Self-empowerment.
What does it mean?

Maybe it means
That you can take a punch
That you can get knocked down
and stand up on your own two feet.

That you can spit out the blood
That you can dry your tears
and keep fighting.

You can.
You know you can.
Don't you?

Well?
What are you waiting for?
Your clock is ticking.

You only lose
When you don't get back up
And continue to cruise

15 to love, still able to win,
gotta tough it out,
winning is everything. Losing's a sin.
I'll keep trying. I'm still in with a shout.

My backhand slices
the ball to my foe
(Joe's my friend but in a crisis,
I shift where the winds blow)

He parries, sends the ball to the line,
his touch is immaculate,
cleaner than mine.
I leap like a cat

return it with ease
he flicks it back over the net
intending to tease.
I grimace. We made a bet

and now I engage
into higher gear,
my brain fills with rage,
my heart fills with fear.

Advantage to me,
the crowd stands to cheer,
Joe falls to one knee,
buckled, losing a tear.

I volley. It whizzers
past his frozen form
he tries, but misses,
defeated, forelorn.

At last I have won,
the gold cup is mine,
another dream spun,
back to the factory line.

Finding love is easy.
Finding the right kind is not.
Few get to feel it.
Quite a few get to keep it.
Love is a free gift given.
Getting it right is like winning.
A lottery.
It is not for everyone.
Just the lucky ones.
Better said.
Hash tag the blessed.
For it truly a blessing.
If you ever find it right,
Be wise and persistent.
Keep it winning right.


©Belema .S.  Ekine
©belemascribbles

The beginning of the semester your kicking ***,
The end of the semester your fading fast.
The beginning of the semester you future is bright,
The end of the semester dull dim light,
The beginning of the semester your papers write themselves,
The end of the semester you can barely spell,
The beginning of the semester it easy to get up,
The end of the semester you seldomly show up,
The beginning of the semester the professors the best,
The end of the semester their just like the rest,
The beginning of the semester the classes are fun,
The end of the semester your ready to run.
The beginning of the semester you major ballin',
The end of the semester you eatin' ramen,
The beginning of the semester you can sleep without worrying about anything,
The end of the semester you stay up all night drinking red bull and 5 hour energy,
The beginning of the semester to the day of your last,
I wish you good luck and I hope you pass.

The screaming cheers
travel a distance far
in the divided hall
the yellows and blues
await the serving ball

an overhand strike
the ball speeds
across the mid-line

the yellows
dig, set & attack
the blues
fling & smack
fearless & skilled
the crowd hails

winning or defeat
is a victory for all
for the love
of volleyball

Winning is losing,
In such a different form,
Losing is winning no more