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Skin
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
Skin
Brown
Black
White
Red
That's the skin I am in
My skin that I am in.
Look real close
What do you see?
A human being in the skin I am in
In the skin I am in.
My hair may have braids,
Corn rolls, picked out , picked over
*****
Straight
**** bald headed,
That's the skin that I am in.
Northern
Southern
Eastern
Western
No matter where I am from
That's the skin that I am in.
Take a closer look at me
And tell me what do you see?
A human being in the skin
that I am in
That skin I am in.
#krjenkins
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Skin
Kenneth R Jenkins Apr 2020
Skin
Brown
Black
White
Red
That's the skin I am in
My skin that I am in.
Look real close
What do you see?
A human being in the skin I am in
In the skin I am in.
My hair may have braids,
Corn rolls, picked out , picked over
*****
Straight
**** bald headed,
That's the skin that I am in.
Northern
Southern
Eastern
Western
No matter where I am from
That's the skin that I am in.
Take a closer look at me
And tell me what do you see?
A human being in the skin
that I am in
That skin I am in.
#krjpoet
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Sky
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
Sky
Maybe
Somewhere up there
Skyward
High
Beyond the distant clouds
And stars
And moon
Maybe
Somewhere up there
Where planets hang in place
The Heavens above
Where Earth meet sky
And all in between
Of what there is
Sky.

(c)1999
#krjenkins
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Small Still Voices
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
Small Still Voices
To every child born and unborn

Small faces,
Faces of future places,
From war torn countries
To a land that's free,
We celebrate these souls.

The future is yours little ones
And before your life is done
We celebrate you
Your whole life through
We celebrate these little souls.

To those ones who are here
Strong and healthy little dears,
To the ones who aren't born yet
We won't forget
You as well those little souls.

Small still voices of our times
The youthful hearts so lovely and kind
We hear you from the distant cry
And when we think of you we know why
You are our dear little souls.
#krjenkins
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Soft Music Serenade
Kenneth R Jenkins Jan 2018
Soft Music Serenade
Soothe me
Groove me
Making my nature rise
Even in four-part harmony,
As the music rocks me to sleep,
And in that time of slumber deep,
The night's wonderful sounds so,
Sweet, tasty and even bold,
With that soft music serenades me
Oh so right and so deeply.
The night music has a flair,
For just soothing you and like the Staple Singers it will "Take You There."
Soft and sweet,
Sweet and softly but deep,
You make my heart flutter so,
Because that's the way love goes,
Soothe me.
Groove me,
Make my nature rise,
Even in four-part harmony,
As the music rocks me to sleep,
And that time of slumber deep,
Rock my world with your music
Sweetly, sweetly soothe me...
#krjenkins
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Soulmate
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
Soulmate
In my heart
I do believe,
our love is true
And it won't depart
No matter what we go through
You are my soul mate.
Lifetime partner yes,
Until the end
But I guess
You know that my lover, my friend
My African Queen everyday
Love has found us
In every way.
Truly soul mates for life
Soon we will
Be together a husband and wife
My African queen
My soul mate.


(C) 2000
#krjenkins
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Stressless
Kenneth R Jenkins Dec 2017
Stressless
I won't stress
I won't freak out
And again being in a mess
All I can do is my very best---
Without all these feelings no doubt.

I cannot let stress
Bother me in the long run
Or burn me like the sun,
Or put me in an early grave
All I can do is my very best.

I won't let stress break me
Tear me down badly
Or make me go insane
No not on my watch
And not today.

I will survive
I will thrive
And I will make it
No matter what comes my way
And stress will not be part of my day.
24 July 2015
#krjenkins
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Sunday Shoes
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
Sunday Shoes
inspired by my wife Vanessa....


Can you walk a mile
In my Sunday shoes?
Go to places I've been long and wide
Or some places you'll pay your dues?

Can you wear my shoes
That danced in God's praises
Cutting a step or two
Head reared back and voice raises high
Those old dusty Sunday shoes.

I walked places far as well a near
And back again to anywhere
To any place I want to go from here
And then again.

To marches long for freedom's cry
To church on a dusty country road
To the fields where cotton grow high
In my old dusty Sunday shoes.

