NATIONAL POETRY MONTH, DAY FIVE, NUMBER TWO

ACCIDENT FORGIVENESS

How many more
Fender-benders to your feelings
Sideswipes to your ribs
Rear-ends to the back of your head
And fist-on collisions
With your face
Will it take
For you to finally admit
That this man
Is not accident-prone
He is purposely reckless
With your life?

Don't wait for him to stop
Make your move
When he pauses between hits
Eject yourself from his joyride
And find a safe companion
To travel with
On your journey to love
Before riding with him
Makes you a casualty

©2018 Charlene E. Green
www.hustledivaspeaks.com

DAYBREAK DECISIONS

When the sun is ornery
As it wakes
Cops attitude
Its warmth a blank stare
Shine selfishly tucked
Behind its frown

When the morning air is catty
Picks a fight with you
Pimp-slaps your face
With its icy breath
Before you've even
Negotiated with yourself
About how many more
Snooze-button taps
There will be
Before you'll have the capacity
To untangle yourself
From the all-night caress
Of your covers

When yesterday's balmy breeze
Is now a gale
In the throes of tantrum
Assailing trees
Fracturing branches
Hurling leaves
Flinging dust

When the clouds are murky
Heavy
Weak as a tattered bladder
And their untimely incontinence
Puts a damper
On your carefully thought-out
Wardrobe selection—
The one the weatherman said
Today would be perfect for—

Remember:
The day is still yours
For the winning

Resilience has extended its hand
Hopes you'll take it
And unleash its power

Your favorite activities
Still await
Your enthusiastic participation

Loved ones
Anticipate your wit and cheer
Smiles and encouragement

Unmet goals
Anxiously predict
Your continued fight
For their achievement

So no matter
What side of the bed
Mother Nature wakes up on
Don't let that
Impede the control
You have over your fulfillment

Don't forget
That you're not
At Her mercy

She's allowed
To start the day
Throwing shade

And you're allowed
To make light of it

©2018 Charlene E. Green

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH, DAY FOUR

(After Ollie Woods's day-three poem "Free Write for Queendom")

BLACK LITERATURE 

You're my favorite free verse
Been studyin' you my whole life
Amazed at your levels of fortitude
How you wield your brilliant mind
Over so many matters
Ones that have killed others
But only made you stronger

Been watchin' you work that secret ingredient
In your DNA
Making you phoenix
Hugely sought
Flavor and favor unlimited
They all want it
But it can't be bought
You're no longer being sold
You're a free verse
Striding uninhibited through life
Sporting your melanin
Like the finest African couture
Telling the kinds of stories you want
With the endings you deserve
Baptizing souls with your zest
Stardust, they should call you
Cuz their systems call for you
Cry and reach for you
Yet they can never get high enough
To reach your heights
Can't get your potent effect
Anywhere else

Neither can I

Your embrace
Organic
Robust and consoling
Pure in its intention
To showcase love
Your gentle graze a light sweetener
Your aroma arousing my senses
Your steady breaths
A mood elixir
I wanna savor
So my pores sip your clutch slowly
Consume all your medicinal properties
Make sure my spirit is quenched and healed
Before you're gone

Your laugh
A djembe rhythm
Pulsating in your throat
Powered by generations of triumph
Ancestors Zulu dancing
In your belly
Stomping out your stress
Making your roar
That much more vibrant
Your joy contagious

Your smile
An eighth-grade dance
Filled with mystery
Mischief
Chance
Serving me all the feels
Giggles and butterflies
Baiting me
Luring me closer
Urging me to relax in your space
Your eyes
Strobe-lighting my path
Inviting me to engage
In your lively offerings
And enjoy my stay

I accept

You're my favorite free verse:
Uncensored
Unpredictable
Perfectly unstructured
With a message of omnipotence
Made clear

©2018 Charlene E. Green
You Betta WRITE!

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH, DAY THREE

THWART

Always bring love to
a hate fight; shift bitter hearts
with spite Kryptonite

©2018 Charlene E. Green

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH, DAY TWO

SURROGATE

Nourish your heart via
mine; feed on its beats when yours
needs strength to push through

©2018 Charlene E. Green

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH, DAY ONE

GARDEN

Scorned my growth process,
now wanna reap my beauty
and favor? DENIED!

©2018 Charlene E. Green