Monday, December 28, 2009

Love Is Beauty (4/30)

Here's a fresh one. It's a love poem. (Yeah, I'm back on that...apparently.)
The first line comes from Whitney Houston's old song "All the Man That I Need," which was stuck in my head all morning. The rest is all mine.
Beautiful Love (4/30)

he fills me up.

heart's cup overflows
with peace
even as love grows
and I release myself
to surrender to his heat.
each time we meet
life's force is restored
rekindled by a passion
that cannot be ignored
but instead begs to be explored
begs to be discovered
begs to be voiced in conversation among lovers,

uncovered and revealed
it appeals to my finer sense.
it feels gooey and dense.
it coats my thoughts in layers
and presents itself as answer to my prayers.

love.

proactive and adaptive.
bending and transcending.
upending my preconceived notions.
trading in what i thought it oughtta be
and upgrading to what it's gotta be.

put simply: love is beauty.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Hiatus (3/30)

No, I'm not where I'm supposed to be, but I haven't given up either! 30 poems in 30 days...by any means! (Thanks for reading...hold me accountable!)

I started this poem a few weeks ago but just finished it. I gave it a title after writing only a few lines, which is very unusual for me. Of course, the poem morphed and kinda changed direction as I continued writing, but I think the title fits even better now...in a cryptic sorta way. And for the record, I love sprinkling my poems with crypticisms. As always, look forward to your thoughts and comments.

Hiatus (3/30)

rhyming words placed
in rhythmic cadences
and sentences
is the single way
she repents for the offence
of remaining silent
in the midst of such violent passions
and feelings
and urges
and surges
she words her apology with care
and sets her pathology to lay bare
there within her phrases
she makes rhetoric and record of all her ways

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Imperfection: A Senryu

Yeah, I know I got some catching up to do. Here we go...
Imperfection: A Senryu (2/30)
No apologies
for flaws or imperfections.
such is life. i live.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Float (1/30)

Today begins the 30 in 30 challenge...30 poems in as many days. No rules. Just words. I hope you stick with me along the journey. Here we go...

___FLOAT (1/30)___

wild is the wind that carries my wings
no wonder my soul sings
and echoes off the sand
no wonder i haven't found a place to land

I drift along blissful currents
as i fervently savor the whimsical waves
that seem to behave even as they disobey
they push me away yet they beg me to stay

and I can't seem to resist the urge to float
these urges might otherwise be caught in my throat
but instead I release them into the atmosphere
they fade away but I can always find them here

************

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

My Kind of Love

I started writing this poem a long time ago. I wasn't in a relationship at the time, but I was trying to get there. So, I was doing some soul searching and asked myself why he (or any man) would wanna be with me. What do I have to offer? This poem is an attempt at answering that question.

Of course I forgot all about this poem until I recently stumbled across it again. I made a few revisions and decided to post it. I look forward to your thoughts on this one...

My Kind of Love


you've never had love like mine

it might sound like an exaggeration, but it's the truth
i've been grooming my love for you since the beginning of my youth
and i've perfected the art of touching your heart
so now i'm ready to be a part of you

now i'm ready to show you what i've learned
i'm ready to demonstrate the extent to which i've yearned
for the chance to bless you

to rub your feet and caress your soul
while simultaneously stroking your ego,
grasping you so thoroughly you'll never want to let me go
'cause baby, i know...
you've never had love like mine

you've never had a woman anticipate your needs
submit to your manhood
and fulfill you mentally
and I know...
because you've never had me

have you ever felt secure enough to reveal your softer side?
have you ever had a partner that increases your sense of pride?
has a woman ever made you feel taller just by standing by your side?
I can do all of this and make your longing subside

i have the ability to address the king in you
simply because when i look at you i see every good thing in you
i'm determined to discover your heart's desire and bring it to you
and when i find the right words, i won't just speak
i'll sing them to you

i'll show you more than romance
I'll make my love dance for you
just name your pleasure
it's never too much when my love is the measure

i'll do everything a woman can
to make you feel like a man
because that's the kind of lover that i am



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Better Days

This is just a little something that was on my mind...based on a true story (like all poetry).

*Better Days*

weary and spent from such long days
in a haze from even longer nights
these times bring out the fight in me
these fights bring out the might in me
and it turns out i'm stronger than i thought
i've fought longer battles with myself
in the dreary trenches of my head
just trying to make it outta bed
so instead of
writing myself into woeful tales
of predetermined fails
i choose to sail
on the current of perserverance
my determination is my clearance
to optimism and the better times
that lie beyond what I can see
the truth is that better times dwell within me

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday, October 16, 2009

Raw and Untitled...(and Messy)

Alright...so this is a quick piece i just banged out on the keyboard in all of 5 minutes. It's pretty raw...I look forward to feedback. (Thanks @Whyguys for the extra push.)

[untitled (at least for now)]

unspoken words shouted
already dim light got outed
the air fell silent
as thoughts turned violent
but managed to stay hidden
good riddens
to the way sadness feels
it's concealed
deep down inside
glazed over with pride
and unexpressed sorrows
for a tomorrow already lost
and glossed over with frost
she turned cold
as she saw herself alone

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Facebook Mini Series, Vol. 1

Yeah, I'm on Facebook, but I don't really *do* Facebook. (I'm a twitter addict.) I'm the kinda person that might update my FB status once a week...maybe. And then I like to be all cryptic and non-specific and junk.
But lately I've been writing these mini-poems for my status updates. They're quite random, but like the rest of my poetry, they're all me, unfiltered. Heres a bunch of my latest. I'll post more when I write more.
I dig them (I may try to expand some of these in the future), but I wanna know what you think. Which one's your favorite?


my hesitation was misinterpreted for resignation

when in fact i was suffering from emotional constipation

communication outlets blocked and backed up

but when they get stacked up too tall

these sentiments fall after all

______________________________

blue notes danced across my eyelids

as they slid into place thru my headphones

they always find me alone

lost in imagination

a singular solitary soulful congregation

______________________________

there's no way of knowing

but I say I'm going all the way

at the end of the day

I'm still standing

still running

still flying

the day I stop moving is the day I start dying

______________________________

my heart bleeds steady

so i keeps the pen ready

ink from my soul's well

is the best way 2 tell

my story:

love, loss, passion and glory

_________________________

wading in the stream of dreams

that meets reality at its seam

fed by the waters of creation

that flow 'cross the riverbed of manifestation

boldly treading on an unknown heading

taking to flight into a fearless night

______________________________


marinating in the juice of inspiration set loose

prepare to feast on my masterpiece

______________________________

Friday, September 18, 2009

Dawn of Inspiration

"Anoche me acostรฉ con mis pensamientos. ร‰sta maรฑana me levantรฉ con mis sentimientos." (Last night I lay down with my thoughts. This morning I woke up with my feelings.)

I tweeted this thought a few days ago. I have no idea why I wrote it in Spanish, but I'm glad I did. (Isn't Spanish a beautiful language?) I kept reading it over and over, feeling like there was more to be said. It grew into this little (English) poem.


Dawn of Inspiration

last night
i lay down under the weight of the day
and slept with my thoughts
reluctantly drifting into dreams of deficiency
lit by the flicker of dim resolution

at some point during our slumber
my pensive bedmate disrobed
stripping herself of the heavy burden
of solving riddles and fixing broken solutions

as i dreamed she took my hand
and walked me through a fantastic field of possibility
and her gait took on a more sentimental saunter
unbound by higher reasoning
she pursued higher ways of pleasing me

and this morning
i awoke with fresh feelings
instead those same tired thoughts

passion illuminated my bedroom
urgency pulled back the covers
coaxing me to open my eyes
with determination
and gaze intently upon
the dawn of inspiration


Friday, September 11, 2009

I Want Mine Now

I wrote this poem in 2007, forgot all about it, and just found it randomly. (It happens. Often.) It's in complete first draft form, so it's not the best, but I wanted to share. It's about...holding back, from the perpective of the one who gets less...or something like that. Just read it (please).
...
Also, I don't exactly remember writing this so I can't be sure, but I think the first 2 lines are paraphrased from the movie Love Jones (love that movie). Lemme know what you think!