Can you just walk in
These old dusty shoes?
Being foe or either friend
In those old dusty shoes.

If i have to walk to hell and back
I would in these dusty old shoes
But I only walk to church in them in fact
These old dusty Sunday shoes.

I'll keep walking in them until
The Good Master calls me home
Hoping someone will someday fill
These old dusty Sunday shoes.

Dec. 2007
#krjenkins
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The Common Man
Kenneth R Jenkins Apr 2020
The Common Man
to Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen

The common man gets up in the morning
To work in. order to feed his family,
The common man struggles to make ends meet
Not letting his family go hungry,
The common man prays for his family daily
From any hurt harm or danger
That's what the common man does.

The common loves his wife and kids,
Holding things together everyday.
The common man works sunrise to sunset
Does what he can in every way.
The common man is peaceable to his fellow man
Not in war with his neighbor
Being the kind of man who loves----
Yeah, that's what the common man does.

The common man believes in God
And all His wondrous things He do,
Prays with his family daily
He tries to be true,
True to his family and his God
That's common man as you see
And that's what he does.

Now that you know what is a common man,
And what a common man does and do,
I guess you can see my point of view
Then clearly understand
About the common man.

In case you haven't seen one
Look around and take a good look----
And you'll surely fine and understood
The common man and his purpose
Yes that's what the common man does.
#kjpoet
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The Invitation
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
The Invitation
You are invited
To a life eternal
With an Everlasting King.
You need not a thing,
But to accept Him,
Into your life
Just let Him in TODAY!
You need nothing else
But be willing to except
The Invitation
To let Him into your heart
Just let Him today!

Copyright (C) 1999
#krjenkins
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The Night Christ Was Born
Kenneth R Jenkins Dec 2017
The Night Christ Was Born
Heavenly peace was upon the Earth,
Heaven shook; God's grace was put upon for Glory's worth,
Suddendly a star appeared in the mist thereof,
A Child, Savior of the World born of his love,
Trumpets blow loud to announce the arrival of the Holy King,
Angels were there to sing.
O, how wonderful the night so still,
But his love shall fulfill.
O, angels blow thy horn,
For that was the night Christ was born.

(C)1977, 2003
(First published by the Westside Weekly Newspaper Savannah, GA, Dec. 15, 1977 at age 16)
#krjenkins
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the poet's pen
Kenneth R Jenkins Dec 2017
the poet's pen
o write a verse poet,
to kinder the soul,
to soothe it so,
until we can feel,
every verse put to paper,
then from each stroke of your pen,
tell us what's on your mind
taking us to worlds unknown
to lands unconquered
to places undiscovered.
tell us what's on mind
o great one,
tell us so that we may know
coming directly from
the poet's pen......
22 feb. '97
#krjrnkins
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The Soul of Jazz
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
The Soul of Jazz
The soul of Jazz
Where Jazz is soul
And the soul of Jazz is within.
Bringing back the days of old
Where jazz was Jazz and Jazz was soul.
Coltrane, Davis, The Duke playing in a style
That lives and breathes like wild
I love for the soul of Jazz
And Jazz as soulfully divine
A form of music you'll hear is no sin,
But a crime if you mistreat it so
Misuse it leaving it in the cold
But loving every moment every-time.
Progressions of change measure twine
Notes conclude with one note blend
A musical style that will never end
The soul of Jazz as Jazz is full of soul
And everybody who's somebody knows,
Jazz is the purest sound of music
Because it's the soul of Jazz as Jazz is soul.

16 Jan 2005


(C) 2005
#krjenkins
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This Is Who I Am!
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
This Is Who I Am!
Brother,
Lover,
Poet,
Freelance writer,
Son,
Grandson,
Nephew,
Godfather too.
Christian in transition
Whose life changed in so many positions
Through so many persons and faces
Changing from many places.

Dreamer of dreams
Poet of the extreme
A deep thinker of thoughts and ideas.
Undercover comic relief
A man who had its share of sorrow and grief,
Walker of many miles,
And who puts on many smiles.

I'm no ego tripper
But a man who reaches for the Big Dipper,
Commanding dreams to come true
And a person who also encourages you.

People lpver
never undercover
But face 2 face with you
A thinker so deep like an ocean blue.
A dreamer who goes beyond the stars
No matter how deep or how far
This is who I am!

