By: Cedric McClester

Let’s get down to brass tacks
And ask ourselves the whys
Are we savages or civilized
In other people’s eyes
We take death for granted
Of course everybody dies
But they go a whole lot faster
When the bullets start to fly

Guns are everywhere
To their advocate’s delight
And they’re quick to sprout-off
About Second Amendment righs
While another lone assassin
Puts out somebody’s lights
And the argument continues
Throughout the days and nights

One thing is for certain
‘Cos the point's made very clear
The only place it’s happening
Appears to be right here
Is it something in our psyche
That we need to learn to fear
Or are we just violence prone
‘Cos we’ve had more than our share

As we look for answers
And engage in a frantic search
Nine innocents at Bible Study
Are shot down in their church
He was there to take those blacks
Off the face of the earth
And turn the tide for his own kind
In a search for his own worth


Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester. All rights are reserved

By: Cedric McClester

The White House occupant
Needs to do an
About face
Cuz racism isn’t
Gonna win this race
Like it did in 2016
When that was the cass
The American people are in another space

The White House occupant
Is quick to say that
Coronavirus will just go away
Like he has some magic
To keep it at bay
But we can’t believe
A word he has to say
Cuz he practices lying
Each and every day

The White House occupant
Ignored the intelligence
That was presented to him
And Vice President Pence
To say he didn’t receive it
Doesn’t make any sense
Even though we realize
That the man is dense

The White House occupant
Needs to be dispossessed
From 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
As you might have guessed
To a nursing home
Where he can convelese
From the dementia
He appears  to express













Cedric McClester,Copyright © 2020.   All  rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester,

As long as we remain
Unbending
It’s as if we’re simply
Pretending
That the world as we know it
Isn’t ending
From a desperate need
Of friending

The world as we know it
Is changing
Slowly the elements are
Rearranging
When we consider
The inherent danger
Of our repeated denials
It gets stranger

As long as we continue
To deny
What is clear
To the naked eye
Our planet
Will continue to die
And we are the main reason
Why

The world as we know it
Is changing
Slowly the elements are
Rearranging
When we consider
The inherent danger
Of our repeated denials
It gets stranger

The world as we know it
Won’t last
Cos we’re destroying it
Too fast
The ozone is thinning
From emissions of gas
And the pundit
Are showing us their ***

Nature has reached
A decision
In spite of the critics
Derision
Though we all wanna
Keep on living
The fire next time
Is a given

The world as we know it
Is changing
Slowly the elements are
Rearranging
When we consider
The inherent danger
Of our repeated denials
It gets stranger




















Cedric McClester Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.(082615cm)

By: Cedric McClester

The world may not know
Who he was,
But a man should be measured
By what he does.
In a world full of takers,
It’s rare indeed,
To find someone that unselfishly
Helps others in need.

Melvin Jackson was
That kind of man.
He did what he could,
To extend his hand,
To friends and neighbors
And needy strangers,
Those in which
He had  human exchanges.

Mel road aboard
The Straight Shooter express
He told you what he thought
No one ever had to guess
What he was thinking
Because he’d confess
Whether you liked it or not
He got it off his chess

Many times I called him
Just to say hello,
That would set him off
Invariably he’d want to know,
“What do you want?’
I’d respond, “There you go!
All I wanted to do,
Was to simply say hello”
















Cedric mcClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He took down the wrong brother
While working undercover
Soon enough he will discover
Restitution is a mother
And he had no reason why
He did not identify
Himself as the police
Not in the very least

See the brother has a name
That’s recognized due to his fame
So when he files his claim
That’s the end of the ballgame
For the cop that made him drop
To the ground then got on top
And after having roughed him
He proceeded to handcuff him

It was a clear abuse of power
That turned the public sour
And every second minute hour
He remain a cop we glower
Because it’s plain to see
That’s what he shouldn’t be
He is coarse and rude
And he lacks the aptitude

Without a reason or a rhyme
He clearly crossed the line
‘Cos we have to keep in mind
It was a non-violent crime
And when push was turned to shove
A crime he wasn’t guilty of
But the cop showed him no love
Nor handled him with a kid glove


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They are acting as if
We’re none the wise
That they’re killing us softly
With their lilies
While looking us
Straight In our eyes
And ignoring all
Of our furtive cries

The numbers are
Going up everyday
While they’re telling us
Everything’s okay
The Coronavirus
Will not stay
Although they cannot
Wish it away

They’re opening states
Up much too fast
As if the virus is
In our past
In essence they’re
Telling us to kiss their ***
As we find ourselves saying
Another funeral mass

A millionaire’s charm
He seems to be oozing
While all the while
Still refusing
To acknowledge
He’s heading for
A bruising
Yet there’s nothing that he hates
Worst than losing







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They are not the terrorists
They’re the terrorized
Yet they are the ones
We’ve chosen to ostracize
Everyday they’re looking
Death squarely in the eyes
And yet we haven’t
Taken the time to realize

