These Days
by Ryan P. Kinney

I was a Victim of these days
You can’t say things like that these days
These days, they walked me out the door
Because an opinion means my son should suffer for my mistakes
These days intent does not matter
Because Words hurt
And we deal with them more militantly than the military
We treat words like weapons
And guns like toys
Words **** people
Not guns.


Back in the day
by Ryan P. Kinney

If it was back in the day
Maybe I would have gotten away with it
Maybe I could afford healthcare
And food
And shelter
To raise a son

Maybe I would be judged on the content of my heart,
Not the mistakes of my mouth

lanterns of gold
waking up late
breakfast for lunch
days with no date

long beginnings
with uncertain ends
sudden adventures
and making new friends

losing control
with thoughts unleashed
made up excuses
"i'm heading northeast"

writing in bed
and sleeping midway
waking up late
dates with no days

final goodbyes
we're back on track
farewell golden lanterns
for winter is back

Act like you don't care
Act like it's okay
Act like everything's cool
But my darling
No, it's not
It's not like how you think it is
You care
It's not okay
It's not cool

Stop it
Wake up
Makeup
Stand up
Live in reality
Keep on dreaming
Make them come true
Chase them if you have to
Take a short rest cause you needed to

Sit
Take a sip
Take a deep breath
My father always says
Slowly and steady, win the race
Make prayers
Don't lose hope
Stay strong
Till the end of the day

no day's the same
some days
you'd awake with agitation
and anxiety
singing with a fiddle and a drum only you hear
some days
you'd awake with an unusual
and unexpected felicity
and when asked why, you'd say
'oh, i awoke on the right side of my bed'
some days
how you feel would be undecipherable
other days
you'd question your wokeness
when life throws a new day at your face
do not stall or growl
for she throw at you a priceless chance
and what does one do with chances?
                                  © Valerie-Pearl Oyo.

Woke up,
Had existential crisis,
Went home to bed.

Woke up,
Held hope in my hands,
Had existential crisis,
Went home to bed.

Woke up,
Held hope in my hands,
Saw God tread on an Ant,
Had existential crisis,
Went home to bed.

Woke up,
Tried to be better,
Held hope in my hands,
Saw God tread on an Ant,
Had existential crisis,
Went home to bed.

Woke up,
Saw God tread on an Ant,
Tried to be better,
Became a victim of my own humanity,
Held hope in my hands,
Had existential crisis,
Went home to bed.

Woke up,
Watched the sun rise,
Saw God tread on an Ant,
Tried to be better,
Held hope in my hands,
Became a victim of my own humanity,
Had existential crisis,
Went home to bed.

Woke up,
Saw God tread on an Ant,
Succumbed to darkness,
Tried to be better,
Became a victim of my own humanity,
Held hope in my hands,
Had existential crisis,
Watched the sun rise,
Went home to bed.