By: Cedric  McClester

I believe in the people
Who founded democracy
I believe in her  principles
That we now rarely see
I believe in America
The one that used to be
I believe what we’re seeing today
Is nothing but hypocrisy

I believe in the Constitution
As it was meant to be
The greatest living document
In American history
I believe in the Bill of Rights
As properly amended
I believe that’s everything
That Donald Trump’s offended

I believe our power is our people
Who have to step up to the plate
And remove the conspiracy theories
That have come to the surface of late
I believe our republic is worth saving
If we're committed to participate
And I believe in everything
That I’ve had the courage to state

I believe we could easily lose
The soul of our nation real quick
Cuz the past four years we’ve been ailing
And it’s clear that we’re terminally sick
See we’ve been drinking the Kool Aid
That Trump’s so amply supplied
We’re at a come to Jesus moment
That’s up to each of us to decide

















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I believe what was reported
In the news
I believed toothpaste and soap
Was refused
I believe that they were
Sexually abused
And I believe that he
Is guilty as accused

See it’s a purely a matter
Of his choice
Which made the detainees
Raise their voice
Leaving their visitors’
Eyes moist
After insult upon Injury
Was foist

The evidence is there
For all to see
Just how cruel
A powerful man can be
Although he has a date
With destiny
Where there will be
Some reciprocity


Every Republican has
Bent their knee
In a public act
Of fealty
They’re afraid of
Primaries
Or losing their Congressional
Keys








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I believe and know
That Trump has got to go
But while that may make sense
We’ll just be stuck with Pence
And it’s become crystal clear
That he hasn’t a rabbit’s *** idea
About what the Americans people need
And it’s not more avarice and greed

I believe and know
That Obamacare shouldn’t go
It needs to be repaired
Instead they have us scared
That we’ll lose needed services
Because they’re true conservatives
And be that as it may
They’re gonna rue that day

I believe and know
That the Russians meddled - so
It’s fake news they might insists
But we have to get to the bottom of this
And no matter who’s at fault
Trump’s people or Bannon’s Alt
Wherever guilty parties are found
We have to bring them down


I believe and know
That you can’t clean the swamp, then go
And pick a bunch of billionaires
Which only shows nobody cares
They haven’t had a hungry day
And while I’m at it let me say
It’s impossible for them to identify
And that’s the truth no lie













Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I can only laugh
When a sociopath
Chooses to weigh-in
On those emails when
His greatest sin
Was that he took us in
So we could go to war
Just to even a score

Who is he to state
The gravity or weight
Of what she did
When the thing I don’t get
Is that he refuses to admit
To his own ****
All those crafted alibis
For his deception and lies

It’s not like he’s a paragon
For what’s right or wrong
‘Cos we had never been through
What he got us into
But back then few knew
Where it could lead to
In loss of treasure and lives
And his legacy survives

I’m presently debating
Whether or not he’s Satan
Which by being so snide
And the fact that he lied
Is hard for him to hide
And could be directly tied
To acts that are criminal
Overt and not subliminal



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved

Evergreens and mistletoe
The children all a glow
It’s a special time of year
That we’ve come to know
As the Christmas season
We’re not afraid to show
We can bring happiness
Everywhere we go

I can’t wait for Christmas time
That special time of year
People walking all about
It’s a different atmosphere
All up in department stores
Tryin’ to spread good cheer
I can’t wait for Christmas time
Now that it’s almost here

Every child anticipates
The gifts they hope to get
Though that is a part of it
We should not forget
What the date commemorates
And the awesome debt
That we owe to the baby
Who those three wise men met

I can’t wait for Christmas time
That special time of year
People walking all about
It’s a different atmosphere
All up in department stores
Tryin’ to spread good cheer
I can’t wait for Christmas time
Now that it’s almost here












Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

From the streets
Of the windy city
In a cold world that
Showed him no pity
He used his gift of gab
To sell their kitty
And it wasn’t done
By committee

Iceberg Slim
I know you heard of him
He was a **** a playa
A consummate lady slayer
Who knew the game
So what’s his name
Iceberg Slim
I know you heard of him

He had no shame
Or second thoughts
He was true to the game
Followed the dots
He ducked the law
Sidestepped their plots
Paid his dues
And carried knots

Iceberg Slim
I know you heard of him
He was a **** a playa
A consummate lady slayer
Who knew the game
So what’s his name
Iceberg Slim
I know you heard of him

Iceberg Slim was
A legend
True to the game
And his profession
Handled his business
With discretion
Then wrote a book
A true confession

He tired of the **** life
In the end
He couldn’t go through the motions
And just pretend
He started feeling like
He might have been condemned
And he didn’t like
What that might portend

Iceberg Slim
I know you heard of him
He was a **** a playa
A consummate lady slayer
Who knew the game
So what’s his name
Iceberg Slim
I know you heard of him


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

By: Cedric McClester

It’s just something
I don’t often admit
I have the blues
Which I frequently get
Because I miss you
But there’s no need to fret
Or even consider
It makes me upset

I cry sometimes
When no one can see
All the hurt
That you put on me
We’re not together
But I’m still not free
I cry sometimes
When no one can see

Redundant thoughts
Run through my mind
I don’t have your love
Still I haven’t resigned
To live my life
The way that I do
I want you back
And it’s also true

