Some of My Favorites (April is Poetry Month) (Poetry Corner)

So, it is April and this month is known as National Poetry Month. Last year I shared with you some of my works. You can read that post HERE. This year, I will tell you about some of my favorites works from others.

Full Figured Potential by Ga Me (Georgia Me)
I probably would be a Spoken Artist if it was not for the fact that I hate reading in front of people. Reading and Praying out loud are the only parts of public speaking that make me stutter. Now reciting what I memorize or talking from the top of my head, I can do. And for some reason I don't memorize me own stuff. That's why I leave that field to people like this talented lady in the clip above. I love this poem.

Ego-Tripping (there may be a reason) by Nikki Giovanni 
Blame the show A Different World for introducing me to this gem. The descriptive tones are so powerful.

I was born in the Congo
I walked to the Fertile Crescent and built
The Sphinx
I designed a pyramid so tough that a star
That only glows every one hundred years falls
Into the center giving divine perfect light
I am bad

I sat on the throne
Drinking nectar with Allah
I got hot and sent an ice age to Europe
To cool my thirst
My oldest daughter is Nefertiti
The tears from my birth pains
Created the Nile
I am a beautiful woman

I gazed on the forest and burned
Out the Sahara desert
With a packet of goat's meat
And a change of clothes
I crossed it in two hours
I am a gazelle so swift
So swift you can't catch me

For a birthday present when he was three
I gave my son Hannibal an elephant
He gave me Rome for mother's day
My strength flows ever on

My son Noah built New/Ark and
I stood proudly at the helm
As we sailed on a soft summer day
I turned myself into myself and was
Jesus
Men intone my loving name
All praises All praises
I am the one who would save

I sowed diamonds in my backyard
My bowels deliver uranium
The filings from my fingernails are
Semi-precious jewels
On a trip north
I caught a cold and blew
My nose giving oil to the Arab world
I am so hip even my errors are correct
I sailed west to reach east and had to round off
The earth as I went
The hair from my head thinned and gold was laid
Across three continents

I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal
I cannot be comprehended except by my permission

I mean...I...can fly
Like a bird in the sky

We Wear the Mask by Paul L. Dunbar
My Elementary School was named after him so we learned a lot of his poems. Sad to say we still have to "wear the mask, sometimes

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.


Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
          We wear the mask.


We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
          We wear the mask!

Oh! The Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Suess
Many of us heard this one as children but it was not until I was an Adult that I really felt the words.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

So, those are some of my favorites. What are your favorites? Leave them in the comment box below.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

April is National Poetry Month (Poetry Corner)

Today, I was reminded that April is National Poetry Month.  I told you guys in the blog Why The Name OUTSPOKEN_DIVA, that OUTSPOKEN_DIVA was originally my pen name. I also said I would share some of my poetry one day. Today is that day. I will share 3 of them and include a short prose how they came to be.

1. Worthy of Price In undergrad at Lamar University, I had HATERS. Yes, I have those. I just don't complain about them like... One guy didn't understand why I didn't have low self-esteem because I was Fat. A couple of members of a sorority referred to me as "Dyme Piece" (that song was new & popular, then) because I thought, No Wait I knew I was Cute (I had a knack to dress up for no reason at all). And the list went on and on. By the time I learn any of this I was weeks from graduating, so I wasn't bothered badly. This poem was born one night after a passing some of my Haters.



Worthy of Price

Now, I know no one told You

That All Women

Should have "GREAT" self-esteem

But I know you thought

The One who covers her body

The One who won't wear makeup

The Fat, Big Boned, or Thick One

The Quiet One or Shy One

Did Not value themselves

PLEASE!!!

So What you whisper, you wonder why she think she thinks she is a "Diva or "Dyme"

Why shouldn't she

She May Think

Others can be the Dyme

But your Life isn't even the Down Payment for a Look from her

Infinity is her Value

Her price tag is Endless

Not to be Bought

Of her you can't make change

Everybody is so why can't she be

"Worthy of the Price"

© Copyright 2003

Praise and Worship Crush On New Year's Eve 2004, was the first night I went with my BFF named Football Nerd to the church we attend now. The church is a mega-church but for the first year we sat around the same people. That included a man whose worship for God was very attractive. New Year's Eve 2005, I figured out that the lady and the children with him was his family. Whoops!!! LMBO

Praise and Worship Crush

You caught my eye

Not with your looks

Not your style or dress

But with your Worship

Your Worship to the most high God

I was wiping my eyes of joyous tears

And I saw you go beyond the veil

You looked so peaceful

Like you were happy to be there

Like Worship is second nature

You Worship makes me want to join you

Join you in Worship, Praise, Glorifying

Our Mighty God

Who is this tugging on my blouse?

Oh Praise & Worship Period is over

I'm the Only one standing

Standing, Watching you Worshi---Sit down

Let me Pay Attention to Service

Instead of you my Praise and Worship crush

© Copyright 2006

A Whole Love Let's just say I don't believe in 50-50 in a romantic relationship. A man needs to bring all of him because I will be bringing all of me. Oh and this one rhymes!!!

A Whole Love

100 Percent

Love that's decent

Love that's Sweet

And truly Complete

Not Half and Half

Please, Don't make me laugh

Don't want Half your heart

But the Whole body part

Not 50/50

That's not me

A Love that is Real

Something I can feel

That's what's wrong with us

Can you, I trust

I have no clue

'Cause I don't have all of you

Only Whole men can come to the table

To help fix a guy, I'm no longer able

Only a Whole woman and a Whole man

Should be able to walk Hand in Hand

To give Love that is Whole

Will we ever be so Bold

© Copyright 2005

So, that's some of my poetry. Hope you enjoyed it. Maybe from time to time I might share more. Maybe a short story, sometime, also.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms