The Enlightened 1

Something has been causing my mind headaches as I try to figure it out. Why do people settle? Moreover, the people that settle, why do they try to unsuccessfully convince themselves & me that they are profoundly aware of what type of person they need in their lives, and only this person is what they will tolerate? Case and point. How many men and women can we name that have expressed their high value and what a “catch” they would be for anyone searching? These same confused individuals then go on to describe what type of person will be acceptable for courtship. The lists are long and varied, but include things like “must be educated, well-spoken, no kids, good job, nice dresser, spiritual, not prone to physical violence, etc.” They reiterate frequently during this conversation that they will accept nothing less and that this list will never change because they are who they are and prospective daters better step correct. The next week you see this woman for example with her eye sw...

Someone gave me this to write about.... The conscience is a powerful thing. It’s also amazing. And it’s also very amazing that we rarely listen to it. How many times have we met some one of the opposite sex, got that initial bad feeling, but brushed off that dread with “but he/she is so damn fine.” And 9 months later you are trying to look through their cell phone, quizzing them about daily whereabouts and sending your band of nosy girlfriends on “blue’s clues” missions. Tragedy strikes when we ignore the Comforter bestowed to us by the Creator. How many times would my life have been fruitful if I had followed the intuition given to me by my conscience. “Follow your first mind,” is indeed sage advice. But the conscience will not be heard until you are attune to yourself. Honesty must dwell between you and your inner being. Unless you are comfortable with yourself, you will not have the trust to believe and follow the conscience within you. You will continue to wage war within yourself...

The earth was hard, resolved clay Red as barns and rubies, stubborn as pack mules The shovel dug into the earth repeatedly Shifting its shape as a mortician to a gun wound Throwing the foundation around like John Deeres The sweat from my brow escaped my forehead Lying in sweet rest, as though awaiting the chariot To swing low and scoop its form from the dirt But the normal relationship between dirt and moisture was lacking Lacking a seed of hope to sprout roots and transform dust No flowers would bloom or perennials spring forth The earth was just being dug and sifted That shovel was working its muscles to the bone The clanging of metal against rock was resounding It’s tone singing death to the flying vultures above A black hole slow emerges from beneath the shovel Blacker than charred bodies from the Chicago fires Deeper than Judas’s fall from grace as the coins jingle In this dark vastness, I plunge another bundle Another bloated, sickening blob of matter This ghastly figure gripping...

We as people are heavily confused. Someone or something and I will not give all credit to the Serpent, has convinced us that we are immortal powerful beings that deserve something in this life. I have seen too many people with their hands out & their wallets open. Life is not free. In the realm of heaven and earth you are nothing alone. You are not strong, you are not intelligent…you are a feeble shell of the Creator and only through Him do you have greatness and worth. Too many people are expecting life to give them something. Too many people are expecting me to give them something. I owe you nothing. The world owes you nothing. Your family owes you nothing. Some of you have the audacity to make a mistake and assume that I should help you out, or give you some type of break because you made a bad decision. My mother told me when I was kid and only when I got older did it make sense – “When people are nice, they don’t have to be nice to you.” Example of people who think life shou...

This was discussed at work yesterday and I really was amazed that the women, both black & white were not aware of the subtle difference that men inherently acknowledge when these words are used. Pretty is primarily based on facial features and guys normally associate this adjective with unsexual beauty and intangible attributes like the way you walk, your presence and poise among others, your style of fashion, attitude etc. Words synonymous with a pretty girl can be beautiful, gorgeous, stunning and any new phrase we can think of that is created when you enter the realm & we look at our boys & say something stupid like "that girl is Dasani, clean & fresh straight from nature, and oh so good for the body." These days pretty is a rarely used word because a lot of women have been mislead by "fine" and don't take the time to cultivate anything or character traits that don't accentuate their bodies from the neck down. Fine is a terrible word that ...

I wonder at times if am I related to some men in terms of genetic species. Some of my masculine brothers have not been equipped to handle various social settings. It amazes me the lack of communication skills that many men have in social activities. “Take that monkey suit off, you’re embarrassing us…” takes on a whole new meaning when Shoulder Lean is played in the club. “Don’t mean no disrespect, I gots love for u But all these bitches in the club & you wanna talk to a dude…” Scarface – Me & My Homies Part II When I heard these lines from the legendary southern rapper, hundreds of past gatherings flooded my memory. I conjured images of beautiful women, taking hours to adorn themselves with clothes, makeup, etc. to appeal to our immature eyes and when we get to the locale we spend 3 and ½ hours of a 4-hour party, talking & standing beside the same 4 dudes we rode to the party with. This is something that I will carry to the depths of my grave so that I can personally a...

