POETRY - Black Men's Walk

• Black Men's Walk

The hardest thing to talk is about the black men's walk.

The black men's walk has come a far way.

We sojourned from the night to this present day.

For centuries black men prayed but our hope in God never fades.

When the sun boiled, in the cane fields, black men toiled.

From the day Columbus said 'Land ahoy!' The black man was called a boy.

The hardest thing to talk is about the black men's walk.

They raped our women and changed our way of living.

They flipped, flogged, whipped and robbed us.

In the sun's rays we strived and struggled for days.

Without a single dime for our pay, we felt hungry

but from the task we never strayed.

When we became tired in the fields we laid.

Hard times stood still when our brothers

died but the traditions stayed alive.

Heroes passed on but within a split second, legends were revived.

The hardest thing to talk is about the black men's walk.

In the light you see us marching for our civil rights.

The great things that they hid in our history is the information that remained a mystery.

They made bad decisions but it did not deter our vision.

The only great thing they changed was our religion.

The hardest thing to talk is about the black men's walk.

- Kadeem "Sleepy" Golebourne

• U Y

So you must be wondering

was it all worth it?

this love so foolish

that left you alone

it was not worth it

love alone

you entrust your whole life in one person

not everyone understands

they make it worse

they cause you sickness

even death wants to depart

and leave you alone

yes was it worth it?

this vow to die?

yes where you are

you wonder why?

the laws of demand and supply

they go back to their chitter chatter

flinging out Hagar and Ishmael

in the wilderness

so centuries of rioting continuing

so ask yourself is this love? worth it?

can we critique the selfishness of monogamy

that lies on bigamy ?

neglecting every other kind of sexuality

she will go back to he

and laugh

another arrow in her bow

another feather in his cap

to make him or her jealous

it does not care whose life you want to ruin

like Joseph

but Potiphar was never doing his homework right

in fact just never did any homework

please! U Y

- Helen-Ann Elizabeth Wilkinson

• Here 'Eye' Am

The long unending journey I've traversed

Miles of heartache ... Valleys of pain...Rivers of tears ... Mountains of loneliness ...

But I am finally here.

Weary with hiding

'Eye' stand here

My soul-unclothed

ready

willing

Apprehensive yet anticipating

Prepared

Let me feel you

Show me you

'Eye' want to know you

So deeply 'eye' stand in love with you

Will you be insouciant to my call?

Will you not catch me when for you 'eye' indubitably fall?

Engulf me completely

'Eye'have taken time and thought through it all

Where else must 'eye' hide

You have invaded every hiding place

Searched through my cave of darkness with your light

Every corner every crevice every hidden door every trap

You've discovered them all

Patiently expertly tested experimented discovered created a way around them between them over them

Climbed then demolished every wall of vulnerability every insecurity

Embody me

YOU have found me

'Eye' am yours

Take me completely

So powerful your warmth

'Eye' submit to your charms

Control me with your comfort

The beauty of your embrace

EYE am lost in the waves of your seduction

Drown me in your ocean of romantic notions

Let me glance in your mirror of me

For I'm pleasantly grateful for what 'Eye' see

a brand new better me

'Eye' see an image of myself stronger for the pains I've borne

Wiser from the mistakes I've made

Confidence for all shyness

Boldness from the fears fought and dismantled

Overwhelming joy for the times I've been sad

Wisdom for having been a fool for so long

Lessons forcibly learnt

Hurt and pains let loose

Yes, I finally see me

And right there beside, me, You

Yes, the image of you ... arms wide open, heart in your outstretched hand

Gives me assurance of this new image that I am

This image of me made complete with you in it

This I that 'eye' am, this I that 'eye' have become is blissfully yours.

Here I am ... Yours sincerely ... Yours completely. Me.

- Claudia Smythe-Dunn