By: Cedric McClester

We can smell the stench
But don’t cha give an inch
Not even in a pinch
Cuz’ It’s a lead- pipe cinch
If you ever do
Here’s a salient clue
He’ll take advantage of you
And you will be through

For him it’s do or dare
Ya see he doesn’t care
About other’s despair
He remains cavalier
Winning is everything
And life’s a boxing ring
So to stay in the West Wing
He’s bound to take a swing

And so it’s come to this
By all means resist
Although he will get ******
Become his proctologist
Stay right up on his ***
Develop ***** of brass
And this too will pass
Like a bad case of gas

See those who persevere
And keep their *** in gear
Needn’t ever fear
The path to victory’s clear
Those on the side of right
Who are prepared to fight
And see it through the night
Will overcome their plight








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

Words by: Cedric McClester

“We can’t let science,
Get in the way of
Opening schools,”
Said the Kayleigh McEnany
To nitwits and fools
As she puffs nervously
On a pack of Kools
While openingly breaking all the rules

See she can afford to
Talk that wild
Cuz she doesn’t have
Chick nor child
And we know full well
Covid’s not out of style
Though she might live in
The Isle of Denial

She’s a good servant
Serving her master well
As far as he’s concerned
We can all go to hell
But she’s hypnotized
And is under his spell
So she responds
When he rings her bell

Our children shouldn’t be
Pawns in his game
When we know full well
Everything’s not the same
He knows it too
But what he hopes to gain
Is to be reelected
Despite all the pain







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

When our president
Determines what should be
And we don’t have the right
To take a knee
How on earth
Can we say that we’re free?
If we acquiesce
To the dogma that we see

Some call him
The Master of the Lie
A title that he’s earned
Who can deny?
Deflection is usually
The reason why
Along with the gullibility
Of those who buy

His base is
Only a tiny fraction
Of the vast majority
Who take no action
When his branding
Is worthy of redaction
It seems to linger on
To his satisfaction

Adverse news he claims
The press is faking
Which is merely subterfuge
Of his own making
Never mind the norms
That he’s breaking
On a Richter scale
It’s just breathtaking







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved.











i

By: Cedric McClester

“We don’t put them in jail,” she said.
No, instead we put ‘em in cages,
At the most tender ages!
And so the debate rages
Because of a presidential policy
That never had to be
And she apparently support it
To remain his Secretary

Every time that she insists
The border wall must exist
She’s putting her integrity at risk
And that really gets me ******
You see in stark reality
There is no real emergency
Although we hear him say it
He cannot display it

People running for their lives
Seeking asylum, but is it wise?
For them to cross the border legally
If when they do they won’t be free
To apply for American citizenship
Because of the President’s xenophobic trip
Especially when they’re shades of brown
Because all that they’ll get, is the run around

Closeness to power must be contagious
It causes some people to say the outrageous
When they find it advantageous
They’ll say the kids are not in cages
But we will not be deceived
Just because that’s what they want us to believe
Some have gone to see for self
Those children warehoused on a shelf









































Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We don’t talk anymore
Or socialize like before
Long conversations are a bore
That’s what a text message is for
And we’re attached to our phone
Like we’re in the Twilight Zone
That’s not the way it used to be
When we had intimacy

We don’t talk face to face
Social media took its place
We rarely stop to embrace
Old memories become erased
It’s a brand- new generation
Lacking the time or patience
To verbally communicate
When we want to relate

We don’t talk anymore
From Alabam to Rotterdam
We Snapchat or Instagram
See it’s a new millennium
And social media is the idiom
We use the most to express
What we have on our chest

Some look back to yesterday
Appreciating the old way
We used our mouths to try to say
What we wanted to convey
We looked each other in the eye
And waited for the sure reply
To whatever we were saying
Or our features were displaying







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.






...

By: Cedric McClester

Attention everyone
There’s an international crisis
For the sake of argument
Let’s call it ISIS
To whom my advice is
Stop it follow your Prophet
Peace and blessing be upon him
Why do you scorn him

We have a crisis
Because of ISIS
Who aren’t the nicest
They’re rolling the dices

Under the belief
The world needs a Khalif
They cause nothing but grief
And we all want relief
With God willing
We’ll stop the killing
And their savagery
Which helps us to see

We have a crisis
Because of ISIS
Who aren’t the nicest
They’re rolling the dices

Without a doubt
In time they’ll crap out
Until then they’ll shout
Allahu Akbar so there you are
God is Great
But love will crush hate
Underneath its own weight

We have a crisis
Because of ISIS
Who aren’t the nicest
They’re rolling the dices

They lack
Mercy or compassion
And in their own fashion
They’ve tried to cash in
On their few conquests
But nevertheless
Despite their success
They’re gonna regress

We have a crisis
Because of ISIS
Who aren’t the nicest
They’re rolling the dices

Attention everyone
There’s an international crisis
For the sake of argument
Let’s call it ISIS
To whom my advice is
Stop it follow your Prophet
Peace and blessing be upon him
Why do you scorn him

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

By: Cedric <cCleter, Copyright © 2022.