I cry sometimes
When no one can see
All the hurt
That you put on me
We’re not together
But I’m still not free
I cry sometimes
When no one can see

I’ve often wondered
And asked my self why
That people say
A man shouldn’t cry
When you wanna get something
Off of your chest
Sometimes it helps
And nevertheless

I cry sometimes
When no one can see
All the hurt
That you put on me
We’re not together
But I’m still not free
I cry sometimes
When no one can see



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

By: Cedric McClester

I didn’t see it coming
But now that it is here
The very thought is numbing
That your love could disappear
I’ve often heard people say
That love can be blind
Did I loose you by accident
Or was it by design

I didn’t see it coming
It took me by surprise
Because I couldn’t see
What was right before my eyes

The pain of separation
Is now a reality
So ignore this conversation
About how it’s hurting me
Cuz maybe you don’t care
Now that you are free
And you have no sympathy
When it comes to me

I didn’t see it coming
It took me by surprise
Because I couldn’t see
What was right before my eyes

How am I suppose to fill
This aching empty space
When I cannot replace
Your love - in any case
What am I suppose to do
Without your warm embrace
And who can I turn to
That could take your place

I can only wish
That I had you here
And you need to know this
I still love you dear
Time nor distance can change that
Have I made myself clear
Girl I’m going to the mat
Just to make you aware

I didn’t see it coming
It took me by surprise
Because I couldn’t see
What was right before my eyes

I didn’t see it coming
But now that it is here
The very thought is numbing
That your love could disappear
I’ve often heard people say
That love can be blind
Did I loose you by accident
Or was it by design







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

By: Cedric McClester

I didn’t talk
About it for years
Brushed aside
Intermittent tears
Did my best
To allay my fears
But I’m sharing now
So here it is

Though you might not
Have guessed it
I was often times
Molested
It’s only now
That I’ve confessed it
From a very early age
Through my adolescent stage

See it’s difficult
To begin
Letting out
What I’ve held in
About how I’ve
Experienced men
But I want to
Now that I can

It’s only now
I realize
That although
I was victimized
And the memory
Never dies
I survived
To became wise




Cedric McClester,Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

When I woke up this morning
And cleared away the fog
I discovered she had left me
And she also took the dog
I would have seen it coming
If I had read her blog
‘Cuz she declared herself
She was going in whole hog

Don’t ask me if I’m lonely
How else could I be?
Now that I’m all alone
And there’s no one else but me
Careful what you wish for
You see, I’m finally free
But upon careful review
I find I don’t want to be

I wonder who she’s with
And does she think of me?
Or somehow is she content
With whomever she may be
I don’t have the answer
Or the magic key
To be able to unlock
This kind of mystery

I’d like to know whose face
My dog is licking now
And when he’s told to sit
Does he just stare and growl?
I wonder if he misses me
I think he does somehow
Because I was the one
Who always served his chow























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By; Cedric McClester

I don’t give a ****
What you say
He’s not
The legitimate president anyway
But you and I no doubt
Will have to pay
Because the Russians
Put him into play

I don’t give a ****
What you think
His hair alone
Makes me wanna drink
The thought of him
Grabbing some woman’s pink
Makes me wanna question
Who the hell's his shrink?

I don’t give a ****
But then you knew
He don’t  even have
The slightest clue
So don’t ask me
Where this is headed to
When it's only four more years
That we have to get through

I don’t give a ****
That he chose Pence
Republicans think
It makes perfect sense
So therefore, hence
His true nature
Will come out in the rinse

By: Cedric McClester

I don’t have a racist bone in my body
But I’m called a racist anyway
People tend to judge me
By the things I say
I’m a product of my environment
You hear the “N” word eveyday
So I understand their sentiment
When their judgment comes into play

I don’t have a racist bone in my body
But I’m called a racist anyway
Cuz they don’t know my heart
But they can hear what I say
And sometimes it is offensive
That much I will admit
Why anyone close would tape me
Is what I really don’t get


I don’t have a racist bone in my body
But I’m called a racist anyway
If it was your daughter’s boyfriend
I wonder what you would say
Now I’m not justifying
The word I chose to use
But let’s not pretend
That I haven’t paid my dues


I don’t have a racist bone in my body
But I’m called a racist anyway
And I have an image to protect
That I guess I’ve thrown away
Now my adoring public
Will no doubt make me pay
So believe me when I say I’m sorry
What else can I say








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I don’t know if you heard
But the thought has occurred
Not to waste another word
On someone who’s absurd
A person who’s so divisive
He’s become a boon for ISIS
He’s never been the nicest
That’s just the way it slices

I don’t know if you knew
But I think I'm completely through
With his bizarre antics too
And his racist xenophobic view
He’s a megalomaniac
That’s not just hyperbole
It’s a  fact
He’s completely lacking tact

I don’t know how you feel
But I cannot conceal
My anger, see it’s real
And I can’t stand his spiel
I know he’s been to college
Still he’s a racist unacknowledged
So those who pay him homage
Will contribute to the carnage

I don’t know if I’ve said
Anything you haven’t read
About the anger that he’s fed
Time to put his *** to bed
He’s offensive and corrupt
But his fifteen minutes of fame are up
And to be somewhat abrupt
Yup yup yup yup yup



































Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Just because he’s
Another white man
Doesn’t mean that
He’s the right man
For this time or era
Can I make things any clearer
It would seem like Armageddon
Is the place that we are heading

I don’t know
If he’s a racist
Or whatever
The true case is
I just know he
Sounds like one
By the way
He chose to run

It wasn’t his intent
To come off as ignorant
That’s a shared sentiment
By those now needing liniment
To ease their aches and pain
Cuz he’s become their bane
And if I have to
I'll explain

I don’t know
If he’s a racist
Or whatever
The true case is
I just know he
Sounds like one
By the way
He chose to run

Some no doubt will insist
Clearly he’s a misogynist
And if I didn’t cover this
I’d probably be remiss
When he grabs them by their crotch
He considers it a notch
On his worn and beaten belt
Right down to how it felt

I don’t know
If he’s a racist
Or whatever
The true case is
I just know he
Sounds like one
By the way
He chose to run

And he wants to build a wall
Knowing he can’t catch ‘em all
Because he told a tale that’s tall
To everybody one and all
Also as part of his plan
He wants a total Muslim ban
Yet I don’t think he can
Get it done upon demand

I don’t know
If he’s a racist
Or whatever
The true case is
I just know he
Sounds like one
By the way
He chose to run




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

She was the apple
Of her dad’s eye
Now he’s left to wonder
The reason why
‘Cuz he didn’t know
When she told him goodbye
It would be the last time
He’d see her alive

I don’t think it’s fair
That she isn’t here
Cuz the pain was
Too much for her to bare
Her loved ones stare
Lookin’ out at nowhere
Becuz’ of their grief
And inward despair

Her mom misses her
Every moment of the day
And thinks of the circumstances
That took her away
Her school knew about it
But they didn’t say
Although at her funeral
They sent a bouquet

She lived with the teasing
Bullying and pain
Though she had a hard time
Tryna explain
The tortured thoughts
That ran through her brain
Until she jumped
And downward she came


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2019. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Today we want a god
Who looks the other way
So we can break his laws
Like everything's okay
We don't want to hear
His wrath or reprimand
That our actions bring
When things get out of hand

I don't want a god
With no rhyme or reason
And I don't want a god
Who changes with the seasons
I don't want a god
Influenced by the times
And I don't want a god
Who ignores our crimes

We're living in an era
Where anything can go
Between consenting  adults
As if God doesn't know
There's a price to  pay
Based on our behavior
For living for the moment
At the expense of later

I don't want a god
With no rhyme or reason
And I don't want a god
Who changes with the seasons
I don't want a god
Influenced by the times
And I don't want a god
Who ignores our crimes

God is not old fashion
And he has never been
He knew everything
Before there was a when
He never made a law
That hadn't been thought out
Which has me wondering
What they're talking about

I don't want a god
With no rhyme or reason
And I don't want a god
Who changes with the seasons
I don't want a god
Influenced by the times
And I don't want a god
Who ignores our crimes

There are consequences
For everything we do
Now's no time to act
As if we never knew
Just because our punishment
Often is deferred
Doesn't mean the punishment
Will never occur

I don't want a god
With no rhyme or reason
And I don't want a god
Who changes with the seasons
I don't want a god
Influenced by the times
And I don't want a god
Who ignores our crimes

We're living in an era
Where anything can go
Between consenting  adults
As if God doesn't know
There's a price to  pay
Based on our behavior
For living for the moment
At the expense of later

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

By: Cedric McClester

I’d rather a president
Who has my back
Than one who is busy
Talking smack
One who is deliberative
And thinks things out
Rather than one who is not
But rants and shouts

I’d rather a president
Who walks softly
But carries a big stick
Than one who stomps
And acts too quick
I’d rather one like
Cool Hand Luke
Than one who’s like
John Wayne the Duke

I’d rather a president
Who weighs the options
Rather than one
Who reacts without conscience
I’d rather one
Who can **** Osama
Than one who can bring us
Lots of drama

I’d rather a president
Like the one we have
Rather than one who
Doesn’t do the math
I’d rather a president
Who can take out
Jihadi John
Rather than one who
Who goes on and on




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If democracy is bound to fall
Because the base is heeding his call
Though their numbers are relatively small
What’s the point in holding a town hall?
If we’re losing our right to vote
And Republicans vote by rote
Although it’s a sour note
Their rising tide is sinking our boat

If they’re changing our voting laws
On the basis that they have some flaws
And their reasoning is just because
They’ve been lied to without a pause
If we don’t believe in having a king
Then here is the funny thing
We’ve already felt his sting
And his words have a familiar ring

If we're returning to the dark ages
By turning back our history pages
And not enough of us find it outrageous
Then the results are bound to be contagious
If we realize he’s a mess
Then we might as well confess
We’ve lost our freedom nevertheless

If not enough of us are prepared to fight
And we’re walking gently into that bad night
Cos not enough of us are uptight
About losing a basic right
If we’re not gonna go for broke
And just accept the okey doke
Then we’re about to drown or choke
Cos they think of us as a joke








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If all the President’s men
Wind up in the pen,
Wouldn’t it stand to reason then,
That he too should go in?
Cuz’ it’s been said forever
No matter what the weather
Birds of a certain feather
Always flock together

