poet speak magazine issue 3
DESCRIPTION
7 Poets write about Friendship and Relationships, the good and the bad. Join them in a Poetic Discussion!TRANSCRIPT
ISSUE 3 | APRIL | 2011
POETSPEAKhttp://issuu.com/poetspeak
4
5
6
7
Wendy Mayhan
Jammie Lynn Jump
Dante’ Morgan
Rashine Mckoy
Cover Image: Wiangya/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
8
9
10
11
12
Yvonne Scott
Easter Dodds
Shantell Cooper
Kentrell Blanche
J Asheley Brown
Poet Speakmagazine
Editor-in-Chief&
Layout and Design -J Asheley Brown
Contributing Editor -Kentrell Blanche
http://issuu.com/[email protected]
Pieces of Soul
I have a connection, with awriter on line
Our words play together, likemusic in time
Our verbal exchanges seem toflow like we’re one
Nobody can touch us, anequal…there’s none
I have a strong bond, with anartistic friend
Paintings and theater, ourtastes simply blend
Our views and expressions arealways in sync
No need to ask, I’ll know whathe thinks
I have a dear friend with a curious mindWe have deep conversations, our opinions entwined
We debate and discuss all manner of thingsStimulating my mind, love the thoughts that he brings
I have a great lover, whose skills are unmatchedWhere I have an itch, he knows where to scratchPassionate and strong, he fills my every desire
We don’t have a spark, we’ve got a deep roaring fire
There’s more than one soul mate, I truly believeTo think you only get one…I’m not that naïve
But a TRUE love will have shades of all of the othersLike a rainbow combining all of life’s colors
Enjoy the connections you share with your friendsLife is too short and you don’t know its end
But the one whose heart holds you, keep loving and givingTrue love is a gift, it’s what makes life worth living
An InconvenientFriend
The phone is ringing it’s two A.M.Who the hell is on the phone
The voice is frantic, full of despairJust can’t stand to be alone
I walk in the door and kick off myshoes
Exhausted from a hard day at workA knock on my door, my neighbor is
thereAbout to go berserk
A Saturday morning, I’m sleeping inThe first time in several weeks
A text from my buddy, he
needs my helpMy patience is at its peak
Friendship isn’t easyIt will try you through and through
But try to remember there will come atime
When you’ll be inconvenient tooTo have a friend you have to be a
friendReach out when you’re needed mostA helping hand, a message or text
Will keep you feeling closeFor there is no sorrow greater
Then when you’re in your time of needAnd so called friends have come and
goneDisappointment taking seed
Treat others as you would have done
to youIs life’s most important rule
These simple words when followedthrough
Are more precious than any jewel
COPYRIGHT © 2011 Wendy Mayhan, all rights reserved.
Contact Poet:Wendy D. Mayhan
Hello friend! It’s been awhileSeems like yesterday we were discussing our dreamsNow today we’re in this big world and sometimes we lose ourselves in itWe never forget who we are or where we came fromWe remember back in the day where we were having tea parties and kicking it to min-dy mccreadyWe thought new kids on the block was the coolest thing with our dorky fanny packsNowadays we are fighting to stay in touchWe are making it in this world with our college degrees and eating our ramen noodlesto make ends meetFunny how things work out; we are still great friendsOur dreams that we thought when we were little were so big is pointless these daysbecause our dreams have become realityEverything we thought we had become we haveNow we are facing more challenges and growing with each otherThat’s what calls us the best of friendsMay the circle never be broken and we continue to spread our wings
Hello Friend!
COPYRIGHT © 2011 Jammie Lynn Jump, all rights reserved.
Contact Poet:Jammie Lynn [email protected]
Poet Speak Magazine pg.5
As Isit in a daze
as the raindances around in
so many ways.Passing days and Iam still amazed thatthe spilling spout ofdoubt saturateseverything. Warringinside to gain peac-es understanding ofthe pieces demandto be at ease.