I Want Mine Now
baby
you ain't gotta save none for later
i want mine now!
you don't have to put me on emotional rations
i just want you to fall into me until you reach
the deepest levels of satisfaction

when i reach out to rub your back
you don't have to recoil from my touch
grab that bottle of oil
and tell me to rub you down as much
as you please

baby
there's no need to hold back cute nicknames
and terms of endearment
no matter how much you tell me you love me
i won't get tired of hearing it
trust
and the lust in your eyes is always a good thing
and a kiss from your lips will always make my heart sing
and i always get butterflies when my cell phone rings
and i hear that ringtone i downloaded just for you

baby, i'm still all about you
but sometimes
i wish you got a little closer
to me

Friday, September 4, 2009

Fragile

I don't pretend that I can speak for all women, but I would imagine that a lot of them will identify with at least some part of this poem. I look forward to your comments on this one...

Fragile

be gentle...
that woman's more fragile than you know

she might walk like she's got a big ego
but sometimes that confidence is borrowed
it might not show but her feelings ebb and flow
and she's under the pressure of heavy cargo
including her fair share of sorrow
but she banishes her weaknesses far below
the surface
and keeps going

see that unshakable woman...
she's more sensitive than you think
her head and her heart aren't always in sync
even small matters can make that tall woman shrink
or push her beyond the brink
of what she can handle
but she pulls it together

that spitfire woman...
she's more weary that she seems
see, it's a tiresome thing to have her dreams
trampled before they can be redeemed
all the while swimming upstream
just to get to stability

look deeper
how hard do you look to try to see her?
how far do you go to try to reach her?
how tight do you squeeze to try to keep her?

that woman carries the burden of creation on her shoulders
sometimes you gotta offer to hold her
you can't afford to forget to console her

yeah, i know...she's strong and agile
but please understand
that woman is FRAGILE


Wednesday, September 2, 2009

This Heart's Terrain

This Heart's Terrain

pain is this heart's terrain



even as the pleasurable truth sustains me

across the planes of the mundane

the ache of rejection and fear of love feigned

is so deeply engrained

that i have to strain just to abstain

from draining his love of every drop

of sentiment it could potentially obtain



my heart has reason to sing love-filled refrains

with beautiful melodies that neither wax nor wane

because it knows nothing of love lived in vain

but still i remain chained in shackles of self-disdain

as i helplessly watch myself imagining the inhumane

where only fondness reigns



it might be a struggle just to maintain

but i refuse to falter in my fight to reclaim

the gains that i've already obtained



pain might be this heart's familiar terrain

but today i journey across a new plain

Friday, August 21, 2009

Change Happens (apparently)

So, I'm notorious for scribbling random thoughts in random notebooks, forgetting all about them, and rediscovering them way later. That's pretty much the story behind this poem. I know I wrote it 2 yrs ago, because I dated it...but I can't tell you the inspiration behind this one. I don't even remember writing it, but it's in my handwriting, so...(shrug). Let me know what you think.

Change Happens

change...
it's not always a good thing but it happens
to anything that grows
you can't stop it
you can only influence the direction that it goes

ask anyone who knows about civil rights
and the ongoing struggle that turned into a fight
that turned into a movement led by a people
who resisted oppression and demanded freedom
they demanded change
in the face of opposition that demanded more of the same
the people demanded change
and so change came

but change doesn't need the collective voice of a distressed population
change only needs time to affect the present situation
the only uncertainty is the extent of modification
that change brings when it comes

and change is never done
it will simply wax and wane
ebb and flow
shrink and grow
into something new
into something different than what we're used to

sometimes change is called a transition
in leadership change is called succession
a change to written words is called a revision
a turnover in sports indicates a change of possession

call it what you want
growing, learning, moving, aging, rearranging...
it's all changing
as long as time continues to pass
it's foolish to think anything will last
change happens


Monday, August 17, 2009

Complete but Unfinished

So, I jotted this tidbit down about a week ago. It doesn't really feel finished to me, but at the same time I don't know what else I have to say. I was told that these words can stand alone the way they are, so I let them be for now. What say you?

