By: Cedric McClester

It wasn’t fit for livin’ in
But 106 Rivington
Was where musicians got it in
And some of ‘em even began
Where drummers let loose on their drums
A rat tat tat ba-*** *** ***
From all over we would come
To play and hear 'em play their drums

106 Rivington
May not have been worth living in
But was ideal for playin when
We needed space to practice in

Like Birdland sadly it too is gone
And sumthin’ ‘bout that feels so wrong
Though memories no doubt will live on
And we’ll just have to move along
We can’t complain because it’s done
We all had one hell-of-a-run
Not to mention lots of fun
Here’s to the setting of the sun

Some will lament others will morn
A part of history is now gone
But there will be another dawn
And we will play another song

106 Rivington
May not have been worth living in
But was ideal for playin when
We needed space to practice in

Given the low rent that we paid
It was like being in one big parade
At 106 friendships were made
From the foundations that we laid
But times moves on and so must we
What the future holds we’ll havta see
Guess we’ll just have to let it be
Cos I don’t know so don’t ask me

Some will lament others will morn
A part of history is now gone
But we will play another song
And there will be another dawn

106 Rivington
May not have been worth living in
But was ideal for playin when
We needed space to practice in



Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It wasn’t fit for livin’ in
But 106 Rivington
Was where musicians got it in
And some of ‘em even began
Where drummers let loose on their drums
A rat tat tat ba-*** *** ***
From all over we would come
To play and hear 'em play their drums

106 Rivington
May not have been worth living in
But was ideal for playin when
We needed space to practice in

Like Birdland sadly it is gone
And sumthin’ ‘bout that feels so wrong
Though memories no doubt live on
And we’ll just have to move along
We can’t complain because it’s done
We all had one hell-of-a-run
Not to mention lots of fun
Here’s to the setting of the sun

Some will lament others will morn
A part of history now is gone
But there will be another dawn
And we will play another song

106 Rivington
May not have been worth living in
But was ideal for playin when
We needed space to practice in

Given the low rent we paid
It was like one big parade
At 106 friendships were made
From the foundations that we laid
But times moves on and so must we
What the future holds we’ll havta see
Guess we’ll just have to let it be
Cos I don’t know so don’t ask me

Some will lament others will morn
A part of history is now gone
But we will play another song
And there will be another dawn

106 Rivington
May not have been worth living in
But was ideal for playin when
We needed space to practice in


(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

11 days and counting
Over the death of George Floyd
Our numbers keep on mounting
We’re not just paranoid
Nor are we still the people
That you’d rather avoid
Who never had the privilege
That you’ve always enjoyed

11 days and counting
And we still demonstrate
That love is the only answer
For us to conquer hate
When  have you ever seen
So many participate
Or say that black lives matter
As part of the debate

11  days and counting
And no end is in sight
Despite Coronavirus
Which we still have to fight
We meet during the day
And march through the night
Because of our commitment
To try to make things right

11 days and counting
It’s long been overdue
That we rid ourselves of racism
That we always knew
To marshal in equality
Which I know we can do
If we finally come together
And live our lives a new







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  Alli rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Back to the beginning
I mentally retreat
To a city called Boston
40 Warwick Street
Some memories are bitter
Some were sweet
But they equal out
On my balance sheet

Occasionally
When I chose to talk
About summers in Boston
And Winters in New York
I remember being at
My great-grandmother’s knee
In Boston, Mass
She was Granny to me

See that’s how I spent
My formative years
Between New York and Boston
Steady switching gears
A product of both cities
Or so it appears
Back when television sets
Had rabbit ears

Grammer school in New York
High school in Boston
Are some of the things
That my mind gets lost in
There’s more I could tell
About What’s In-between
That I haven’t mentioned
Like what I’ve seen













Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.
















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

50 people dead
And yet the man still said
He didn’t know enough
About white supremacy stuff
To comment any further
But that was clearly ******
It’s origin was hate
No need for a debate

He feigned not knowing
If white supremacy is growing
And said to one and all
The problem’s really small
But the facts seem to shout
The supremacists are coming out
We find them everywhere
Which is cause enough to fear

But that’s not on his radar screen
If you know what I mean
Ya see he’s more inclined
To be deaf, dumb and blind
When it come to religion or race
He doesn’t want to disturb his base
And I don’t know if the case is
He himself is a racist

A lot of things tend to slip
Because he’s lacking in leadership
So supremacists just let it rip
And they have us in his grip
But they have to be checkmated
Cuz’ their power is overrated
Though when our leadership is corrupted
They’ll continue uninterrupted



























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I take a flu shot each and every year
And I had a pneumonia vaccine so I didn’t fear
Guess that’s why my *** wasn’t in gear
When the symptoms initially began to appear
I relied on RobiTussin instead
And wound up being a day from dead
When the ambulance was called I was code red
We’re off to Lenox Hill Hospital the driver said

Caught a bad case of pneumonia
Weeks before the Coronavirus hit
Which was something I thought that I couldn’t get
And it really had me feeling like a *******
But I was lucky I have to admit
As I lie there struggling to catch my breath
The hospital had plenty of ventilators left
No need to condole or to be bereft

My family gathered in intensive care
To the person they were acutely aware
That I didn’t have a lot of time to spare
Which gave them all a great big scare
But I told the woman in my life
That I would make it, see she was my wife
So she allowed the doctors to intubate me
That’s why today I’m pneumonia free

For a while it was a crap shoot I  must confess
When my temperature went up I became a hot mess
But the nurses and doctors were among the best
So they induced a coma so I wouldn’t digress
My chances of survival were a mere 50/50
And that kind of diagnosis just isn’t nifty
It was only when they decided to shift me
From the ICU that I began to heal swiftly



















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He had a bad day
Or so they say
And he blew 8
Innocent people away
Six of whom were
Asian okay
And if that’s not  a hate crime
What is anyway?

