I am an old can, expired way past my open date
Fresh is not a word I would use to describe me or my pain
Maybe blunt or numbing or agonizing
Could be a part of my new recipe for life, for living
You see, this old can, has been in the same shelf for last few months and today out of all the **** days out of a year
She decides to open me up
I'm sour, ugly rotten inside til my core my juices; they clump when she began to pour me out
No doubt, I was ready six months ago or maybe even 2019
But now, she can't even enjoy my the sweetness of my whole, golden, buttery flavored goodness
Tosses me like nobody's business,
And yells, "we out of corn"
****! I was happier in the back, with
The spam

Pop! Goes the weasel
Shakes, rattle, now roll the dice
Screams, loud yelps and sometimes teasing
All a part of our saturday night

"I win", hands clapping like thunderbolts, no lightning
Trying to persuade in a game of charades
Intense, play your cards, hold mouth tightly, say it ain't so
My sister just screamed "Bingo!

Laughs, and chuckles, high-fives in the air,
Teams of 2 or 4, one, two, guess my clue
Smirks, sly grins, trying to hide a bone,
No one bothers to check their phones

Spilled popcorn, empty sodas cans and bags of chips, fruits slices galore on mom's favorite  food tray with veggie dips, hard candy,
Mints and finger-sandwiches, lets hope we recoup with no damages

Winding down, it's getting late, 2 sleepy kids and a lazy retriever,lying on the fluffy rug, near the recliner, trying to catch a breather
Ongoing yawns, arms stretching, it's time for bed
Movie night tomorrow's special: Night of the Living Dead

Enjoying our time, bonds that will last forever, this is mi familia game night
We're in this  together!

A broken heart can be mended
        A chained heart can be unleashed
        A torn heart can be repaired
        A giving heart is fair to share
        A young heart, imaginative, bliss
        A old heart, time capsule of 50
        Years, plus first kiss
        A cold heart, infiltrated with hate
        Closed valves, no open gate
       A hearty- heart, filled with
        Laughter, love, and memories
        The heart does not forget
         It just keeps beating

And from those ashes I blew
    Into a man formed like you
     Flowing through his fingertips
     The light of this world
      And from his rib and by his     side a helpmate
       She will begin her journey
        With him
        Guided footsteps, never seen
        By eye's of those who fail to
         Believe!

You choose the path but lose your map
Forget to do the math, subtracting everything from you
Becomes your aftermath
You bathe in a bath filled with wrath
Brazing, burning desires all soaked into in your calves
Leaves your skin scorned from drying off with sandpaper
Bouts of depression, anxiety you fight everyday
Just to get up out of bed, feels like a tomb being lifted away
Mind, is tormented, wires disconnect
Finding who you are in a world of rejection

I dipped my finger into the nectar
Sweetest thing since sweet November
Butterscotch drops is all that I can remember ******* on when I was a young tender
Globs  of snow on those cold winter mornings, in my gloves I can still fill the numbness
Walks to the park, when spring grabs us, watching school kids get off the yellow school bus
Hopscotch, jacks, handball on the concrete wall, fun times galore, we couldn't even catch them all
Splashing in water from street hydrants, bad idea, watching the cops come close it up again
Sidewalks  became our summer mural, engraved with hearts, flowers and ugly words we learned
Hot, sweaty nights, streets are still busy, with couples walking and I hear screaming, "somebody help Jimmy!
My time spent here will always be remembered, New York City,
bred and born, lifetime member!

Appetite

Let me caress your mind
Relax to unwind
Engage in selfless, bliss of intellectual abyss,
Cerebrum explodes into galactic stars, infinite in touch, surrounded by Mars
Let me show you the words to say
Explicitly, play with tongue, tied, tunes of verses we shall use
Let me hold you tight, until our bodies unite, catch on fire in a bubbly desire to render our true identity only to ourselves
For we know the truth lies in,  hot baked apple pies made with love from our ancestors dried cries
Let us shower our children, being great is only a half step away from the graveyard nearby they play and old schools of books once learned ,burned
Let us make peace, in all the land, that stretches like a rubberband, constantly reminding us of what lies ahead of that gloried doctrine sold to those already dead

If you know me, then you know what I like
No dipping of the finger
For a quick taste or bite
I am with the frills and the lace
Many consider it to be in good taste
You may not like the pinks and pastel colors as much as me
Or the brightness of yellow sun dresses on a warm summer day
That's where we are different
And that's okay too
I am a fluttering butterfly and you
  A proud cockatoo
That's why I do me and you do you!

Deeper than the oceans  sea caves
Heart-strings unattached, bleeding love into the words I speak
Giving more than just my thoughts
But passionate kisses of sweet memories blowing in the wind
Catch them whenever you see me again

A life lost to senseless cause
     Or is it effect, that you forgot
      To put yourself in check
       Before you brush your teeth
       Lay your clothes out for the next day
Did you check in with yourself?
Self check? Sanity check? Mental health check? On my grind check? Good choices check?
Which box did you forget to put
That x that marks the spot
That people pleasing attitude
  You are not
   That try me today look on your face
Or that I don't need this trouble
   With a side of total disgrace
   Check on you before you do anything
Am I always right? Do I really have to fight?
Why am I angry at my boss? What keeps me awake during the night?
My dreams, my fears, reminders of what's to come
  Moving forward means I have to
   Maintain
My sanity, my focus, my thoughts and my hands

Fizzle


Shadows in the sun, distance upon their lands
Dancing up the dirt, til rain becomes their stand
Calling or hollering, all of my ancestors names, singing in tune with gold and silver pieces in our hands
Passing down traditions, rituals of our tribes, around my neck I wear the sterling feather with pride

I caught a glimpse of happiness, dancing in fresh daisy flowers, with sun-kissed skin

I wonder where she learned to dance that way, could have been her mother, who passed away?

Or maybe it was her grandmother that braided her golden locks into one braid

I remember seeing her on the front porch, with her long fingers in your hair, while you sipped on country time lemonade

The joys of watching you from afar, and how you used to catch fireflies in an old mason jar

I've waited and kept you in sight, without a doubt you will always be my special nightlight

My dreams of you and I together, holding hands tightly, grass between our toes
No worries, no woes

Us sitting in rocking chairs, watching the world turn as time goes by
And today, I caught a glimpse of happiness with you again dancing, in your white dress

But this time, I have the chance to dance beside you and forever you'll be mine till it's our time to bid adieu

Honey child,
It's been a while since I seen you smile
Caught up in the river, for half a mile
Skin so smooth, and rich, couldn't get past that last glimpse
Of how you make those dimples,  perfectly oval shaped, deep
Blessing your skin, God thank you for this beautiful treat
Shiny, white pearls in your mouth, you call them teeth, I call them sweet
Glowing of the white truth, that cast away dark clouds(frowns)

Honey child, please don't even get me started
Of your glow and humility, leaving those intrigued, departed
Kind hearted, gentle voice keeps me engaged, always have something
Intelligent to say
Let the words fall off your tongue,  rub my thoughts of conundrums, increase the blood flow;your venomous songs
I pray they bite me every night, until my wrongs become right

Honey child, please be mine
Til we become one, twisted up like twine
Wrapped around a bottle of fine wine,
Looking beautifully, adorned, we ferment over time

Soil/soul

I reach down into mother earths moistened, dark soil
Her richness is still wet from the cold mornings dew left by Mr. Winter
She has kept her promise of becoming something new & fresh as the new year brings new days
Her greatness is unkept, no one could hold all of the richness and beauty she promotes
She has guided our ancestors paths thru dark nights and long summer days
Rooted with hard clay rocks, dusted  broken tree limbs& soft withery grass
She has promoted much growth with each passing season
Only changing her textures slightly to incorporate all the goodness that surrounds her(embades her)
Large cranes, rooters and tractors have beaten her soil, but Mother earth remains
Warm, gentle as the touch of a babys hand, but firm as the rock of Girbraulter
Trees sit, listening & swaying to her every word(beat),as she guides them into great seasons
Rain flows into her soil and bubbles up the earthly treasures we sometimes overlook
Long slimy worms, old, rusted bottle caps, small rigid rocks with crusted diamond dust sides
She has given us much love with her untimely, patterns of growth
As we remember that soil is a great commodity
It is also where we as beings started
From ashes to ashes, return us dust to dirt(dust)
Soil....so.il...soil....sou...sol..soul

All black all black
    Don't crack, but it's constantly attacked
By whom you say? Anybody can be preying
On my skin, next of kin, down the street blue and black is still in
Two times riding while I was lighter
Cops thought I was white
But I beg, to differ my mama **** near white and my daddy black as coal
My great-grandma is irish and black,
She had porcelain skin and long shiny black hair, I was told
Stories of my ancestors, my kin folk long gone, skin color  ranges of light blues to the blackest night
Our skin was never the problem,
To solve, in addition we are more than
You can dissolve in one drink, one sip, one ship, two whips, three times sold
To the highest bidder, never too old
Do our history gets, it keeps repeating with every sound of a "click", a man run, children playing in the golden sun,
Fresh linen clothes line hung, beating of a drum, drinking way too young,
Don't know the words to a song, we hum
All black, all black
My true color, often being attacked
By contract, Iam given freedom
By God Iam alive
Give me black any day, for it outlines
The other colors anyway

Shadows in the sun, distance upon their lands
Dancing up the dirt, til rain becomes their stand
Calling or hollering, all of my ancestors names, singing in tune with gold and silver pieces in our hands
Passing down traditions, rituals of our tribes, around my neck I wear the sterling feather with pride

Slaps in my face, "you're a total disgrace
Don't leave home without taking your things"
You're a loser, can't do nothing right
I want you out of my sight
Too **** bad, you are a waste of a body
Should have given you up a long time ago, now look who's sorry
I'm tired, don't want you anymore
And don't forget to close my door
... Wait, I'm sorry come back Honesty!

