there’s a line
everywhere there are lines
lines that form
lines that border
and lines you don’t cross!
I’m gripping tight to this phone
where I’ve let a few slip from the corner of my seers
but I can’t be seen
and I can’t stop the leak
and I’m trying!
I’m trying so hard for this damn emotional dam NOT to break
because that is a line
a line that you don’t cross!
a line…that I can’t
I just can’t cross
because weakness preludes mealtime in the jungle
I can’t expose where, and that,
I may be weak…
or weakened
throughout any week
or day!
not even Sunday!
but the levy is wavering
my eyes are wading
and my heart couldn’t be any worse for wear
because I had nothing to lose once upon a time
then things, unforeseen, became good and well
but when the wellness is lost
then the well spills forth
and no tossed coins can change what is
so although this phone disconnected 5minutes ago
I’ve been here
clinging tight
pantomiming a conversation
while I sneakily wipe at my eyes
feigning laughter and a jovial disposition
hoping no predators or none the wiser
because if they see that line being crossed
there will be even more lines to be crossed
all to arrive back behind the same drawn lines,
which keep me safe
while hiding my pain
because at this phone station
I’m in camouflage
seen but unseen
and low enough as to not be heard
unless of course, the phone time expires
but who can tell, when I laugh so audaciously
through this misery,
this pit and pool of shame
but I must remain masked
because warriors don’t cry
and this phone…
well its my shield
and so I cling tight to it
because it could mean my life
and this gtl moment, was and has always been,
more than just a phone call
it was freedom
it was an embrace
it was peace
and it is my shield
therefore, I grip onto the lines
because this is one line that can never be crossed
Inside
Travesty/ Tragedy
travesty
tragedy
tracking me
trapping me
cornered into savagery
tortured by my casualties
forces formed in back of me
fortress from the past of “me”
focus forked, imagining
photos frame a masterpiece
of fear, fangs, and fragility
travesty
travesty
travesty
trapped into my tapestry
where fore art thou, O tragedy
fated, you’d be latched to me
after all, I compliment your majesty
was foreign to your faculties-
coursing through me, it was maddening
but now I see you’re matching me
flattery, sweet flattery!
captured by your mastery
travesty, O’ tragedy!
I can hear you clattering!
Mindstate
when confined
hard to keep the mind-
straight,
down near a decade,
finally able to look out the window
to align the blinds-
straight,
reversed blind-
fate
when each day starts out as,
a blind-
date
but this new light of mine,
now boosts my mind-
state,
my new state of mind,
is a change of mind
that may change some minds
and might change the crime-
rate
at the same time,
these thoughts of mine,
unwinds my binds
and this spirit of mine-
vibrates
my eyes dilate-
cries subside, dilute, and dehydrate
eyelids vie loose and tirade
because seeing all the sides and signs
can drive the mind-
irate
’til the very moment that I-
shake
or
cross the lines
to untie its ties
as a creator-
creating the type of vines to light
that Christ-
makes,
but this is all for my mind’s-
sake,
because you can only repeat-
your mind,
and this is the new me re-
defined,
in my trials to reach beneath-
the skies,
so we can all see what all we seek
which may increase
or the deplete-
the mind,
therefore I dream and speak-
my mind,
so I’m keen to no longer defeat-
my mind,
and take heed
to whatever keeps and peaks-
my mind,
because that is what frees
or screens-
my eyes,
and makes me dream
or scream-
inside,
until parallel or perpendicular themes-
collide,
but everything
is beyond what it seems-
in life,
so despite my seeming strife
I steam inside,
and glean a better me-
in stride,
even while I seem-
confined
I lead and strive
throughout all the pain that was the-
bleeding type
but I’m more than the mean
and I mean to FLY
therefore,
my minds’ great
so my state of mind-
for your mind’s sake,
is why I’m-
Great!
