses.

This week's poet is Audre Lorde. Audre Lorde was a Caribbean-American writer, poet and activist. She wrote her first poem when she was in eighth grade. Her first volume of poems, The First Cities, was published in 1968. Lorde died on November 17, 1992 of liver cancer, though she dealt with a 14-year struggle with breast cancer. She was 58. In her own words, Lorde was a "black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet". In an African naming ceremony before her death, she took the name Gambda Adisa, which means "Warrior: She Who

Makes Her Meaning Known".

The Electric Slide Boogie

Audre Lorde

copyright 1993

New Year's Day 1:16 AM

and my body is weary beyond

time to withdraw and rest

ample room allowed me in everyone's head

but community calls

right over the threshold

drums beating through the walls

children playing their truck dramas

under the collapsible coatrack

in the narrow hallway outside my room

The TV lounge next door is wide open

it is midnight in Idaho

and the throb easy subtle spin

of the electric slide boogie

step-stepping

around the corner of the parlor

past the sweet clink

of dining room glasses

and the edged aroma of slightly overdone

dutch-apple pie

all laced together

with the rich dark laughter

of Gloria

and her higher-octave sisters

How hard it is to sleep

in the middle of life.

Spirit Filled Sunday #16

It rained hard today. Really hard. The wind was blowing fiercely and the air had developed an extreme chill. I was blessed to be safe in my father's house during the storm: physically present in my earthly father's house and spiritually at home in the presence of my Heavenly Father.

Tonight I want to share a poem I wrote some years ago. As always, I pray you will relax, reflect and enjoy...

In The Midst of the Storm

copyright 1999

Get thee behind me satan.

I have work to do.

I am God’s child and with me

HE is not threw.

Don’t try to play games with me.

It goes far deeper than that.

I know God’s Word...

I know the Bible,

and with that I will attack.

I know Jesus as my Savior and Lord.

HE is the one

I love, cherish and adore.

Get thee behind me satan.

Don’t play games you can not win.

I am a child of God.

The Holy Spirit dwells within.

Get thee behind me satan.

Don’t try to be under my feet.

This is game you can not win.

With Jesus there is now such thing as defeat.

Get thee behind me satan.

You can not have my dreams.

Hallelujah is what I scream!

I am not afraid of you.

You have no reign here.

The Lord is my light and my salvation

Whom shall I fear?

God is my shelter, my protector, my all and all.

HIS light shines through me.

In HIM, I stand tall.

Get thee behind me satan.

I am a friend of Jesus Christ

You can not win.

You can not win.

For Christ is my goal and my center.

My home, my family, my life

You can not enter.

You can not enter.

You seem rather stubborn, so I’ll say it once again.

Get thee behind me satan.

For Jesus is my best friend.

I may be weak sometimes

I may stumble... I may fall.

But Jesus,

HE picks me up

stands me proud

stands me tall.

Get thee behind me satan.

Go on somewhere else.

I’m not going through this all by myself.

No Jesus is with me.

HE is my friend.

Jesus is with me.

On HIM, I do depend.

So get thee behind me satan and make no mistake

The Word of God says me,

HE will never leave nor forsake.

This storm will pass.

This pain will end.

So I say

Thank you Jesus

Thank you Lord.

Thank you my Savior.

Thank you my Friend.

Thought Provoking Thursday (#15)

Your thoughts?

Writer's Block Wednesday (#41)

It's Wednesday! Last week Whitney sent me a word and I was on a "mini retreat" from my blog. This week, he sent me a new word. So I decided to use them both (kinda). The words for this week are TRUST and TIP. Here's what I came up with...

Trusting

copyright 2012

pumping my legs back and forth

on the swing

soaring high above the monkey bars

i trusted

i wouldn't fly out

dipping the tip of my big toe

into the pool

before immersing my whole body

i trusted

i wouldn't freeze

giving you my heart

in it's entirety

while still mending from the pain of the past

i trusted

i wouldn't hurt again

falling in love with you

mind body and soul

i trusted

i wouldn't fall alone

while i was trusting

....you were cheating

i now trust

that i will never fall in love again

Tuesdays with.... (#10)

Today's poet is one I had never heard of before. I asked my co-worker today who her favorite poet was and she stated Amy Carmichael.

Amy Carmichael was a Protestant Christian missionary in India, who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for 55 years without furlough and wrote many books about the missionary work there. In 1931, she was badly injured in a fall, which left her bedridden much of the time until her death. She died in India in 1951 at the age of 83. She asked that no stone be put over her grave; instead, the children she had cared for put a bird bath over it with the single inscription "Amma", which means mother in the Tamil.

My co-worker said her favorite poem by Ms Carmichael is called "The Thorn" but despite my greatest efforts, I could not find it anywhere. However, I came across one that spoke to me, so I would like to share it with today. As always, I pray you will relax, reflect and enjoy. Willette, this one is for you...

Lord, give me love like this

By Amy Carmichael

Many crowd the Savior's Kingdom,

Few receive His Cross,

Many seek His consolation,

Few will suffer loss

For the dear sake of the Master,

Counting all but dross.

Many sit at Jesus' table,

Few will fast with Him

When the sorrow-cup of anguish

Trembles to the brim.

Few watch with Him in the garden

Who have sung the hymn.

Many will confess His wisdom.

Few embrace his shame,

Many, should He smile upon them,

Will His praise proclaim;

Then, if for a while He leave them,

They desert his Name.

But the souls who love Him truly

In woe or in sweet bliss,

These will count their truest heart's blood

Not their own, but His;

Savior, Thou Who thus hast loved me,

Give me love like this

Spirit Filled Sunday #15

Hey my faithful followers! I'm back! I took a break for a week from this blog...did you miss me? :)

While I was gone I tried to do what I always ask you to do: relax and reflect. I 'm not quite sure that I completely relaxed, but I definitely reflected. I reflected on a sermon that was preached at my church on Sunday March 4 by the Rev Monique Williams. The sermon was entitled "Identity Crisis". I want to share the key points with you this evening.

Throughout life people have always been challenged to fit into a certain box. Sometimes this box is where they think they ought to be and sometimes it is were others think they should be. It is hell on earth when you do not know who you are. Sometimes it is voluntary amnesia: we chose to forget who we are or the struggles we have been through. And sometimes, it is involuntary amnesia: when someone keeps information from you that defines who you are. It is imperative to your freedom to know who you are. You must know who you are or you will be condemned to live someone else's mindless identity of you.

To know you, you have to know GOD. There are times in life when we are going through it and we lose sight of who we are... we question ourselves... we doubt ourselves. It is then that we must seek GOD. HE knows you best. HE knitted you together in your mother's womb. HE created you in HIS imagine. You are beautifully and wonderfully made. HE is the Truth!

So what are the benefits of knowing the Truth?

First, HE gives you a foundation... HE gives you something to stand on.

Second, HE is your fortress

Third, HE gives you front door access to the kingdom of heaven which makes you accountable. You are obligated to do GOD's will.

The bottom line is you gotta know the truth of who you are in CHRIST. Walk in your worth! Shout who your Daddy is! You are a child of the most high GOD! Proclaim it! Live it!

Thought Provoking Thursday (#14)

Your thoughts....

print by Derek Sullivan