Perceptions thatbelieve to be thank-ful, when really thebase is no gratitudeto reality accept agesture. As thepuddles lecture me,acidic to relinquishdry attempts to re-plenish a flowerthat thirsts. The suntakes a nap as theclouds bring musicwith their tears.
In so many ways Ilook to the sky andswallow your fears
because I canstomach the
ache.
Fetal positioned inthought as my mindhas to stop, realizethat this is a lifetimechange because myseason has stopped.Taking orders re-placing more of thesanity that entan-gles me while facingdistorted.
Sunrises set whenthe moon forgetsthat the still of thenight casts no shad-ow. Deep in the daytime goes, the raincontinues to washaway another daywithout you. Soclose when I reachout to touch you,my hands ripple thewater, as I am yetstill saturated in thisrain.
Caught in a mo-ment of which timehas chosen to leaveyou in spokenechoe. Telling meback that whichsets the real reasonfor gray skies
through weep'edeyes....as afriend first Iwould never hurtyou, leave you ordesert you. Withthe doubt of thisrain speaking out,but regret shouldn'trevert to speakingto me. I walk in thisdaytime waiting totake my time to getit through mymind....I tried.
Will forever remainby your side, as thedistance is yourumbrella I let therain kiss megoodnight....until Ican taste thesesweet dreams.
Dante’ Morgan
COPYRIGHT © 2011 Dante’ Morgan,all rights reserved.
Contact Poet:Dante’ [email protected]
Poet Speak Magazine pg.6
Rashine McKoyWhat do
you want fromme?..do you want me to stay?
when i know you want me to go..doyou want me to say yes when my an-swer is no..What do you want fromme?..do you want me to say i love you!n deep down you know that i do..yousay you don't believe me n i walk awayknowing that its not true..What do youwant from me?..to open up n tell youhow i really feel, Why? so you can use itto hurt me against my will..What do youwant from me?....before you make a decision, do you real-ly want my input? as we begin to talkwhen we sit, or did you already make upyour mind to begin with?..What do youwant from me?..to put my heart out inthe open n you are not willing to do thesame..everyone makes mistakes..it takestwo..we are both to blame..What do youwant from me?..cause God knows what’sinside of me, i talk to Him all thetime..we are not each other’s judge, onlyHe can do that when its time..He pos-sesses the true power to know what's inour Hearts n Minds, n when it came toyou n our children, Love always filledmine..What more do you want from
me?..cause for you, my best maynever be enough..in your eyez my
negatives override the positivestuff..I'm not perfect,
you’re not perfect,no one walking the earth sur-face can say they is..My family'sthe purpose of which i breathe nlive..providing, baring our souls showshow we share n give..What do youwant from me?..between you n i vowswere taken, on both sides confidenceshaken, but our union never forsaken orcompletely broken..room for improve-ment is always open..What do you wantfrom me?..A bond that grew n wasforged from our past til now..in front ofthe Creator n His angels underneath theclouds..i write because my spirit is ascalm as the wind that ripples thesea..God also guides my vision n lets mesee..What is it that you want fromme?..cause if you want me to walk awayn let it be, it would take every ounce ofcourage in me to do so, but for you iwill..to let it go n if it comes back aroundwe both know it was meant for real..ifnot, it never was to be..So tell me, truly!"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"....COPYRIGHT © 2011 Rashine Mckoy, all rights reserved.