They are not the terrorist
They’re just frightened people
The majority of which
Are perfectly peaceful
And are in no way
Trying to be deceitful
Why can’t we treat them
Simply as our equals

They are not the terrorists
Though we like to pretend
That they’re all hell-bent
On bringing about our end
If we keep the Syrians out
That’s the message we send
And we’re no longer a nation
That I can comprehend

They are not the terrorists
They’re just their victims
Is it their fault that
Most were not born Christians
What kind of reason is that
To keep them at a distance
Because of some politician's
Constant insistance



























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They aspire
For an office much higher
Than the one that they hold
As it gets to the wire
One might inquire
Who’ll be left out in the cold
Or if I may be so bold
Whose tent is gonna fold

They’ve set their sights
On loftier heights
Above their present positions
But if nobody bites
We’ll perform the last rites
On their individual ambitions
And not to be contrite
This is said despite their individual positions

Would you agree, mi amigo?
It’s a matter of ego
That drives their aspirations
For some it’s libido
As they thread the needle
And constantly test our patience
Just adding to our frustrations
Never reaching our expectations

It’s an interesting field
Of near-do-wells and well-heeled
Hoping to be the last person standing
As time has revealed
Their fate may be sealed
Despite all the time they spent branding
They can go to hell
If their brand doesn’t sell
And bid the race a farewell



































Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By; Cedric McClester

They call it a civil war
But ain’t nothing civil about it
If you’ve seen people die before
Then you wouldn’t doubt it
Who said victory is sweet
When bombs fall through concrete
And people die right at your feet
It’s impossible to retreat

How can anyone avoid
Post traumatic stress
When nightmares reoccur
From living through that mess
The fact that you’re alive
Says that you are blessed
And life goes on they say
Nevertheless

They call it civil war
But ain’t nothing civil about it
If you’re lucky enough to survive
You’d probably want to shout it
Blood flows in the street
And the carnage just repeats
So the memory never deletes
The muffle sounds of the drum beats

How can anyone avoid
Post traumatic stress
When nightmares reoccur
From living through that mess
The fact that you’re alive
Says that you are blessed
And life goes on they say
Nevertheless






Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They can never un-hear
The terror that they heard
They cannot forget
To put it in a word
Still nothing’s being done
Now isn’t that absurd
Because our lines of reasoning
Clearly have been blurred

They can never erase
The memories from that day
Nor in any case can they
Wash the blood away
Like a stain of indelible ink
It will permanently stay
Somewhere in their subconscious
Where it will always lay

How can they forget
That it even occurred
It’s something they regret
As opposed to preferred
Nothing’s being done
Maybe it never will
We so revere the gun
That we’re prone to ****

If we never try
Then we’re destined to fail
Until there’s only us
Left around to assail
Are we ever gonna
Come to our senses
I wish that we knew
How to mend our broken fences








Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They can’t turn the clock back
To before
Ugliness and hatred’s
At it’s core
We fought for Civil Rights
And changed the law
So we’re not coming in
Through the back door

They can’t turn the clock back
To before
We had the right to vote
Or went to war
The urgency of now’s
Hard to ignore
For those of us
Who’ve been keeping score

They can’t turn the clock back
To before
‘Cuz we’re not taking their ****
Anymore
We’re the ones that they say
They abhor
Yet we fought for them
In each and every war

They can’t turn the clock back
To before
We arrived in slave ships
On these shores
The aftermath of which
Runs through our pores
So let me sign off now
Sincerely yours










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By; Cedric McClester

They had seven years to prepare
To abolish Obamacare
So there’s enough blame to share
Cos’ in the end how did they fare?
And ya know they went for broke
But their efforts went up in smoke
Now they’re the **** of the joke
For tryin’ to take it away from folk

At the cost of the average man’s health
They were tryin’ to increase the wealth
Of insurance companies by stealth
And the rich if nothing else
So let Obamacare be hailed
Cos’ they plotted planned and failed
Though the Freedom Caucus is assailed
The president shouldn’t be bailed

They put together their A team
And tried everything it would seem
From a whisper to a scream
A Twitter attack to a meme
See it hadn’t been scored or scaled
So in the end God Almighty prevailed
When no one could be blackmailed
Ultimately the whole thing failed

In their districts constituents arose
And some elected officials froze
Cos’ come election time everyone knows
It’s the recalcitrant one who goes
So the president could say what he wanted
But the membership remained undaunted
None of ‘em wanted to be haunted
By a vote that wouldn’t be vaunted










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

One day we’ll all be dead
Let’s celebrate their lives instead
Who cares what someone said
Or what we might have read
Their work will speak for them
Can we all say amen
They left us much too soon
Where’d they go to the moon

They all sang a song or two
And some could glamour you
Others could take you to
Heights you never knew
Long after they are gone
Their music will live on
So even though we’re torn
No need for us to morn

