I've used up the speed I used to need
Running hard at walls
All I got was blood and snot
And a boot in the *****
But it's not over
Nothing's done
Oh no
The fight goes on

I've had knock backs from throwbacks
And been ridiculed by imbeciles
Half wits have had their say too
But I will never give in
The fight goes on
On and on
Until I change their minds

                                         By Phil Roberts

Some that have
And those that don’t
Both live
Upon this earth

But, it’s what they do
And what they don’t
That really
Proves their worth
WIZDUMBs BY JA 61

Growing up,
My father warned me
About many things.

But he never warned me
To stay away from brown eyes
That glistened when she smiled
Or freckles that only appeared along her
Cheeks in the sun.

He never warned me that I could become
Hooked
On a person so easily.

That I could,
And I would
Do anything for her happiness
Even if that meant
Destroying
Myself.

He never warned me that falling in love
Could be painful,
One-sided
Cruel.

He never warned me for the rejection,
The thoughts
Of never being enough.
The nights
Of drinking
Until passing out
On the bathroom floor.

He never warned me that a person could love
You one day and
Change  
Their mind
The next.

But in defense of my father  

I don't think anyone
Could have warned me
About the dangers
Of falling in love with
Her.

Raise your hand* if
your confidence is reaching its limit
Well let me tell you,
don't dare believe it for a minute

A poet stands at the center
of circles of illusions
Sparked by the fire within
and burnin' institutions

They write about the current state
as far as they can see it,
as well as personal doubts
claimin' that they can feel it

Don't hand your savings over,
'cause now you pay it forward,
but life won't pay you back,

So what you say to that?

"I say we're bein' controlled
by such an evil system;
a metal contract was forced
on lost and bleedin' victims."

"I don't agree with you, man.
We're where we need to be.
With very little control,
we risk to eat for free!"

We risk to eat for free?

"Food's a commodity!
And with overpopulation,
I say this honestly!"

"Don't mean to interrupt;
your notion of depravity
appears dumbfounded and
far from grounded by gravity."

"I say this world belongs
to kings and innovators;
hope of the people is thrown
to the incinerator."

"We're seeking liberators
mightier than the sword.
We work to buy them a pen -
weapons we can afford."

"And when their eyes are wide open
I think that writers see
the world not for what it is,
rather what it could be."

"Yeah! They're talkin' for us metaphorically,
imaginin' utopias for you and me,
questions answered rhetorically."

The world is yours**
and no one else's,
so live to give it more time
through love and being selfless.

Broken tears
The hope of war
Hard hearts beating
The burning bed
Maybe hands and heads see eyes
And devils magic
mad love can never be happy
Little fallen moon
The deeper ocean
Children and monsters
The red star
Maybe hopes and dreams see faces
And dancing moments
Still
Mad love can never be happy
A hiding hell
The new cold fire
Imagined angels
To bring you death
Maybe love can't bring you joy
Its just illogical longing
Mad love can never be happy

I can do this. I can do this. I chant these words over and over in my head. I can do this. I don’t need him. I don’t need him. I can do this. I get out of our bed. I walk across the rug we bought together to wash off my face. You are beautiful. You are important. It’s not your fault. Don’t hate yourself. I throw on the same clothes I wore yesterday, and go back to the mirror. Don’t hate yourself. Don’t hate yourself. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. It’s too late. Oh ****! It’s too late! I’ve missed my class..again.
You can do this. You can do this.
I walk back across the red rug
you preferred over the tan
and I think about how much
I’ve always hated red…

I can do this. I can do this. I chant these words over and over in my head. I can do this. I don’t need him. I don’t need him. I can do this. I go back to my closet and try to find suitable clothes for work, but nothing seems to look or feel right. Thoughts of our last conversation flood my mind. “I don’t want you any more” you said. 9 months..a wedding date..your niece who doesn’t like anyone who constantly asks about me and my nose jewelry..my grandma who still keeps our family Christmas picture on the fridge because you’re in it..everyone who keeps saying oh, there’s no way it's over. You’ll get back together…you are beautiful. You are important. It’s not your fault. Don’t hate yourself.
I walk out the door feeling
completely worthless.
Don’t hate yourself.
Don’t hate yourself.
Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
You’re almost to work!
Pull yourself together!

I can do this. I can do this. I chant these words over and over in my head. I can do this. I don’t need him. I don’t need him. I can do this. Smile at the guests. Stop frowning so much. I am beautiful. I am important. It’s not your fault. Don’t hate yourself. I clock out and remember I have no where to be, no one to see, nothing to do…I have nothing without you…Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
I walk across the red carpet
back to our bed where I spend
the rest of the day shaking and crying…
I have nothing…I am nothing…
I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.
Stop crying. I am beautiful. I am important.