Contact Poet:Rashine [email protected]
Yvonne Scott***PROTECT
YOUR LOVE***PART 1 Just like the
poison apple that wasbitten by Eve/ Satinalways has tricks up hissleeve/ In everyrelationship...we mustgive and take/ We allhave to move obstaclesout of our way/ We takein a lot of pain/ Evenwhen there is nothing togain/Give that uncondi-tional love...no matterwhat/ We learn frompast mistakes/ All a partof give and take/ Pas-sion is sometimes servedon a plate/ For breakfastthen again for dinner/Sometimes the passiondon't get served atall...then the love be-comes thinner/ Leavingthe relationship starvingfor more/ Broken heartswilling to walk out thedoor/ To practice trust ishard at times/ FAITH islike walking while blind/Everything could be go-ing very well/ ThenBOOM! You may wakeup in a world of hell/Asking yourself "wheredid this relationshipfail?" Love is filled withdreams and hope/ Butwith two weakenedhearts...It is not easyto cope...
**PROTECT YOURLOVE*** PART 2 Starv-ing hearts hungry formore/ Broken Heartsready to walk right outthe door/ Temptationlurks around every otherperson/ The Devil wear-ing manymasks...Wondering andsearching/ Looking forrelationships with noFOUNDATION/ Listeningout for the relationshipsthat have lost theirCOMMUNICATION/Searching for those whohave lost the desire forSEXUAL RELATION/ Hefinds so many relation-ships with NO DEDICA-TION/ he puts a rushingspirit in the place of PA-TIENCE/ No need tosearch veryhard...because he al-ways succeeds/ heknows that a brokenhome...will make heartsbleed/ Respect gone, nomore honor, love lost,and no more peace/Jealousy and envy startsto increase/ The twohands that once held ontight...Finally lets go andrelease/ But when thelove is true/ You musthold on-fight towin...and you will notlose/ Just point yourlove towards the sky/Keep praying for pa-tience and peace/ AndYour relationship will lasta LIFE TIME* COPYRIGHT © 2011 Yvonne Scott, all rights reserved.
Contact Poet:Yvonne [email protected]
Poet Speak Magazine pg.8
Easter DoddsYour ear
of compassionMy sounding board
There to hear all mytroublesAs from my soul theypourAbsorbing my anguishEager to hear if all iswellAs through all thegood and badYour ear befriends allwords I speak or yell
Your lips of truthMouth words of en-couragementWords of understand-ingAs from my lips comeemotions I ventTelling it like it isYour lips say what Ineed to hearIn response to mylife’s twists and turnsNever fearing howharsh or sincere
Your hands of comfortCaress with ease tocalm my nervesCatching me before IfallWhen insanity lurksround that emotionalcurve
You swerve mefrom any ner-
vousbreakdownsAs you wrap me inthe warmth of yourhugsIn the arms of a dearfriend who under-stands meAlways ensures me,through you, I’ll feelloved
Your eyes are witnessTo what I may beblind to seeMy actions, my choic-esThrough you I experi-ence who I appear tobeSeeing my reflectionThere in your eyesChallenges me to re-evaluate my state ofbeingWithout having toquestion why
COPYRIGHT © 2011Easter Dodds,all rights reserved.
Contact Poet:Easter Dodds
Chesapeake, [email protected]
Barson these
Lips...
The Bars Behindthese Lips AreSometimes Sealed,Because when youconfess your MEN-TAL Some take it asNo Big Deal...Some Truly Justdon't Understand,Being Trapped Un-der the Rug WithOutrageous De-mands... It's Like"HAPPY DAYS" without No RITCHIE,Reveal your Sit-come and They tryto Come Get Me...Just to try andthrow me back inthe Womb, Tryingto burry me in aVerbal Tomb, Can'tescape the Ghostlike "PatrickSwayze", Put thePenny to the door
watch it float asit Totally
Amaze
Me... It not theSituation that Youthinking Of, GoneAnd Switch Bodiesso You Can SeeWho Has that Spiri-tual Love... I re-member HearingSuch Soothing Hyp-notic Words, Like"India Arie" Can'ttell you nothing youalready Heard...But I still wait Sit asI Listen, Don't letone Mistake be-come the Opposi-tion, Finding andKeeping you hasBeen My Life LongMission.... Becausethe "Exit Wounds"Bare these Scars, Ihide them myselfwith Lips that haveBars... Until theSilence Speaks Foritself, I'm OnlyAlone cause I don'twant Nobody Else...But yet and Still IFantasied, Aboutthe Blind SongtressWith the Dark GreyEyes... Who Lis-tened to the Deaf
Composer,Word on theStreets He's theOnly One thatKnows Her... OnHow to Make herKeyboard Sing, ifYou get that Phonecall Better Not LetIt Ring... InsteadAnswer with Com-plete Compliance,Stop the Cycle ofThis "History ofViolence"... NeverPhysical but VeryMuch So Mental, Iwish I wasn't soCaught Up but itsJust Not that Sim-ple, But whatMakes Simple aTwo Faced Para-phrase? The way itStir Shyt up thenAct Like it Anit evenFazed... Now anitthat A Trip, Thatwhy I keep IronBars On My Lips...