Much to Putin’s delight
Whether Mueller joins the fight
There’s been collusion in plain sight
Deny it, though Trump might
See he and his sycophant Pence
Have left few finger prints
And therefore, he says hence,
The charges make no sense

But the Southern District buzz
Through the cobwebs and the fuzz
Captures who he is and was
By what he did and does
And ever since he came
We haven’t been the same
So in our country’s name
He must take the blame

I guess this is the season
To get away with treason
Cuz’ it defies all reason
How his actions can be pleasing
Even to his base,
Which in any case,
Their loyalty’s misplaced
And  eventually must be faced














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric Mc'Clester

If a stranger came knocking at your door
Would you answer it or ignore
The person on the other side
Or would they just be denied
What if the stranger had come for you
With blessings and forgiveness too
Tell me then what would you do
What would you decide

Ya know it happened once before
It was Jesus knocking at the door
But he was left to wait outside
Rejected and denied

What if you discovered it was your salvation
Outside the door that you left waiting
Looking for an offer to come in
Wouldn't that be an awful sin
And if that stranger would die for you
Be persecuted and go through
What no other person you know would do
Would you let him in

Ya know it happened once before
It was Jesus knocking at the door
But he was left to wait outside
Rejected and denied

If a stranger came knocking at your door
Would you do what they did to Jesus before
Would you leave him standing outside your door
Rejected and denied

If the stranger turned and walked away
Tell me truthfully would you rue the day
That you didn't let him in
Please answer if you can
What if his life served as a lesson
Of forgiveness for your transgressions
Would you attempt to apologize
Once you finally realized
And if so tell them when

Ya know it happened once before
It was Jesus knocking at the door
But he was left to wait outside
Rejected and denied


If the stranger turned and walked away
Tell me truthfully would you rue the day
That you didn't let him in
Please answer if you can
What if his life served as a lesson
Of forgiveness for your transgressions
Would you attempt to apologize
Once you finally realized
And if so tell them when



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

By: Cedric McClester

If black lives really matter
How come black blood
Constantly splatters
In places like Chicago
And Baltimore
Or Boston, Mass
I’ve been keeping score
So you know I could name a whole lot more

If black lives really matter
Let’s not solely focus on the police
It’s not their bullets
That disturb our peace
We’re our own worst enemies
To say the least
So let’s keep the focus on us
If we want the killing to cease

If black lives really matter
How come blacks find it so easy to take a black life
And black communities are getting sadder
Because internecine warfare is rife
Some myths we need to shatter
Or cut them out with a knife
So we can stop the idle chatter
And deal with the stress and strife

If black lives really matter
Then take a panoramic view
It’s worst - in fact it’s badder
Than we even knew
We’ve fallen off Jacob’s ladder
And you know that’s true
So I’m not about to flatter
Those who don’t have a clue














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Has it finally started dawning
That we had more than ample warning
But Condoleezza and Bush were yawning
As the attacks were clearly forming
Then the terrorists took aim
And as predicted a tragedy came
Reacting after the fact’s not the same
The question is does he bear the blame?

‘Cos the intelligence was badly botched
And it happened on his watch
As he drank his malted Scotch
Things got taken up another notch
So he tried to even out the score
By getting us into an ill advised war
That his brain-trust should have foresaw
Would be disastrous despite shock and awe

And then he decided to double down
By placing boots firmly on the ground
In Afghanistan and all around
But fighting Taliban wasn’t sound
He revealed the head of the beast
So in the Middle East there’s been no peace
And as the violence is on the increase
Looks like the war will never cease

Ask the wounded and the dead who wonder
If it wasn’t all a major blunder
‘Cos it looks like we’ve gone asunder
As we observe ISIS **** and plunder
So if Bush shouldn’t get the blame
And there comes to mind another name
Like **** Cheney who’s one in the same
Much like Satan simply has no shame











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If her story
Must be told
Let her tell it
As it unfolds
So she can stay
At the controls
When it’s revealed
To our households

Because It’s her
Experience
It only makes
Perfect sense
That she remove
Any suspense
Even if it’s in
The past tense

Whatever she says
Will be denied
The men no doubt
Will take his side
Whether or not
He has lied
Or been charged
And duly tried

But the truth
Always emerges
When the victim
Finally purges
And their story
Converges
With the facts
About ****** urges








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If he says it out loud
It must be legal
But he’s the same man
Who’s killing our eagle
And he sees himself
As being quite regal
He’s missing the point
Cuz his numbers are feeble

If he says it in public
That makes it okay,
No matter the subject
Or, what he has to say
Which  shows  ignorance
Is on clear display
Or is it efficacy
That’s really in play

It’s just a joke,
That should be dismissed
Or, so we hear,
From his apologists
But how many of us
Are really buying this?
And how many of us
Continue to be ******

Then there’s his tweets,
And yes I know
There’s nothing to see
Like a quid-pro-quo
If you’re asking me
But even so
It appears to be
That on the low



          Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

My future options are in doubt
With unemployment runnin’ out
Don’t wanna go that outlaw route
But I’m close to it - just about
See I’m another sad statistic
Though the President is optimistic
I hope somehow that he can fix it
Cos I don’t know if I can risk it