I maybe a gem in a rough place
But I am the person with that face
You'll never forget
But in time your mind will set
On the things I told you
And all of this is surely true
Of who I am to me.

Child of the '60's long ago
i write these verses to let you know
Of who I am so listen well
As I finish this to tell
For this is who I am!

Black Man
Trying to do what's right in this land
For this is who I am
This is who I am!
(C) 2006
#krjenkins
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Through Gloomy Skies
Kenneth R Jenkins Jun 2019
Through Gloomy Skies
Gloomy skies with dark clouds above,
Where rain was every where
And I am here lying in bed
Sleeping, slumbering into a dream
Unknown journeys of twist and turns
Then suddenly awaken in reality.

Alive thanks to God
Could of laying in my grave
But writing these verses
To someone today.

As I look out to these gloomy skies----
I am reminded of myself
Those days of uncertainty
A big question mark in life
But those questions will come later
In answers that will be answered---
In due time
Yes in due time--
Even as I look out those gloomy skies
I can see sunshine in the mist of mess
And where brighter days came and made
A difference  to others.....

16 Jan. 2015
#kjenkinspoet
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Through Gloomy Skies
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
Through Gloomy Skies
Gloomy skies with dark clouds above,
Where rain was every where
And I am here lying in bed
Sleeping, slumbering into a dream
Unknown journeys of twist and turns
Then suddenly awaken in reality.

Alive thanks to God
Could of laying in my grave
But writing these verses
To someone today.

As I look out to these gloomy skies----
I am reminded of myself
Those days of uncertainty
A big question mark in life
But those questions will come later
In answers that will be answered---
In due time
Yes in due time--
Even as I look out those gloomy skies
I can see sunshine in the mist of mess
And where brighter days came and made
A difference  to others.....

16 Jan. 2015
#krjenkins
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to fly...
Kenneth R Jenkins Apr 2020
to fly...
and they took up wings to fly.



Please, don’t cry for me,

You don’t need to shed a tear,

Just put those tears in a bottle then set it free,

And let it sail to the nearest ocean far away.



Please, don’t cry,

For each tear are the glorious memories

Of you, my darling daughter and me,

And from the distance you’ ll hear Moonlight Sonnet.



Don’t forget me and keep me in your memory,

The good and the bad that know best,

And keep us in your dreams as you rest,

As you lay your head on that pillow of love.



Sweet dreams to you

As we fly away to our distant home far away

Keep us in your thoughts every day,

Good night and sweet dreams.



...and they took up wings to fly.



In memory of Kobe and his daughter
#krjpoet
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Tree People
Kenneth R Jenkins Oct 2017
Tree People
Drinking
Dreaming
Cursing like a sailors
Telling lies
And more lives
And more lies
Until the lies run out,
The drinks run dry
And when the drinks run dry
The people dwindle away
The tree gets empty
And then silence is heard.
No cussing
And telling lies
Talking trash
And evil kicks in
But hold on there partner!
What will this benefit them?
What lessons are being learned?
The drinking of the '40
And the gin and juice
And the prophet-lying and
Crucifying each other
Telling what 2 kiss
How 2 kiss and kiss my---
Need I say if the Good Lord comes back now?
What will you say?
"Well I was at the tree Lawd just chillin'."
And when He say He don't know you
Then What?
To those guys who like to sit under the tree drinking and talk trash.
#krjenkins
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True Self
Kenneth R Jenkins Oct 2017
True Self
I cannot hide my true self
For my true self is who I am
For who I am is my true self.

Why must I destroy myself?
But bleach my body
Destroying my skin
Killing of my true self.

And must I please myself
Tease myself
Satisfying myself
Until it comes down to
Being myself
Not fooling myself
Me.
Myself and I
Then to think
It's better for myself
No matter what.
Cheat myself
Beat myself
Lie to myself
But not be myself
Of whom I am
And whose I am---
It's a sad case
A sad case indeed
To not work on myself
For there to betterment of myself
And not poison myself
Until I die and shrink
Shallow up
Disappear
Gone
Swell up
Bust right open
Like a raisin.
****!
Pow!
Ssssssss!
But I got to be true to myself
For who I am
And all that I am going to be
And yet stay true to myself
For me and nobody
Else
Me
With beautiful self--
ME!
Myself
My true self
I love.
#krjenkins
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Until Next Time
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
Until Next Time
in memory of Melvin Jenkins--my Uncle

You're resting in Jesus' arms
From all safety and away from harm,
Beyond the moon and skies.