We have been beseeched
To vote to impeach
Associate Supreme Court Justice
Clarence Thomas for his overreach
He has excused
Voting on things for which
He should have been rescued
And those laws he abused

He and his right-wing wife
Are partners for life
And their collaboration
Has been rife
Cutting their deals
With a knife
Causing the court undue
Stress and strife

See they’re cut from
The same cloth
Stuck together like
Wool fabric and a moth
Which they proudly wear
Adoth
And they’ve struck hard
Instead of soft

So I don’t see
Nothing wrong
With both of ‘em
Being gone
Since they’ve been there
Much too long
And that sentiment
Is strong











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2022.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We know where the bones are buried
Of all of the deceased
Killed in wars and other carnage
Now that they rest in peace
No good deed will go unpunished
This we know for sure
Karmas always finds a way
Of evening up the score

We know where the bones are buried
Just beneath the surface
So the question we must ask ourselves
Is do our lives have purpose

We don’t care about the planet
That sustains our lives
We take from it like we're bandits
Until the day arrives
When the bill is tabulated
And not one of us survives
Not our sons and daughters
Or our precious pretty wives

We know where the bones are buried
Just beneath the surface
So the question we must ask ourselves
Is do our lives have purpose

Every problem has a solution
From all that I’ve been told
If we dig a little deeper
The answers will unfold

We have only ourselves to blame
For the bloodletting we see
Examine how we’ve lived our lives
And it’s no mystery
That there’s turmoil and confusion
Check out our history
And just to put it succinctly
It’s been quite blistery

We know where the bones are buried
Just beneath the surface
So the question we must ask ourselves
Is do our lives have purpose

We know where the bones are buried
Of all of the deceased
Killed in wars and other carnage
Now that they rest in peace
No good deed will go unpunished
This we know for sure
Karmas always finds a way
Of evening up the score

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

By: Cedric McClester

At twelve midnight they shut it down
There’s not one person to be found
Hangin’ ‘round on the street
Welcome to Dullsville it’s replete
With pretty homes and lawns so neat
And after dark you cannot meet
A single soul you didn’t know
There’s no one’s movin’ to or fro

There’s nuthin’ to do (nowhere to go)
Most folks pop in a video
And watch their latest DVD
Before goin’ to sleep ya see
By now I think you’ve figured out
It’s boring here without a doubt
Welcome to Dullsville come on in
It doesn’t matter where you’ve been

Here everything is so much calmer
There’s no confusion or the drama
Of sirens screamin’ in the night
Or drivers ignoring a light
And people talk instead of fight
To prove their point when they’re right
Welcome to Dullsville are we clear
If you’re rich you’re welcome here

Nuthin to run from or to fear
Welcome to Dullsville
Now that you're here
Listen to ‘em as they pitch
How it’s a haven for the rich
And all you havta do is ditch
Familiar urges and the itch
For fun and play night and day






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

By: Cedric McClester

Welcome to Franklin’s
You know how we do
Get on the line
If you want our barbeque
We open at eleven
And close when we are through
People from all over
Come here just like you

Welcome to Franklin’s
Pull yourself up a  chair
It’s four or five hour wait
Just to get in here

We sell brisket by the pound
So tell us what’s your pleasure
Put your money down
We have a scale to measure
It’s finger licking good
This we guarantee
If you ain’t tried it, you should
Are you listening to me?

Welcome to Franklin’s
Pull yourself up a  chair
It’s four or five hour wait
Just to get in here

A trip to Austin Texas
Ain’t nearly complete
Until you’ve been to Franklin’s
And had a bite to eat
We pride ourselves on barbeque
Unrivaled anywhere
It’s not bragging when it’s true
See we’re the best, I swear

We’ve become world famous
In the shortest amount of time
See we’ve only been open
Since two-thousand and nine
And we’re rated five stars
Number one in the Zagat
People drive miles in their cars
Just to be where we’re at

Welcome to Franklin’s
Pull yourself up a  chair
It’s four or five hour wait
Just to get in here

Welcome to Franklin’s
You know how we do
Get on the line
If you want our barbeque
We open at eleven
And close when we are through
People from all over
Come here just like you






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

By: Cedric McClester

Welfare for the rich
Gives little to the poor
See we cannot afford
That kind of tax cut anymore
In the midst of the pandemic
Unemployment’s high
And stimulus checks alone
Won’t serve to get us by

What is sorely missing is
Leadership from the top
Instead of focusing on our problems
He wants to be a cop
While the Kremlin's offers bounties
To **** our soldiers in Afghanistan
Putin gets away with it
Because he knows he can

The President is a useful idiot
In the eyes of other world leaders
As well as assorted miscreants
And other bottom feeders
His very first duty should be
The protection of the American people
But that’s the last thing that we see
And his lack of action is lethal

Millions of us have underlying
Medical conditions
And we’re about to lose our coverage
According to the President’s ambitions
He’s in the Supreme Court now
Tryna  **** the Affordable Care Act
Millions have to figure somehow
How they’re gonna react














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Well, I’ll be ******!
Trump and Putin are a sham
Perpetrating a flim-flam
They just shot Uncle Sam!
In Helsinki with a battering ram
Is it necessary to draw a diagram?
In order for you to understand
That all of it must have been preplanned