I can’t relate to
It not being hate
When six of the eight
Were Asian they state
What more must we see
To know race is the key?
And if you’re asking me
It will always be

Chances are none to slim
That an Asain did
A **** thing to him
Yet he attacked them
On a mere whim
And what kind of message
Does that tend to send?
I’m asking all  the gentlemen

Aren’t you sick and tired
Of anti-Asain stereo-types
Perpetrated by miscreants
And guttersnipes?
Who victimize Asians
At  the drop of a hat
According to all of
The latest stats

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved..

By: Cedric McClester

Abdul and the pirates
Often used to boast
How they had impunity
Along the Somalian coast
Taking ships whenever
The opportunity appeared
Holding them for ransom
So the ***** could be shared

Then the Maersk Alabama
Came into the sight
Of Abdul and the pirates
Quite to their delight
So they came aboard
Making their demands
But the unarmed Maersk crew
Took it from their hands

Abdul and the pirates
Had no idea at all
That they would be the ones
Eventually who would fall

So they took the captain
Who had volunteered
To become their hostage
As towards home they steered
Hoping they could reach
The Somalian shore
Where they would be successful
In demanding much much more

Abdul and the pirates
Had no idea at all
That they would be the ones
Eventually who would fall

A team of Navy snipers
Were quietly on the case
Looking for a target
When the order was in place
Abdul and the Pirates
Unwillingly complied
And that perhaps explains
Why it is they died

Abdul and the pirates
Had no idea at all
That they would be the ones
Eventually who would fall

So they took the captain
Who had volunteered
To become their hostage
As towards home they steered
Hoping they could reach
The Somalian shore
Where they would be successful
In demanding much much more

Abdul and the pirates
Had no idea at all
That they would be the ones
Evenually who would fall

Abdul and the Pirate
Aren’t around to boast
How they had impunity
Along the Somalian coast
Quite unfortunately for them
They’ve become burnt toast

(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Aberrant behavior
Is putrid it stinks,
He drives his car
After he drinks,
You see his armor
Has plenty of chinks
Like the tomb of the mummy
Or the ancient sphinx

Aberrant behavior
Is clearly on display
By the way that the country
Is being run today
Because hatred and division
Has been brought into play
And we desperately need
That for which we pray

Aberrant behavior
Has become the norm
Under this Administration
It’s embraced by storm
Dictators and enemies
Treated friends lukewarm
And set the standard
Of underperform

Aberrant behavior
Shouldn’t be accepted
Because we know that its
Misdirected
What we should do
Is simply reject it
Or like biology lab
Learn to dissect it













Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Excuse me as I do my ablution
After I wipe my *** on the Constitution
Which you don’t believe in anyway
At least not the parts that expressly say
There’s freedom of religion as well as speech
Those are the things that I’m told you teach
The same things that you want to now take away
As you dictate to me where I can or cannot pray

I need ablution
To wash myself clean
Of the things that you say
But clearly don’t mean
Your attitude
Borders on the obscene
So I need ablution
To wash myself clean

What’s happened to the American ideal
The one that was sold that had such appeal
And is all but forgotten nowadays
Which is apparent in so many ways
Where’s the principles on which you stand
Have they been abandoned throughout this land
If your core values are becoming suspect
Is there anything left for you to protect

I need ablution
To wash myself clean
Of the things that you say
But clearly don’t mean
Your attitude
Borders on the obscene
So I need ablution
To wash myself clean

Your attitude has me so confused
Cos the right to free speech
Is so often abused
And you know you’re guilty
As you’ve been accused
When burning Korans
Is all over the news

I need ablution
To wash myself clean
Of the things that you say
But clearly don’t mean
Your attitude
Borders on the obscene
So I need ablution
To wash myself clean

Excuse me as I do my ablution
After I wipe my *** on the Constitution
Which you don’t believe in anyway
At least not the parts that expressly say
There’s freedom of religion as well as speech
Those are the things that I’m told you teach
The same things that you want to now take away
As you dictate to me where I can or cannot pray

Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Excuse me as I do my ablution
After I wipe my *** on your Constitution
Which you don’t believe in anyway
At least not the parts that expressly say
There’s freedom of religion as well as speech
Those are the things that I’m told you teach
The same things that you want to now take away
As you dictate to me where I can or can’t pray

I need ablution
To wash myself clean
Of the things that you say
But clearly don’t mean
Your attitude
Borders on the obscene
So I need ablution
To wash myself clean

What’s happened to the American ideal
The one that was sold that had such appeal
And is all but forgotten nowadays
Which is apparent in so many ways
Where’s the principles on which you stand
Have they been abandoned throughout this land
If your core values are becoming suspect
Is there anything left for you to protect

I need ablution
To wash myself clean
Of the things that you say
But clearly don’t mean
Your attitude
Borders on the obscene
So I need ablution
To wash myself clean

Your attitude has me so confused
Cos the right to free speech
Is so often abused
And you know you’re guilty
As you’ve been accused
When burning Korans
Is all over the news

I need ablution
To wash myself clean
Of the things that you say
But clearly don’t mean
Your attitude
Borders on the obscene
So I need ablution
To wash myself clean

Excuse me as I do my ablution
After I wipe my *** on your Constitution
Which you don’t believe in anyway
At least not the parts that expressly say
There’s freedom of religion as well as speech
Those are the things that I’m told you teach
The same things that you want to now take away
As you dictate to me where I can or can’t pray



(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

The Pettis Bridge
Was a bridge too far
For the much maligned
Former tv star
To cross in an effort
To demonstrate
It’s past legacy
Of anti-black hate

What kind of message
Could he send
By crossing the bridge
Him of all men
By taking us back
To a sad time when
We couldn't wait
For it all to end

Perhaps he thought
That we’d lose focus
By slight of hand
Or hocus pocus
Although he still
Remains the locus
Of enough allegations
That could choke us

He’s the last person
You’d expect to find
On a late night news show
Like Nightline
Responding to questions
With mumble jumble
It’s enough to make you
Wanna rumble

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I wonder if they knew,
Or did they just blow their cue,
That the children locked in those cages
Were treated so outrageous?
And though it strains belief
They couldn’t even brush their teeth
Nor, use a bar of soap to bathe
Yet they’re who Marvin Gaye said save!