[untitled]
if you've seen him walk
you've seen the footsteps of God
he leaves light in his wake
blessings wherever he trods
filling his conversation
with tokens of wisdom
he's truth on two legs
a foreshadow of what's to come...

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Flames Echoes & Kisses

Flames, Echoes & Kisses

flames of inspiration
leaping from within
soulful weeping that's akin
to sleeping in a den
of wellbeing

living in the present while seeing
echoes of the past
how these images last
and burn themselves onto my heart

from the start
we were already one
already connected
the right of fellowship respected
we rejected the thought
of any possibility of wrong

our love makes song
singing in sweet bliss
with melodies of tenderness
and truthfulness
our spirits kissed

and joined our souls together
forever

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Wordless Wednesday (figuratively speaking, of course)

No Words

looking at me as if my mouth just broke
you already spoke
your piece
so now you wait for me
to speak mine
i'm trying to find
the right words to express
my distress
or happiness
or whatever it is that i'm feeling
but i can't concentrate if
you're gonna stare

so you just sit there
while my words flutter elsewhere
somewhere searching for themselves
knocking down emotions that have been
carefully placed on shelves
inside my mind's cage
i used to think i was brave
until now

i tried to begin
but i can only exhale
if words were arms
all they would do is flail about
because they're doing everything
but coming out
of my mouth

i'm struggling to verbalize
the flicker you see in my eyes
and the trembling in my thighs
trying to downsize the whys
so i can at least tell you what
but...
...nevermind

explanations are for the birds
sometimes there are no words

Monday, August 3, 2009

Haiku: Getting into Position

There's no way around it...not if you actually want love.
my tender, worn heart
crawled out from its hiding place
and exposed itself

Thursday, July 30, 2009

I Could (Never) Be That Girl

Let's keep it real for a moment...
Have you ever caught yourself looking at a young girl and her baby,
wondering where the father is? Judging her and her "mistakes"?
Praising yourself for not having ended up in her situation? I have.
But then I realized that I'm subject to the same feelings and
biological processes as those girls...and it could so easily be me.

I Could (Never) Be That Girl

that could easily be me
the girl with the good-looking baby
(with the good hair)
and the no-good baby daddy

the girl that got swept off her feet
in a wave of emotion
only to find herself caught up
in a rip current of commotion
and drama

the girl that would have to tell her mamma
that she's gonna give birth
to the seed
of a particular breed of male
that's never done a good deed
in his whole life

the girl whose whole life would change
(changing diapers)
the girl whose life perspective would never be the same
the girl who would be forced to choose a name
for the next generation of herself

the girl that would have to reevaluate
her idea of wealth
and fitness
and youth
and etiquette

that indefinite girl could so easily be me
could be any one of us
at any time
every time
we open our hearts
followed shortly by our legs
(which happens to be
the path to our womb)

but like you
i just assume

that it will never happen to me

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

A Haiku for Family...

Okay, I know...I'm still cheating. This haiku is even shorter than my last mini-poem. BUT (in my defense) I think these few words stand on their own. Of course, this blog is about what you think, so give me your feedback. Background: I wrote this little ditty a few years ago. I was at an open mic nite and they did an impromptu haiku contest, and the topic had to be family. (Yeah, I won.)


Love knows no limits
of shared bloodlines or surnames.
We are family.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Swallow Me Whole

Okay...I'm totally cheating. This is just a little, mini-poem to hold you over while I get my latest poem in blog-ready condition. But even though it's short, it's still one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy.


Swallow Me Whole

at night i lie in your cocoon
and breathe your love into me.
your heartbeat is the rhythm of my dreams
and my lips dance to the symphonies of your kiss.

i cry just to feel you wipe away the tears.
if you're not in my arms, you're too far away.
i love to lose myself in your embrace.

swallow me whole.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Nothing Inspires Like Inspiration

I love my Twitter family. I've been able to connect with some of the illest talents out there, especially writers and poets. Not only are they out their grinding to get their voices heard, but many of them have encouraged (and even challenged) me to push against my own writing limits and bring the use my words.

