I came from the mother lands of black people My roots are from Africa where we originated from My background is where rivers collide and the gold coast is formed I AM ME, and only I can decide what I am going to be I go to school for knowledge and education because education is key With education, it’s the only way I can be free, it’s the only way I can express the educated side of me Because as long as I stay in school, I can be successful in this world I call my life And within this world we can all be what we wanna be if we follow the blueprint that is set Out for us to see So don’t disrespect your elders if they’re trying to put you on the right path Just put your head up, and I’ll promise you won’t crash
poetry
Good Enough
Sometimes I wonder if I’m good enough If all the cash in the world would be good enough When I think of you, I wonder if I could treat you well enough How can I be good enough when my state of mind is mindless? Doubt infects the mind like a blinding virus Clouding judgement until I’m feeling lifeless It’s like this could be the last chance to write this— Poem, how could I ever know on my own If I only doubt myself when I’m alone? So please tell me if I’m good enough Maybe it’s a misunderstanding between us You tell me you love me, but act like you’re sick of me I act like I don’t care, but it’s killing me inside I could have lied, when I’m with you pride— Is worn like something tight— When I’m alone, it’s the exact opposite. When I’m lying down on my bed, All I think about is whether or not I’m good enough.
Showcase
My ballet slippers are white as new My tutu is glittery and blue I kiss her on the cheek and here I go Off to the stage and see me glow Walk up the ladder, light dim, silence like no other My heart is pounding in my head, almost feels like I’m about to urinate Applause starts and down from the ceiling here I go Back straight, arms delicate now walk like a feather I am nervous and get the chills like cold weather I want to remind mommy’s little girl how we used to dance together No matter what obstacle, I’ll make it better I’ll always dance for her even if she is in a wheelchair The music of the violin was what she loved the most And the beach and the sand massaging her feet was her favorite memory But now things changed, despite I can’t hear her talk or see her dance I just need a smile and that’s what makes me feel marvelous Two weeks till the X-ray I pray that at least halfway she will make it okay Happy is where I would love her to stay And one day again we will dance ballet This dance is for her I would love her to know that dreams do come true Because here I am dancing for her Me being the swan in this play and defeating her pain This is my greatest joy and the end to this play A smile I got from her today Applause too for my first showcase
Home
Home is where the heart is A place where warmth and comfort can be A quiet place for just me Where I can be alone Even with everyone home Where I can eat all day and sleep all night Without anyone bothering me in sight Away from the world But still so close The world will always be an exciting place But home is where my heart is
Seasonal Longings
You wore a crown of orange peels And smelled of cinnamon and citrus. Sitting under a tree in Christie Pits we Contemplated Summer. I threw a stone at the sky and A cloud swallowed it up. We were 16—Do you remember?
You wore a crown of orange peels And smelled of cinnamon and citrus. Sitting under a tree in Christie Pits we Contemplated Summer. I threw a stone at the sky and A cloud swallowed it up. We were 16—Do you remember?
Moth
She was a moth Silver and ivory. The smells of recipes filled my nose. That’s how I knew she was home That’s how I knew she was well. I’d get out of bed No hesitation And fly like her, to where she was. Debussy was my favorite alarm clock. She’d fill my belly Prepare me for the day. When I was young, I never wanted to go to school “Staying with you would be better for me” I’d say. Sometimes she gave in. We’d dissect the dictionary Collect rocks along the shore. Make visits, recite shows She understood me. I woke up late one morning Too late. The house didn’t scent But solitude and silence Created a void. I became waxy and old As I flipped through My dictionary searching For a word to fill it. She was gone And I was alone for once Stoned with ash. Eight years old I remember I came home to the buzzer Echoing in my ears. Tortellini in the oven. Debussy on the player. Valse Romantique in F minor. My mother dancing in a golden apron, Beside the window. The view of the mountains Outlining her steps. She was always a natural woman. Never afraid to reveal Her organic well-being. She believed in a covert current Excreted from the earth. An upward motion of energy Through your body, to the stars. “That’s why we dance.” She said. “There is no motion that isn’t moved by something.” Her crystals and garments Flew from side to side Living entirely with gravity. She collected crystals She collected stones of all kinds She would spend hours Under a light Examining the curves Looking for some kind of galaxy Within them. She wore opal crystals That day in the kitchen. My last faded memory of her. I can’t even hear the Sound of her voice anymore. Only disjointed squeaks And moans of my mind searching Itself for another memory. I can only remember the sound Of her crystals hitting her body When she danced. Living entirely with gravity.