The accolades repeat
Until again we meet
We have to be upbeat
Parting is bitter sweet
No more barricades
Or no need for charades
Call it life’s big parade
Into the darkness we fade

They sang a song or two
And some could glamour you
Others could take you to
Heights you never knew
Long after they are gone
Their music will live on
So even though we’re torn
No need for us to morn

All this goes to show
Is that we never know
What time they have left
Before we’re left bereft

We have our memories
Of all of our used to bes
That we can now frame freeze
Before crying God please
Make us grateful for
The ones we can’t ignore
Who we won’t see anymore
So remember their last tour

They sang a song or two
And some could glamour you
Others could take you to
Heights you never knew
Long after they are gone
Their music will live on
So even though we’re torn
No need for us to morn

One day we’ll all be dead
Let’s celebrate their lives instead
Who cares what someone said
Or what we might have read
Their work will speak for them
Can we all say amen
They left us much too soon
Where’d they go to the moon





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














042216cm

By: Cedric McClester

They may love him
But I refuse
To see him as anything
Other than my muse
See I won’t let him
Give me the blues
Cuz I say to myself
What is the use

They may love him
And while that’s alright
Why should I care
If he’s up late at night
Giving somebody
A three am tweet
Which is a dumb thing
He’ll no doubt repeat

They may love him
And that’s understood
Which is not to suggest
That everything’s good
They're burning his effigy  
Cuz he knew he would
Alienate everyone
That he thought he could

They may love him
Although I do not
I think of him
As an irreverent snot
But be that as it may
He’s what we got
Is there any wonder
Why we’re in a rut?



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

They must have misspoke
To say it’s a joke
Or did they take a ****
Of some strong smoke?
They’re giving him cover
Like he was their brother
But they’ll soon discover
What they can’t recover

Once they’re in  ruins
Like the Boston Bruins
Based on their congruence
Or undue influence
They’re under his spell
So the lies that they tell
They try their best to sell
May they all rot in hell

They’ve sold their souls
Just to reach their goals
While assuming their roles
They’re climbing greased poles
So they’re going down
Like a circus clown
In a dirt mound
On a playground

They must have misspoke
To say it’s a joke
As if we’re not woke
Once the trust is broke
But their loyalty
Is misplaced as we see
So if you’re asking me
They had best let him be





         Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By; Cedric McClester

They say that they promised
As the reason why
Millions of us
Will now have to die
From repeal and replace
Which is a far cry
From what we had
And they cannot deny

What they’re now trying
To ram down our throat
Really isn’t better’
It’s just a new coat
Of paint on a ship
That never could float
Now all but the rich
Will be on the same boat

Of course I ‘m in favor of
Single payer
Despite opposition
From the naysayers
Cos we’re in position
To be a key players
In healthcare for all
Despite the delayers

We’re the richest country
In the whole world
And it’s beyond high time
That a plan is unfurled
I don’t see why
It makes them so uptight
To admit that healthcare
Should be a human right






Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Her baby came out
But in a haze
As a consequence
Of her drug addicted ways
Seems like
An epidemic now-a-days
With too high of a cost
Its victim pays

Yes she’s sorry
But what ‘s the use
If you ask most
That’s just an excuse
For her poor choices
They might well deduce
But it’s a disease
That causes the misuse

Looking back
She wonders what went wrong
As a matter of fact
That’s an old familiar song
For those seeking pain relief
That  takes too long
For it to acquiesce
The pain’s so strong

People think
Much differently today
Than they did
Ten years ago, let’s say
Accordingly what
They didn’t suspect
In their own families
They’re beginning to detect







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They’re not contenders
Except in their own eyes
They should drop out
And they would were they wise
But they keep telling
Themselves the same lies
They get A for effort
But God knows they try

Meanwhile the guy
At the top of the ticket
Likes being in the mud
Cuz he likes the thicket
Some think he’s the devil
Because he’s so wicked
But he’s never been
Good as Wilson Pickett

Then there’s the guy
With the lean hungry look
He’s a snake in the grass
But he’s done what it took
Yet nevertheless he’s still
Getting shook
And pretty soon they’ll be
Closing his book

Although the governor
Is a reasonable guy
He’s always at the bottom
And that is no lie
But he remains in the race
Though the question is why
He’ll never be president
Which no one denies








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They **** more Muslims
Than anyone else
Which is a true indication
That they hate themselves
They claim to be Muslim
But are they in fact
When taking innocent lives
Is an un-Islamic act

Innocent blood shed
Indiscriminately
Is forbidden by the Qu’ran
And it’s plain to see
That they’re not Muslim
And that is key
Even if that’s what
They claim to be

Islamic terror
Is misuse of terms
At best it’s an error
But some plant those germs
Insisting that’s how
They should be labeled
And by so doing
Our enemies are enabled

I’ve heard it said
That ignorance Is bliss
And clearly that saying
Would apply to this
We tend to fear
That which we don’t know
And as it relates to Islam
We have a long way to go