They met in private
With no notetakers
Under the guise of  peacemakers
Just like your average lawbreakers
Doing their best to throw haymakers
See neither one of them are Quakers
But they’re con men outright fakers
Playing ball like the new Lakers

I blame the one,
But not the both
Cuz Putin didn’t swear an oath
He wants to stymie our growth
And Trump’s playing with half a loaf
For his base which he betroth
But which of them hates us the most
It’s hard to say, yet he’ll still boast

He doesn’t care about us
So he’s betrayed his sacred trust
In order to do what he must
To protect himself and to adjust
Even if we all go bust
Making America how he discussed
Despite the economy being robust
He’s unworthy of our trust







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

Cedric McClester

It’s just a cogent observation
We never was a civilized nation
So what’s the point in now losing patience
With the fact that we’ve been complacent
About gun violence as you might have guessed
Has us returning to the wild wild West
‘Cos the bullets fly with remarkable success
And so few of us rise up to even contest

We never was a civilized nation
Let the so-called Indians make that citation
Based on their years of deprivation
With seemingly little or no cessation
Ask the victims of the atom bomb
Whose shockwaves could be felt form Japan to Guam
Had them on their knees reciting the 23rd Psalms
When the mushroom cloud settled there was an irie like calm

We never was civilized
And that’s a sad fact
Today we can Google every single act
Of past atrocities from way way back
No sense in exceptionalists becoming outraged
When the examples are there page after page
Under a glaring spotlight they’re center stage
Ask the African slaves who were shackled and caged

We never were civilized
So the chickens came home to roost
And they didn’t even have to be induced
Once the hounds of hell had been cut loose
Now they’re asking, “What we gonna do?”
See this didn’t just happen out of the blue
And it’s clear to us there has to be a missing *****
When the Gog and Magog start getting through


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

By: Cedric McClester

It’s just a cogent observation
We never was a civilized nation
So what’s the point in now losing patience
With the fact that we’ve been complacent
About gun violence as you might have guessed
Has us returning  to the wild wild West
‘Cos the bullets fly with remarkable success
And so few of us rise up to  even contest

We never was a civilized nation
Let the so-called Indians make that citation
Based on their years of deprivation
With seemingly little or no cessation
Ask the victims of the atom bomb
Whose shockwaves could be felt form Japan  to Guam
Had them on their knees reciting the 23rd Psalms
When the mushroom cloud settles there was an irie like calm

We never was civilized
And that’s a sad fact
Today we can Google every single act
Of past atrocities from way way back
No sense in exceptionalists becoming outraged
When the examples are there page after page
Under a glaring spotlight they’re center stage
Ask the African slaves who were shackled and caged

We never were civilized
So the chickens came home to roost
And they didn’t even have to be induced
Once the hounds of hell had been cut loose
Now they’re asking, “What we gonna do/”
See this didn’t just happen out of the blue
And it’s clear to us there has to be a missing *****
When the Gog and Magog are getting through




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We must be forgetting
The intensive vetting
Refugees go through
Before they get into
The United States
Despite frequent debates
We’re relatively assured
Their past is not ignored

Why should we deny ‘em
From safety and asylum
In the home of the brave
How come we always cave
And give into our fear
When by now it should be clear
There is nothing to else
To fear but fear itself

The challenge of the day
Is what to do or say
When safety’s of concern
We needn’t crash and burn
Or fear the Boogie Man
The way you know we can
In frightening times like these
Let’s get off our knees

No one can guarantee
A hundred percent safety
None of us wants to die
At best we can only try
To be as safe as we can
But we needn’t try to ban
People who are oppressed
By those who are God blessed




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

By: Cedric McClester

We’re glad that you have confidence
In Kim Jong-Un
But without sufficient evidence
Maybe it’s a tad too soon
To break out the champagne
Or toast to your success
When the reality of your situation
Is probably so much less

It’s been said that beauty
Lies in the beholder’s eyes
But tell me what does it mean
When they say denuclearize?
Does it mean the same thing to them
That it means to you
And what does it mean
For the  follow through?

You believe a handshake
And a pat on the back
Will get you to the place
Where you wanna be at
And the feeling you get
When alone in a room
Is probably something totally different
For Kim Jong-Un

Indeed there’s no more
Talk of war
Like there might have been
Once before
But you’ve stopped the rhetoric
And that’s for sure, sure
The  nasty names have ceased
So you’re hoping for more







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Great people live or die
For a simple cause
We remember their names
Who will remember yours
Some of ‘em even had to
Defy existing laws
But that’s how it was then
And how it always was

Now’s the time to think about it
I’m not just flappin’ my jaws
We will remember their names
Who will remember yours

Tell the world and me
What will you leave behind
As a lasting legacy
Right now and for all time
Why can’t it be you
Who sets the paradigm
For others to follow your footsteps
Straight to the finish line

Now’s the time to think about it
I’m not just flapping my jaws
We will remember their names
Who will remember yours

Many are the takers
And so few of us give
We don’t know when we’ll die
But we decide how we’re gonna live
Time are like grains of sand
Being forced through a sieve
That vanishes real quickly
Once it starts to give

