180 degrees (ode to Oscar Grant)

It took 24 hours for Oscar to touch strangers lives as his life was about to be extinguished Fighting his demons off left and right all in order to make his mother, his ,daughter, his love proud How would he know that turning 180 degrees, he would face such head winds standing side by side with his friends as he beats back his demons as they confront him on the train as punches reign suppressing their attack He was just trying to make his way back.....home He was just trying to make his way back..... to his daughter He was just trying to make his way back..... to his mother How would he know that turning 180 degrees, he would face such head winds Serve and protect grabbed him, his friends, with wreckless abandonment but tonight the fight for his rights would end with his ultimate silence and the utterance of, Why did you shoot me... I have a daughter.... Why did you shoot me....I have a daughter.... How would he know that turning 180 degrees, he would face such head winds We going to be alright he said, We're going to be alright but known demons came to remove Oscar's light but they can not extinguish the faith, the hope, that we will stop the senseless killing of our children. So until this stop we will continue the fight. because he could not know that turning 180 degrees, he would face such head winds.

Southern Trees (Trayvon Reflection)

Southern trees swing in the breeze as the blood of strange fruit absorbs in the soil The spoils, of another soul promise for greater things as a shot heard around the world rings. Southern trees swing in the breeze Where we once lived in a nation when a slave ran to escape a plantation a time long past until a night that would open old wounds fast Southern trees swing in the breeze still in a nation where my skin is my sin no matter how innocent i seem still not to be able to win my struggle will not be in vein despite the pain nor will my memory wain for many shall carry on my name as Southern trees swing in the breeze some say I am the new Emit Till and I say I am the reality that you are living still Not free, Not free, to be me as Southern trees swing in the breeze A strange fruit,..... huh.....me

Little Black Boy Wonder (Continued)

Little Black Boy Wonder I still hear your voice, your cry as tears rolls from my eyes You, stood strong in the face of the hate that emanates from southern skies Little Black Boy Wonder Your life and your memory will not be lost in vain Memories of your pain strains my heart as the grass was left blood stained Little Black Boy Wonder You fought for your right to exist, our rights to exist You made the ultimate sacrifice and were determined to resist Little Black Boy Wonder Too many of you lie in fields of concrete as another mother pains her lost We will sacrifice our lives to uphold your legacy no matter the cost Little Black Boy Wonder I look at you daily as, you walk in front of me, walk around me, You’re my son who looks just like me Little Black Boy Wonder They can’t ever erase who you truly came to be A soldier, a fighter, a reminder Of the little black boy wonder in me. Struggle…..

Soldier Of Love (Sade Inspired)

Love shot me
And left a hole
In my soul
But I still hold out
With some faith
And try to be a soldier for your love

Pain and despair is in the air
As I enter this dark empty room
That use to posses the essence of you

Yet I am left with desert dry air
And a mind full of fear that I will not
Find love again

Yet I am a soldier

Scared to love hard because it hurts so much
Even the thought of a touch drenched with the
Sweat of affection

would arouse the spirit of self protection
and steer me from my selection of you
despite your being brand new

All I feel Is the pain of what you may do

Yet I am a soldier .

It's Been A Year (Ode to My Father)

It’s been one year that I lost the man I shadowed I mean the man that i was proud to be in his shadow I moved when he moved He did not need the sun to see me because I was there even on rainy days Yet it’s been a year since I seen him Made me feel 10 feet tall even when he was not lifting me in the air A mentor, a friend, an example of who I would need to fashion myself after A template for me to carbon copy yet evolve into a better model Yet it’s been a year since I seen him He showed me that the perfection of being imperfect is nothing to fear Just keep working at who you are to become and be true to yourself he would say Don’t let life experience you where you have no control of it Experience life with the goal to conquer it. Yet it’s been a year since I seen him He use to say be strong, show no fear, but stay humble I still look for him on the streets on north Philadelphia Working with his hands, helping those he can Yet it’s been a year since I seen him As each day passes I remember His voice, his strong hand shakes, and his laugh I remember the man that I proudly call my dad. Happy Fathers Day 2013 Gone but never forgotten