self-immprovement

by

not that person anymore…

not that person anymore

wide-eyed optimist
carrying bible
from
one high school class
to
the next
reading the text
in
study hall
even
believing
that freedom
was
obtainable
along
with
unobstructed success
if one
only puts forth
honest hard efforts
but now
i’m
a self-defined survivor
all grown up
with
a greater sense
of
my own history
and
its stages
of
delusion
and
foolish trust
so now
i’m
drained
of
milk and honey
and
filled
with
the liquid steel
of
reality
and
truth
what about you

by

grasp straps and pull…

distant words
abhorring
overheard
intended
but
veiled in denial
then
an
all’s well smile
flutters before eyes
repeated gestures
of
oppressors
seen
more times
than
one can count
objective
to grease
success’ pole
before
anyone attempts
to
climb out
of
poverty’s pit
a pit
stared into
by
tormentors
from
its edge
gilded
with
promises
serrated sides
from which
despots
offer
encouraging words
and
relay
how they
arose
from the pit
but
they used
the
stairs

 

by

gnarled old trees…

been
rooted
in the broken promises
of
freedom
for
over two hundred years
so
it should be of no surprise
that
we have grown
roughened
in
our views
of
the future
and
misshapen
in
our attitudes
for
hope
and
justice
in
this nation
oh
when we were young
we could
easily bend
and
not break
when
the winds
of
ignorance and hate
forced
us toward the ground
then
we would rebound
and
once again
grasp at the sky
but
now days
we refuse to bend
nor
do we have to
we have
an outside
that has grown hardened
and
an inside
having knotty memories
of
the pain
of
our lifetimes
we have
grown
and
survived
like
african mahogany

 

by

legal injustice …

pair of old work boots
sold as if they were brand new
like promised freedom
but boots have structural flaws
they don’t have any bootstraps

 

by

survival subroutines…

those human actions
evolved over a lifetime
as a response to
those who have had white privilege
developed to sustain dreams

 

by

first taste….

lord
what
a day
after years
of
wearing
hand-me-down clothes
from
my mother’s
rich employers
i finally
marched
right
into walmart
bought myself
new
clothes
never
worn
by
anyone
but
me
now
i’m
finally
feeling
free

 

by

not that anyone asked…

ain’t gonna be
famous
nobody’s gonna
remember
my name
past my funeral
but that’s
not gonna stop me
from
being
me
now i know
some will say
i’m an old fool
for
doing things for free
when
i could charge
but
i
don’t particularly
prescribe
to
all the new
american tenets
of
behavior
i still believe
in
being a good neighbor
and
friendly towards
most folks
you were right
to
pick up on the
most folks
part
see
some people
are
just plain evil
i don’t blame
the devil
bad parents
or
hard times
they’re just
plain
evil
and even
they
can’t stop me
from
being me
what about you
can you
be
you

 

by

mouse drops out of the ceiling…

jumping white house mouse
said he’s seeking asylum
too many rats here

 

by

watch your step…

this path
isn’t paved
with
cobblestones
but
the skulls
of those
who walked
before you
laying down
their lives
so you
might have a chance
to travel
towards
freedom
even with
so many sacrifices
the path
narrows
and
is obscured
by
hate
and
ignorance