My skin settles with the evening skies
It dwells in the darkness of night
In the morning time, it awakes
Still in its beauty


-LaToya Martin

There are days I want to stay and days I want to go
Then there are days my heart hurts so bad I pace to and fro
I don’t want to eat; I toss and turn cause I can’t sleep
Wondering if you are faithful to me; I pray, I think, I weep

Sometimes my heart tells me yes, then other times it’s a definite no
You tell me I am the only one in your life, but I guess I will never know
All these questions floating through my mind – alone, no one to help me
Do I trust, do I leave, do I love, do I believe…

Fears surround what I should do – afraid of making the wrong choice
Loud emotions screaming through my mind – confused by all the noise
What happened to our “forever” – I ask through tears in a shaky voice
Friends have little advice to offer except “girl you know boys will be boys”

Been here before, seen these signs and refuse to travel this same road
“It’s different now, trust me, I have changed, I promise.” All lies that I am told
Yet the idiot inside me still believes because I’m gullible and so in love
So I accept the blame for the position I’m in, no more complaining I’ve had enough

No more waiting around for my eyes to dry from the tears I cried all night
I will pick up the pieces and mend my heart cause I am going to be alright
No more listening to lies and fake alibis saying that you had to work late
Good women like me are hard to find and for your love I can no longer wait

No more wishing I had your love or your arms around me at night
No more feeling lonely, stressed and depressed from all of our senseless fights
No more sacrificing and accepting less just to hold on to you
And despite my fears No more living here, I found a house on Park Avenue

I know my worth, I know who I am, I know I deserve to be happy
So I am leaving you to start a new life and this time I’ll focus on me
I may shed a tear for each and every year I wasted dealing with you
But with each passing day I will smile and say “I’m stronger and I will make it through”

Through the tears, through the hurt, through the lies and deceit
I will rise ‘cause no weapon shall prosper against me
Through Christ I can do all things so I’ll keep my faith steady
Knowing one day God will lead me to my handsome prince to marry

I will stand, I will heal, and even learn to love and trust again when I am ready

He will love me passionately, kiss me softly and live to see me smile
He will adore me and not ignore me all because of my **** style
Until that time, I will happily spend my time loving myself first
I am proud to say that I have moved out now because I know my own self worth

WRITTEN BY LATOYA TAYLOR

I love you
But yet I hate you
You are the hope of my future
You were my guidance in my past
My father despised you
But my mother adored you
You were her will to live
You were a constant guest in our home
You were the scent my mother wore daily
She neglected me for the happiness of you
She confided in you
But your greed took her away
After all the hurt and pain you caused
I welcomed you back into my life
But now you are my foundation
I finally see what my mother saw in you
You helped her cope with her wounds
Even though you helped cause them
My family doesn’t understand you
And honestly nor do I
You’ve ruined my past
And I have acknowledged
That you have ruined my future
You are the end of my tunnel
My Whiskey Bottle

-LaToya Martin

“The definition of life”
What’s the name of that place between confusion and utopia?
Oh yeah, Ignorant Bliss
I CHOOSE to believe all the good in life,
to see it with rose tinted eyes

My only dilemma is this
People are flawed, and even with the best intentions,
Disappoint, But that’s none of your concern,
Still you must push on

Keep settings your sights high, don’t be afraid of the fall
Expect the unexpected, entertain enthusiasm,
Hope for hope, allow expectations
Because these moments are your life - created by imagination

You decide how to handle these times,
your decision – not their’s or mine,
But keep this in mind,
your actions are yours to own,
when you look back at
These moments that defined your life
Written by
LaToya Taylor