I connected with @Keziathepoet only a short while ago (just last week, if I'm not mistaken), but she's already helping me push toward new levels. She was on Twitter last nite, about to explode, looking for someone to freestyle with. I took the bait. We went back and forth for a while, and here's what we created...(my words are in bold).

it's time for rhythm and rhymes
the rivers of lines flowing through this mental of mine
in need of cerebral release to cause the madness to cease
peace is a must let me grab a pen because it's poetry or bust
i fight for the right to write, moving my pen through all hours of the night
what a plight this gift of words turn bringing thoughts to life with the verbs
action words for what i feel, words to action to turn feelings into real
reveal the innermost unspoken thoughts inhibitions ignored pop open faults
just to let go, let words flow, let emotions show, let momentum grow
not to mention that you just might blow adjust the gears just so to get that just right flow
words flow to stanza and stanza to verse, verse leads to the mic unfiltered and unrehearsed
verse after verse gets sprinkled on their minds Ms Who brought the new and put a wrinkle in their time
creased their foreheads with her very essence, gave them sight with her luminesence
insight from her life lessons that stressin was too depressin and just wakin up was a blessin
she was livin in heaven while she walked the earth, blessed and highly favored since birth
but life can hurt..the work can be a bit much can leave the spirit fragile to the touch
a wounded heart is a heavy burden to carry, and the state of merriment tends to vary
and "friends" are scary..family can be worse but we have a Savior who carries cares and wrote His love in a verse
He lived that love and died to redeem, He rose because even over death He offered us victory
He's stricken me with His grace and mercy everlasting I'm forever dwelling in the shadow that the cross is casting

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Shut the Hell Up!

I don't exactly remember writing this poem, but it's pretty obvious how I was feeling at the time. This poem was my reaction--pure and unfiltered--to some unwanted counsel on the subject of a budding relationship. **Warning: watch out for the four-letter words. (I don't normally use them in regular conversation, but they do tend to show up in my poems...)

Shut the Hell Up!

Shut up.
Shut up.
Would you please just shut the hell up!

you act like you just said the most brilliant thing ever heard:
"think about it"
like no one on the whole planet in the whole history of civilization
has ever thought about it before you had this brilliant revelation

like thinking about it would illuminate some miracle solution
like my non-thoughts are riddled with chaos and confusion
like i'm maintaining my disillusion by not thinking about it
shit...that's exactly what your problem is

you're trying to handle matters of the heart with the mind
like this abstract emotion follows something as rational as the laws of time
like there's a simple, observable pattern that it always follows
like it'll move seamlessly through my digestive tract if all i do is swallow

but that's the most ridiculous think i've ever heard
and the more you speak the more you sound absurd
so please...shut the hell up!

Friday, July 10, 2009

"Be You"

Okay...this isn't so much a poem as it is a song. But I thought it was fitting for my next blog post.

I wrote this last night, after some inspiration from GLucciano (thanks again for my breakthrough!). I think maybe the full effect of the words will come with the music, but I hope the message stands on its own. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!


Be You

You're beautiful the way you are
Flaws and all, you're a superstar

Don't let them tell you your way is wrong
Trust in yourself and be strong

You're living your own destiny
And you're right where you're supposed to be

Baby, it's all you
And baby, you're the truth
Do what you're born to do
Go ahead...and be you

You can only be you, and I can only be me
Their expectations don't make your reality

You've got to be real, you gotta be yourself
Find your reward in peace, love and wealth

I can plainly see the greatness that's inside
So don't let nobody go and take your sunshine

Baby, it's all you
And baby, you're the truth
Do what you're born to do
Go ahead...and be you

Everybody's gotta learn to walk their own path
We gotta learn to be satisfied with the talents we have

Who we are has already been assigned
Naturally divine, baby you're you by design

Baby, it's all you
And baby, you're the truth
Do what you're born to do
Go ahead...and be you

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Tribute to Noble§age

I wrote this poem on January 16, 2009 in memory of my dear cousin, Jee-Niรงe K. Nolan (a.k.a. Noble§age; a.k.a. JK Nolan de Nobles). She touched and inspired many lives, including mine. I hope she knows that.