Whore relationships have always intrigued me. I wish I were a psychologist and could study this relationship dynamic between men & women. This is by no means an “all women do this…” statement or an “all men don’t do this” statement. This is a pure uneducated generalization that seems to happen quite frequently. A lot of women seem to be attracted to whores. This attraction surpasses just physical lust and begins to include wanting to “have him” – where having him is more than just lust & sex but a real relationship where he is “yours”. A lot of men on the other hand, steer clear of ever getting seriously involved with a known slut. The trend is mind boggling. Even current culture accepts this discrepancy; the saying is “you can’t turn a hoe into a housewife…” but I haven’t heard “you can’t turn a hoe into a husband,” thereby leaving the door open that women think they can. I have female friends who have started to “get to know” a guy who is currently in a “bad relationship” (or...

“A change gone come….” And the rhythm of Sam Cooke’s rough, pagan hymn reverberates through my speakers. How amazing that through 40 long years, his music is still ageless; it has survived King’s march on Washington and Malcolm’s penitentiary journey to the arms of the Fruits of Islam. It has outlasted the bombardments of Korea and Vietnam and the turntable spins rival the miles traveled in clay circles by Flo-Jo and Jackie Joyner. But this humble man and his music are not travelers alone. They are joined by Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Teddy Pendergrass, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, The Temptations and countless others as the movement of soul continues to cross musical bridges protected by imperial state troopers and their vicious German shepherds. I often wonder in 30 years can I dust off a Tupac CD or a Jay-Z album and ride through time with my grandchildren. Will the Franchize Boyz or T.I. still be appropriate for a cook out or family reunion to reminisce on the “good ole days.”?...

In introspective retrospect I should have turned away And left you to enjoy a moment of happiness in Life Without the turmoil and pain I was sure to bring, Sliding down the chimney of your heart bearing a scarlet Bag of pain and despair, stockings filled with the blackest Coal that would resemble the dirty soot I would leave you With one day but in the frenzy of music as the Greeks of Historically black lineage painted a musical picture Across an upraised wooden canvas, the thudding of boots Convinced me in an instant the same way ancient drums Convinced my forefathers from a distant land, African warriors Dancing and twisting before the hottest bonfire, conjuring The spirits of war and capture, I too was lead by a carnal nature To approach you and purposely wave a white flag of friendship But the demons buried within were secretly consuming the scent Of your perfume, and intoxicating themselves with the curvature Of your thighs and the pitches and tones of your voice were Enchanting t...

In a sense the suspense cause grins to grimace Blend this with the loneliness of a jail sentence Consequences, spewed profusely in hushed tones Life feels hard as though my soul clutched stones Love shown in parallel worlds, I've known no sunshine Fatherhood...uncertain...as my heart touches my son's mind Unkind to the sublime & cold shoulders to success I tread life in a mask...acting as though I'm the one blessed A true test is adversity, hurt me and loud colors erupt certainly Perfectly designed in due time with patience and little urgency Prefer to see the moon rise then the sun set in summer's prime My third eye visits pyramids, 3 sides, my soul number's prime Grown unequivocally, fearing me, my wisdom and skin tone Hearing me above democracy as shackles clear my shin bone ...And the stack of bills crowding the space in my mailbox has stolen all the area designated for letters from loved ones that never write. This square metal box is my only prime real est...

I'm sure my Black folks will be really upset with Jesus And his father, The Father, when we get to gaze Upon those pearly gates and Saint Peter or some Other stately gentleman passes out the heavenly Brochure, detailing all the amenities and comforts Of our newly constructed temples and I already Know as we peruse that pamphlet Black folks Will start a low grumble that turns into a silent roar And followed by questions that begin with "What about some..." or "Don't ya'll have any..." Or maybe a few, "Can we get some..." and the Other nationalities and races of the world who are Truly thankful for this once in an after-lifetime To be included in this celestial community Will wonder why we would need 24-inch rims On our chariots and question our motivation for Wanting 2 bass players and a keyboard added to The heavenly choir, but we would ignore these people Because we want to know if there is a heavenly store To pick up meat and hot sauce for th...

I gave the lady my last... My last dollar and my last dime My last poem and my last rhyme I pried open the piggy bank I siphoned the last drop from my gas tank I walked the last mile, It might have been green I gave her the last spot in my last dream And now my heart bleeds... I showed the woman all... I showed her the sunshine in my world I showed her the names I chose for our little girl I showed her my eyes cry tears I showed her my strength and revealed my fears I showed her a true man in the flesh I showed her my caress in my arms as she slept And now my life is a mess... I told this queen everything... I told her what portion of my circle she completed I told her when I won, and when my soul was defeated I told her thank you every time she smiled at me I told her I wouldn't fail if she believed in me I told her to be patient God was still molding a man I told her to walk beside me, loving, holding my hand And she left and I still don't understand... I'm coming down of...