When I think about my sisters
  So many thoughts pop into my mind, like who we are on the inside
How those thick thighs, always seem to fit just right in our jeans
We are bursting with excitement when it's time shine
Unrelentless, beauty, cost her nothing on a dime
She is black and perfectly flawed, in many ways, but that doesn't change her day to day
Working, single mothers, taking care of her family, mothers of the church with their large sisterly- love fan base, independent, sister students, with educated dreams, lift those heels high as they cross
Disappointment  streams, corporate - collard women making high profile calls, cubicle sista-girls behind those plastered print walls
Thick- skinned, tough, we know our place; sisters with an attitude, get out of our face
Humble, smart, and run an at- home business; our sisters are doing it big; they are fearless
Raught, ratched, gum-popping sassy one's, come in all colors, styles and fabrics, with the smoothness like silk or put you on a guilt trip, rip you like a piece of tweed
Happy- go lucky, a threat to many that don't know them yet
Reminded of the way, they make a brother feel when he has had a taste
Of grape, chocolate, almond, color or even light skin sister appetite
He can't resist that bite or smell of fragrance of the night
Our sistas got it going on and no one sister is the same
We are different in every way, catch us in theater or a plays
Sisters bringing light to the dark, sparking conversations; with food for thought
Changing laws in our world, no longer is she just a "sister-girl"
She is woman
She is you
She is us multiplied by 2
She is all that
She is hip and a bag of chips

My brown brother, unlike any other, a mother gave you that smile

    My brown brother, coco skin like smooth leather, taunt, unwelting as if Pocohantus wrapped you herself

My brown brother, almond shaped eyes, drowning in your pool of high and low tides

My brown brother, give me" that ****** healing," kind of lover, deep sleep, because you had me feenin'

My brown brother, whisper those sweet nothings in my ear, caressing the beat of my heart with your tongue(without fear)

My brown brother, together we are one, with lines distorted of bodies connected, we eject the passion of a love unprotected

Unity is one

We become close, we hunt together, we eat together
We live in unity
We die alone

Unity is one

The joy you give me is unlike any other
Our spirits are joined, instantly one
Of love done wrong and sometimes not even together
We lost time of what is truly important
Given the situation, we let our lives lay dormant
To the influential, expertise of false lovers advises
We cut off all tides, to those evils in disguises
To put love first is a must, for sure
To show love first, is almost unnatural, but pure
Like driving at night with no glasses
Love is knowing you need each other, minus the past
Subtracting all the hurt and pain, even though it's painfully there
Aware of what's more important and showing love that can be fair
Giving in to your own crazies, and sticking to the storyline
Love is more than just a word, it's an action stamped in our hearts and mind
If we took the time each day to remind ourselves of who we are
The self-love we have for us would make us better by far
Giving love and showing love to others is good indeed
But showing love to yourself, is a
constant need to feed
For how can we learn to love someone else, if we first don't loves ourselves

The last time I saw my father, I was just two years old
I remember the smell of his cologne, mixed with alcohol
I remember when he carried me in his arms to someplace new
A place I had never been before, it smelled of cigarettes and of a *** of stew
People looked at me and gushed at how cute and fat I was
There it seemed like a lifetime of pass the baby, but it only lasted a second
Those seconds were all I remember of my father

I caught a glimpse of happiness, dancing in fresh daisy flowers with sun-kissed skin

I wonder where she learned to dance that way, could have been her mother, who passed away?

Or maybe, it was her grandmother, that braided her golden locks into one braid

I remember seeing her on the front porch, with her long, fingers in your hair, while you sipped on country time lemonade

The joys of watching you from afar, and how you used to catch fireflies in an old mason jar

I've waited and kept you in sight, without a doubt you will always be my special nightlight

My dreams of you and I together, holding hands tightly, grass between our toes, no worries, no woes

Us sitting in rocking chairs, watching the world turn as time goes by

And today, I caught a glimpse of happiness with you, again dancing in your white dress

But this time, I have the chance to dance beside you and forever you'll be mine

Till it's time to bid adieu


Or

We get up, we kiss, we eat breakfast
Only to do this again the next day and the day after
It's been twenty-two years, now
Our kids have left, they call us sometimes
Our home is still intact, but it is quiet
Left with memories of smelly-dogs,
Stinky gym socks and grape jelly
All rolled into a life, a blanket of soft,
Patterned delight that we shared for
Only a time
Retired, older, but still us
We get up, we kiss, we eat breakfast
We get up, we kiss, we eat breakfast