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They’re not the same Republicans
That they were before
They don’t like separating families
But like zero tolerance more
In the face of the inhumanity
They’re willing to ignore
It’s a clear indication
That they’re rotten to the core

They’re the new Republicans
Subservient to Donald Trump
Afraid he might come after them
On the campaign stump
And so they’re more than willing
To adopt the role of chump
Even if so doing
Will land them in a dump

They know that he's ridiculous
But they still look the other way
It never matters to them
What he has to say
They will not repudiate him
Or get in the fray
Which by all outward appearances
Makes it look like it's okay

Long- time past Republicans
Are leaving the party in droves
Ashamed at what it has become
As everybody knows
From the top down to the bottom
Is where **** usually flows
But that’s the new reality
That each of 'em has chose






Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They’re out there
Buying dreams
While reality
All but screams
It’s not as simple
As it first seems
When promises are sold
By the reams

Saying it
Don’t mean it’s done
They sell horseshit
By the ton
They’ll say anything
When they run
Whether for
Or against the gun

Some we don’t like
Some we do
Either or
It’s me or you
Who’ll decide
What’s false or true
When they drop
The other shoe

When politicians
Pulls their strings
What desperation
Often brings
Is people go for
Lot’s of things
Which ever way
The pendulum swings









Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They say
Snitches get stitches
But silence
Permits violence
And the paradigm
That avoids the crime
Is a stitch in time
Saves nine

They say
It’s bad to squeal
But let’s keep it real
Cos you know the deal
Grease gets applied to
The squeaky wheel
And the open mouth
Is fed the meal

They say
Once bitten
Twice shy
And we should know
The reason why
Don’t say it’s him
If the mote’s
In your eye

They say
It take two to tango
And the sweetest fruit
Off a tree is a mango
Santana’s 12 studio album
Is Shango
Movie tickets are available
On the website Fandango






















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

They wanna know
Am I obsessed
Perhaps I am
Just as they suggest
But lies eventually
Get undressed
Whether denied
Or confessed
And we’ve been lied to
Convincingly
And that’s the problem
Don’t cha see
Cos I refuse
To let it be
One day I know
We’ll all be free

They wanna know
Why I’m so mad
As if bein angry
Is so bad
The fact they’re not
To me is sad
Guess they don’t know
When they’ve been had
They wanna wave
The red white and blue
But would they still
If they knew
The true nature of the beast
And why were really
In the Middle East
So that the vultures get to feast

They wanna know
Why I write
About this subject
Day and night
But I’m just tryin
To shed some light
On how and why
We’re in this fight
And someone has to speak
Truth to power
So I seized the moment
And the hour
I’ll not let them
Make me cower
The situation
Is too dower

They wanna know
Why I feel
So compelled
To keep it real
Snitching don’t have
Much appeal
But someone has to
Tell the deal
The 9-11 sentiment
Ain’t the reason
That we went
It’s the oil
Get the hint
That’s the truth
Of why we went

They wanna know
But then they don’t
Some will believe
While others won’t
But I still try
To raise the roof
And I don’t talk
Without the proof
Now he won’t tell ya
That he goofed
He should have stayed
On the Vermouth
Maybe then
He’d be more mellow
Instead he’s just
A cocky fellow

They wanna know
But I’m not tellin
That George Dubya
Must be jellin
Y’all know
That the man’s a felon
And I don’t believe
You’re askin me
The nature of his felony
You have eyes
Use them to see
Yo we’re at war
And don’t have to be
And I guess it's clear enough to see
That he is not the remedy






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

By: Cedric McClester

Wall Street execs plundered
Everything in sight
Then the banks went under
That got everyone uptight
There’s something to be said
For experience
But that might well be *******
By judgment and common sense

Things are getting nastier
Than they’ve ever been
But what is it they plan to do
If they want to win

Folks can’t pay their mortgages
Or their grocery bills
They believe in country first
But that won’t cure their ills
Attacking the opposition
Doesn’t provide an answer
That can actually address
This ever-growing cancer

Things are getting nastier
Than they’ve ever been
But what is it they plan to do
If they want to win

One side’s throwing mud
At the camera screen
The other offers no solutions
You know what I mean
Desperation brings out insanity
But it don’t do a thing
For folks like you and me

Things are getting nastier
Than they’ve ever been
But what is it they plan to do
If they want to win

Things are getting nastier
Than they’ve ever been
While suggestions and solutions
Have been paper thin
The question shouldn’t be
Who is he or she
All I want to know
Is what they’ll do for me







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

To a desperate politician
Who’s broke
Things might go better
With Koch
They’re not just
Your average folk
And their spending
Is sometimes baroque

Why can’t they get off
Their buns?
They’re too busy
Trying to raise funds
And they’ll never be
Against guns
As long as they’re
Who the NRA runs

