I spoke with James Baldwin in my sleep last night. We spoke gingerly of the coming days. Those he never thought would arrive in any lifetime, less lone In mine. He asked me what were my thoughts of “The Road Ahead”, and we traded comments of uncertainty.

 

“Honestly James, I don’t feel anything different right now, at this time, in this space. But what I do feel is a deeper sense of apprehension. A more intense waiting envelopes me. I look for turbulence after the inauguration because the people who have never explained why they need “niggers” in the first place will not let their fear rest in peace comsidering they got human beings instead..

 

I see something out of a Felini movie happening. Where all of the skeletons will come dashing out of their political closets as Obama pries where his brown eyes don’t belong. Attempting to keep his campaign promise of change. So I don’t feel the elation that my people are feeling right now.

 

I fell…..apprehension. It comes crashing on me at times

Complete apprehension that deep tongues me and swallow my emotions to sleep. I am not afraid just, cautious. Worried about us. My kinfolks been elated before only to see their security assassinated on a Memphis balcony. After which, we seemed to fall into a deep coma. Sleeping away the ground, we had gained. I guess that’s what sheep do.

 

Something went wrong inside the consciousness of our people James. The “Road Ahead” is just as uncertain as the road behind us. We never want to look back. See the mistakes of the past and learn from them. We just make new mistakes and pass it off as, “black folk just won’t ever get their shit together”.

 

There is something awfully familiar about right now, at this time, in this space, I told him.

 

I told him, James….I just don’t know.

 

He whispered..."I don't either".

 

© PoeticSoul 2009

I may not be able to obtain the same

Flavor or

Scent that you are accustomed to

But I will for as long as I breathe offer my words to attempt to persuade thee

That

There is no one who can or will or attempt to offer from their coffers the unique love I have to offer.

I may never live up to the expectations of the masses

Or lay my faithful lips upon the critic’s asses

All I know is, I will give 100% past the 100% that I would have spent on loving you

On loving us

Loving us enough to know that love lives in spite of

And because of the fact that it's feet will never walk away

And the depths of love's abyss will live forever and a day

I may not be able to duplicate what you already know about love

Or your learned behavioral perception of

What you might hope love to be or

What your searching eyes long to see

I have risen high above the mundane

The simple and plain same old same

My love is deeper

The hills of my love are steeper

Not for the timid climber

Or the impatient steps of many

Climb if you dare

Don’t worry, love is there

It will catch you when you fall

Hold you in its warm embrace

And embed in your head what true love is

For the edification of the physical

Spiritual manifestation desired by many

I will breathe my last

Give it to you

Just so I can show to the world how deeply I love you

I may not be able to give you your rendition

But if I may have permission

Allow me to show you the truth behind these four letters

Grammatically speaking…

Love is not an adjective

But It will modify your existence

It is able to stand…

On its own

Love is a noun

The person…US

The place…WHEREVER WE ARE

The thing…OUR SOULS

It is the state of being

In love

And not out of its sight

Its gripping hands

Love is the one thing that endures when one of us or both of us walks away

It stays constant in spite of what we perceive to be

LOVE

Waiting for us to return

With or without each other

Relentlessly holding on to the possibilities of…

Us loving we in the midst of them

Those who search for this feeling

I may not be able to obtain the same

Flavor or

Smell your fragrance

Taste your lips

Feel beneath the surface of your chocolate layer

Taste the flavor of your melanin

But believe that for as long as love exists in this world

There is a chance

One

More

Chance

For love to kiss our faces

Like it did before.

© PoeticSoul 2007

 

How folds your origami?

Does its creases fold gently?

Or sharply like you present yourself to me?

Who stands in the way of answers?

Your true creativity?

Or the unfolding when you are asleep?

If you like, I will stay awake tonight

And keep my faithful eyes open wide for the culprit

So that all of the question marks above will not hinder your talents again.

©PoeticSoul 2008