Some people wake up every morning
Fill their mug with strong black coffee
And commute to work
At work they slave away for the dollar
That never seems to truly satisfy
The hungry greed growing within them

They once were children
Who said they would be
firemen,
teachers,
artists,
pirates,
astronauts,
authors,
innova­tors and world-changers
When they grew up

On Fridays after work
Sometimes these people
Go out for a drink
After a few beers
One of them opens up to the fellow
coworker they are sitting next to:
"Oh," they'd say
"I have dreams of sailing away
I can't wait for the day
That I am able to break free from
the monotony and mediocrity
and pursue my purpose,
and my dreams"

"What noble ambitions you have"
The fellow coworker will respond
"But what are your plans to make this so?"

The dreamer will answer
"I don't know
All I do know is
That most people
Stay stuck in conformity
And then there are some who
follow their dreams."

Within the moment
Of a shared smile:
Squinched eyes
A heart connection

In that moment
I see
Everything I need to know.

I'll speak in my mother tongue
And embrace
the slang of my Brooklyn roots

I won't try to change
My colloquial way of speech
I don't have anything to prove
With the words I choose to use

Because I'll speak my message plain as day,
I'll spit my rhymes
Like straightforward
Old school rappers
I don't need to sugarcoat my words
I don't need to overcomplicate things
With my messages

I'll take pride in my mother tongue
I won't pretend to be something I'm not
I'm just a girl from Brooklyn
Who has a lot to express.

My eyes are upon the heavens
My heart longs for home
I've been reaching for understanding
But plummeting down into uncertainty

My mind is a spiral
My heart a vagabond
My mind is full with morning fog
My heart is full of endless stars

Lord, awaken me
Take me, all of me
As thy instrument
Give me a purpose
Beyond all of this useless striving

Gently nudge me back to life
I've known grief, but I no longer want that
to be the main theme of my life story
I'll trade the sad stories in
For days of endless joy and meaning
Lord, give me what I am needing

I've said goodbye to troublesome vices,
I'm trying to rid my life
Of everything that gets in the way of your Love
I'm nearly empty
Of all of this self sabotage
So take me God,
And show me how much you love me.

Never forget your four legged friend
Those days you thought would never end
He followed you where ever you went
Happy times those years you spent.

When he was young and crafty at times
Often a shoe was hard to find
Looking under tables and chairs
No shoe was there or anywhere.

His puppy days just faded away
He settled down and he would obey
Then it clicked when he saw the need
To follow you without a lead.

There were times when you felt down
He looked at you with your saddened frown
He then sat down there by your side
Looking at you with his glaring eyes.

And then there were those holidays
The Sandy beach were you all played
You threw him a ball or maybe a stick
And tought him all those amazing tricks.

Looking back at all those years you had
Some were happy and some were sad
Those real good times you will never regret
A loving friend you will never forget.

But years  they come and years they go
Spring summer autumn and winter snow
And now you are filled with memories
That time it came for your friend to leave.

Don't ever get down at Remount Road
on the train's brief pause.

Once I couldn't resist
when through the window
I can't say what beckoned me.

The sky after a drizzle was awashed blue
and its miniature carvings on the puddles
sprung from my steps like thousand dreams.

There on the unshaded platform
were faces as puzzled as mine.

I didn't intend to detrain here, I spoke,
we didn't too, the voices echoed
but it felt so like the place
we wanted to be but missed.

Walk me barefoot on the sodden earth,
a girl offered her hand,
recount to me the unfinished stories,
make me a home.

I won't miss this time,
I was crying.

I have recounted the story to many
but they all have eyed me
like I am mad.

They only repeat there's no Remount Road
on this route.

Gleaming silver sidewalks,
as the sun goes on down,
I walk alone feeling blue,
through the streets of town.

A beat forming in my mind,
as traffic chugs right along,
chiming railroad crossing,
adding to the cities song.

Mood improving as I stroll,
the bridges seams lay down a beat,
my head bobbing up and down,
this music is such a treat.

A little swagger in my step,
I do a spin through puddles, splash,
cement truck grinding round,
manhole cover like cymbal's crash.

The music's there all the time,
you just have to choose to see,
and when you do, you will find,
it will set your spirit free.