It’s the American people
They neglect
While they take time
To genuflect
To the lobbyists
That they respect
So their to do list
Remains unchecked

We need to publicly
Fund our elections
And get rid of
The lobbyist connections
So they’ll follow
The people’s directions
In spite of
The rich folks objections








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015,  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

How can we address
Things we don’t express
And think nevertheless
They will be redressed
Why should we assume
In a smokeless back room
Talk will then resume
As to how to close the wound

****** has returned
Because we haven’t learned
But now look who’s concerned
Now that the table’s turned
It’s creating quite a scare
Because it’s everywhere
In the suburbs they’re in prayer
Over who the Lord should spare

Go to college
Then go broke
And that’s not just a joke
There’s no mirrors or no smoke
It’s a sad reality
And I’m sure you would agree
Much to the banker’s glee
It’s affected you and me

Now there is no middle class
It’s regulated to our past
See it vanished much too fast
It’s either rich or poor by contrast
When conservative do what they does
Nothing stays the way it was
And perhaps that’s just becuz
They’ve put the past on pause

































Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I’ve told you things
That you didn’t want to hear
And challenged some things
That you’ve long held dear
All in an effort
To make it crystal clear
That I know what it is
That you most fear

All men are created equal
Was nothing more than myth
The moment I was declared
Only one fifth
I was cut down
As if with a scythe
And told to worship
At your monolith

And to further plant
Seeds of my self-doubt
What about the history
That left me out
As if my culture
Lacked stature and clout
Now truthfully tell me
What's that’ about?

So to wrap it all up
In a neat bow
There’s some other things
That you need to know
Like what your destiny
Is bound to show
You’re gonna have to
Reap what you sow







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021.  All rights reserved.

(Verse 1)
Guess my mind’s on rewind back to the time
When we were together
And I thought forever we would be,
The perfect couple (her and me)
Although it took a while for me to see
That wasn’t how it was gonna be

(Chorus)
But I’m thinking back to that time
When everything seemed just fine
Guess that’s why they say love is blind
(And at times it can be unkind)

(Verse 2)
I remember the scent of the perfume she used to wear
Frequently - ya see - my mind takes me there
To a time long before we began to fight
Back then everything was alright
But it changed like day from night
When we both became uptight

(Chorus)
Still I’m thinking back to that time
When everything seemed just fine
Guess that’s why they say love is blind
(And at times it can be unkind)

(Bridge)
It’s like seeing through a cloudy mirror
The reflection from our distant pass
It’s surreal but I can almost hear her
Before the dye was finally cast

(Chorus)
I’m thinking back to that time
When everything seemed just fine
Guess that’s why they say love is blind
(And at times it can be unkind)

(3rd Verse)
Do I miss her? (There’s no doubt I do)
That’s not the half, (If you only knew)
Everything that we’ve been through
I gotta think you would love her too
Now I’m facing the reality
Sadly she is no longer with me

(Chorus)
I’m thinking back to that time
When everything seemed just fine
Guess that’s why they say love is blind
(And at times it can be unkind)

By: Cedric McClester

Thinking people say
That he must be insane
To allow Putin to continue
To pull his chain
When Putin should be
The President’s bane
He’s ex-KGB
Ya know what I’m sayin’

But the President takes
Putin’s word like gospel
And he readiy repeats it
That’s how we can tell
Putin must have him
Underneath his spell
So without a handbasket
He’s going to hell

Some say that he
Is simply hypnotized
Others believe
He’s been mesmerized
Or maybe it’s that
He’s poorly advised
Or a Russian asset
Who believes his lies

Some say it’s beyond
Being tragic
Putin must have
His own brand of magic
Or maybe he uses
Some kind of gadget
To make the President
Act like a maggot























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We’re thirty seconds closer to midnight
The nuclear scientists all say
Before the Biblically revealed Armageddon
Is tragically brought into play
The world believes that a madman
Has his hands on the nuclear codes
And frankly other leaders are worried
Because of what that forebodes

We’re thirty seconds closer to midnight
According to the nuclear clock
And people all over the world
Are frankly expressing their shock
At the talk of building up stockpiles
As a necessary and clear deterrent
While furthering an insane plan
That isn’t at best coherent

We’re thirty seconds closer to midnight
And some are abandoning hope
Others are still optimistic
By holding tightly onto God’s Rope
But whatever side you may fall on
The potential for disaster is real
When the head of a powerful nation
Operates by how he may feel

We’re thirty seconds closer to midnight
That’s’ a sad but salient fact
With all sides worried and wondering
Who’ll make the first strike attack
Instead of reducing our stockpiles
They’re hell-bent on building them up
Take the time to look at their profiles
You’ll discover that most are corrupt


















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Though the evidence was none to slim
They still went ahead and indicted him
Double ****** his charge read
Death to him the jury said
Although the charges made no sense
He failed to mount a good defense
He might have died no one denied
On the evidence that they tried

