JUST CALL ME MISTER!

Remembering the echoes of our ancestors telling us

That education is our passport to the future

She’s the mother of civilization

Philosophers and great debaters

She ushered in freedom singers during the course of slavery

Remembering back in the day when we

Couldn’t read or write

Not because of our ability but legally

We couldn’t read or write

So we did what we were made to do

From our ancestors ashes we rose like the phoenix

With fire in our hearts and determination in our lungs

Beating the odds

Books in place of guns

Raising our children with a confidence to stand as strong and as proud as anyone

Mastering arithmetic and progress in self-esteem

Utilizing our imagination never forgetting to dream

A title is only important if one’s character and integrity dictate its use

4.0 G.P.A’S is all we know to do

Mind over matter

At no time should we give birth to an excuse

We’re servant leaders

Those you were looking for

And though hard times are upon us

There’s no need to fret or worry

And for all who never heard of me

JUST CALL ME MISTER

Grounded in service and education

Devoted to planting seeds that will one day birth trees of knowledge and inspiration

Bridging gaps between generation by way of

Education and communication

Praying that in our karma

We will arrive on Sankofa’s wings of

History and elevation

Teaching our story and his alike to grow many nations

And if you’re just keying in and still don’t quite understand who I AM

JUST CALL ME MISTER

MISTER Imhotep

MISTER Carter G. Woodson

MISTER Amos N. Wilson

MISTER John H. Clark

MISTER Nat Turner

MISTER Frantz Fanon

MISTER Malcolm X

MISTER David Walker

MISTER Martin R. Delany

MISTER William Still

MISTER Paul L. Dunbar

MISTER James W. Johnson

MISTER Claude McKay

MISTER Langston Hughes

MISTER Melvin B. Tolson

MISTER James Baldwin

MISTER Ossie Davis

MISTER Amiri Baraka

MISTER Greg Carr

MISTER Neal Homes

MISTER Lut Nero

MISTER Anthony Browder

MISTER Barak Obama

MISTER Booker T.

And if anybody still find it hard to identify me

JUST CALL ME MISTER!

NO HIDDEN AGENDA

lovely as a chocolate sun
rosy cheeks & silk lips
being in your presence is majestic
like a beautiful black rainbow for the first time
or watching an eclipse over and over again
sublime is your state of mine
in the simplest form
you're fine
your eyes are heaven sent
i adore the way you represent
the essence of God when you smile
pink lip gloss is a reflection of your style
vision of a tropical sunset
sacred waters & white sand
close friend & a jazz band
a silent love supreme
a hopeless man's dream & a blessed man's reality
a rare flower in the garden of eden
pictures of you eatin' fresh fruit sippin' on wine water
as i order you another round of life
looking forward to the evening to dawn on us
lay back as the stars put on a play for us
honor what you feel
speak it into existence
your word is your bond
so it's your word i trust
living in your deepest pleasure
desired by many
as i bear witness to innocent hugs & kisses
with only one wish
another night like this-

****HAVE YOU EVER SAW A BEAUTIFUL PERSON & ALL YOU WANT TO DO WAS WRITE ABOUT THE MOMENT WITH NO HIDDEN AGENDA???

LION HEARTED

running through the wilderness
watching demons shake hands with politicians and holy men
with their wives serving food to them
sacrificing their children for earthly belongings
bald head be the heart of them
standing bareback in front of a church house
lion by my side
with the orders from H.I.M
a faint sound of children screaming
lion on all paws
children on the back of H.I.M
flames chasing the tail of him
flash back through time
no need for martin to speak of the 4 of them
pull up to a red light
silhouettes with red sights
turned off their head light
the lion on the side of me
went to war in front of me
lion took many shots
so pac could still be a g
the other in the car with he
laid flat in L.A streets
balcony he waved a hand
but my lion spotted a man
across the way with gun in hand
so he roared and took offs his white hood & hands
a dream realized and king did too
nightsticks & blue pigs
beatin inner city kids
cracked a head & broke some ribs
so my lion clawed their heavy hearts
straight to hell roaring Babylon fall
stand up for what's right
overstand your spirits might
meditate in your third sight
before taking on the dark knight....

