roll back the forgiving gardens
and show it's soil
so I can place my feet upon
and let my roots dig in deep
to stand firm against ravage winds
and blow a kiss to paint black
the mountain mists of Apollo
I will gather strength from ten suns
to stretch my arms in empty space
and bare fruit,
candent fixtures of Venus
into cherished winds,
newton bosom to fall
with every letter spread
and every word sown
I am planted well within my zenith

I come from some uptown corner gutter
between the discarded potato chip bag
and empty bottle of Yoohoo,
running along the police siren
and racing ambulance carrying some
teenager shot out of ignorance and anger,
I am the hot humid summer air
stuck between project buildings
mingling with crack and weed smoke,
the double dutch rope
like twisted braids on young black hair
the late night basketball tournament
sponsored by a hip hop artist giving back
I am the scream and yell of domestic violence
before the third party arrives,
the bum passed out on the street corner
smelling of stale piss and alcohol,
next to the fried chicken spot,
I am that teenage gang popping bullets in the air
with an unregistered gun with six bodies on it,
and the fire hydrant spraying water on
young Harlem kids running into the street
without fear of oncoming traffic
for a soak and a smile...
I am that scratch off lottery ticket that failed
to bring a dream alive and an escape
to a better future and a better place,
I am that single mother worried to death
waiting for her child come home,
I am that poet unknown
neither well versed or well read
but this poem will stay...
long after I am gone.

I slide my hand across the garish casket.
a gift. a collection of friends
and so am I.
swimming swells a raging storm
behind my eye. we were new,
fondling youth never thinking of an end
except to mocked it
now we stand on opposite sides
and follow a hard truth.
we laughed in pictures
on summer days on a beach
staring
but not caring for the sea,
busy in drink and of women
but young were our eyes
and our smile.
we were friends that day,
a memory,
fingers occupying
pockets and moist tissue.
my fingers searching,
for you
I grip your casket handle
and say goodbye

Cherubs float me in a dream
fabrics of gold with silver seams
past purple sunsets, lakes of aquamarine
I brushed my hand above a stream
fingers turned to a crystal gleam,
gathering into visions and of truths unseen

above mountains shining in a diamond glow
plucked from the air, a cherub grabbed a crow
ripped off it's wings and fell into a veil
and the Cherub sung to me
my mission must not fail,
as the other faltered and cried a wail,

darkness had ensued, smoke and fire below,
red and yellow embers turned the sky aglow,
screams and madness not seen by human eyes
entering where souls are tortured but never die

alarms of the 'one', rang the haunting bells
a mission to grab a key from the bleeding well
peace be on to earth and of wars to quell
two cherubs left me right in front of the gates of hell

I am always late
and she is not the
waiting type, She
is sure to be livid
and I not forgiven

on the corner of
Columbus and eighty third
waiting for the light
to change, I see a chain
with a locket on the side of me
by the side of a tree

I pick it up hoping someone
would come by to claim
I inspect it and on the back of
the locket, in script,
engraved is a name

to my dearest daughter Joan
love always dad

the loss accidental
and the jewelry sentimental
it brought a bit of heartache
but I could not wait
I am already late
my mind to be disassembled
with curious questions
and uncalled insecurity
because she is my only love

oh how I longed for a tequila buzz
before my arraignment

and so I walk across the street
I Make my way to our
agreed Meeting place
she sitting outside the dove
shaded by a canopy above

she had the saddest smile as
I said I was sorry for being late,
she waved it off with a dismissive hand

I ask her what was wrong
and she said she asked
a friend to come alone
in the hopes of meeting me,
her friend had lost something
that belonged to her
my love felt terribly

her friend in the bathroom
wiping her tears,
a loss of a locket
that was mortally dear

and soon her friend did return,
and I thought to myself
a love found is a lesson learned
I kissed my love and said
I love you

I introduced myself to her friend
and reached in my pocket
and said...

Joan I believe this belongs to you

and placed the locket in her hand