If I had a job to call my own
I wouldn’t feel so all alone
I’d work my fingers to the bone
But that pipe dream is clearly gone

You could say my hand’s been forced
Because my job has been out sourced
I’m not the only one of course
Who’s talked about this till they’re hoarse
Although the numbers hardly moved
The situation has improved
The future’s ours to win or loose
It’s no wonder I’ve turned to *****

If I had a job to call my own
I wouldn’t feel so all alone
I’d work my fingers to the bone
But that pipe dream is clearly gone
I’m havin a Palin moment
Cos I feel stuck
I’m close to sayin’ what the f--k
So why don’t you just wish me luck
Or pass the hat I need a buck


If I had a job to call my own
I wouldn’t feel so all alone
I’d work my fingers to the bone
But that pipe dream is clearly gone

And though my situation seems dire
The President knows how to inspire
Now I just need to be hired
Cos I would never call him a liar
I know the man is well intended
Though unemployment has not been ended
I just hope it gets rescinded
Or somehow Constitutionally amended

If I had a job to call my own
I wouldn’t feel so all alone
I’d work my fingers to the bone
But that pipe dream is clearly gone

My future options are in doubt
With unemployment runnin’ out
Don’t wanna go that outlaw route
But I’m close to it - just about
See I’m another sad statistic
Though the President is optimistic
I hope somehow that he can fix it
Cos I don’t know if I can risk it



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

By: Cedric McClester

I find it hard to relate
To random acts of hate
What enters the mind?
Why do people cross that line?
It remains a mystery
But throughout human history
Time has been the mirror
But it doesn’t make it clearer

What evil lurks within,
The hearts and minds of men?
That make ‘em perpetuate
Blatant acts of hate
Is difference the excuse
For us to heap abuse
Upon fellow **** sapiens
Think of the message that it sends

Why are we so cruel?
Have we replaced the Golden Rule?
Doesn’t it apply,
To human beings like you and I?
And what none of us can ignore
Is that it’s worth fighting for
To an overwhelming degree
We need reciprocity

The madness has to cease
We must control the  beast
That is contained within
Women as well as men
The answer is love and peace
To say the very least
Which isn’t hard to find
Once we cleanse our mind



















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If it quacks
Like a duck
Acts like a duck
Why get stuck
It’s a duck
What the ****

Here’s what
The case is
Of course he’s a racist
He’s covered all bases
When it comes
To other faces

He spews hate
That he reitterates
At rallies
And debates
Where he anticipates
The reactions
That he rates

Chances are
None to slim
That we would ever
Vote for him
He’s a prisoner
Of his own whims

If it quacks
Like a duck
Acts like a duck
Why get stuck
It’s a duck
What the ****










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

By: Cedric McClester

If not for the pills
Doctors once prescribed
The musician Prince
Might still be alive
Along with others who
Sought similar relief
Because their stories too
Ended in grief

If not for the greed
On Big Pharma’s part
The opioid epidemic
Right from the start
Might not have grown
To epic proportions
Because of ignorance
And outright distortions

If not for the relaxed
Government regulations
We might not now
Be at our battle stations
Trying to reverse
What’s sweeping our nation
Because opioids doesn’t
Go on vacation

If not for the prevalence
Of the fentanyl drug
And its purveyors
Who are typically smug
Then we might not have
Gotten mugged
In the way that we have
By this deadly drug


            Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If these walls could talk
What a tale they would tell
About all of the denizens 
Of the Chelsea Hotel
The singers of song
Who lived there for a while
And the transient types
With a different profile

The sheets on the beds
Left undone for the maids
And the sun that was blocked
By the closed window shades
While illicit things went on
That the law forbade
With the needle still in arm
Some were found where they laid

Others drank or smoked ****
Into the wee hours of the night
Vociferously claiming
That it helped them to write
The songs they were known for
To their fans delight
And some just got drunk
And slept through to daylight

If these walls could talk
What a tale they would tell
For some it was heaven
And for others it was hell
But all were attracted
As if caught in a spell
That’s why the checked into
The Chelsea Hotel
















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If these walls could talk
What a tale they would tell
About all of the denizens
Of the Chelsea Hotel
The singers of song
Who lived there for a while
And the transient types
With quite a different profile

The sheets on the beds
Left undone for the maids
And the sun that was blocked
By the closed window shades
While illicit things went on
That the law forbade
With the needle still in arm
Some were found where they laid

Others drank or smoked ****
Into the wee hours of the night
Vociferously claiming
That it helped them to write
The songs they were known for
To their fans delight
And some just got drunk
And slept through to daylight

If these walls could talk
What a tale they would tell
For some it was heaven
And for others it was hell
But all were attracted
As if caught in a spell
That’s why the checked into
The Chelsea Hotel












Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If the truth
Can set you free
Why do you
Deny your history
Whether or not
It’s blistery?
In truth and fact
That’s the mystery

Why is it so
Important to hide
The history that you
Refuse to confide?
As a matter of fact
You’ve outright lied
And sought to have
The truth denied

You can’t change
Your history
But the future can be
What it’s made to be
And what shouldn’t be
That hard to see
Is the irony
In my dichotomy

For the past
You can be forgiven
If you can change
The way that you’re living
Whether or not
You find it misgiven
That’s the direction in which
You should be driven










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021.  All rights reserved.