Make your contributions
Start speaking for you now
You may be a novice
But let your voice be clear and loud
Try to make a difference
I know you can somehow
Cos you can’t reap a harvest
That you haven’t plowed

Now’s the time to think about it
I’m not just flappin’ my jaws
We will remember their names
Who will remember yours

Now’s the time to think about it
I’m not just flappin’ my jaws
We will remember their names
Who will remember yours

Now’s the time to think about it
I’m not just flappin’ my jaws
We will remember their names
Who will remember yours




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

By; Cedric McClester

“We’re the greatest country on earth?”
Minus the principles that gave it birth
For whatever it’s worth
That question only causes mirth
In the light of what’s been done
By the Russian-anointed one
Now his oppression has begun
And it’s darkness without sun

‘We’re the greatest country on earth?
Despite our clear and obvious dearth
Of compassion laced with girth
That’s locked up in Leavenworth
And he is quite convinced
That his order’s making sense
But that’s ego and so hence
He’ll have to recompense

“We’re the greatest country on earth?”
But unlike a Hollingsworth
We have not increased in worth
We’re becoming hell on earth
Underneath his leadership
Maybe that was just a slip
Over my tongue I must have tripped
And I feel like getting ripped

“We’re the greatest country on earth?
Perhaps that statement is a curse
Cos we’ve gone from bad to worse
While we struggle to be first
And other people can be ******
Under he am what he am
And if that sounds like a slam
Perhaps I don’t give a ****











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We should know him well by now
Let’s not treat him like a stranger
When it’s plain enough to see
That he’s a clear and present danger
Conducting geopolitics on a whim
Chances are none to slim
That foreign leaders respect him
So our relationships are looking dim

He pulled out of Syria prematurely
Stating that he’s tired of endless wars
But many suspect that his self-interests
Was in reality the true cause
He’s made us the laughing stock
By moves that only tend to shock
And he’s guilty of loose talk
He leads a motley flock

And though he’s told once or twice
What our intelligence is able to find
He doesn’t listen to their advice
He prefers to use his own mind
And that often is dangerous
There’s so few people that he trusts
Which isn’t in the best interests of us
While he does as he thinks he must

Let’s impeach or vote him out
Before it gets too late
Of that there shouldn’t be any doubt
And so at any rate
The situation is dire
Which alone should inspire
Us to depart this theatre
He’s already yelled out fire




          Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He comes on television
And continuously lies
The advice he gives us
Rarely is wise
And the press is there
For him to criticize
And he calls people names
No one denies

We sit and wonder
When will he rise?
To the occasion
And can only surmise
That the answer is rarely
Although he tries
On some occasions
When it applies

He constantly complains
About political hack
Many of which
He himself backs
He’s clearly an enemy
Of the browns and blacks
And a favorite of Fox News
Which no doubt he backs

He talks about making
America great
While he divides us
And promotes raw  hate
Since he’s been in office
He’s been second rate
And that estimation
Is beyond debate














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2020.  All rightse reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We stand for right
Against the wrong
And we’re over
One million strong
To simply say
That we belong
So don’t start singing
Our swan song

We stand for right
And we demand
That he apply
An even hand
Whether or not
He thinks he can
Keep his glow
And orange tan

We stand for right
We’re not alone
In time we’ll change
His heart of stone
Into a less
A contentious bone
Until he does
He’s on his own

We stand for right
And refuse to fall
Although we hear
A clarion call
To take us backwards
And attempt to stall
All that we gained
They sure have gall











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Western fears
Versus Eastern ideas
Is a matter of us
Changing gears
But we’ve been reluctant
Or so it appears
To try something new
Over the years

The Afghans
We decided to support
Should be brought up on charges
And taken to court
We gave ‘em our treasure
And taught them how to fight
But when it came down to it
They chose to take flight

We were at war
With the Taliban
But when we left
They had the upper hand
Oh how
Our memories fade
How many times must we lie in
The beds that we made?

How many times
Must we be burned
Before we benefit from
What should’ve been learned?
Or is anyone
The least bit concerned
That we try to avoid
The kind of karma that we’ve earned?










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I love you
And it’s clear to the naked eye
You know that I do
But the question is why
If my lady knew
She’d probably die
Your guy would go crazy
Girl that’s no lie

Although we’re not out
To hurt anyone
And it’s not just a matter
Of us having fun
I get the feeling
We’re under the gun
And we need to get out
Before damage is done

Don’t get me wrong
I don’t mean to imply
That it’s gonna be easy
For you or I
I’m just suggesting
That we need to try
To create some distance
As an alibi

So let me be
The very first one
To openly admit
It’s easier said than done
I’m prepared to bite the bullet
If ever it comes
And I’m not just here
Flapping my gums

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

By: Cedric McClester

We’ve been here before
Dead students on the floor
I’ve been keeping score
I refuse to anymore
Politicians still must run
But nothing ever gets done
Cos it’s never their loved one
Who’s the victim of a gun

It doesn’t make much sense
That we’re always in suspense
Wondering when the next offense
Will occur in the future tense
But we know **** well it will
Someone with the urge to ****
Is gonna find some blood to spill
Haven’t we been through this drill

