I wish they understood how I see the world
I wish I understood how the world sees me
I wish they knew how hard it is sometimes to smile
I wish I knew why I smile no matter how hard it sometimes is
I wish they could feel the joy and peace so real
I wish I could feel ever full of passion and zeal
I wish they heard the cries of the poor and unspoken
I wish I could give the voiceless and unspoken a way to be heard
I wish they wanted to provide and care for the least
I wish I could provide and care so the least feel wanted
I wish I could do for for the world what I can do for one person
I with the world could do for one person what one person wants to do for it

We bleed the same, we breathe the same, we hurt the same, we hope the same
Some seem to try their hardest to tear this world apart
I try to show love, give love, live love, be love and bring the world together
Some choose to see what divides us
I choose to see what unites us
Some would see the world on fire
I would see our hearts on fire
Some would seek to change another
I would seek to understand my brother
Some might say all hope is lost
I might say we are lost and search for where hope is found
Some might feel only rage and hate
But I feel that peace and love will dominate
Some might believe that I'm a dreamer or a fool
But I believe that hope and dreams will never be uncool
Some might wonder and ask why should I care?
I wonder how they don't see it everywhere

Shine the light of Christ for all to see
Living in love and peace and charity
Spread the good news to every people and land
See the good and the work of human hands
What God can do with and through an open heart
Broken can be made whole ad changes can truly start
Though your heart may be as hard as stone
I pray you remember you are never alone
For we are all children with one Dad
We have a safe haven when things get scary or bad

Alive in your hands I am
Dead in flesh but woken in spirit
Struggling to face my burdens
This love of yours I want to inherit
Your love I will fight to earn
Trails and tribulations won't keep me away
Although I struggle to walk your way
You never put me away
You messiah
are a God who will always be higher
Becuase your love is like none other

the question is;
do these stained glasses
hold any worth today,
when the idols are the ones
who are leading the
hopeless astray, is there
any need for another
illustration
when the feeling
from within comes from
above,
do we really need another
human to try explain
the feeling, when at the end
of the day, the human race
can't explain the feeling of
love

-t.m

the days of nazereth,
or the present
times in labarynth
feeding the people with beams
of light is only in vain when they are
wetting their own appetites,
not applying any of it into
their own lives,
singing hymns in church halls
only to go home and tell their
children a black man is not a
human at all,
inviting all who seek a new life
only to cast their foolish eyes
on a hopeless child who comes
inside, judging her past actions;
labelling her a whore as she
questions if there is even
a god - and if there is - why believe
in one that harbours
disciples who would display such
a reaction

-t.m

I am from VapoRub,
From Goya
And morisoñando.
I am from the traffic
And loud horns,
From the Caribbean heat,
And the city lights,
From the buildings
And the towers.
I am from the palm trees
And the coconut trees,
Dancing bachata
And merengue
In the beach,
From yaniqueque
Y plátano,
From tostones
And fish.
I am from Sunday gatherings
And loud family members,
From Jose, Maria, and Primos,
And the hardworking
Payamps clan.
I am from the
Madera’s baseball team,
From Canó, Sosa, y Ortiz,
From the long summer rides
To Punta Cana
And Samana’s beach.
From “work hard
Cause life is not easy”
And “family before friends.”
From Christianity
And Saturday morning sermons,
From God is good
And He brings joy.
I am from Santo Domingo
And Monción,
From Santiago
And Spanish ancestors,
From mangú con salami,
From rice and beans.
From the grandpa
Who owns the village
Surrounded by
Chickens, cows, and bulls,
From the business owner
And the well known uncles
In my hometown.
I am from the only flag
With a bible.
From the red, blue
And white.
From the most beautiful
Island in the Caribbean,
From Quisqueya y
Libertad.
I am from the
Dominican Republic,
The country that holds
The people I love and
Miss the most.
I am from the
Little Paris box
I keep next to my bed,
Filled with precious
Gifts and letters
That make me feel
A little closer
To them.

In the beginning was the word,
and you breathed breath into man.
We messed up, so you sent your son and he died to save his land.
And yet, you still now who I am.
Because you created me through him.

You've saved me many times before.
Many times you'll do it again.
You saved me from no hope,
My shame my sin and in you I'm forgiven.

Your the creator of the skies,
Son of god and man.
Savior of my life,
ThE lion and the lamb.
People wil say they don't see it.
      All they have to do is just believe it.
             Because he, he is, and
                     He'll always be.


ALWAYS FAITHFUL TO ME.

dear god,
you were introduced to me as kind, forgiving, generous. whenever i made a mistake, i didn't feel the need to come apologize to you because i thought you'd know it was a mistake and forgive me. not once in my life have i gone out of my way to hurt anyone. any pain i may have caused anyone was unintentional. like the way i broke my sister's arm- i didn't mean it. we were playing. my parents may not have understood that, but i knew you would understand because you were always- you have always been- my best friend.
i am eighteen now and i've made more mistakes than i can count. these mistakes didn't hurt anyone but myself. i made bad decisions out of vulnerability, desire, fear. and i thought you'd understand. i stayed up a few nights explaining to you exactly what happened (you were there though, so i probably didn't even need to do that). i screwed up, i didn't mean to hurt anyone. i swear to god. i mean, i swear to you.
but recently i'm being told by everyone around me that i need to repent and beg for forgiveness. god, i don't understand. why would i say sorry to you for my mistake? you created me. you knew i was made to make mistakes. if you wanted me to be perfect, you would have made me so. but you didn't. i've always come to you in times of need, in times of confusion and pain. you have guided me, i have trusted you, you told my secrets to no one.
why now, must i beg for forgiveness? you know me better than i know myself. you know i have always sacrificed myself for those i love, i never wanted anyone to hurt.
i am lying here with a broken heart and a the words are twisting in throat. my stomach is on fire and every breath is a struggle. i am thankful that i do not need to speak for you to hear me. god, tell me this, why must i beg for forgiveness when i know that you have forgiven me? i know you have forgiven me for being human. you made me human in the first place.
other humans will not forgive me.
you will. you always have.

please help me understand.
regards,
your human.