If they knew then
What they know now
Would they have done it anyhow
Or waited and turned back the dial
To think about it for a while
Despite the dead not here today
We don’t know so we can't say
What they would’ve done anyway

If they knew then
What they know now
Would Isis still be allowed
To flourish and attract a crowd
In places where they've gone buck wild
And so imagine if you can
No al-Qaeda or noTaliban
Or troops blown up in desert sand

If they knew then
What they know now
To contemplate it is a wow
‘Cos no one has been brought to trial
Or forced to work on a rock pile
But we can't dream it away
No matter what they have to say
Hope justice will prevail one day

If they knew then
What they know now
Or took the time to read his file
They would have known
It wasn’t his style
To capitulate grovel or bow
And perhaps things would be
Much  different now


Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If Trump isn’t a racist
Then what is a racist to you?
If Trump is not a racist
What does one have to do?
From the Mexicans he maligned
At the bottom of the escalator
To the Muslims he redefined
He’s proven he’s a hater

If Trump isn’t a racist
Which some are reluctant to say
Then he comes as close as you can get
To one in every way
Who can forget
The Central Park 5?
If Trump had his way
Would not be alive

If Trump isn’t a racist
Then you have to tell me
What does he have to do
For you to see
The tokens around him
Don’t offer a key
As to what the man is
And will always be

If Trump isn’t a racist
Then I give up
He’s more than a misogynist
Who’s also corrupt
The man is the definition
Of a racist construct
And the epitome
Of don’t give a ****











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Open up your eyes
The seas are rising
As snow caps melt
The polar bears are dying
It’s global warming
And there’s no denying
That we’re responsible
Now am I lying

That’s the way things are
But does it have to be
We’re the captains
Of our own destiny
If we try
We can change the things we see

On the streets of Chicago
They’ve become unhinged
They’re killing little babies
Then calling it revenge
And the guilty parties
Don’t even have a tinge
Of sorrowful remorse
For their murderous binge

That’s the way things are
But does it have to be
We’re the captains
Of our own destiny
If we try
We can change the things we see

The future isn’t promised
But it lies in our hands
Are we gonna do
All that it demands

And if you’ve been listening
To the body politic
It’s enough to make you *****
And otherwise get sick
They’re playing the dozens
Instead of throwing bricks
But everybody’s busy
Tryin’ to get in their own licks

That’s the way things are
But does it have to be
We’re the captains
Of our own destiny
If we try
We can change the things we see





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

By: Cedric McClester

A college president
Just looked the other way
In the face of campus racism
Like it’s okay
So he has to go
The black students say
But Trump believes that chump
Shoulda chose to stay

He doesn’t concern himself
With how we feel
If you’re gonna be a racist
Be one for real
Perhaps that might explain
Donald Trump’s appeal
To those who are asking
What’s the big deal?

Marco Rubio claims
Not to have a clue
As to what the man did
But it’s what he didn’t do
That had the student riled
Yet even if he knew
His response would be the same
Cuz you know how they do

Ted Cruz is clearly guilty
Of overreach
By trying to frame the argument
As about free speech
It might be free
But still, don’t we teach,
Not to use the “N” word
In polite company at least









Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

If you’re gonna hold up the Bible,
Hold it up right,
Instead of upside down
And backwards,
To the devil’s delight
Which is an act
That’s only pleasing
In his crooked sight

If you’re gonna hold up the Bible
That you need to read
For some sound guidance
That you ought to heed
Because now is the time
To follow its lead
In order that
Your soul might be freed

If you’re gonna hold the Bible
You oughta stop
It was written to be
A photo op
So posing with one
Is over the top
And you can’t clean that up
With a wet mop

If you’re gonna hold the Bible
And not bother to search
While standing in front of
A storied church
You might wanna go in
To find yourself a perch
Instead of staying outside
As if in a lurch













Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

No longer will we
Stay in silence
We’ve been subjected
To poverty and violence
We’re heading north
To the Mexican border
From there to America
And in that order

Thousands of us
Are on our way
Hoping for asylum
So we can stay
In the land of the brave
Home of the free
Comprised of people
Like you and me

Clearly, we’re desperate
To leave our homes
The only ones we’ve
Ever known
With our children
And our wives
Because we’re seeking
Better lives

And don’t tell us
That your border’s closed
To desperate people
When everyone knows
America takes in
The hungry and the poor
Are you now saying
Not anymore?


Cedric McClester ,Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

If you wanna believe their *******
Go ahead and believe
But you’ll have to forgive me
If I call you naive
From day one
They’ve practiced to deceive
Now the economy’s in the toilet
So what else have they achieved?