They present an opportunity
For the Colgate brand to be
Their toothpaste of choice
If their mouths are full of it when moist
Colgate at least should try
To be their sole source of supply
They could give those kids some hope
With their toothpaste and some Soap

Imagine that being your child,
Commercial ready with a Colgate smile
Do you get what I mean?
Like Outkast says, “So fresh and so clean.”
We can stop this insanity
With just a little humanity
And furthermore we can explore.
Not having them sleep on a floor

Beginning with a Colgate smile
We can turn back the dial,
And stop those family separations
For those caught in border migrations
They’re simply seeking a better life
An escape from the toil and strife
And crazy as it might seem
They bought into the American Dream









Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Now the acolytes and apologists
Will no doubt come out and insist
That the mayor of Baltimore wasn’t remiss
I guess you could say ignorance is bliss
But the question remains who was in charge
When the mayor was absent by and large
And the duty of the office wasn’t discharged
While she was busy having her ego massaged

Acolytes and apologists
Have convenient answers for all of this
But those answers only make us ******
When we look back and reminisce
Although it may be an ominous sign
Dereliction of duty comes to mind
Or perhaps it was just blind leading the blind
But it shouldn’t have happened any time

Acolytes and apologist
Have ways of glossing over all of this
Try though we may to get their gist
They make us want to ball our fist
Who’s gonna help build the city back up
When the anger subsides the people are stuck
Because a callous few didn’t give a ****
Acolytes and apologist pass the buck

Acolytes and apologist
Are everywhere explaining this
But the salient fact they must have missed
Is the blame should be placed squarely on sis
What recourse do we have when our leaders fail
When looters and rioters don’t go to jail
Who should we look to, to assail
If not the mayor who's gone stale


© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They are predicting
A coming disaster
But what’s gonna happen
On the day after?
Will there be joy
And a return to laughter
Those are the questions
That we’d like an answer

It’s gonna get worse
Before it gets better
Unless we learn to
Follow the letter
Of the advice that
We’re being told
Cuz this isn’t the flu
Or a bad cold

How can our leader
Just acquiesce?
Without looking for
A way out of this mess?
Why should we wonder,
Or have to guess?
Because he has no answers
Nevertheless

Real leadership is
What we’re lacking
With a cabinet comprised
Of those who are acting
What kind of people
Is the man attracting,
Who provide directives
That are not exacting?










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted
On all of the charges
While the question of his guilt
Or innocence enlarges
Acquittal shouldn’t be confused
With innocence
Sometimes the guilty are exonerated
At the victim’s expense

Some people are hailing him
As a hero
Others view him as an absolute
Zero
But regardless of which side
You find yourself on
Two human beings are
Dead and gone

There are those who want him to become
A congressional page
Despite all of the blood on his hands and
His tender age
They want to raise him up
As some kind of paragon
While fair minded people
Know that  he’s wrong

Kyle Rittenhouse is a sign of
The times
Where we’ve lost our reasons
As well as our rhymes
Two people are dead that
Didn’t have to be
And he is the perpetrator
Which Is no mystery









Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They’re actin’ as if
The poor don’t exist
But that’s a myth
That we’re livin’ with
The poor are expanding
But they aren’t commanding
The attention they should
And that can’t be good

The rich are getting richer
While the poor get poorer
Because some people have
A built-in ignorer

A risin’ boat lifts
Those who are adriftt
But they’re actin’ as if
A job is a gift
No wonder we’re miffed
We’re getting short shrift
And we’re being ignored
So our anger is stored

The rich are getting richer
While the poor get poorer
Because some people have
A built-in ignorer

They’ve got our goad
So if we explode
Then they shoulda knowed
How that would bode
See the rich are getting richer
While the poor get poorer
Because some people have
A built-in ignorer

They’re actin’ as if
We’re not at a cliff
Or adrift on a skiff
And the tide has to shift
Cos we deserve more
Or what’s it all for
Being rich at the core
While ignoring the poor

The rich are getting richer
While the poor get poorer
Because some people have
A built-in ignorer


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Pompeo called it.
“An act of war.”
But against who?
And what is the score?
Would I be wrong?
To add on, what’s more,
We don’t have a treaty
With the Saudi’s I’m sure

I’m wondering why
It’s of his concern
When it’s Saudi oil
So hell, let it burn
What’s it gonna take
For us to learn
Their karma dictates
That it’s now their turn

Houthis are people
Which the Saudis fail to see
So they visit them
With wholesale misery
It’s genocide
And the whole world can see
When they just had ought to
Let Yemen be

We had a deal with Iran
But Trump opted out
Signed by Obama,
What’s that all about?
Yes it could have been longer
Without a doubt
But it was better than nothing
Now they’re acting out



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Remember when addiction
Was just a black and brown affliction?
Don’t you long for those Halcyon days
Before your kids picked up their ways
Before the face of addiction changed
And the situation got rearranged
We share more in common than you knew
Your kids are becoming zombies too

So as you seek to absolve ‘em
Hoping they can overcome the problem
You put on a happy face and pretend
That you’re not at your wits end
It’s an old familiar song
You asking, " Where did I go wrong?"
Because it’s becoming very plain
That the pain is just the same

Now addiction’s a major issue
So you grab another tissue
As you try to figure out
How did this thing come about
But the answer is elusive
Drug addiction is all inclusive
See it never occurred to ya
That it would take over suburbia