So the question we must ask
Before another gun man blasts
And flags are flown half mast
Is who’s up to the task
Who will have the courage to
Pass a law so me and you
Will have the comfort level due
Tell me do you have a clue

Why do we keep coming here
Out of sadness and  out of fear
By now it should be very clear
That it won’t magically disappear
Until we learn to change our ways
This kind of violence just replays
It’s commonplace nowadays
The shooter goes out in a blaze













Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We’ve been here before
Dead students on the floor
I’ve been keeping score
I refuse to anymore
Politicians still must run
But nothing ever gets done
Cos it’s never their loved one
Who’s the victim of a gun

It doesn’t make much sense
That we’re always in suspense
Wondering when the next offense
Will occur in the future tense
But we know **** well it will
Someone with the urge to ****
Is gonna find some blood to spill
Haven’t we been through this drill

So the question we must ask
Before another gun man blasts
And flags are flown half mast
Is who’s up to the task
Who will have the courage to
Pass a law so me and you
Will have the comfort level due
Tell me do you have a clue

Why do we keep coming here
Out of sadness and out of fear
By now it should be very clear
That it won’t magically disappear
Until we learn to change our ways
This kind of violence just replays
It’s commonplace nowadays
The shooter goes out in a blaze



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

By: Cedric McClester

Four hundred years
Of blood. sweat, and  tears
And despite our fears
It often appears
Very strange
How little has changed
As if prearranged
We’re still estranged

As time has elapsed
Our hopes have collapsed
We’re caught in the traps
Set by others perhaps
But still we endure
As we did before
And desire more
That is for sure

Though the picture is bleak
We are not weak
We’ll continue to speak
About what we seek
Those inalienable rights
Despite our plights
Are still in our sights
They’re not just for whites

A salient fact is
We’re not going back
We have the knack
To get what we lack
So here’s my confession
Despite your aggression
Here is the lesson
We’ve been your blessing





Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

“We’ve got to take ‘em out,
And their families too,”
Said a presidential contender.
I’ll let you guess just who
And as for water-boarding
That’s something that he’d do
There are no depths of depravity
That he would not stoop to

At times he seems delirious
But it’s hard to say
Whether he is serious
When he talks that way
His words seem to have Teflon
Cuz he’s not made to pay
The price a normal person would
But there’ll be a Judgment Day

A thousand Muslims celebrating
In New Jersey on a roof
In the aftermath of  9/11
They just joked and goofed
Is what he said quite clearly
Without offering the proof
As often is the case
When he's challenged by the truth

He’d close our Southern boder
And divide it by a fence
That the Mexicans would pay for
At their own expense
By keeping out the Syrians
He’d reduce the chance for error
As if widows and orphans
Are the main culprits of terror
























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We’ve seen this movie
Played out before
And there’s certain parts of it
We shouldn’t ignore
Like where it morphs
Into Nineteen eighty-four
Or how the strong leader
Talks us into war

By now we should all
Be familiar with the script
Ain’t it clear to you
That he’s on an ego trip
We shouldn’t even have to
Replay the clip
To arrive at the part
That made the ratings slip

This movie already had
A general release
Now it’s in reruns
Only in the Middle East
The people are demanding
That the madness cease
So we can catch our breath
Or try to at least

We’ve seen this movie
Played out before
Where the Storm Troopers
Suddenly kick in the door
Then round up the people
As they cry and implore
And ask the strong leader
Why’d he do it for?











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He did what
A terrorist does
But we still don’t know
What his motive was
So we can’t say
That it was becuz
We don’t know
And there ain’t no buzz

Semper Fi
We just wanna know why
Four Marines
Were caused to die
In a hail of bullets
That he let fly
And left us praying
That the Sailor don’t die

Tough it hasn’t
Been officially stated
We can assume
That it was terror related
Cos who among us
Is prepared to debate it
The only thing we know
Is that we hate it

Terror on
America’s shore
And we’re afraid
That there’s gonna be more
Although ISIS is probably
At the core
We just speculating
Because we can’t be sure




















Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

What can I say?
That hasn’t been said
About the Queen of Soul
Now that she's dead
Her music lives on
Inside my head
Along with the memories
That her songs have fed

R- E- S- P- E- C- T
The Queen of Soul
Will always be
Aretha Franklin
Don’t cha see
She’s the only one
With the authority
To be the Queen in her sorority

There’ll be tears
Of sadness
And smiles of joy
That those who morn her
Will employ
She was one of kind
The real McCoy
With a living legacy no one can destroy

Let’s each thank God
For the gift
Of Aretha Franklin
The legend the myth
And the good memories
That she left us with
May her journey to heaven
Be restful and swift







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

What can we do,
In order to discourage,
Young people from
Seeking false courage ?
Or prevent them from
Going full throttle
By drinking alcohol
By the bottle

What can we say,
That will resonate,
With an underage drinker,
That could change their fate?
Is there some way
For us to intervene,
Before it’s too late,
Ya know what I mean?