To be continued-

BEYOND SCARED STRAIGHT

the love is gone
hell is here
i killed a man
what the hell do i care
fear or be feared
is a po-boy's state of mind
they talking electric chair
survival is the crime
i'm ready to die
life ain't what it's cracked up to be
so f*ck the world if God leave it up to me
my death-my problems-no apology
i stand alone
loyal to my self
die alone
fry by my self
mama i'm sorry but i killed a man
all by my self
serpents on tv mixing up the story
so in the mean-time reading plato's allegory
please mama no worries
shed no tears for me
it was just a matter of time
this system should've never ignored me

**********I WAS TOUCHED BY THE STORIES FROM THE SHOW AND I HAD TO WRITE. THIS FIRST ONE WAS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE YOUNG BOY WHO KILLED A MAN AND WENT HOME TO TELL HIS MOM B4 GETTING LOCKED UP***************

now my son
you have done some wrong
consequences are heavy
but life goes on
time to face facts
you just killed a man
& his mother will never get her son back
now you want to be forgiven
for you immature act
time has no favorites
it can't turn back
your destiny is upon you
the one who calls himself po-boy
but how ironic is that
the man you just killed was po as well
he's dead and you're in this 6 by 9 cell
no bailout
so yell out
what you will
you can return a man goods for stealin'
but it's death to the man that kills
livin' in the land of the lost
feelin' forgotten
i overstand
but you should've talked out the problem
did you really need to take a gun to his head & rob him
the cycle continues
death & destruction is the main course
on tonight's menu
son i wanted better for you
i never wanted you as my celly dude
now i have to watch as you walk the green mile
please forgive him for his sins God
he's only a child

***********THIS IS WHAT THE FATHER HAD TO SAY AFTER HIS SON WAS ARRESTED. HE WAS IN THE SAME CELL AS HIS FATHER FOR A WEEK.*************

living in a city where the theme line
is a thin line between life & death
livin' to die working to death to keep alive
but i guess
killadelphia ain't got room for a po-boy like self
so by any means
even if that means that i have to intervene on someone else's dreams
tomorrow is 2 far in the distance
angels talking but i ain't listenin'
fatherless-friendless-broken dreams-& creamless
so careless & cold hearted i am
daddy i'm sorry but i didn't start this
blame uncle sam-
big brother watchin' but ain't helpin'
contemplating suicide wishin'  i was never born
sleepin' under the close-pin
a livin' contradiction
by the hands of me
Babylon is fallen
in a city of angels & prostitutes
where the liberty bell lives in guilt
but nothing really matters to me

***********THE BOY'S LAST THOUGHTS************

LOVE LETTER

love is dancing between generation
reaching out for the lost
praying that they regain consciousness
of who she really is
silence is who she sleeps with most nights
alone and crying for those who know her not
rising to a new sun in hopes of spreading herself
contagious she wish to become to a newer generation
back on the dance floor with her arm around herself
moving majestically through the crowed room
kissing all with protruding lips and open hearts
she smiles as she stands motionless
center stage of the dance floor wondering
her smile stiffens crack and crumble under the sight that is lacking her
frowns and a tear greets her cheek
she's embraced by the floor
the party still goes on
spotted by an elder
lifts love to her feet and walks her over to a table
there a lady pulls out a chair and love takes a seat
love smile in question
how long since we've met
75 years the elders say in unison
love looks out on the dance floor in question
well what about them
they have yet to arrive
so we wait
how long

til death do us part-

3rd WORLD

black president or not
life is a game called monopoly
played by the have's and have nots
capitalism is the plot
where the poor are made to dig their own plots
politics is just a pile of trick
fed to the masses as a democratic treat-just to get them to follow it
goons and goblins running around the world snatching bags
claiming someone has robbed them
(singing) oh say can you see...
if you're poor then you are the cow and the bee
so welcome to the land of milk and honey
FUNNY:( ironic
families struggling is associated with livin'
not overstanding that if your strugglin there's no room for livin'
we should just saying experiencin'
the have nots past go and get W.I.C. checks
and from the working class they get disrespect
and i regret to have to tell you this
that if you're working you still AIN'T GOT SHIT
the power is in the control who control yo power
last i checked water was free but i bet you pay to take showers
we need to raise our children to speak truth over power
final is this hour
Babylon is fallen
ask the folk in the N.O. if American fruit be sour
strange as that day it feel from her tree
roots soak in blood that reeks of stolen legacy
dreaming to play a game that you enter by default
and if your not a christian they say your way of livin' is a cult
born in hell here
where the devil's propaganda is everywhere
poison is good when you've been eatin since birth
vegetables with factory numbers on them
but the package read straight from the earth
condition to live a 3rd world mindset
where you arrive at a questions
they tell your not to think like that
i bet
no question- no answers
there's a lump in her daughter's chest
don't worry about that
here is her first polo dress
the other have nots are impressed
but  your baby girl died 2 weeks later due to cancer in the breast

infected by capitalism lacking our ancestors wisdom will place us all in a 3rd world prison-