Don’t even bother to explain
I understand - I feel your pain
And the thing you fear the most
Is one day they’ll overdose
So you pray they never do it
That they never take you through it
And night after night you cry
Hoping that they will not die



















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Remember when addiction
Was just a black and brown affliction?
Don’t you long for those Halcyon days
Before your kids picked up their ways
Before the face of addiction changed
And the situation got rearranged
We share more in common than you knew
Your kids are becoming zombies too

So as you seek to absolve ‘em
Hoping they can overcome the problem
You put on a happy face and pretend
That you’re not at your wits end
It’s an old familiar song
You asking, "Where did I go wrong?"
Because it’s becoming very plain
That the pain is just the same

Now addiction’s a major issue
So you grab another tissue
As you try to figure out
How did this thing come about
But the answer is elusive
Drug addiction is all inclusive
See it never occurred to ya
That it would take over suburbia

Don’t even bother to explain
I understand - I feel your pain
And the thing you fear the most
Is one day they’ll overdose
So you pray they never do it
That they never take you through it
And night after night you cry
Hoping that they will not die



Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

This is a different era
And a different time
George Floyd and Aumaud Arbery
Are the new paradigm
What happened to both of them
Was clearly a crime
And now their killers
Will have to do the time

This is a different era
And a different time
A mother looked towards heaven
And received a sign
Once in a while
Justice can be blnd
And different races
Of the human kind

This is a different era
And a different time
Despite the opposition’s efforts
To vilify and malign
Aumaud Arbery
The Jurors were disinclined
To measure him
As he was so poorly defined

This is a different era
And a different time
Where occasionally reason
Gives us the rhyme
So that those who are guilty
Of committing a crime
Will not get away
With crossing that line















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Your secret’s out
Now everybody knows
He gave you that rock
Like we first supposed
So model it
Come on and strike a pose
But maybe first
Straighten out your clothes

Let me pick a contentious bone
You can tell a diamond - from a ***** stone
And we’re not dumb enough to be deceived
So your account was never believed

I sympathize with you
I know that truth hurts
Now you’re about to get
Your just desserts
See that’s what sometimes happens
To you flirts
When showin’ off what’s underneath
Your skirts

Let me pick a contentious bone
You can tell a diamond - from a ***** stone
And we’re not dumb enough to be deceived
So your account was never believed

You went to the Hague
To testify but lied
The version that you told
By others was denied
And even those who wanna
Be on your side
Know the truth was sumthin
You never applied

Let me pick a contentious bone
You can tell a diamond - from a ***** stone
And we’re not dumb enough to be deceived
So your account was never believed

It’s too late for the truth
The damage has been done
To your tattered image
Now you don’t have one
But that’s what you deserve
If the truth be told
Cuz justice must be served
And it’s best served cold

You went to the Hague
To testify but lied
The version that you told
By others was denied
And even those who wanna
Be on your side
Know the truth was sumthin
You never applied

Let me pick a contentious bone
You can tell a diamond - from a ***** stone
And we’re not dumb enough to be deceived
So your account was never believed



(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Before losing a job that’s gone
Overseas Bob’s not alone
He worked his fingers to the bone
Then had to refinance his home
His benefits have now run out
Future employment is in doubt
He wonders what it’s all about
Now all he wants to do is shout

God bless America, what for?
I hardly know you any more
You reward the rich ignore the poor
A divine reckoning’s in store

To a conservative’s delight
Budgets are cut left and right
They spend billions for wars they fight
And no one seems to get uptight
But not one dime’s spent to restore
The safety nets we had before
See charity’s not at their core
So it's about the budget, oh yeah sure!

God bless America, what for?
I hardly know you any more
You reward the rich ignore the poor
A divine reckoning’s in store

I disown my Uncle Sam
America I say God-****
For what you seek to blame on ‘Bam
Just because you think you ca

God bless America, what for?
I hardly know you any more
You reward the rich ignore the poor
A divine reckoning’s in store

In the face of so much blight
How can they even sleep at night
Yes this is meant to indict
Those who refuse to do what’s right
Jesus said among the olive trees,
Beg your pardon, excuse me please
What about the least of these
The ones you seem to always squeeze

God bless America, what for?
I hardly know you any more
You reward the rich ignore the poor
A divine reckoning’s in store

To a conservative’s delight
Budgets are cut left and right
They spend billions for wars they fight
And none of them gets uptight
But not one dime’s spent to restore
The safety nets we had before
See charity’s not at their core
So it's about the budget, oh yeah sure!

God bless America, what for?
I hardly know you any more
You reward the rich ignore the poor
A divine reckoning’s in store








Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Come on man admit,
You never gave a ****,
Or care one little bit
Because you’re counterfeit
You may have made the call
Just to say you did, that’s all
But that gesture was so small
As to not have happened at all

You’re bragging on your blog
You gutless demagogue
Where was the dialogue?
See you didn’t do it whole hog
The call you made was forced
You don’t have any remorse
From the issue you remain divorced
But I guess that’s par for course

We need a healer and chief
Not someone who adds to our grief
Who’s as distant as a barrier reef
And is callous beyond belief
Somebody who’s patient and wise
Who can also empathise
With what’s before their eyes
Or at the very least tries

Pow, boom, straight to the moon
It’s past time we replace this buffoon
And the election is coming real soon
Let’s free ourselves of this cartoon
Why look for leadership,
From someone who’s prone to trip?
And also shoot from the hip
Because he’s losing his grip



























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.