How can we reach ‘em,
In a meaningful way,
That would make them listen,
To what we have to say?
Must adverse consequence
Be bought into play,
In order for them to realize,
That it’s not okay?

How do we change,
Their social norms,
To shelter them,
From future storms?
Ya see the answer
I’m hoping we can  find
Will help them to have
A change of mind


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He didn’t win,
“So they say”
What constitutes a win
Anyway?
She got 60 percent of the vote
But then hey
I think he sued her
Just yesterday

How can she win
If he won’t concede?
She’ll be sworn in anyway
I hope he takes heed
Declaring victory
Doesn’t make him a victor
And the Supreme Court
Won’t be his interdictor

Election lying is
The new paradigm
Republicans use
Who commit that crime
Though it hasn’t worked
None of the  time
Yet that doesn’t stop ‘em
From hitting rewind

See they don’t believe
In the ballot box
Nor do they believe
In bagels and lox
And you can’t engage them
In rational talks
They’re more inclined
To do what shocks













Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2022.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I can no longer,
Maintain my silence
In the wake of the violence
Being done against,
The Jewish community
With seeming impunity
It’s my considered point of view
That Jewish lives matter too

I can’t countenance
What makes no sense
How does one gain
From inflicting pain?
In random exchanges
Against total strangers
I guess I can’t relate
To that kind of hate

I’m not throwing shade,
But was the decision made
Based on their religion?
Like a sitting pigeon
You’ve learned to despise
And so you victimize
Without rhyme or reason
You make ‘em open season

What did a Jew
Ever do to you?
To make you hate ‘em so
Bet you don’t even know
Why they’re singled out
What’s that all about?
Attacked with guns, knives and pipes
Based on their stereotypes














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He’s quick to lie
Though his face doesn’t show it
And if he keeps on
He’s sure to blow it
Yet the question remains
That he never explains
What did he know.
And when did he know it?

How in hell
Are we suppose to trust him
When he’s been playing footsie
With people in Russia
And the question remains
That he never explains
What did he know.
And when did he know it?

He can send out
All the spin that he needs to
But we wanna know
Where all of this lead to
So the question remains
That he never explains
What did he know
And when did he know it

The truth will come out
It always does in the end
To assume that it won’t
Is just to pretend
And the question remains
That he never explains
What did he know.
And when did he know it?







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

What does it mean,
To be the greatest artist ever?
That you come up with rhyme schemes
Some people find clever?
Or, you design clothes,
That pull the cash lever?
Or, that you do other things,
Categorized as whatever?

What does it mean,
To have an ego so large,
That it becomes obvious,
That your id is in charge?
Or, you occasionally lash out
In an unseemly barrage?
Or, that you have fancy cars
Parked in your garage?

What does it mean to
Submit to Christ,
If you think what you do,
Is twice as nice?
Or, you’ve never taken
His Good Book’s advice?
And you can’t keep still
Like a bad case of lice?

What does it mean,
To be big bad and bold
Or, for that matter,
Have a million records sold?
Or, to be known
For having broken the mold
If your life is measured
By the people you’ve rolled?











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

What does Putin
Have on him
Inquiring minds
Would like to know
Could it be
That infamous tape
That they have chosen
Not to show

They’re waiting until
The timing’s right
Before exposing it
And like
The dossier said
Putin taped
That ***** toad
Playing water games in bed

But that alone
Might not be the half
Of what they have
On him
They say that he’s
An impulsive man
Who’s often
Given to whim

What does Putin
Have on him
It’s anybody’s guess
But it’s gotta be
Quite compromising
As his behavior
No doubt
Does suggests








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I thought it would be best to end it all
So I drowned myself in alcohol
Then I took some pills and cut my wrist
But despite my best efforts (I somehow missed)
And I’m here today to tell the tale
Sometimes you succeed by having to fail
God allowed me to live a little longer
Cos what don’t **** ya only makes you stronger

I can’t say for certain what was in my head
That made me think I’d be better off dead
I don’t rightfully know where to begin
Cos it gets a little fuzzy (once depression sets in)
And you’re having thoughts of suicide
Then a voice in your head says it worth a try
God allowed me to live a little longer
Cos what don’t **** ya only makes you stronger

At times you might wanna (throw the towel in)
I’ve been there a time or two myself my friend
But it’s a terrible message for you to send
To those who love you like your next of kin
And ya wanna hear something (here’s the funny thing)
Ya never know what tomorrows gonna bring
So try to hold on just a little bit longer
Cos what don’t **** ya only makes you stronger

Because I took those pills and I cut my wrist
They made me see a psychiatrist
And it’s not as bad as you might think
Cos it’s better than (me taking another drink)
Or trying to slip off into the abyss
I tried that before I’m not cut out for this
God allowed me to live a little longer
Cos what don’t **** ya only makes you stronger




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

By: Cedric McClester

What do you do with the news
Of a malady that you didn’t choose
Do you lock yourself up with the blues
Or go out and buy a new pair of shoes
You’re positive or so you’re told
News of that makes your blood run cold
Suddenly you’re feeling so old
Like a future that somebody stole