There’s a worldwide pandemic
In which they were slow to respond
Now the number of American dead
Are far and beyond
The numbers we’ve lost
In all of our wars
And they’re rushing to open back up
While there’s still **** on their drawers

Russia and North Korea takes
Advantage of us everyday
But we don’t let that
Get in our way
From forging a friendship
That’s is to say
When you look at it closely
Is only one way

China is vilified by word of mouth
Then they cut fantastic deals with ‘em
While sitting on a couch
When you look at it
It’s enough
To make us say ouch!
But you’ve got to give it to him
Xi Jinping is no slouch










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

This is why they say,
“Ignorance is bliss”
In case you haven’t heard
Get a load of this,
The shooter in El Paso
Wanted Hispanics dissed
For invading Texas
But I don’t get his gist

Texas was stolen from Mexico
Way back in the day
So it is pure hubris
Now to hear him say
Hispanics are invading
They’re getting in the way
When it belonged to them
Just the other day

Those who don’t know history
Are just doomed to repeat it
When they develop hatred
That’s misguided and deep seated
And so we must confront it
Wherever and whenever we meet it
Until we understand this
How can we defeat it?

How does it develop,
In someone who’s so young?
Doesn’t it make you wonder
Where it’s coming from?
Is it being stirred up
By what Donald Trump has done?
He wants to stay in office,
But what a way to run!















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Long ago I guess
It was wrong
For me to indulged in
Wine women and song
It took a while for me
To get strong
Strong enough to resist
Being part of the throng

When I was weaker
I caroused the streets
See I was a seeker
Of all kinds of treats
Treats of the flesh
Of the strangers one meets
Or the carnal pleasures
Found on satin sheets

Then I joined the search
For life’s greater meaning
Because it was time
For internal house cleaning
I’d grown very tired
Of all things demeaning
And the various trysts
That I’d been convening

In a small monastery
High on a hill
I learned to surrender
My inner will
The master monk taught me
How to just be still
And direct my thoughts
From the treadmill











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I have trouble sleeping
A million thoughts
Run through my head
And so I lie awake
Tossing and turning in my bed
Wish I could go to sleep
And get some rest instead
I have trouble sleeping

I have trouble sleeping
Though I could take a pill
And drift right off I suppose
But I don’t think I will
I might become addicted
Captured by the thrill
I have trouble sleeping
And guess I always will

I have trouble sleeping
And that’s just a fact
There’s a name for my condition
How about insomniac
If there’s a guarantee
That I’d be coming back
All I wanna do
Is slowly fade to black

I have trouble sleeping
Maybe it’s my fear of the dark
It doesn’t take that much
For my brainwaves to spark
And get my mind racing
Until I jump the shark
Cuz I have trouble sleeping
So don’t forget the quotation mark

















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2915.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I hope you're satisfied
Now that you won
But now there's the job
That has to get done
And although the primary
Might have been fun
As President-elect
You're under the gun

See there's the cabinet
That has to be picked
And then there's the people
You've already tricked
Into thinking
You're not derelict
Yes you have the job
But has it yet clicked

By now you've been briefed
And the world's on your shoulders
There's little relief
From those rocks and boulders
That are coming your way
But I thought I told ya
You can't phone it off
Now the job will mold ya

See I'm rooting for you
To have success
Cuz we're depending on you
Nevertheless
You're in much deeper
Than you might have guessed
To get the things done
That you have expressed


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

By: Cedric McClester

I just think it’s wrong
And my conviction is very strong
But you might disagree
You have that right ya see
But it’s also a fact
I don’t need to be attacked
Unnecessarily
See - I’m just being me

If I say it’s not the norm
And that I believe it’s wrong
Even if you can't go along
I hope it doesn’t create a storm

Everyone you’ll find
Is not of the same mind
We see things differently
That’s part of being free
To say what’s on your mind
Not to be unkind
But to share a point of view
That might differ from you

If I say it’s not the norm
And that I believe it’s wrong
Even if you can't go along
I hope it doesn’t create a storm

One size don’t fit all
It’s an individual call
And I’m trying to keep it real
By stating how I feel
As you rightly might suspect
It may not be politically correct
But at the end of this lesson
Hopefully I’ve answered the question

I’m not in that amen chorus
Among those who only bore us
I don’t endorse any agenda
That suggests I must surrender
To a set of dogmatic beliefs
That never desist or decease
What I hold inside is strong
Which don’t make me right or wrong

If I say it’s not the norm
And that I believe it’s wrong
Even if you can't go along
I hope it doesn’t create a storm



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

By: Cedric McClester

I just think it’s wrong
And my conviction’s strong
But you might disagree
You have that right ya see
But it’s also a fact
I don’t need to be attacked
Unnecessarily
See - I’m just being me

Everyone you’ll find
Is not of the same mind
We see things differently
That’s part of being free
To say what’s on your mind
Not trying to be unkind
But to share a point of view
That often differs from you

One size don’t fit all
It’s an individual call
And I’m trying to keep it real
By stating how I feel
It may not be politically correct
As you rightly might suspect
But at the end of this lesson
I’ve answered the question

I’m not in that amen chorus
Those who are just tend to bore us
I don’t endorse any agenda
That suggests I must surrender
To a set of dogmatic beliefs
That never desist or decease
What I hold inside is strong
But that don’t make me right or wrong













Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

Cedric McClester

I just wanna marry Harry
There’s no need for you to parry
Or to be au-contrary 
Even if you find it scary
Why make me out to be a louse 
I’m tried of just keeping house
I have a right to have a spouse 
A fact protest alone can’t douse

Why should you care who I do
What’s that got to do with you
I deserve the same rights too
So why not act as if you knew?
t’s not dead upon arrival
I don’t mind you quoting Bible
You can’t help from being tribal
Careful though it might be libel