,

By: Cedric McClester

It’s, “affordable housing,”
That we can’t afford
Our cries in vain
Go largely ignored
So please don’t ask us
Where the grapes of wrath are stored
If you don’t want us
To respond untoward

They show us an unaffordable
AMI
For people who barely
Are just getting by
So to call it affordable
Is a bold face lie
That try though they may
They cannot deny

We’re brought together
To plan and plot
Our community’s future
Are we not
But they won’t admit
To what’s already in place
Like a zoning change
What a disgrace

Ultimately we’re told our future’s
Up to us
And if we believe them
As they say we must
They seek our ideas
Like they really matter
But I know all that is
Is just chitter chatter






Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

After all the words are said
And after all the blood’s been bled
We salute the fallen dead
Then we forge straight on ahead
Cos it seems we never learn
That the tide will have to turn
Though it should be of concern
Like I said we never learn

Take that books right off the shelf
As history repeats itself
And read the pages as they turn
Past the lessons never learned

After all the bullets fly
From the guns that we deny
Contribute to the reason why
So many young among us die
Cos it seems we never learn
That the tide will have to turn
Though it should be of concern
Like I said we never learn

Take that books right off the shelf
As history repeats itself
And read the pages as they turn
Past the lessons never learned

Where are those who came before
The ones who also did ignore
The futility of war
Here at home and offshore
Cos it seems we never learn
That the tide will have to turn
Though it should be of concern
Like I said we never  learn

Take that books right off the shelf
As history repeats itself
And read the pages as they turn
Past the lessons never learned

After all the words are said
And after all the blood’s been bled
We salute the fallen dead
Then we forge straight on ahead
Cos it seems we never learn
That the tide will have to turn
Though it should be of concern
Like I said we never learn


























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Is there anything left
After death?
Or is death the end
Of our existence
Does anyone know
Where we might go
Perhaps you can lend
Assistance

Where do we go
After death?
It’s a question
For the ages
Does life go on
After we’re gone
Is it laid out in different stages

Is there anything left
After death?
As many feel is the case
When we leave here
Do we go anywhere?
And if so (where is that place)
So if you choose to share
Tell me have you been there

Where do we go
After death?
It’s a question
For the ages
Does life go on
After we’re gone
Is it laid out in different stages

Those who’ve gone on
Never returned
Is there a lesson
In that to be learned
The dead won’t confide
About the other side
As if it were stamped
Information denied

Is there anything left
After death?
The question still remains
Under any contexts
What will come next
That mere reason explains
Like heaven or hell
How can we tell

Where do we go
After death?
It’s a question
For the ages
Does life go on
After we’re gone
Is it laid out in different stages



Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Is there anything left
After our death
Or is death the end
Of our existence
Does anyone know
Where we might go
Perhaps you can lend
Some assistance

Where do we go
After our death
It’s a question
For the ages
Does life go on
After we’re gone
Is it laid out in different stages

Is there anything left
After our death
As many feel is the case
When we leave here
Do we go anywhere
And if so (where is that place)
So if you choose to share
Tell me have you been there

Where do we go
After our death
It’s a question
For the ages
Does life go on
After we’re gone
Is it laid out in different stages

Those who’ve gone on
Never returned
Is there a lesson
In that to be learned
The dead won’t confide
About the other side
As if it were stamped
Information denied

Is there anything left
After our death
The question still remains
Under any contexts
What will come next
That mere reason explains
Like heaven or hell
How can you tell

Where do we go
After our death
It’s a question
For the ages
Does life go on
After we’re gone
Is it laid out in different stages



(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If we burn it down tonight
Leave nothing standing within sight
Will the ashes make things right
Or just make us contrite
After we realize our worst fears
And Judgment Day suddenly nears
Could it be worst than it appears
After the smoke finally clears

After the smoke finally clears
And we’re left with just the ashes
How do we shift gears
When our anger eventually passes

When civility erodes
It’s hard to say what that bodes
Should we start speaking in codes
Until the powder keg explodes
It’s a brand new frontier
But now we find ourselves here
And to rebuild will take years
After the smoke finally clears

After the smoke finally clears
And we’re left with just the ashes
How do we shift gears
When our anger eventually passes

Burn baby burn
A battle cry from long ago
But what have we learned
That before we didn’t know
Tempers need to cool
Or eventually they’ll blow
And if they do
What will we have to show

After the smoke finally clears
And we’re left with just the ashes
How do we shift gears
When our anger eventually passes

Will we ever learn
The places that we choose to burn
Aren’t the places that we yearn
But that doesn’t cause concern
Are you listening to me
We’re not thinking rationally
The end result’s no mystery
For those who study history

After the smoke finally clears
And we’re left with just the ashes
How do we shift gears
When our anger eventually passes

If we burn it down tonight
Leave nothing standing within sight
Will the ashes make things right
Or just make us contrite
After we realize our worst fears
And Judgment Day suddenly nears
Could it be worst than it appears
After the smoke finally clears



(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

After we clean up the debris
And assess the damage that we see
Then wonder what the future will be
Mutual resolve is the key
As to whether we rise up from the ashes
Like a phoenix wearing rose colored glasses
And find a way forward that surpasses
A city planner’s dream for the masses

Once we pull back the cover
And attempt to discover
Things about one another
In essence we’re just sister and brother
If our differences can be put aside
What we share in common can’t be denied
We can unify but you decide
Can we be united or has somebody lied

After we comeback from this
Let's check some things off the list
That will allow us to coexist
Once our animus no longer persists
How do we find a better way forward
After our priorities have been reordered
And our vows to change have been recorded
Our mutual efforts will be rewarded

There are so many things for us to do
To insure that nobody can misconstrue
The things that our leaders want us to eschew
After all the turmoil that we’ve been through
For each of us this serves as a learning lesson
Adults shouldn’t revert to their adolescence
Now’s the time  for counting blessings
Bad behavior add nothing it lessens




© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

After we made love
And I fell asleep
With pleasant memories of
Emotions that ran deep
The ecstasy I felt
Was impossible to keep
Wrapped up in my dreams
So if you saw me weep