If I never said it before
I'll be sure to tell you now
I owe it to you to find a way
To get the message across somehow

You were a star right here on this earth
You walked an enlightened path since birth
You've bene a queen, and for what it's worth--
I've looked up to you

Sage, the things you've lived through
The lessons you've learned
The ideas you've cultivated
The wisdom you've discerned

But, you don't need me to tell you
That you've left a royal legacy
You don't need me to testify to
Your amazing talents and noble victories

You mothered a movement, a philosophy, a lifestyle
But perhaps most impressive
You've taught me that trying is worthwhile

So I insist on telling you how I feel
I insist on making you understand that your impact was real
I insist that you acknowledge the impression you left on me
And, yes, I insist on perpetuating teh NARABA! Spirit of Creativity

Every time I perform, you'll be watching in the wings
Your voice will be the echo of every song that I sing
It'll be your brilliance that illuminates my thoughts
And it'll be your love for me that keeps me from getting lost

We were magnificent fools to think
Your heavenly nature belonged on this side of glory
But we'd be greater fools still
To rob the world of your story

You deserve the honor of immortality through history
And we owe it to ourselves to remember
Your goodness, greatness and beauty

But it's time, Noble§age
The Master says your work on this side is done
Now, it's time for you to join him
Your journey on the other side has begun

Farewell, JK Nolan de Nobles
I want you to go in peace
And I want you to carry with you
A lifetime of precious memories

But don't dispair...

That urge deep within you to be, do, get and give your best
God says He's satisfied
And with that you take your final rest

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Poem: Devotion

Written 9/29/07

This poem is dedicated to my father, Leonard Butler, whose unwavering faith has always been

an example and inspiration to me.


I’ve been doing some thinking, Lord

You know, about the way You treat me.

You shower me with an unconditional love.

You grant me kindness, favor and mercy.

You answer my prayers with supplication and
You tend to my every need.

You allow me to see victory in the face of my enemies.

But what have I done for You lately?

I don’t understand what You see when You look at me.

I don’t deserve Your love, Lord, I am so unworthy.

Because I know I’m a sinner and sometimes I disobey.

And yes, sometimes I choose to go the wrong way.

I admit that sometimes I think that it’s all about me

And all I want to do what I think is going to make me happy.

But I’ve been thinking and I realize I need to make a change in my life.

It’s time that I devote my life to being a living sacrifice.


Let my life be a vessel through which Your will is made manifest

Even as I go through trials and endure tests

Lord, remind me that I remain blessed

And that I should offer up no less than my best

When it comes to pleasing You.

Make it, O God, so that my very breath magnifies You

Make it so that every beat of my heart glorifies You

And make it, O God, so that my every thought edifies You

And acknowledges You for the Almighty God that You are

The Almighty God that spoke the earth into creation

The Almighty God that speaks the tongue of every nation

The Almighty God that spins the earth to give us the sunrise

The Almighty God that gave His Son to die

The Almighty God that commands the flowers to bloom

The Almighty God that knew me while I was yet in the womb.

You already knew every instance wherein I would fall out of Your will.

You knew me and my imperfections yet You loved me still.

So now I choose to offer up praise

and honor

and admiration.

I lift my hands in thanksgiving
and in worship
and adoration.

Lord, I celebrate Your eternal reign as the Prince of Peace.

I pay tribute to You, O God, as the Supreme Giver of Increase.

Lord, I bow down before the throne of Your Holy Majesty.

Father, send Your anointing to bring about a change in me.

Omnipotent Ruler, Great Omnipresent King

Righteous Father and Creator, Lover of Every Living Thing

Let everything that is be only what You have declared.

Let Your will be done. Lord, this is my prayer.

Let my spirit be renewed in You once more and again.

For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory

Forever and ever

Amen.