DO YOU FEEL ME

do you feel me
like i can you
this feeling is sickening
my desire to feel the physical touch
of a far off dream
or so you seem
because you hasn't seen
anything like i as a reality
death would be easier than not having you
so consider the considerable
it was said that all is fair in love & war
so place me on the front line before a mighty army
and i shall fight time
til the death of one of us
you are a beauty never seen before yet memorable
are you listening
to the whispering heart of me
oh how i need thee
shelter from the cold
you are scripture engraved on the wall of my soul
hold steady for just a moment
watching you move and interact with the rest of who you are
by far sends me into a trance
yet and still
i steal these moments from across a colorful room
silhouettes and prayers
these layers of thoughts
thinking if i'm connecting what i'm feeling
do you feel me
without your arms
i'm  talking about the soul me
do your heart reflect the pain of not feeling the physical me
do you wonder if i'm listening or if you're message is getting through to me
you play it so cool
nonchalant
just this one dance with life and i
just to this one song called forever
written by God

do you feel me

PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS 2-9-11

so what do we have here
a tragic beating to a girl who was only 21 years
& oh yeah
homicide is the case
the perpetrators should get the chair
or at least 121 years
i wonder if they knew that a baby was in there
it was a two for one
a beautiful daughter or son
will never have a chance to see the sun-rise
or the chance to love mommy
or the chance to see the love for them in their mother's eyes
black rose
picked from a beautiful garden
by evil souls
and because of this
motherless her 3 year old has to grow
tuning the pages of my daily news
i'm somewhat confused
everybody wants an african body blues
from england to philly international
a country that runs on the poor man as capital
lacking moral precision
causing physical incisions
buttocks injections in hotels
nobody care about life
because death sales
martin should take that to run & tell
turning the pages of my daily news
some believe crime is the answer
a man wanting hell to fall upon an hospital
because he believe they gave his daughter cancer
education is losing cash
and we wonder why some of our youth
can careless if they pass
they see the writings on the wall
the shit ain't braille
so it ain't hard to tell
the society don't care for our education so why should we
i'm not saying it's right
yet this is how it be
turning the pages of my daily news
a car chase
one dead
carjacker they said
a new mural went up
some candle & painted tee
no matter the crime
he still was someone's baby
ninjas are hungry and will eat by any means
stomachs touching backs
layoffs and a family of 6
cause a man to put on all black
survival of america was the case that they gave him
i saw a million Christians watch
as a million children marched there innocence to a nearby cemetery
babylon is fallen

holla if you hear me

PRECIOUS

what's precious about
years of anger & oppression
rape & molestation
low self esteem
hatred with no expectations
we live in a sick world
where diamonds & pearls
are stolen from in between the legs of many girls
mom's depression expressed through misplaced aggression
pop's left mom in sips of Thunderbird with brandy
a father who fathered a dysfunctional family
his daughter is his grand-daughter screaming with down-syndrome
JAH-how can this be
acts of insanity
the epitome of an American tragedy
bulletproof tears
for years pressure building up
baby thrown to the floor
precious had enough
momma scream
you fighting back-oh bitch you think you tough
what's wrong with this picture
as if slavery wasn't enough
denial is the bedroom of satan
hurt people hurt people
insecurities born a self destructive nature
i"ve seen precious in the face of many
struggling under pressure & feel they have no way out
so black on black crime is how it play out
this is how it fades out
verbally abusive to the point of feeling useless
confused and lied to
it these were your circumstances