LOVE JONES CHRONICLES....
I have a Love Jones that don'tQuite fit, Sitting here ThinkingHard while I try and write thisShit... I call His Name out Silentlyas if it was a Prayer, Open my EyesWide and Damn He Still not There... Iwonder does he See Me from clearacross the Alantic, If I don't hear hisVoice I get Hostile and Somewhat Fran-tic.... Choices that were Made I Often Mis-represented, But His Love is My Jones andI Just Want to be All Up In It.. I feel Like aEclipse when I can't Picture the Sun that heShines, Covered by Discrepancies Is there Stillsome Distance & Time... Or has It all beenStrained, 2 drops of Ice and My Eyes began toRain... This one of a Kind Love Jones Is Like Un-charted Energy, As R. Kellystated is NO WAY you can be Just a Friend to Me.. IMust Have You Whole without any Separation, YOU,ME, and these SHEETS Is The Outcome of this Situa-tion... Born A Prince but to Become My King, Told YouBefore I Know why the Caged Bird Sing... Because ThisMelody was Definitely Meant to Sing, Harp in Your Lapwhile you Pluck My Sensual Strings... Uhmmm the Out-come is One to be Revealed, I wonder what would haveHappen If I chose the other Pill... Because the Blue One IsThat of Innovation, No Water Hard to Swallow, But still aform of Medication.... Now the Red Pill is One of Creation,Yo Azz Right Here as a Form of Pure Meditation... AIYEPAPI is what it is When I Speak Upon Your Name, NoRopes No Deeds Just the Fact I still Feel the Same... LOVETHAT AZZ as Far as The Heart Can See, I'll Cross thatBrooklyn Bridge to get you Here with Me... YeahThis Love Jones Is On some Ole Pinky in the Brain Shyt,Embedded in My Nucleus Mainframe While I'm trying toTELL you This.... Can't fight the Feeling cause I gottaHave the Pleasure, Me without You is Like Runningthrough Stormy Weather... But I know How to set theMood With Soft Mellow Tones, Sweet Steamy Nights alonewith you on The Phone.. Always a Mystery Damn NearAnstronomical, I call this One Here MY LOVE JONESCHRONICLES....
COPYRIGHT © 2011 Shantell Cooper, all rights reserved.
Contact Poet:Shantell Cooper
Poet Speak Magazine pg.10
Just Okay
Nothing was everAs I thought it would be;Nothing was everIn its proper order;Nothing was ever all thatperfectAnd, I suppose I deserve it..I learned to love him;I learned to accept the situa-tionAlong with the circumstanc-es-A thousand apologizes,A thousand second chances..I learned to be happy aboutreceiving-Smiles instead of flowers,Kisses instead of anniversarygifts;I learned to be happy as myworldProceeded to shift..I learned to smile,I learned to laugh,I learned to pretend;I learned to keep it all in..My friends got tired of lis-teningAnd, I honestly got tiredOf complaining;The ups and downsAre so draining..