Those were tears of joy
Ya had me reminiscing
About everything we did
Especially all the kissing
From your head to toe
You responded and I listened
Cuz I wanted you to know
You had me on a mission

After we made love
We bathed in the afterglow
Just like hand and glove
We fit each other so
And our waves of passion
Had an ebb and flow
From the very beginning
Right from the word go

After we made love
I was over come with joy
Anxiously awaiting
A chance to redeploy
Ain’t no doubt about it
You’re the real McCoy

After we made love
In the quiet of the night
I was trying to come up with
An appropriate sound bite
But all I had on my mind
Is you’re such a lovely sight
And all I wanted to do
Was to cry and hold you tight

Those were tears of joy
Ya had me reminiscing
About everything we did
Especially all the kissing
From your head to toe
You responded and I listened
Cuz I wanted you to know
You had me on a mission


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

A government for the people
And by the people
Is just an old fashion ideal
Or at least that’s how it feels
Since Citizens United
Rose up to fight it
Then got the Supreme Court to bite it
It’s no wonder they’re delighted

A government for the people
And by the people
Might have been what we had
Before the oligarchy went mad
And told the middle class
Kiss their collective ***
So all that’s in the pass
Let’s say a funeral mass

A government for the people
And by the people
Like high button shoes
Is clearly yesterday’s news
But we’re to blame
For letting ‘em change the game
And throw out all the rules
Now we’re ruled by fools

A government for the people
And by the people
Let’s not sell that anymore
Like we used to do before
It’s time we start admitting
Politicians do their bidding
Who the hell we think we’re kidding
Not the ones the **** is hitting


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

A government for the people
And by the people
Is just an old fashion ideal
Or at least that’s how it feels
Since Citizens United
Rose up to fight it
Then got the Supreme Court to bite it
It’s no wonder they’re delighted

A government for the people
And by the people
Might have been what we had
Before the oligarchy went mad
And told the middle class
Kiss their collective ***
So all that’s in the pass
Let’s say a funeral mass

A government for the people
And by the people
Like high button shoes
Is clearly yesterday’s news
But we’re to blame
For letting ‘em change the game
And throw out all the rules
Now we’re ruled by fools

A government for the people
And by the people
Let’s not sell that anymore
Like we used to do before
It’s time we start admitting
Politicians do their bidding
Who the hell we think we’re kidding
Not the ones the **** is hitting


Copyright (c) 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It’s a fact
Can’t be denied
We’re living in
A great divide
As for the dream
Somebody lied
From this reality
How can we hide

Now it’s not
About your race
But listen carefully
As I make my case
If your income level
Can’t keep pace
Soon enought
You’ll be replaced

As urban spaces
Are gentrified
And long time residents
Hands are tied
Is it unfair
I’ll let you decide
If the fairness doctine
Is being applied

Along the East
And Western coasts
We see this happening
The most
As they migrate
From the burbs and boast
Then clink their glasses
And make a toast


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By:Cedric McClester

Thought you’d always be there
Took for granted that you’d care
To put it in a word I was unaware
Of how much pain and despair
That I was causing you
By the stupid things I’d do
Was I callous guess it’s true
Now I’m the one who’s blue

It’s a hard adjustment to make
The things for granted that we take
When someone’s heart we slowly break
Which can be a fatal mistake

Do you find it to be strange
When I tell you how I’ve changed
Ever since we’ve been estranged
Or do you think I’m deranged
Cuz I’ve always had good game
But underneath I’m just the same
Someone worthy of the blame
Who’s impossible to tame

It’s a hard adjustment to make
The things for granted that we take
When someone’s heart we slowly break
Which can be a fatal mistake

See I’m tryin’ to make sense
Out of your ambivalence
Which is the equivalence
Of having me in suspense

No matter how much breath I waste
Mere talk will not erase
The memories that you have encased
In your mental private space
But what else can I do
To prove the point to you
That I’m done and through
With the things I used to do

It’s a hard adjustment to make
The things for granted that we take
When someone’s heart we slowly break
Which can be a fatal mistake

Thought you’d always be there
Took for granted that you’d care
To put it in a word I was unaware
Of how much pain and despair
That I was causing you
By the stupid things I’d do
Was I callous guess it’s true
Now I’m the one who’s blue

It’s a hard adjustment to make
The things for granted that we take
When someone’s heart we slowly break
Which can be a fatal mistake


(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

Cedric McClester

Though it may not appear
That you are what they fear
And it may not seem
Like it’s low self-esteem
Look a little closer
And you’ll often find
That’s what’s behind
A hate-filled mind

They try to act superior
While feelin’ quite inferior
Ya don’t havta state it if it’s a fact
They’re only projecting what they feel they lack
Look a little closer
And you’ll often find
That’s what’s behind
A hate-filled mind

They’re just frightened people
That’s all that they are
Yet that doesn’t stop ‘em
From baring the scar
Of their hate-filled actions
Fueled by their bigotry
Although frightened people
Is what they may be

Hateful actions and the rhetoric
Of a minor few who are clearly sick
Permeates the atmosphere
You can find it everywhere
But look a little closer
And you’ll often find
That’s what’s behind
A hate-filled mind

By: Cedric McClester

Though it may not appear
That you are what they fear
And it may not seem
Like it’s low self-esteem
Look a little closer
And you’ll often find
That’s what’s behind
A hate-filled mind

They try to act superior
While feelin’ quite inferior
Ya don’t havta state it if it’s a fact
They’re only projecting what they feel they lack
Look a little closer
And you’ll often find
That’s what’s behind
A hate-filled mind

They’re just frightened people
That’s all that they are
Yet that doesn’t stop ‘em
From baring the scar
Of their hate-filled actions
Fueled by their bigotry
Although frightened people
Is what they well may be