Thirty years on death row
And then they let him go
The time passed by so slow
There was no evidence to show
That even though he did the time
He was involved in the crime
Let’s call it justice or a sign
Of how slow sometimes the wheels can grind

An innocent man might have died
On the evidence that they tried
Which is what they often forget
When they become an advocate
For metering out state inflicted death
Like no other alternative is left
Even though some are guilt free
Of their charges don’t cha see

Thirty years on death row
And then they let him go
The time passed by so slow
There was no evidence to show
That even though he did the time
His involvement in the crime
Let’s call it justice or a sign
Of how slow the wheels can grind

See he read in God We Trust
Before his life got turned to dust
He was cuffed and taken away
Straight to death row for a stay
That lasted for all of thirty years
Which confirmed all his fears

Justice delayed is justice denied
He thought about it while he was inside
And not for nothing nobody cared
That the forensics just wasn’t there
They refused to review the evidence
That might have proved his innocence
So he had to be patient and keep his cool
Until he could get the Supreme Court to rule

Thirty years on death row
And then they let him go
The time passed by so slow
There was no evidence to show
That even though he did the time
His involvement in the crime
Let’s call it justice or a sign
Of how slow the wheels can grind

Justice delayed is justice denied
He thought about it while he was inside
And not for nothing nobody cared
That the forensics just wasn’t there
They refused to review the evidence
That might have proved his innocence
So he had to be patient and keep his cool
Until he could get the Supreme Court to rule




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

By: Cedric McClester

We’ve been patient
With this embarrassment to the nation
Who put civility on vacation
Which is the present situation
He plays his games of race
For the benefit of his base
Though an outlier in any case
He is readily embraced

We watch this demigod
Going in whole hog
With the hateful Tweets we log
As we read his daily blog
He’s openly misogynistic
According to the statistic
What he’s not is futuristic
Nor is he a sage or mystic

And there’s no debate
That he traffics in hate
Just as he anticipates
Many people take the bait
So, if you’re not on his side
When his strategy’s applied
The field is opened wide
He lives to conquer or divide

He pours on the oil
To fuel the fire or to foil
His enemies who toil
Just to bring it to a boil
And he’s fully aware
Though he doesn’t really care
About the women he will smear
With the lies that he will share












Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They can be so cruel
When they want to
Make you look like a fool
And then they haunt you
Amanda showed her breast
Because of someone’s dare
She was just a young girl
Who was unaware

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone

One careless moment
Captured on the net
Never went away
So no one could forget
She compromised herself
Much to her regret
And so it followed her
And made her upset

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone

Her name was Amanda
She was someone’s child
Who was cyber bullied
Too bad she’s dead now
Amanda couldn’t take
All the stress and strife
And she got so depressed
That she took her own life

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone
Where are they all now
Hope they’re satisfied
She was bullied up until
The very day she died

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone


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

By: Cedric McClester

This isn’t a moment,
It’s a movement
Towards our mutual
Self-improvement
George Floyd was the catalyst
For us getting into this
Though we would surely be remiss
If we failed to insist

That justice be
The end result
For all of us
Without a doubt
As we demonstrate
And shout
That’s what it’s
All about

Equal justice
Under the law
Is what we
Never had before
We want it now
And ever more
Which is at
The Constitution’s core

We want  law enforcement
That we deserve
The kind that exists
To protect and serve
Not the kind we
Frequently observe
That weilds their power
To unnerve














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

This isn’t the end
It’s the beginning
And we’re only in
The first inning
Raised voices are
Our underpinning
For a movement
That’s growing not thinning

This isn’t the end
It’s the beginning
Those who don’t understand
May be grinning
Or trying to hit back
By offending
Despite the fact
We’re ascending

This isn’t the end
It’s the beginning
Because we intend
To be winning
So they can go on
Condescending
But we will remain
Unbending

This isn’t the end
It’s the beginning
And we hope that
They’re comprehending
We’re not into
Deficit spending
Our movement is
Has no ending





Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We’ve seen this movie
Too many times before
Sadly now it’s playing
In Baltimore
Is it arcane police culture
When their nerves are raw
That has us again seeing
What we already saw

This isn’t an indictment
I don’t have the facts
But I do have a question
Why’s it always blacks
Who wind up shot, strangled
Or with broken backs
When the police intervene
Just follow their tracks

Now I’m not saying
All cops are bad
I’m just commenting on
The ones that are rad’
Who bring about outcomes
That usually turn bad
And funeral services
That are always sad

We’ve seen this movie
Too many times before
Sadly now it’s playing
In Baltimore
Is it arcane police culture
When their nerves are raw
That has us again seeing
What we already saw



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

By: Cedric McClester

This movie has played out before
And it’s one that we should not ignore
Where the Turks sought to even the score
By openly declaring war
Against a perceived enemy
Who only sought to be free
But were still made to bow their knee
As they did their best to flea

