From my High School Days

M O T H S

like moths among the whisperings
she comes and goes as she pleases
she lingers and swoons
she’s tantalizing
she makes herself tempting
she dares me to reach
reach
her warmth
as my hands grace her
I feel my body shiver
those hands freeze up
cold like ice
she slips from my fingers
wake me up when this deep vinous sleep
is over
and like moths among the whisperings
in midsummer I found her again
this time
my sun strained eyes stare straight ahead
no longer am I
a gypsy trembling
or liable to collapse
though the sun threw my shadow westward
my heart is east
yet as my hands grace her
the earth lurches away from the shadow of the sun
scaring away the moths
I feel my body shiver
those hands freeze up
cold like ice
she slips from my fingers
like moths among the whisperings
she comes and goes as she pleases
she lingers and swoons
she’s tantalizing
she makes herself tempting
she dares me to reach
reach
her warmth
But it is eternal winter

Inspired by the Great Gatsby



Blessed Pain

evoked through voice
the subtlety of pain
the memories from history
linger

a quiet whimper
a desperate cry
a raising up
an announcement
a command

to look and see
as he dangles and swings
as his heart no longer beats
as his smile no longer shines
as his life washes away

as he dangles and swings
why walk away?
watch the blood drip
the being crumble
watch others stare

Is he
just strange fruit?
Just strange BLACK fruit
dying alone?

Or did part of his
mother
sister
wife
son
and brother
die also?

Watch his lifeless body
dangle and swing

Close your eyes
Watch his lifeless body
dangle and swing!!
Open ‘em
the nightmare is over
he’s killed
not DEAD
yes they laughed but

they watched
a black body dangle like strange fruit

evoked through voice
no longer subtle
larger then memories
more then just lingering
that body dangling

is a message sending

a paved path

a movement starting.


Inspired by Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.”



Dear Master
Behind your ship
your home
and your money
who are you
but a coward?
Behind your fancy clothes
Infinite land
And intelligence
what are you
but a fool?
It is I, your moneymaker
and the reason your children eat
The sweat of my brow is
water to your plantation
The blisters from my fingers
burst like the dreams you’ve destroyed
Yet you’ve
battered and beaten me
lashed me with your whip
called me foul names
stood watching as I bleed
Behind your whip
Your home
and your money
Behind your fancy clothes
Infinite land
And intelligent speech
Behind the color of your skin
Your are a lesser man than I.

Inspired by Harlem Renaissance