Sleeping from all labor and pain,
Beyond riches and fortunes gain,
Beyond the moon and skies.

Goodbye is not so,
But it's see you soon that's never getting old,
Beyond the moon and skies.

Until next time
We'll see you then
And talk once again
Until next time---
Goodnite!

19 May 2017
Was read during my uncle's homegoing.
#krjenkins
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Until Now
Kenneth R Jenkins Jun 2019
Until Now
I look at you from different eyes
Seeing you like this
In a much different light
Than those eyes of yesterday.
You are one beautiful person
Shaped into a beautiful being
God's wonder of creation created
Fashioned, formed and put together
Like no one else
But you
Yes you as I look at you.
And it wasn't until now
I see you as something better
Than you are clearly then.
But you are here in the now.
And until now I see a beautiful being
Like no one else.


(C) 2003
#kjenkins #poet
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Untitled
Kenneth R Jenkins Dec 2017
Untitled
Say it with soul
Say it loud
Then say it bold.
Don't let up
Just say it clear
Say it with soul.

Poets dream dreams
Under the summer skies
Summer sunset showing
Leaving questions why?

Then we dream in words
Because it's all we see
Say it with soul
Say it loud
Then say it bold.

Never mind who don't listens
Just speak your mind
Never mind who'll hear
This world so unkind.

Give them rhythm
Give them beat
Say it with soul
Say it loud....

Underneath the bright lit moon
And blanket of stars at night
Dream a dream with delight
Then say it with soul
Then say it loud
Dream if you can.....

Guide me to flights unknown
Then just let me dream
My face shinning as shown
I can say it with soul
Say it loud
Then dream.....
#krjenkins
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Untitled
Kenneth R Jenkins Dec 2017
Untitled
Enter: night

Bring on the night----
Where those dear play,
And where freaks come out anyway
Go ahead, bring on the night.

Bring on the night---
Where travel is often and much go,
Where the travelers are on the go,
So bring on the night.

Bring on the night---
The creature of the night reign,
As they come out like stars with flames,
Yes, bring on the night!

Bring on the night---
Of every drug dealer and dope head
The hookers walking like the dead
Yes, bring on the hight.

Bring on the night---
Every baby's mama hanging tough
Late night creepers who think they're rough,
Just bring on the night!

Late night watchers watching so,
Bring on the night!
Creepy crawlers crawling you know,
Bring on the night!
Day turned trippers,
Bring on the night!

Coffee drinking tippers,
Bring on the night!
That's right bring it on,
Bring on the night!
Bring it on!
Bring it on and on and on...


(C) 2002
#krjenkins
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Untitled Verse
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
Untitled Verse
There's a love worth waiting for,
A warm body next to me,
A love so close as close can be,
A love I surely truly, truly adore.

Those kisses so sweetly on my lips,
I still feel night after night.
The slight touch of your finger tips,
Touching me so and so right.

The way you talk to me sweetly,
Brings chills to my spine,
Knocking me baby love to my knees
Knowing that you are mine!

Sweet of sweetness I do love so
I can't wait to hold you in my arms
Just you and I letting the world know
You are my woman forever.

Forever sounds so long but I'll wait for you
And hopefully you will wait for me
Because you'll know for true
How our love will honestly be

Priceless....

Nov. '06


(C)2006
#krjenkins
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Wake Up! Wake Up!
Kenneth R Jenkins Jun 2017
Wake Up! Wake Up!
Politicians--
Wake up from your sleep
Of political thinking
High prices, high taxes
And back breaking
It's time to wake up!

Preachers---
Wake up from your sleep,
Preaching sermons of greed
Blinded by the LIGHT
Practicing in the world of ******
It's time to wake up!

Mother---
Wake up from your sleep
Of finding that man
To pay for all your problems
Then away he goes
Away he ran
For it's time to wake up!