So we can’t call this paranoid schizophrenia
Though back then it was in Armenia
It’s worse than a bad case of yersinia
We’ve seen it played out in Slovenia
They are now moving in on the Kurds
Calling them all kinds of nasty words
But their rationale is for the birds
Who can be counted on to drop their turds

America left them in their lurch
With an alliance that we besmirched
Following a phone call that needs to be researched
By two despots who are clearly unchurched
Now there’s nowhere for the Kurds to hide
From the onslaught or the genocide
But they still fight for their land and pride
And we’ve lost count of how many have died

See the sad part is, it could have been avoided
Before our reputation was exploited
Because our president went and destroyed it
By removing troops that he had voided
To make a move that was so dastardly
Was more than a mistake, it was a catastrophe
And a moral failing if you’re asking me
That now the whole world can see



           Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

This thing is complex
We’re lacking
Balances or checks
And being led
By inferior intellects
Round up the usual suspects
Cuz’ who knows what
Is coming next?

This thing is perverse
It’s gone from
Bad to worst
Could it be that
We’re accursed?
And can it somehow
Be reversed?

This thing is bizarre
Because it’s gone
Too far
But then,
There you are
We’re in a
Petri jar

This thing isn’t unique
And I know of
What I speak
Which informs
This critique
The strong will
Vanquish the weak
If we continue being meek


















Cedric McClester, Copyright ©2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I have to state
This topic won’t wait
There’s too much hate
And you can’t debate
The president’s role
God bless his soul
Though it has a hole
And his heart is cold

I must declare
I’ve experienced my share
And so I’m aware
That hatred’s there
I know that it exists
So I must insist
That we resist
Though it’s in our mist

It’s a matter of record
So you can check it
Or try to dissect it
Maybe intellect it
But why should we pretend
Learning how to hate again
Can ever make us great again
And if we ever were then when?

It started with the natives who
Judging by what they went through
Were mistreated as we knew
Like black and brown people too
But do you think that they’d repent
Or take the time to relent
Instead of getting encouragement
From the ******* president












Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Those redneck crackers
Chose to spill
The innocent blood
Of young Emmett Til
An image that
Stays with me still
And I believe
It always will

Imagine that
You were the mother
Of ten year old
Clifford Glover
Only to wake up
To discover
That he was dead
Somehow or other

The cops said
He was running and
They mistook him
For a grown man
Caught with
Nothing In his hand
She was asked
To just understand

There are others
Too numerous to name
Who might never
Achieve the same fame
Of those above
Whom I have claimed
But they’re as noteworthy
Just the same








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Place the onus on those
Right wing Jewish donors
Who view the annexation of
The Golan Heights a bonus
And while it well may be
We’ll have to wait and see
If a two-state solution can be found
On what was once Palestinian ground

So let us continue to pretend
That it’s not about the Benjamins
Garnering support for our Jewish friends
To the detriment of Palestinians
The President’s envoy to the Middle East,
His son-in-law, can’t bring about peace
You see he biased to say the least
And both of their pocket have been greased

We can’t underestimate Jewish influence
On American policy we see the confluence
As our strongest ally in the Middle East
The slack we cut them, over time has increased
And so we’re not viewed as honest brokers
But rather we’re thought of as Jewish gophers
Whether, or not that’s actually  true
That’s how it’s seen in many folks view

While Israel has the right to exist
So do the people who they’ve ******
They’ve taken Jerusalem for their nation’s capitol
Though for Palestinians that’s clearly not palpable
So how is the riddle ever to be solved,
If neither side, hasn’t evolved?
And policy’s still driven by certain interests
Which is fuel by money nevertheless








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

Madame kept
An exclusive list
Of well-heeled clients
None were missed
She held the power
In her fist
In case she was called on
To reminisce

Now she’s gone
By suicide
When the scales of justice
Were applied
Having been found guilty
She couldn’t hide
The myriad of crimes
She had denied

Her lawyer’s listing
Those who came
Even mentioning
Them by name
To expose
And to shame
Them publicly
Just to defame

Past clients are nervous
No doubt
That they might soon
Be found out
It doesn’t matter
If they have clout
Once their name
Gets bandied about

Her lawyer’s listing
Those who came
Even mentioning
Them by name
To expose
And to shame
Them publicly
Just to defame

Madame kept
An exclusive list
Of well-heeled clients
None were missed
She held the power
In her fist
In case she was called on
To reminisce

By: Cedric McClester

Madame kept
An exclusive list
Of well-heeled clients
None were missed
She held the power
In her fist
In case she was called on
To reminisce

Now she’s gone
By suicide
When the scales of justice
Were applied
Having been found guilty
She couldn’t hide
The myriad of crimes
She had denied

Her lawyer’s listing
Those who came
Even mentioning
Them by name
To expose
And to shame
Them publicly
Just to defame

Past clients are nervous
No doubt
That they might soon
Be found out
It doesn’t matter
If they have clout
Once their name
Gets bandied about

