NATIONAL POETRY MONTH |1/30| EMPTY TRAVELS

There was a time

When I would trek

Far out of my way

To get acceptance from others

I never felt good

About making those trips

Because

Even if I got what I wanted

When I arrived

I soon realized

That all I had to unpack

When I returned to myself

Was a bag of false self-worth

Gained with

Premeditated behavior

And a suitcase

Full of their suspect perceptions

©2016 Charlene E. Green

THE LIFE-CHALLENGE SERIES: THE VICTORY LAB

This post is now available at http://honorthespirit.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-life-challenge-series-victory-lab.html

THE LIFE-CHALLENGE SERIES: THE SNEAK-UP OF THE GIVE-UP

This post is now available at http://honorthespirit.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-life-challenge-series-sneak-up-of.html

HERITAGE SONNETS: FOR THE LOVE OF BLACK YOUTH

Heritage Sonnets are specifically for the purpose of encouraging healthy esteem in black youth. They are cards that double as bookmarks, for boys and girls, with a short poem on the front (a sonnet) that sends a message of empowerment and lets them know they are valued in this world, and a space on the back to write a special note. What started out as one set of inspirational sonnets ("Fly" and "Pride") has turned into a growing series that I hadn't planned on, but that I'm very excited about. This is a project that I'm now totally focused on building and improving. I invite you to support this worthy cause.
 Here are 5 ways the product benefits black youth:                   

1. Encourages viewing themselves in a new light and prompts affirmative [re]examination of their worth;
2. encourages them to explore poetry, possibly be curious enough to study it;
3. gives something positive to read about themselves every day but short enough to keep their attention;
4. gently warns about “reality potholes” where they’re concerned and presents proactive, healthy solutions that prompt early self-care;
5. encourages deeper cultural awareness, interest, and discussion.

 To view product and to order, click link: http://www.hustledivaspeaks.com/Pages/HERITAGESONNETS.aspx.
Thank you in advance for your caring and support.

MISINFORMED (IF THE SHOE FITS)

                                               

I guess you thought

That after we were done

My world would fall apart

Crumple to little pieces

Like, like...

You know like

When an earthquake hits

And the ground breaks

And buildings, they separate

Then come tumbling down?

Yeah, like that...

But somebody dun told you wrong...

See, I just wanna

Set the record straight

So you can tell the story

The way it’s supposed to be told

Not with your own twists ‘n’ turns

Embellishments and enhancements

Tryna puff yourself up

And deflate me in the process

The real story goes like this:

I knew I was in too deep

Real early on and was gon' hafta

Back that thang up...

And out the door...

Right around the time

You started treating me like

Some old hand-me-down trinket

Or better yet

Like that old, dusty pair of shoes—

You know—the ones waaaayy

In the back of your closet—

The ones you only

Pay attention to every blue moon

‘Cause you got fifty-'leven

Other pairs of shoes that are

So much more important...

Yeah, like that...

And I guess you thought

Just because I loved you

And I really did want us to work

That I was gonna let you keep

Shoving me in the back of the closet

Allowing dust to collect on all my good love

While day after day

You chose other shoes over me

But somebody dun told you wrong...

‘Cause while you traipsed around town

With your feet in all those other shoes

That didn’t even fit you right

That gave me time to breathe—

To air out, so to speak—

You know, like neglected shoes

Have time to do when

They’ve been cast aside—

And I started makin’ plans to

E’hem...git ta steppin’...

To another closet...

Where I would no longer be

The old, forgotten and mistreated shoes

But instead I’d be ... 

The all-purpose shoes

You know the all-purpose shoes—

The ones you love so much that

No matter how many other pairs you have

You just can’t seem

To keep your feet out of ‘em…

Yeah, like that...

And I guess you mighta

Got beside yourself...

Started thinkin’ you were cute

And thought that no other feet

Could replace yours

But somebody dun told you wrong...

‘Cause what had happened was:

One day while you were out

Wearing down the soles

On one of those other

Unfortunate pairs of shoes

I got up, blew the cobwebs off me

Laced myself up nice ‘n’ tight

And eeeeased on down

The Yellow Brick Road

And what I found

When I got to the end

Was more love, respect

Admiration, honesty

And special treatment

Than I ever knew existed—

And you know what

The best part was?

There were no other

Shoes there but me

So I know once you realized

I was long gone

And what you had lost

You kicked yourself real hard

And then, not understanding

That whole concept of appreciating

And nurturing 

The exceptional relationship you have

'Cause you rarely find true love

More than once in a lifetime

You thought you could just

Run out right quick

And find all that you had in me

At the drop of a hat

But somebody dun told you wrong...

‘Cause when you got out there

In that vast sea of shoes…OOPS!

Surprise, surprise…

You couldn’t find the right size

There were none out there

That fit you as perfectly as I did

And there you stood...

Barefoot and outta luck...

While I was off

With my new boo

Gettin' shined and polished and buffed

On a regular basis...

And lovin’ every step

Those new feet and I took together...

Yeah, like that…

I know you thought that in time

You’d be okay without me

‘Cause you had all those other shoes

Lined up waiting to be the new me

But guess what?

Somebody dun told you wrong…

You’ve been misinformed

Copyright 2008

Charlene E. Green

From Me to You ... Through Mine Eyes: Visual Expressions
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