what would you do

BEYOND SCARED STRAIGHT#2

prison ain't no place for a man
retract that
prison ain't no place for a human
that's that
a man sentenced to 999 years
how do you beat that
double life & 10 years
judge said now you wanna murder someone
so kill that
that means he have to died twice
then come back
jesus died for the world's crime
his sentence wasn't even as hard as that
crucifying children on a dime
drop that
living 23 & 1 for 30 years
add that
ain't no sunshine behind these brick walls
so fall back
because once you're here
there's no take backs
4 walls will humble a man
depending on his mind power
it will crumble a man
caught pants sagging
means you fumblin' and
in & out watch the blind spots
you're no longer a man
respect is power
mind yours or prepared for the baby powder
become his bitch
oh yous a snitch
he will check you in the shower
a hour's a life time
the most impatient man grow to respect time
prime factor
you do what you have to
not when you want
but when another man tells you
this is no way to live
slaughter house for the pigs
is better than this is
living with men made monsters
given space to hone their craft
this system is a joke

doing stand up behind glass

FOR COLORED GIRLS

it's evident
for women & men
still yarning to be saved
for the torture we received as slaves
brave souls of the night
still believing that Jesus is white
having sex for the hell of it
but when it's hell you get
you neglect the connection between you and it
mother on her mean
shakin' her baby with oil rushin to kiss her lips
as she screams
beg forgiveness and pray to Elohim
a daughter lost between
life and her dreams
dancing a million midnights into existence
hated by her sister is her perception
nevertheless
her grandfather touched her-her sister and her mother
mother found God
so her history she tried hard to hide
but her story was told true through her baby girl's eyes
her legs she kept open wide
as a way to survive
a tear cracked the sky
for two children who couldn't fly
babies aborting babies
satan is alive
powerful women
running their husband's lives
bending men over is how he kept his pride
dreams within dream
who among you is living a lie
the absence of love birth pain
denial with no desire to change
heart break hotel
colored issue placed back on the auction block
sign reads for sale
from 1608 til now
we've been catchin' hell
been wantin' to tell someone with a heart
but there's no one here to tell
pitch black rainbows
living in a country where the stars don't spangle
red represents the blood in our love triangle
white are the men that stole innocence
of a once blue sky
our issue aren't our own

to the title ask why

ALCATRAZ/HENRY YOUNG

for 3 years living in the belly of hell
the dungeons of Alcatraz
is worse than living in the belly of a killer whale
when other prisons say hole
a hole is a cell
but not for Alcatraz
when they put you in the hole
they put you in the hole
you can keep your flesh
they aim to kill your soul
prayer becomes extinct
stink is not the half of it
no rest rooms
you eat-sleep & live in your own shit
til the day they take you out of it
let's not forget the piss & the vomit
the darkness brings about
a physiological trauma
hearing voices in your head
crazy ill drama
inner demons battling with the life that remains
after 3 years in
God wouldn't come out sane
given time that didn't fit the crime
i concur with tupac
when he said justice was blind
late night beatings
and from the face
Henry's bleeding
with no one to intercede on his behalf
this entire system is gon' mad
children watching the ways of their dads
but it's sad
they will do the same thing
what other choice do they have
bad blood and no love
the hunter shot a dove
prisoners looking for hope & a sign of love
a spoon to the neck of a snitch
body rest in a shadow of blood
a young public defender just getin' his feet wet
he's in for the ride of his life
do or die he won't quit
he charges Alcatraz with murder in the first
the prosecutor scream this some bullshit
with little understanding
the political world is upset
it's a race to the finish line
or should i say judgment time
true story no Hollywood comedy
Alcatraz lost in a battle

