i was thinking how many of the people we owe most of the liberties we take for granted today were not recognized as the great men and women they were in their day. it's a really sad but true phenomenon.

for all past and present heroes


I will get no one to sing my praises, acknowledge my contribution
not til i'm dead
I will be ridiculed in public, talked down in private
They will not see the value of my work
The genius of my confession
They will not see anything but a crazy man
not till i'm dead
They will stand and point, point and laugh
they will not believe
not till i'm dead
They will lock me away, keep me from my work
My nobility in their eyes will be blasphemy
For i go against the norm
For i think outside the box
They will see no logic in my thinking
not till i'm dead
I wont get a Nobel Prize, no
No, not till I'm dead
My non-conforming, non-complying recusance
will be branded heresy,
will be branded insanity
My uniqueness will be called an aberration,
an error in creation
No, they will not see me as still human
not till I'm dead
because i violate convention
they will brand me eccentric and ignore my contribution
No, they will not sing my praises
No, no, not till I'm dead

i put pen to paper and pray for words
much like the guitarist prays for chords
i place letter beside letter, word next to word
praying in desperation, inspiration from the Lord
I pray from deep in my heart of hearts
For this pen to spawn a fresh work of art
For the truth to be spoken, one stony heart broken
Let it be wisdom that I impart
For I write no longer that I might be healed
Nay, I write in the hopes that the truth be revealed
I write to enrich, I write to empower
I write to loose shackles, I write for the hour
to stand and claim your inheritance is here
I write to reassure you to have no fear
I write in the hopes that you hear what I say
but most of all I write to pray..


i pray you good, i pray you well
i pray you all you pray yourself
i pray you all your pleasant dreams
i pray you might, i pray you means
to get ahead, i pray you hope
in trying times, i pray you cope
I pray you years of overflow
I pray you wisdom to deal with it though
I pray you excess, i pray you success
I pray you reap a hundred fold
I pray you smiles, I pray you laughter
I pray you joy for now and after
I pray you peace, everyday, every way
My friend, in Jesus' Name I pray

Amen.

Affectionately, we called her Maami
Beautiful Mother, and she was beautiful
her beauty was untamed,
unrefined by the hands that craft "perfection"
yet she was beautiful

hers was a raw talent, unperfumed, unpropped
she had no place in "sophisticated society"
for they had no hand in her
yet she was beautiful

her hair was matted to perfection
beautiful down to her split ends
her big brown eyes unaccented by mascara
unglossed lips still full and luscious
she carried herself like the queen she was

natural, untainted beauty
skin naturally moisturized by rain forests
was smoother than your baby's bottom
vogue and immac were words she had never heard
yet she was a cover girl

the beauty of her soul shone out to the world
when those big brown eyes smiled
when her loving arms cared
when my grandma held me
and it was... and she was... beautiful


R.I.P Maami

I thought I'd write for you today
Yes you,
I thought I'd write for you

You who have shown me love and appreciation
You who listen and feedback
You who have given me time, you who understand me
Yes you,
I thought I'd write for you

I thought I'd write for you today
You who have educated me through our interactions
You who feed me with truth and fact
You who have shared a part of yourselves with me
Yes you,
I thought I'd write for you

I thought I'd write for you today
You who gave me hope and inspiration
You who never hold me back
You who hold me down and pray for me
Yes you,
I thought I'd write for you

I thought I'd write for you today
You who have encouraged in me in every situation
You who have kept me on track
You who have always believed in me
Yes you,
I thought I'd write for you

I thought I'd write for you today
You who have lifted me up in conversation
You who have never turned ur back
You who always have a smile for me
Yes you,
I thought I'd write for you

I thought I'd write to show appreciation
I thought I'd write to say thank you
I thought I'd say a prayer for you
I thought I'd write to say that I love you
Yes you,
I thought I'd write for you today,
I thought I'd write for you