What do you do with the news
Do you deny it and then refuse
To accept a past that you abused
Now that you’re battered and bruised
Or do you just go on with your life
And confront the toil and strife
Even though it can cut like a knife
It's the fate of men and mice

What do you do with the news
That can often leave you confused
Even thought you’re not bemused
Accept the verdict as accused

What do you do with the news
That little can ever defuse
Explanations are just an excuse
Guess ya have to call some kind of truce
Even if you’ve cooked your goose
Strike a pose and then cut loose
Slip your head right out of that noose
You could hang but what would be the use

What do you do with the news
Do you deny it and then refuse
To accept a past that you abused
Now that you’re battered and bruised
Or do you just go on with your life
And confront the toil and strife
Even though it can cut like a knife
It's the fate of men and mice

Cedric McClester,, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Whatever it is
Under the sun
There’s no race
That can’t be run
Tell yourself
That you’re the one
To achieve the impossible
Then get it done

Obstacles
May exist
But giving up
You must resist
Nothing’s insurmountable
If you persist
And I always want you to  
Remember this

It begins
With a dream
That illuminates
Like a light beam
Next comes the plot
Then the scheme
It’s not as difficult
As it may seem

Now get up
From where you’re sitting
It’s right there
For the getting
That it’s you
Is only fitting
With the effort
You’re committing




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

One life lesson
That I’ve found
Is what goes up
Will come down
For some that serves
To astound
When their poll numbers
Start dipping down

When number two
Suddenly surges
And juxtaposition
Is what emerges
Sometimes confusion
And fear converges
But there’s no need
For funeral dirges

There’s always someone
In the pack
Who most considers
Too far back
To ever makeup
That much slack
But that doesn’t
Have to be a fact

Watch out for those
In the rear
Who may be closer
Than they appear
The ones that
Finally get in gear
Can end up
Giving the pack a scare





Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2915,  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He died from what he believed in
The disease
He couldn’t conceive when
He was covid free
It was hard for him to see
What would sadly come to be
Now his family is on bended knees
Pleading, “ Lawd have mercy please!”

There are none so blind as
Those who will not see
That this dreaded disease
Doesn't really have to be
Millions upon millions are now
Covid free
Who vaccinated judiciously
Just like dumb me

Millions more clearly need ‘em
But far be it for me
To impede their freedom
I only hope I’m able to
Succeed ‘em
By listening to good advisors
And like others heed them
The warning signs are there for us to read .em

A stitch in time
They say saves nine
So how many more
More must we watch dying?
From Covid -19
Or its new variant
Ya know what I mean?
I’ve blown my clarion

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021.  All rights  reserved

By: Cedric McClester

What If I told you
In advance
That I was about to
Take a chance
And place my hands
Inside your pants’
Would you reject me
Or agree with a glance

See I’m cut
In the Prince mode
Or do you think
I’m just a ***** toad
Who’s only looking to
Release my load
Or simply trying to
Get your goad

What if I had
My way with you
And you did everything
That I told you to
Could we do it
On a church pew
So I can take communion
Inside of you

What if I revealed
My bucket list
And did it to you
Just like this
Would you ask for more
Or would you insist
That I continue doing
What you can’t resist




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

By: Cedric McClester

Liberians are being forced
To return to Liberia
No need for any of us
To get uptight
The turmoil that existed
Is now nowhere in sight
But I can’t help but wonder
What if they were white?

Would he be resending
What gave them the right
To come here to America
Once they had taken flight
From the civil war and carnage
That gave them the fright
The question still remains
What if they were white?

He’d like nothing better
Than to whiten up the nation
See that’s the thing that fuels
His views on immigration
While people who happen
To have darker skin
Will have a harder time
Trying to get in

Is it racism in reverse
That undergirds the slogan
America First?
So does that mean that all others
Are destined to be cursed?
In this Orange Man’s
Alternative universe
It’s as clear as day from night
And that is why I ask, What if we were white?

By: ibn Herbert

The thought didn’t occur,
But what if you were (gay)?
What do you want me to say?
That i don’t approve (okay)
But would it matter anyway?
You have the God given right
To make choices, wrong or right
That He’ll be the Judge of inspite

Whether or not it’s a choice
It’s your right to raise your voice
Stay in the closet, or rejoice
Drive a Ford or a Rolls Royce
It’s your choice I have to repeat
I can’t get fat from what you eat
Nor should I say that you’re sweet
Whoever you are you’re complete

Under the sign of the dove
We all answer to God above
If someone fits you like a glove
Who am I, to say who you should love?
So no matter what you do
Things that others may eschew
You have the right to be you
And do whatever you choose to do

The thought didn’t occur
But let’s say that you were
The person that  you prefer
That doesn’t make you a slur
To thine own self be true
You have the right to do
Whatever you want to
If that makes you feel brand new





                     Ibn Herbert, Copyright © 2019.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

There’s no need
To swallow your pride
If there’s any left
Then you decide
Get up off your knees
I know you’ve tried
And always let your conscience
Be your guide

What I said
Is get up off your knees
Be a man
Is all I’m asking please
If you can’t
Then lose it in degrees
Not all at once
Cuz you want to appease