that made his-tory

WAITING ON SUPERMAN

THIS SYSTEM IS BROKEN
AND IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX
LOTTERY PICKS
ABSENT FATHERS & MOTHERS LOOKING FOR A FIX
HOPEFUL DOWN TO THE WIRE
A MOTHER HAS TO TELL HER DAUGHTER
A SPOT IN THE SCHOOL THEY DIDN'T ACQUIRE
THIS LOTTERY PICK IS LIKE WATCHING THE CRUMBLING OF A GREAT EMPIRE
NOT ACCEPTED
THE CHILDREN START GUESSIN'
THIS MEANS MY POSITION IN THIS SYSTEM
QUESTION
HOW CAN I BE THE FUTURE IF IT'S ME
THAT NO ONE IS WILLING TO INVEST
LOOKING FOR GOD WITH A 'S' ON HIS CHEST
TO HELP MY MOMMA TO STOP STRESSIN'
HOW CAN THIS BE GOD
THAT I'M STRUGGLING TO LIVE
WHEN MY MOMMA HAS 3 JOBS
WAKING UP IN AMERICA IN MY RIGHT MIND
IS WHAT I CALL BEATING THE ODDS
GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE
IS A STRETCH FROM HERE
AT THIS POINT I JUST WANNA FINISH MY 12 YEARS
MAYBE WE NEED TO PUT OUR MILITARY
ON THE EDUCATIONAL FRONT LINES
TO FIGHT FOR INTEGRITY
BETTER TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
& PUT AN END TO EDUCATIONAL DISPARITY
WRITE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
IF YOU FEELING ME
THERE'S NO LOVE IN SCHOOLS
SO UP GOES THE KILLINGS IN OUR COMMUNITIES
THIS WAITING LIST IS KILLING SHE
THINKS SHE ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO GRADUATE
PENALIZED FOR HER MOTHER'S RESPONSIBILITY
BABY GIRL IS NOT EVEN 8
DROPPING OUT OF ONE OF AMERICA'S FACTORIES
IS HER FATE
KILLING THE CREATIVITY
INTELLIGENCE & SENSIBILITY
IN SOME SCHOOLS
GRADUATION IS LIKE A PRISON RELEASE DATE
IT'S REAL OUT HERE
NO WONDER THE YOUTH IS READY TO KILL OUT HERE
LACKING SKILLS GRABBING GUNS
HUNGER IS REAL I FEAR
NO SOLUTION FOR THIS ISSUE FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS
WE NEED HELP
HOPE & SUPPORT OUT HERE
NOT DROP OUTS
TEEN PARENTS & FUNERALS THIS YEAR
SO KEEP PUSHING
KEEP FIGHTING & IGNITING THE SOULS OF ALL FOLKS
CREATE CARING TEACHERS

OUR FUTURE LIVES IN OUR CHILDREN'S DREAMS & HOPES

CHAPTERS OF THOUGHT'S: A LESSON BEFORE DYING

I AM A MAN
NOT A HOG
I'M NOT A CAT
RAT- OR DOG
WHITE MAN MURDERED IN HIS STORE
& I GET DEATH FOR
AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
& MY CRIME WAS MY SKIN
GOT ME THINKING 'BOUT SCRIPTURES
SAYING I WAS BORN INTO SIN
GRANDPA IS EVERYTHING BLACK BAD
HERE WE GO AGAIN
A WALKING CONTRADICTION
SLAVE LIVING IN THIS SYSTEM
PENNY PITCHIN' & COTTON PICKIN'
IF WE AIN'T BEING JAILED
WE BUSY BEING LYNCHED IN IT
WE'VE BEEN WAITIN IN THE WATER
& AIN'T SEEN GOD SINCE
BEEN LIED TO FOR SO LONG
SO IF I BELIEVE THE LIES
AM I WRONG
PREACHER MAN TELLIN' ME
PREACHER:  GOD GOT YOU SO HOLD ON
NEXT WEEK I'M DYING PREACH
PREACHER:  I KNOW SON BUT STAY STRONG
HOW BOUT WE SWITCH PLACES PREACH
PREACHER:  LOOKS LIKE I'M LATE FOR SERVICE SON
I'M GONE
SO LONG PREACH
MY LESSON BEFORE DYING
REMAIN A MAN IN THE FACE OF THE DEVIL & ADVERSITY
THE TRUTH SHALL DIE WITH ME
BLEED MY HEART IN MY JOURNAL
PRAYING THIS SIDE NEVER FORGET ME
FEELING SICKLY
APPROACHING THE GREEN MILE
I CAN FEEL ANCESTORS WITH ME
PROTECT & CARRY ME
DEATH TO MY OPPRESSORS
SMILE BEFORE THEY BURY ME
AT PEACE WITH SELF
LESSON LEARNED
KEEP YA SELF
LOVE YA SELF
LEARN YA SELF
TEACH YA SELF
NO MAN IS AN ANIMAL
NO ANIMAL IS A MAN
A LESSON BEFORE DYING
SPEAK TRUTH OVER POWER
WHILE ON GOD'S GREEN LAND
I AM AS I ALWAYS WAS

A MAN