Hateful actions and the rhetoric
Of a minor few who are clearly sick
Permeates the atmosphere
You can find it everywhere
But look a little closer
And you’ll often find
That’s what’s behind
A hate-filled mind


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Though it may not appear
That you are what they fear
And it may not seem
Like it’s low self-esteem
Look a little closer
And you’ll often find
That’s what’s behind
A hate-filled mind

They try to act superior
While feelin’ quite inferior
Ya don’t havta state it if it’s a fact
They’re only projecting what they feel they lack
Look a little closer
And you’ll often find
That’s what’s behind
A hate-filled mind

They’re just frightened people
That’s all that they are
Yet that doesn’t stop ‘em
From baring the scar
Of their hate-filled actions
Fueled by their bigotry
Although frightened people
Is what they well may be

Hateful actions and the rhetoric
Of a minor few who are clearly sick
Permeates the atmosphere
You can find it everywhere
But look a little closer
And see if you find
That you might well have
A hate-filled mind

(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved

He’s a huckster yessiree
With water wine and steaks ya see
A president he’ll never be
That’s not in his destiny
But he can polish up his brand
And talk about his size of hand
To try to make you understand
He’ll whip it out if you demand

Some call it politics
I call it bricks and sticks
With lots of ***** tricks
And undereducated hicks

An egotistical maniac
That’s who he is as a matter of fact
And it doesn’t matter how he acts
Toward Mexicans as well as blacks
Or the Syrians he won’t let in
Now he can spit in the public’s eye
The normal rules don’t seem to apply
But death is something he can’t defy

Some call it politics
I call it bricks and sticks
With lots of ***** tricks
And undereducated hicks

A prevaricator and charlatan
And he’s far from the average man
He’d try to have you understand
Why he advocates a Muslim ban
He alienates almost everyone
Besides the thousands who come
To his rallies are they dumb
Or have affinity for a stumble ***

Some call it politics
I call it bricks and sticks
With lots of ***** tricks
And undereducated hicks

Give him credit he tries hard
Despite the fact that he’s so flawed
To enter partnership with God
And get the masses to applaud
He’s no genius as he pretends
He has too many loose ends
And fewer real true friends
Outside of bonds with dividends

Some call it politics
I call it bricks and sticks
With lots of ***** tricks
And undereducated hicks







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Ain’t no need
In wondering anyhow
How things will turn out
In the Arbery trial
Eleven white jurors
And a single black
How does history tell ya
They’re gonna act?

We can pray for justice
As we always do
But the verdict’s gonna be
Where they apply the *****
Don’t expect three white men
To be guilty as charged
When they comprise the jury
By and large

Let’s pray that the family
Can get some peace
Cos that’s what they deserve
In the very least
They’re gonna have to turn
To the DOJ
For the justice they’re seeking
Anyway

Hope springs eternal
And we can always pray
That things turn out different
On the verdict day
But for killing black men
They usually get away
Cos our lives don’t matter
No matter what they say










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2921.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Mr. President ain’t no way,
That I’m killing me okay?
I don’t care what you say
Even if it’s here to stay
I know you anticipate
Easter as a magic date
In spite of Coronagate
That will somehow seal our fate

Despite what the virus does
You want things the way they was
Could that be just becuz
It’s in your reelection claus
Beg your pardon, it’s quite gorie
Everything ain’t ***** dory
You’re really starting to bore me
Your prognostications are premature see

You’re more concerned with your wealth
Than you are with our health
And so you act as if by stealth
Against the interest of our commonwealth
But we now have a greater need
That clearly trumps you sense of greed
And we’re determined that you not succeed
With counting dollars while we bleed

The death rate is starting to mount
So fast that we’re losing count
Which clearly is tantamount
To you having zeros in your bank account
He has become such a bad actor
Through all of this, money’s his motivating factor
The Commander and Chief is a major distractor
Like dealing with a nuclear reactor




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I got a knock at the door
That no one wants to get
My eyes teared up
And my hands began to sweat
They were there to tell me
About the attack
And how my son died
From that tragic act

Their presence here
Confirmed my worst fear
Now I'm bein told
What I don't wanna hear
I just got his letter yesterday
Now they're here to say
That he passed away

I got a knock on the door
That no one wants to get
My eyes teared up
And my hands began to sweat
They were there to tell me
About the attack
And how my son died
From that tragic act

It's not easy
To lose a loved one
Yet so many daughters
And so many sons
Have been sacrificed
In an illegal war
It's beyond the point
Where we can ignore

I got a knock at the door
That no one wants to get
My eyes teared up
And my hands began to sweat
They were there to tell me
About the attack
And how my son died
From that tragic act

See I'm not naive
So I don't believe
That a true victory
Can be achieved
In a war where the enemy
Can't be defined
And suicide bombing
Hasn't declined

It's not easy
To lose a loved one
Yet so many daughters
And so many sons
Have been sacrificed
In an illegal war
It's beyond the point
Where we can ignore

I got a knock at the door
That no one wants to get
My eyes teared up
And my hands began to sweat
They were there to tell me
About the attack
And how my son died
From that tragic act


Copyright (c) 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

A leopard doesn’t change his spots
Or so it would seem
Look at the people
That are choosing his team
They are all our of
A very bad dream
It’s enough to make
You want to scream

A scorpion bites you
Cuz that’s what he does
And few things are different
From the way that it was
Where are the jobs
He said were coming back
They’re nowhere to be found
And that is a fact

A tiger can **** you
Faster than a lion
And he told tall tales
That his people were buyiin’
Cuz he’s such a con man
There’s no point denyin’
He never said how
Now he’s not even tryin’

There are certain things
That are hard to see
Like a snake slithering down
From out of a tree
Without a doubt
He’ll bite you ya see
And his venom will spread
But don't blame that on me!





Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reservcd.