If it’s something
That you want real bad
Is it worth the pride
You thought you had
To abandon that
Would be real sad
Cuz if you don’t
I betcha you’ll be glad

Is the prize
Worth the sacrifice
If it’s not
Then take a fool’s advice
Think it over
Maybe once or twice
Before you decide
To roll the dice


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

By: Cedric McClester

What is that **** on his head?
It’s his hair, or so he said
A gust of wind, put's that lie to bed
It’s a rabbit that’s long since been dead
He’s thinking it makes him look cool
I’m thinking he’s just an old fool
Who the Russians use like an old tool
I’m talking as a general rule

What is that **** on his head?
How much hairspray does it get fed
A can full somewhere I read
But it’s the fifth his barber has pled
If he were to get a haircut
He’d lose the dated look that he’s got
Which would put him in a real rut
Cos his image would go kaput

What is that **** on his head?
It’s dangerous ground on which I tread
But I’d rather do that instead
Of having the reader misled
Who came up with that style
They had to know all the while
That it would cause folks to smile
Just looking at the galvanic pile

What is that **** on his head?
To the birds, it might look like bread
Causing their closed wings to spread
When thinking let’s go and get fed
Then again it looks like a soufflé
That is boldly on full display
And I don’t care what you say
It needs to be taken away











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

What kind of evil
Lurks within the hearts of men
Who run down innocent people
Now and then?
They do it with abandon
‘Cos they can
And for the sake of political arguments
They can’t win

What kind of courage
Does it take
To gun down an unarmed jogger
For heaven’s sake
During a citizen’s arrest?
Give me a break!
We’re not sleeping anymore
We’re wide awake!

What kind of despot
Gives an order
Because he felt that
He had oughta
That leads a journalist
To his slaughter?
Who thought he was in
A safe quarter

What kind of kid
Looking for fun
Decides to *******
A long gun
Then travels twenty
Miles away
kills two  and wounds one
Like it’s okay?





















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

By: Cedric McClester

What kind of rawhide ******* Is this
That has Hatian immigrants under horses and whips
After making their thousand mile trips?
To get away from their oppressor’s grips
I can’t believe the images I’m seeing
Aren’t Hatians also fellow human beings?
So why are they treated like miscreants
Chosen to be unfortunate recipients?

How can our government justify
This ever happening and what’s the reason why?
Their due process was denied
It’s enough to make one breakdown and cry
This country was built on the backs of immigrants
That sought better lives as erstwhile innocents
And helped this country to grow
As the nation’s history will show

I’d hate to attribute it to them being black
Although that might be a matter of fact
Which is just an excuse but no way to act
Or to have their human rights hijacked
This isn’t the America that most of us know
Though it might be as critical race theory can show
Although that’s a blow that hits below
And kindly remember who told you so

What kind of rawhide ******* Is this
That under a new administration finds us remiss
Perhaps that’s why they say ignorance is bliss
Though I’d like to tell them where they can kiss
You’d think we would have learned from our recent past
Long after the dye has sadly been cast
But that might be me thinking too fast
Which might explain why I’m so aghast






Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

What lessons can we borrow
Cuz despite our tears and sorrow
It could happen again tomorrow
And words would still ring hollow
If we’re not committed to change
Or those we elect remain estranged
And do nothing that’s long-range
As a consequence of this exchange

It’s been said that insanity
Is doing the same things, don’t cha see?
While expecting the results to be
Completely different for you and me
Once the tables have been turned
If there’s nothing to be learned
As long as we stay unconcerned
Then our destiny is earned

Aren’t we tired of coming here
To the valley of despair
Offering yet another prayer
Because of this sordid affair
What’s it take to have some mustard
Haven’t we all been disgusted
And betrayed by those we’ve trusted
Because the law never gets adjusted

If it wouldn’t be considered a gaff
It would tend to make me laugh
We’ve been down this primrose path
But we haven’t done our math
Cuz like a never ending fountain
The numbers just keep on mounting
So we’re left to keep on countin
Until we finally scale this mountain


























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

BY: CEDRIC MCCLESTER

WHAT MADE ME LOVE HER,
THE WAY THAT I DID?
THAT’S HARD TO ANSWER
I HAVE TO ADMIT
SHE WAS SO SPECIAL
AS SPECIAL GETS
AND WE FLEW SKY HIGH
WITHOUT SAFETY NETS

WHAT MADE ME LOVE HER?
STRANGE YOU SHOULD ASK
I GUESS MY HEART
PROVED UP TO THE TASK
SHE NEVER HID
BEHIND A MASK
THAT SOME PEOPLE WEAR
BEFORE THE DYE HAS BEEN CAST

WHAT MADE ME LOVE HER?
I’M TRYING TO THINK
MAN SHE LOOKED PRETTY
IN THE COLOR PINK
AND I THOUGHT OF HER
AS MY MISSING LINK
SHE KNEW JUST HOW
TO BRING ME TO THE BRINK

WHAT MADE ME LOVE HER?
I GUESS MORE OR LESS
SHE OWNED MY HEART
IF I HAD TO GUESS
BUT I WOULD STILL LOVE HER
NEVERTHELESS
BECAUSE OUR UNION
WAS TRULY BLESSED