evolution of race relations…

 

on the way to school
used to be called racist names
but i survived that
and when i was much older
at work i was just ignored

 

may 12th….

the rows upon rows
of head markers
did not provide
proper hiding places
for his grand daughters
to play hide-and-seek
nor was it
a proper place
to spend mother’s day
but
there he was
sitting on a folding chair
his daughter
holding an umbrella
to shade him
from the sun’s solar ridicule
she
attempting
to console him
as best she could
and he
placing flowers
into the government issued
metal flower vase
and
whispering his wife’s name
telling her
that he could not believe
that his life
had come
to this point
a life
without her

a public service annoucement…

modified google image

the following poem
contains graphic
references to
children
being abused
and
dying
because of neglect
you may
wish to
turn away
or surf over to
the three-hour
results show of
dancing
with the stars
or
any one
of a number
of mind-numbing programs
but
the children
will still be there
waiting in full view
just outside your door
so it is recommended
that you stay
indoors
for the duration
it shouldn’t
be too long
since
they’re
already
starving

silenced…

digital decoupage cwmartin 2011

each night
he awoke her
demanding she
silence the cries
of their daughter
she would rise
but recalled
no such complaints
about their son
one night
he rose
without a word
the child
she never
heard
again

transient death…

i lie here
in an empty grave
wondering
when
will this
be my home
when
will you come
to visit
bringing tokens
of love
not offered
before
I bore
this mantle
of earth
watching
your tears
flow
more freely
than the love
you offered
when i
reached out
to touch you
these
cold walls
feel so much
warmer
than your
last
caress

omg rejection letter…

we regret
to inform you
that your application
for sainthood
has been
denied
please note
this is
no reflection
upon what you’ve been
saying
but
praying for
the poor
the homeless
peace
et cetera
is not
the same as
doing
something
for those individuals
or
areas of concern
your wishful prayers
are indeed
characteristic of
an
admirable personality
and
we appreciate
your frequent
and
considerable
soliloquies with us
but
we’re
rather filled up
with folks
with
good
intentions

let’s make a deal…

 

Trail of Tears Map

all attempts
at a negotiated
settlement
have failed
your
unwillingness
to surrender
your property
livelihood
and heritage
for another useless treaty
that provides some
fine wasteland
demonstrates
your
unrealistic
nature
further
your attempts to better
your own children
by limiting their exposure to
our abusive
distorted history
of
your
people
seems particularly
cruel to us
such resistance
on
your part
limits
our
progress
this is problem
is
totally
your fault

i was just wondering….

do souls
come in different
sizes
i mean
i’ve heard that
they grow
so it must be so
is that why
there’s soul food
and
what happens
to little souls
the ones that
never get
a chance
to grow up
the ones still pure
unstained by life
are they recycled
or
just thrown away
into some cosmic
dust bin
or
used as landfill
for the abyss
maybe
they just fall
as snow
the collective
frozen tears
shed
at summer’s
end

he said there’d be a sign…

i sat in the back
of the church
waiting
waiting for a sign
a sign
that the holy spirit
wanted
me
and thought
i was ready
for
salvation
but I didn’t see any
i squinted my eyes
at lights
thinking that might help
but it just made my face
look funny
so one day
i went up front
thinking
just maybe
the view
would be
better from there
but there
was nothing
there
either

During the next few days, I will be on holiday…yes again…so I will be posting very few comments on your blogs…however I shall continue to post new poems here and hope that you will enjoy them.  Until then, cheers!

a proper plot….

 

Photograph by CWMartin

where shall we place the grave
the one that will hold our hopes
shall we place it beside
the one for our dreams
or near the lies
we’ve been told
perhaps we shall place it here
within sight of our
yesterday’s sorrows
so we can visit
the hate
that was planted
and blossomed
with our despair

During the next few days, I will be on holiday…yes again…so I will be posting very few comments on your blogs…however I shall continue to post new poems here and hope that you will enjoy them.  Until then, cheers!