Such circum-stances aren’t worthreciting;So, I keep it all hiddenIn my writing..Away from sight,Away from the day;When emotions are tuckedaway,It makes it that much easierTo pretend everything isOkay
I wish you and I could fall inloveAll over again,Go back to the time whenEvery moment was divine;Back when I had your full attentionAnd you had mine..I wish I could once again come to knowThe man whose loving me was moreThan for show..These days,You roam without caring;You overlook my emotions-I no longer have a will for sharing..I wish you and I could go back to the daysWhen we could talk without arguing,Touch without fighting;We have forgotten all those thingsThat used to be so exciting;These days,I can barely recognize the charactersIn your writing..And I’m sure that youMay feel that my notebook is fullOf foreign languages as well;Being without youHas given my heartAll new stories to tell-Stories with bitter beginningsAnd tragic endings..I wish you and I could fall in loveAll over again;Without your sunlight,I am so dark within
COPYRIGHT © 2011 Kentrell Blanche, all rights reserved.
Contact Poet:Kentrell [email protected]
J Asheley Brown
A Friend-ShipA Friend-Ship will Carryyou as Far and as Longas you Will Allow itto...if you are the Cap-tain of your own Ship(your mind, your heart,your issues) then whenyou join with anotheron a Friend-Ship therewill be no problemswith you both Navigat-ing through the Watersof Life Together...and ifyou both make GODthe Captain, HIS SONthe First Officer andHIS Holy Spirit theCompass then you twoshould be able to SailON experiencing NEWthings and accomplish-ing GREAT goals TO-GETHER, even ifsometimes you don'tagree on the directionyou are going in, yousteady your course andstill Remain TRUE toone another....
I AM…
HU-man, a Hero UndiscoveredTaking flight on wingsAccepting a destiny a step Lower than the angelsFor now…All else in comparison palesI can Re-write my own purposePen firmly Grasped in my HandI am the One who determines my JourneyDo I sit or do I stand?I can change the words to my own Personal SongI hear the Tune and so I must Sing AlongOh, Maestro! Play my Key, D Major, if you willNow sometimes I’m gonna sing off keyCause for now I’m a HU-man still…A Hero UndiscoveredSometimes Flying with a Broken WingSliding down Ragged RainbowsJust to get to youBut rarely reaching you in time to save the dayBut I show up anywayAnd the Strength of my Personal SongBecomes the Strength you needed all alongThere is only one SaviorAnd we cannot Save like HE canBut I still show up, this HU-manI choose to cloak my disguiseTilted hat and dark shadesTrue HU-mans do not need recognition or praiseI Am…HU-man, a Hero UndiscoveredI Am…A Friend without an EndCOPYRIGHT © 2011 J Asheley Brown, all rights reserved.
Poet Speak Magazine pg. 12
Not just Poetry butLife Affirmations
ON SALE NOW!BarnesandNoble.com
Amazon.com
Contact Author:J Asheley Brown
Excerpt fromChasing SunlightBy J Asheley Brown
Chapter 1Brian squatted as the older boy’s fist
came swinging into his face. He made a rush
at the bully in an attempt to get away. He just
couldn’t understand why these things always
happened to him. Yelling kids surrounded the
school ground. There were cheers, there were
shouts and there were boos but there was no
help anywhere. Brian succeeded in pushing
the bully away and making a clean break for
it.
He could hear the other kids laughing
and teasing but he didn’t care.
“I don’t need those jerks anyway,” he said
muttering under his breath. “I’ll fix them one
day!”
Poet Speak Magazine pg.14
He just didn’t understand why some people felt
their sole purpose in life was to make other peo-
ple uncomfortable.
As Brian walked to the side entrance of
the school, he couldn’t help but to laugh. For
years he had been telling himself that ‘next time
I’ll be ready when those jerks get after me’, but
he was never ready.
Brian walked up the steps of the school
and pushed his way through the old, huge
doors. Gray, rusty peelings fell away underneath
his hands. It didn’t take him long before he
came to his favorite place in the whole building
– the library.