life is so fragile and then there’s death.
you live your life til there’s nothing left.
you never hear the call though it’s so near
now the trumpet sounds like it’s right in your ear
that can’t be for me, you say to yourself,
it has to be for someone older, someone else
I’ve barely lived my life, no warning at all
some one should’ve told me not to drive to the mall
I guess death is inevitable, no way around it.
not me, not now, I don’t deserve it.
I see the white light, where can I hide.
is it too late for me, have I already died?
my heart pounds, I feel my body jolt.
a figure’s coming out the light, there’s no more hope.
it looks like my grandmother, is she coming to get me?
from this nightmare, someone please set me free.
I need to wake up, for my kids, I have three.
I think my life is over, how can this be?
my heart pounds, my body jolts again.
please Lord, forgive me of all my sins!
I repent right now, and if you help me I vow,
To live my life for you God, the best way I know how.
I hear voices yelling, “stop Doc, it’s too late!
I know it’s hard but you can’t change his fate.”
then he walked over and next to my bed he stood.
“his life is gone, you did the best you could!”
God this is my last plea, who will teach my kids the fear of you.
when they grow up and have troubles what will they do?
the bright light faded, I was in a white room.
doctors all around me, but they gave up too soon.
my heart started back up, but at a rapid pace.
The blood on my tongue I could now start to taste.
My wife’s at the window with hope filled eyes,
Then I take a deep breath and she started to cry.
The doctors stand around looking shocked and amazed,
But the head doctor was first to snap out his daze.
Check his bp, pulse and other vitals,
Then of the saline and codeine I want three vials.
A deep voice in my ear said to me “remember your vow.
It’s because of your promise I’m letting you live now!
Teach your kids about me and help them to see.
The only way to get to heaven is truly through me.
By the way the three kids you have now will be,
Four cause your wife got pregnant on your anniversary.
He will be a devout preacher and keep people from hell
Or he’ll be the biggest gangster in and out of jail
Teach him, guide him and help him through life
Spare not the rod but praise him when right
Just remember it wasn’t the doctors who saved you tonight
It was I, the only way, the truth and the light”

Written by LaToya Taylor - eypoeticexpressions.com

If they ask who am I?
I’m a writer with an undying desire to experience the world with the ink from my pen
And when my hands flow gracefully across the page my imagination’s free to soar again

If they ask you about me,
don’t paint me as a drop of water forced to blend into the sea
because it has no true definition and no real identity
I’d rather that you say that I’m eccentric and strange – personality untamed
And that my curiosity often gets the best of me

LaToya Taylor  eypoeticexpressions.com

Illustrate me in bright hues of gold and paint my face purple
Make sure you give me 3 feet and 6 toes
Draw me with surprise in my eyes with my head held high
Proud and unashamed of my life’s story untold

Stain me in animation and build up the anticipation
Until the time that a masterpieces can be revealed
For now, I’m not ready so continue to create me
And when you’re done, color me creative

He went on and on about his childhood
About how he walked miles to school barefoot in snow
Oh how we chuckled to his many stories
Grandpa spoke about where he and grandma first met
He rambled about life
And how the news was so important to watch
How saving money was mandatory
And material things wasn’t
I remember the smell of his homemade biscuits
baking in the morning
Long before the rooster crowed
He attended his garden faithfully as if resting was a sin
Grandpa’s words were heard miles away
Even if he spoke in silence
As a child he didn’t have presents for Christmas
So he explained that we should be thankful
Even if nothing was wrapped with a bow and given as a gift
I remember as he sat in his recliner
And his gray hair shimmered under the lights
And how all of us kids would laugh when he and grandma argued
This year will be different
Now it’s our time to reminiscence about him
He has decided to finally rest
Because Grandpa won’t be here this Christmas
                                                              
                                           -LaToya Martin

How can this be, you and me
Here, alone, together
The world is gone, our past are done
All we have is each other

One touch of your hands, now I understand
How two people can become one.
No more you and me, but us we be
Until God tells us well done.

Now the pastor is in focus and people behold us
As you gently ask for my hand
You tell me you vow to do the best you know how
If I will just let you be my man

I tell you I surrender (as you slide the ring on my finger)
My heart body and mind
No matter how hard I try if I search ‘til I die
No better soul mate I’d ever find

You said your I do and I said my I do
We’re now one, no longer two
Nothing else matters, not sisters or brothers
Cause we’re here, alone, together

Written by LaToya Taylor

Gardener, why was I planted here?
What did you see?
The gardener replied, a little **** from the earth standing with nobody
But the sun burns, said the ****
When the rain pours, it hurts
At times I am buried and feel unwanted by the dirt
Don’t you see I’m weak?
Many thoughts but can barely speak
Oh, gardener, I beg you, please release me
I’m not clothed in beauty or appealing to see
Wait! Don’t walk on by
Don’t you see my pain?
No strength, no roots, much loss, much shame
All I ask is that you release thee
So I can stand with the weeds
Who once stood by me
The gardener replied,
Oh, little ****
So well-spoken yet quite demanding
I will not release thee because
You are withered and burned
But yet still standing

                         -LaToya Martin

Those who would compare LaToya, and the other Jacksons,
to a pen of mangy, lice-plagued gibbons could never be
acceptable guests at festivals that honor monkeys.