Her lawyer’s listing
Those who came
Even mentioning
Them by name
To expose
And to shame
Them publicly
Just to defame

Madame kept
An exclusive list
Of well-heeled clients
None were missed
She held the power
In her fist
In case she was called on
To reminisce

By: Cedric McClester

Those who don’t know history
Are doomed to repeat it
And the ignorance of ISIS
Has to be deep seated
It took thousands of years
To make it
And no time at all
For them to break it

The temples and the artifacts
Once there to see
As a testament to what
The world used to be
Are no longer there
And here’s the key
Ignorance is bliss
As we well can see

Al Baghdadi and his acolytes
Wanna change the world
But they can’t accomplish this
By ****** every girl
Who through ignorance alone
Come under their influence
One day he’ll have to answer
For his incongruence

There is a God above
Who we must answer to
ISIS and their followers
Act like they never knew
Their behavior alone shows
That they have no clue
Cos look at who they stick to
Like Krazy Glue



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Those who hate
Will no doubt relate
For massive harm
Make a bomb
In the kitchen of your mom
Before you explode it
Be sure to lock and load it
So you won't implode it

At your leader’s insistence
It’s leaderless resistance
Don’t ask for their assistance
Before your nonexistence
Just go out and do it
Put total strangers through it
The consequences, ***** it
Besides, you already knew it

Clearly be aware
Of the dog-whistles you hear
There’s no need for you to fear
So get your *** in gear
Without the least abatement
Go out and make your statement
Show the world what your hate meant
And be sure not to relent

So, if you find this instructive
Then the natural deductive
Is by nature you’re destructive
And you’re also nonproductive
When you show your cowardice
By engaging in this
You’re not only remiss
Your ignorance is bliss












Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.   All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

There was a time
They wore a hood
To hide their face
That’s understood
But now-a-days
We wish they would
Put out their torches
And fire wood

They always sought
Hegemony
Over people
Who look like me
And even though
That well may be
We’re still here
As they can see

Three days later
He responded
To Charlottesville
But appeared despondent
Which of course
Corresponded
With the public’s outrage
That he hadn’t done it

So he said precisely what
Somebody wrote
With all the right words
And I’ve taken note
But the reason that doesn’t
Float my boat
He began his remarks
After pausing to gloat





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

By: Cedric McClester

Lock ‘em up
And throw away the key
Ain’t that what they did
To the average ******
Especially if they looked
Like you or me
But they now have a different
Attitude we see

Now it’s not limited
To those ghetto Herbs
Today it’s prevalent
In the white suburbs
So it’s an issue
That suddenly disturbs
Middle America
Where it now occurs

Drugs are something
For us to all hate
Some it caught early
Others quite late
But either, or
It can seal your fate
For those who've know
Drugs don’t discriminate

They agree upon nothing
But on this they’re all in
Miraculously - efforts to fight drugs
Are bi-partisan
We don’t have to wonder
When did it begin
So we never have to equivocate
Or try to pretend







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Throw ‘em all
Over Niagara Falls
Who lack testicular fortitude
In other words *****
The ones who acquiesce to
The President’s calls
While he runs the string
Of misplaced stalls

Throw ‘em all
Under the bus
It’s clear that they
Don’t care about us
Because it’s in Trump
Not God that they trust
They want to retain power
While the country goes bust

Throw ‘em all
In front of the train
Congress ya see
Had gone insane
It’s as if they’re
Missing a membrane
A protective cover
Shielding their brain

Throw ‘em all
Off of a high cliff
Give democracy
A parting gift
Their oaths in office
Are but a myth
They’re totally lacking
In their band widths





Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

Throw ‘em all
Over Niagara Falls
Who lack testicular fortitude
In other words *****!
The ones who acquiesce to
The President’s calls
While he runs the string
Of misplaced stalls

Throw ‘em all
Under the bus
It’s clear that they
Don’t care about us
Because it’s in Trump
Not God that they trust
They want to retain power
While the country goes bust

Throw ‘em all
In front of the train
Congress ya see
Had gone insane
It’s as if they’re
Missing a membrane
A protective cover
Shielding their brain

Throw ‘em all
Off of a high cliff
Give democracy
A parting gift
Their oaths in office
Are but a myth
They’re totally lacking
In their band widths











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

In a world
That’s so politically correct
What are we to call ‘em
Thugs -  or criminal suspects
Perhaps it’s something else
That we should project
Maybe our language
Needs to be checked

Must urban youth
Be marginalized
As a result of their misdeeds
Or can we recognize
That they have certain needs
They haven’t realized
We read the news feeds
And then we demonize

Is it a riot
Or an insurrection
Maybe it requires
Some more introspection
Before we decide
It’s their predilection
Because the evidence
Leads us in that direction

I don’t know
Who it was that stated
What poverty often does
Is underrated
And victims of poverty
Are often hated
Though the larger implications
Are complicated


© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.