So put aside your old traditions
We too have our own ambitions
It’s time for a new edition
And I don’t need your permission
I’m not stepping on your feet
Do you get fat from what I eat
It’s high time that you retreat
Who knows you too may be sweet

With opposition that’s two ****** 
Same *** marriage has been resisted
At all costs as you’ve insisted
Your real point - I must have missed it
Cuz you would have me to believe
That Adam was made just for Eve
But someone needs to pull your sleeve
Who do you think got with Steve


Cedric McClester, Copyright 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I know it’s cold
But from what I’m being told
Our nation’s being run
By remote control
The pandemic’s spreading
But we’re left on hold
While the president rants and raves
About a lie that’s been sold

Time is getting shorter
On his remaining days
But he won the election
In spite of the nays
He’s been cheated
Is the soundtrack that plays
And he still is gonna win it
Cuz he lives in a haze

He’s raised two hundred million
And they’re still counting
Saying he’s been cheated
Seems to be the magic fountain
That keeps the cash flowing
While it’s steadily mounting
According to
The most recent accounting

Alms for the poor or
The billionaire?
He asks for more
And his base doesn’t care
Guess they have
Enough cash to spare
Or either they are
Sadly unaware







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I know it sounds absurd
But he didn’t say a word
Before gun shots were heard
The thought never occurred
That it was race related
Though it might be debated
The fact is that he hated
And so, it must be stated

They say more, or less though
He had a manifesto
Found at his arrest, so
His motive’s bound to show
It’s more, or less a given
That it was hatred driven
That’s ******* with a ribbon
I don’t think he’ll be forgiven

We have a national disease
That should bring us to our knees
Shooters feel the need to squeeze
Their triggers, if you please
Their hatred is deep seated
So this scene if oft’ repeated
We must find a way to beat it
As we confront and meet it

We need to do more
If we want to find a cure
Let’s attack it at its core
To minimize its allure
So, believe me and trust
The answer rests with us
Not the ashes or the dust
That results when someone busts













Cedric McClesterf, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Despite our call for law and order
Every day drugs cross the border
They think of it as free trade
With the markets that they’ve made
And let me say another thing
We consume all that they bring
They’re only doing what they can
To supply what we demand

I know where the needle goes
And what you’re snorting up your nose
I know more than you suppose
About the choices that you chose
Home of the brave land of the free
While all of that well may be
There’s a huge dichotomy
Between those things and what I see

We have blinders on our eyes
Yet we’re real quick to criticize
Others but nevertheless
We helped to create this mess
As long as they know that we’ll buy
The tons of drugs that they supply
They are gonna keep on coming
Whether or not the thought is numbing

It shouldn’t come as a surprise
That some want us to legalize
The kinds of drugs that we ingest
Is it worth exploring nevertheless
Let’s give weight and proper measure
To those drugs we seem to treasure
Rather than us just ignoring
All the lives that it's destroying

Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2019.  All rights reserved.

I LIKE BERNIE
By: Cedric McClester

I like Bernie
I swear I do
The question is
Can he follow through
So what’s the answer
I wish I knew
But I don’t even
Have a clue

I like Bernie
And all he stands for
But it’s reality
I can’t ignore
If upon the President
They declared war
What does Bernie think
For him lies in store

I don’t see
That big a schism
Between Food Stamps
And Socialism
For most
The safety net is a given
And it contributes
To better living

Revolutions are fought
But few are won
By people who
Can’t get the job done
Now I’m not sayin’
Bernie is that one
But what are his odds
Slim to none






Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I lit a candle in you memory
A simple gesture it may be
But even though my eyes are wetter
It makes me feel a little better
See I know for a fact
That nothing I do will bring you back
Though I had to do something in your memory
Some kind of expression to show what you mean to me

So I lit a candle and then I prayed
And I thanked the Lord for what He made
Someone as wonderful and real as you
And I prayed that He would see me through

I lit a candle the other day
I couldn’t believe you had passed away
Guess in between the pain joy and sorrow
We’re here today and gone tomorrow
But the memories we have can last forever
That’s something we never have to sever
Out of darkness we can find the light
And eventually we’ll be all right

So I lit a candle and then I prayed
And I thanked the Lord for what He made
Someone as wonderful and real as you
And I prayed that He would see me through

There’s no point in me masking
The pain I feel cos of your passing
But why’s the question I won’t be asking
God has a plan that’s everlasting

So I lit a candle and then I prayed
And I thanked the Lord for what He made
Someone as wonderful and real as you
And I prayed that He would see me through

I lit a candle and prayed for you
A special prayer as I often do
The difference this time is you’re not here
And I’ll never again hold you near
But here in my heart in so many ways
I’ll remember you for the rest of my days
Up until the time that we’re reunited
And our Book of Deeds is recited

There’s no point in me masking
The pain I feel cos of your passing
But why’s the question I won’t be asking
God has a plan that’s everlasting

So I lit a candle and then I prayed
And I thanked the Lord for what He made
Someone as wonderful and real as you
And I prayed that He would see me through

I lit a candle in you memory
A simple gesture it may be
But even though my eyes are wetter
It makes me feel a little better



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