Teachers---
Wake up from your sleep
Of educating young minds
Wasting
Their lives away
With them it's hard to find
It's time to wake up!

Father---
Wake up from your sleep
Of being a runaway man
Stand up for yourself
And don't lie down but STAND
'Cause it's time to wake up!

Wake up! Wake up!
Sleeping time is over.
He that sleeps too long
Will miss God at work.
Your very life uncovered
For it's time to wake up!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
GET UP!
WAKE UP!
GET UP!
WAKE UP!
GET UP!
WAKE UP!
GET UP!
GET UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
#krjenkins
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Wake Up! Wake Up!
Kenneth R Jenkins Dec 2017
Wake Up! Wake Up!
Politicians--
Wake up from your sleep
Of political thinking
High prices, high taxes
And back breaking
It's time to wake up!

Preachers---
Wake up from your sleep,
Preaching sermons of greed
Blinded by the LIGHT
Practicing in the world of ******
It's time to wake up!

Mother---
Wake up from your sleep
Of finding that man
To pay for all your problems
Then away he goes
Away he ran
For it's time to wake up!

Teachers---
Wake up from your sleep
Of educating young minds
Wasting
Their lives away
With them it's hard to find
It's time to wake up!

Father---
Wake up from your sleep
Of being a runaway man
Stand up for yourself
And don't lie down but STAND
'Cause it's time to wake up!

Wake up! Wake up!
Sleeping time is over.
He that sleeps too long
Will miss God at work.
Your very life uncovered
For it's time to wake up!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
GET UP!
WAKE UP!
GET UP!
WAKE UP!
GET UP!
WAKE UP!
GET UP!
GET UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
#krjenkins
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Warrior
Kenneth R Jenkins Dec 2017
Warrior
to Nelson Mandela

We say farewell to our beloved brother
Father Africa a loyal friend
Who taught us to get along with one another
Even until the bitter end.

he was our warrior for justice and peace
Our warrior for the betterment of mankind,
In the spirit that is good, we release,
His spirit as we come together and bind.

As the sunsets in the South African skies,
And over mountains high standing
We stand with lifted hard wave our goodbyes
To our warrior, our hero our friend.....
A poem dedicated to the great Nelson Mandela.
#krjenkins
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When I Get Old
Kenneth R Jenkins Nov 2018
When I Get Old
Just when the day wanes longer,
Legs and body not getting any stronger,
Memory short and not clear,
Times of ending days are near.

Hair turns from gray to white,
And it seems like you're not feeling right.
When you're hearing turns quiet
And you're not as fit but put on a strict diet---
That's when I get old.

When there's less and less of family and friends,
And it seems to wonder when will it end?
When the beginning seems far, far away  after day---
That's when I'm getting old.

Time is swiftly moving a long,
Super speed in minutes and time,
The winter years are quietly here
Those days you can't get back or even find---
That's when I'm getting old.

When family multiplies even more,
One by one and generation after generation,
They are your family strong and bold
Building up of what we have left---
This is the duty of family when I get old.

Looking back through the years
In the mirror of life it's self
Going back in time in space
Where knowledge is like  wealth---
As I 'm getting old.
5 Nov. 2018
Just a thinking about getting old at age 57.
#krj #poet
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You, Me and the Moon
Kenneth R Jenkins Jul 2017
You, Me and the Moon
In your eyes
I see a different light,
A lighter side of you
And that's when I realize
How beautiful you are to me.

From the softness of your skin,
The wonderful smile on your face
Beauty that's outside in
Divorcing all other thoughts of you.

From Cleopatra of my soul,
To the Halle Berry of my dreams,
You are one well-put together woman I would like to know
No matter how crazy it may seem.

Like the sweet nectar in the morning
I bathe in your loving arms
Your love, your love is showing
Making me sweat from my head to my palms.

You with me alone
Basking in the moonlight
With such love and appreciation shown
That really makes my night.

Me with you together
With words unspoken the best way
No matter the weather
With nothing really to say.

Moonlight O moonlight,
Can you just shine on me please?
Make our night such a delight
As I kneel on my knees.

You, me and the moonlight,
Alone together night after night,
How 'bout us?
How 'bout you and I?

(C) 2004
#krjenkins
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— The End —