By: Cedric McClester

A leopard doesn’t
Change it’s spots
Nor does a zebra
Change it’s stripes
America won’t be
Great again
It’s just a slogan
He hypes

Nothing will end
Here and now
That’s just
What he says
I can’t help
But feel somehow
That we should
Say our prayers

He promises to
To bring back
Our jobs
As if he really can
Like he’s some kind
Of employment god
But he’s merely
A man

He can do
Whatever he wants
Because of his
Celebrity
I think he’s on
An ego trip
If you're
Asking me




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

ALLAHU-AKBAR, (TRUE)
GOD IS GREATER THAN THEY KNEW
Or why would they do what they do
And then pervert al-Islam too
BISMILAH – (IN THE NAME OF ALLAH)
They plant bombs inside of cars
To blow up strangers near and far
But they take things too ******* far

AL-HUMDILILAH – (PRAISE ALLAH)
But not by giving Islam a scar
Who the hell they think they are
Shaytan’s minions? They’re on par
ASTAGFIGALAH (MAY ALLAH FORGIVE)
Those not cursed by how they live
Chopping heads off especially with
A rusty knife known as a shiv

INSHALLAH (IF IT’S ALLAH’S WILL)
Those who maim and also ****
Will soon be presented with the bill
And their ambitions will get them nil
ALLAHU-ALUM (ALLAH KNOWS BEST)
The sins they will have to confess
To get those sins up off their chest
While facing hell fire nevertheless

WALAHI (I SWEAR BY ALLAH)
Hell will find them wherever they are
In their homes near or far
Because they have raised the bar
YA-HAMUKALAH (MAY ALLAH PROTECT YOU)
From those ****
Who constantly beat their war drums
And take advantage of the deaf blind and dumb




Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By:Cedric McClester

I felt like a prisoner of war
Tortured and abused
But I shoulda known before - it happened
I’d be used
All is fair in love and war
At least I’ve heard it said
I couldn’t take the pain no more
The pounding in my head

You triggered some things in me
That I never revealed
You could see far beyond
The layers that I peeled
So you went in very deep
Underneath my skin
Now the scars are what I keep
From that time back when

I felt like a prisoner
Locked away somewhere
Longing for a distant shore
And someone to care
All is fair in love and war
At least I’ve heard it said
I couldn’t take the pain no more
The pounding in my head

You can call me battle tested
All battered and bruised
After all that I been through
That should not be news
Experience is the best teacher
Or so I’ve been told
I tried hard just to reach ya
But you were much too cold

I felt like a prisoner
Locked away somewhere
Longing for a distant shore
And someone to care
All is fair in love and war
At least I’ve heard it said
I couldn’t take the pain no more
The pounding in my head

All is fair in love and war
At least I’ve heard it said
I couldn’t take the pain no more
The pounding in my head
I felt like a prisoner
Locked away somewhere
Longing for a distant shore
And someone to care



Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He avoided Viet Nam
And stayed at home on his can
Because he didn’t give a ****
Now he embraces Uncle Sam
Our soldiers fought the Viet Cong
While he sought to protect his *******
Although that is all kinds of wrong
Because of him, he says we're strong

He seems to pick the oddest times
To exonerate military war crimes
And excoriate those for dropping dimes
On assorted criminals who cross lines
This is the best, and worst of times
For those looking for paradigms
As he posts endless memes and mimes
To ridicule those that he slimes

This besides, but even so
He argues about quid-pro-quo
But it’s extortion, you should know
That his impeachment soon will show
We’ve lost count of broken laws
That he’s committed without pause
And this they say, must be because
The DOJ is full of flaws

As a newscaster once commented
His legacy has been cemented
By angry tweets that he has vented
And the animus that he’s fermented
See what no one has ever refuted
For his position he’s most ill-suited
This is why he must be booted
Before he takes a gun and shoots it



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Despite the anti-cop chatter
All lives matter
He only wanted some gas
But his last breath came fast
Because up from behind
He was shot in the blind
Executed in cold blood
His body fell with a thud

Black lives matter - true
But so did his too
No one deserves to die
Without a good reason why
Because it’s not fair
Regardless of what they wear
A uniform’s no reason
To declare it’s open season

Let’s pull out all stops
To get rid of bad cops
The situation’s so sad
Because most cops aren’t bad
Although even a rotten few
Shouldn’t be an invitation to
**** everyone
For what of few have done

Whether the former or the latter
All lives do matter
I understand the necessity
For the movements we see
But we shouldn’t be reckless
And lose our perspective
Just like me and you
They have a right to live too

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

All skinfolk ain’t kinfolk
People that’s no joke
Some you’d love to  hug and kiss
Others you could choke
Some will be there when you need
Someone to go for broke
Others hang around your neck
Like a wooden yoke

Every brother ain’t a brother
Same or different mother
Some you feel a natural bond with
Others you wanna smother
Some you’re really glad to see
Others make you run for cover
Some can have you deceived
Up until you discover

Every friend ain’t a friend
Who’ll be there to the end
Although that’s the message
That they try to send
Some are in you corner
Up until the very end
Others are the kind
Who fool you and pretend

All that glitters isn't gold
Despite the size
Of your bank roll
Often the karatis you are told
Isn’t always
What you’re sold
Cos even slicksters
Can be rolled
















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Trump the diplomat
All that was missing
Was his top hat
Trump the negotiator
Negotiated what we
Had before, nothing more
North Korea waited
And he capitulated

They promised to
Denuclearize
But where or when
We’ll have to surmise
Will continue to be
A big surprise
Meanwhile we conceded
What they needed

They needed to be
Legitimized
And we gave them that
You realize
With little from them
In return
Because Donald Trump
Refuses to learn

He considers the summit
A huge success
But in reality
It was so much less
Trump placed North Korea
On an equal plane
But they’re a nuclear threat
Just the same




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.