I Am U
I am black, I am white, I am brown, I am yellow, I am mixed, I am him, I am her, I am you
I am indigenous, I am Christian, I am Rasta, I am Muslim, I am Catholic, I am Buddhist, I am Moor, I am Masonic-Jew
I am cross, I am flag, I am cult, I am clique, I am Klan, I am gang, I am group
I am red, I am blue, I am hue
I am sinner, I am imperfect, I am convict, I am mistake, I am hurt, I am accused
I am lost, I am alone, I am shallow, I am ruse
I am bat, I am knife, I am sword, I am bullet, I am gun, I am whip, I am noose
I am hat, I am clothes, I am cloth, I am fashion, I am trend, I am style, I am old, I am new
I am pledge, I am promise, I am war, I am peace, I am words, I am truce
I am brand, I am logo, I am design, I am art, I am tattoo
I am scratch, I am scrape, I am scar, I am wound, I am bruise
I am tree, I am flower, I am vines, I am soil, I am deep, I am root
I am clouds, I am stars, I am sky, I am light, I am air, I am chandelier, I am roof
I am lies, I am questions, I am answer, I am wonder, I am mystery, I am legend, I am taboo,
I am opinion, I am fact, I am news, I am truth
I am apart of everything just like you
I am a person-just with an inmate number khakis and prison boots!
This Sys-tem
This sys-tem is like a cyst
this sys-tem is a stem of oppression and isms
this sys-tem enforces indifferences
this sys-tem endorses privileges
this sys-tem coerces supremacy
one over the other
and the o-ther as o-thers
my sis-tahs and bro-thas
60% of which living at or below the poverty line
melancholy monopolized
and monotony monetized
incarcerated fathers and single mothers
and fostered children traumatized
in this sys-tem-
opportunity and equality is a mockery
in this sys-tem-
rights and democracy is an oligarchy
in this sys-tem-
you are shunned to death
in this sys-tem-
structural oppression
social oppression
religious oppression
in this sys-tem-
voter suppression
thought suppression
expression suppression
in this sys-tem-
empathy repression
intimacy repression
healing repression
in this sys-tem
independence regression
interpersonal regression
educational regression
in this sys-tem-
economic depression
emotional depression
spiritual depression
in this sys-tem
equality-wrong impression
freedom-false impression
justice-false imprisonment
in this sys-tem-
recidivis-m
is just a pris-m
of
revisionis-m
this sys-tem-
is inanimate and materialistic
thoughtless yet thinks for you
soulless yet calcifies the soul
heartless yet decomposes the heart
this sys-tem-
is inhumane caging humans like animals
civilized savagery separating the have’s and have not’s
faithless yet propagandizing, commoditizing, and monetizing religion while discrediting spirit in it’s psychology
flawed yet given the free reign of a paragon beyond reproach reassessment and reform
this sys-tem-
is a boot that kicks you
steps on you
stands on you just to appear taller and more imposing
while yelling at you to stay down or they’ll shoot!
this sys-tem-
gives the illusion
of assis-tance
and insists
its
sense of cents
over sentiment
is civ-ic
this sys-tem-
gives the illusion
of assis-tance
and insists
it’s
dominant and pure capitalistic structuralis-m
of
currency creed constitution consciousness color culture crime and classis-m
is to your benefit
this sys-tem-
conditions
its symp-toms
this sys-tem-
is chaos
appearing calm
creating chaos
in opposition
to social revolutions
this sys-tem-
is status quo
in opposition
to social evolution
this sys-tem-
is indoctrination
in opposition
to cultural historical social spiritual and conscientious education
this sys-tem
this sys-tem
this system!
is madness
maddening
its too much!
but all I want…
all we want…
is a fair chance
but that’s only propagandized
to bolster and sell us all on this system
with the illusion of comfort
so we can all feel safe
against those that would oppose
this system
but when has this sys-tem
been great for them-
the leftovers and left behind
when has this sys-tem
been more than
“just be grateful”
rising to the promise of being great for all
Concentration Camps
Capitalism won’t defund prisons
so make a labor class of it’s citizens,
voting rights and paying taxes
all prisons with mandatory vocational classes,
certifications and degrees upon release
entering society with an expertise