Brian roamed around the quiet room ca-
sually touching a familiar book here and there.
He had friends here. He never had to run in this
place because he felt welcome.
He was very shy and people misunder-
stood his shyness and thought that he was cold
and weird. Some kids even had the nerve to call
him “geek” and “nerd”. But in this room, in the
library, he didn’t have to worry about those
things. Yep, in this room, Brian was among
the only friends he knew – books.
These friends never called him silly
names; never talked to him until he wanted
them to speak. And, oh, he did want them to
speak! Each time he touched a book and
stared at its cover, it started talking to him.
Sometimes he was told tales of lands never
explored and of treasures that needed to be
discovered. Brian was taken to places where
he could become anyone or anything at any-
time he wanted.
He picked out a particularly heavy book with
a white wolf on the cover and plopped down
into a chair. He was just getting started on
the first chapter of what sounded like a juicy
adventure when he felt a tap on his right
shoulder.
He couldn’t help but think that the
other kids had found him out and were about
to commence in rearranging his face. He
slowly turned around and was relieved to see
only Mrs. Greenly, the school librarian.
“Hiding out again, young Brian?” she in-
quired with a detectable hint of laughter in her
usual dry voice. Brian could tell though that she
was really concerned by the look in her eyes.
“Yes, but don’t worry about it, Mrs.
Greenly,” Brian immediately shoved his face into
the book he was reading to give her the impres-
sion that he really was okay.
However, Mrs. Greenly wasn’t tricked into
believing that. “I do wish you would let me turn
those troublemakers in.”
Brian quickly said, “No, Mrs. Greenly. It
would only make them hate me even more. Be-
sides, I can run faster than any of them.” He
said this with a smile and looked Mrs. Greenly
directly in her eyes. He hoped that if he showed
some courage she would leave him alone.
Mrs. Greenly, with a look of grave disap-
pointment on her face, laid a calloused hand on
his shoulder. “But how long will you keep this
up? You can only run for so long before you
have to stop. And you do have to stop one
day, whether you believe it or not.”
Brian gave a big sigh. He knew that
Mrs. Greenly was right. Every day he heard
the same thing. It’s not that he didn’t appre-
ciate Mrs. Greenly’s concern, because he
really did. But what she didn’t understand
was how cruel kids could be to one another.
There were unspoken rules to the society of
kids that just could not be broken for any-
one, least of all himself. If Brian broke those
rules then the result could be the breaking of
his face by a very unfriendly fist. And he was
not anxious to make that happen.
“I’ll be alright Mrs. Greenly. I’m still
alive, right?”
“Right, but how long will that last if
you do nothing but run?”
With that, she walked away to help a
student while keeping an eye on Brian. He
used this moment to slip away.
As Brian slowly walked out the build-
ing towards home, Mrs. Greenly’s words kept
darting in and out of his mind. He knew she
Poet Speak Magazine pg.16
was telling the truth, but what else could he do.
After all, he was only one against many. The last
time he tried to defend himself…
Brian shook his head with a silent shout.
He didn’t want to think about that anymore. He
lost so much on that night. A loud roll of thun-
der boomed and cut into his thoughts. Clouds
were moving in gray, puffy masses. Brian kept
walking but at a quicker pace. The wind was
blowing stronger now and he didn’t want to get
caught in the rain. Not that it mattered anyway.
He felt just as depressed as the day had turned
out to be.
When tragedy hits it takes no names but keepson rolling. Brian struggles with a dark secretthat tore his world apart 3 years ago. Hismother Mary must do all she can to protecthim from further harm including her own guilt.
Read the full story. Buy the book:Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com
Revealing HiddenTruths & OpeningDoors of Wisdom
Get the Back IssuesOf Poet Speak Today!
http://ashbrown.magcloud.com
Browse for free:http://issuu.com/poetspeak