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                       BY THE WAY 

Twenty-eight years of life and I'm almost ready to give up 
The pain is sometimes, oft times, too much to deal with 
Death would be welcomed - a calming resolution to life's hard blows 
I bury yet another of my homies today, a crew of nine has been reduced to three. 
Another unexplained violent death of a Strong Black Man.
Five children now without a Father to see them grow and share their smiles, 
another sister without her sibling to share the glow of her new daughter, 
another set of parents drowning in pain . . .
hell, they just buried their youngest son 473 days ago! 
ALLAH knows best, that's what I keep hearing, but I swear I don't comprehend 
My outstretched arms seek refuge but there is no one to aide me 
Is this the cycle of life and how it chooses to repay me for my wrongs?
I suppose all I can do is keep on living and find out 
By and By the rain will wash my pain and sadness away, or at least I hope. 
But for now, the tears will be sufficient 
By the Way. . . 

Reginald A. Byrd (c) ampball@hotmail.com

************************************************************

               SOMETIMES

What is the problem my Brother
I know it's hard but don't give up
Trials are but a test of your willingness to aspire for greatness
Good things never come to those that quit

Stand up brother, take my hand
If you can't do it independently, never be too proud, seek help
It will not make you a lesser man
A weak man
In many ways a bigger man because you have the ability to recognize
When situations are beyond your capability

Go ahead and cry Brother
It's good for you. . .emotionless people scare me anyway
Too difficult to judge their real character
As rain replenishes the earth and grants life, so shall your tears
Of pain or joy they clear the path for growth

You alright?

Now let's move out Brother.  Take the world under your command
Shape it, as you will
Nothing is beyond you Beloved. . .
Take your intangibles and build them in concrete
Just keep in mind that life won't always be easy
Because sometimes. . .

Reginald A. Byrd (c) ampball@hotmail.com

************************************************************

BROTHA BROTHA

I look into your eyes and recognize my pain
The tiniest bit of faith you try to gain
In hopes it will keep you from going insane
Your field of dreams 
Have been swept away by Life's heavy rains
Laughter has been replace by heartbreak and tearstains
Others say you can maintain
But I know that you are completely drain
Can't even get a ride on the caboose
When you should be driving the train
So much stress on the brain
Wondering when will things change
Joy and peace seems to be out of your range
Friends and family acting strange
You're almost derange
Wondering what will you do
No one knows what you are going through
Even worse, no one seems to really care about you
You already thinking this day will be like every other
But I got good news for you my dear brother
Some of us get ridicule for being darker than midnight
Some of us get ridicule for having skin too light
But it is time to change these wrongs to right
And give you truth so that you can win this fight
Black is beautiful and that's a fact
So no matter your shade, you are covered by beauty
So stand tall and be proud of that
They say our life expectancy is short
That we headed for the grave
But the breath they use to tell that lie 
Is breath they should have save
They say we care nothing about families
That we are only baby makers
But if it came down to it
For our whole race we would be caretakers
They say the jail cell is our future
Either that or having another brother shoot you
And if that don't take us out
One of those diseases will 
Because we are always running about
But it isn't so
Many of us believe that one woman is the way to go
You were as nice and caring as you could be 
Only to hear, "I like you as a brother or friend"
So devastated that you don't even want to try again
But you must continue to believe, continue to be real
A woman is coming who will appreciate how you feel
The job has you all stress out
Because those in charge have 
No idea what they are talking about
People refuse to recognize your intelligence
Making you feel that you are of no significance
But recognize and realize
You were made in the image of God
And those that endure shall receive the prize
Everlasting life is at stake
Refuse to give it away and refuse to let anyone take
Your love of God, family, and self
You should live in Fort Knox
Because you are of extreme wealth
A Beautiful Bold Black King
Rare and unique, truly one of a kind
And I'm honored to know that you are a brother of mine

Demeterius Smith (c) demetes@clemson.edu

************************************************************

               UNDERCOVER

We need to get out from under this Third
World for the fourth time
a New World ordered to under/develop those
whose world view cannot be profiled like
the last Time 

oh, we definitely over/understand how you got
over/on the underlings, before us you simply
understood that the under/world is not about black
geraniums &other flowers not rooted in Your reality
an understatement about the seeds of power
planted beneath your feet germinating underfoot
that cannot be weeded out by some under/handed
"weed whacker"

those tender struggling earth movers that must
know a time will come when the new world has to face
the under/world

and discover they were undeniably mistaken about under/
representation.  Under tongues no longer forked; but that
appear &disappear under the cover of darkness in under/tones
of speak-less-truth

All the under words will be uncovered by a year 2000 census
that undercounts the undernourished, underachievers left to under/
employed undertakers

in what was once called the under/belly of society.  Oh, and don’t
forget
under/wear, cause we are wore out butt naked and out-of-doors it
simply
makes it easier for them to distinguish

I truly hope you UNDER Stand.


Saleem Abdal-Klaaiq (c) nsa@vgernet.net

************************************************************

                 MELTED

I stood in the midst of a blizzard,
The snow swirling, shedding and covering me.

Till I became one with the snow.
A frigid man.

Three rounded lumps of ice, head, belly and feet
Ice laced lariats bind me to the frozen ground,
Immobile, I am truly the snowman.

Eyes of darkest bits of coal, 
Signify the darkness of a wasted soul,
Cheap corncob pipe turned upside down shows the
Loss of simple pipe dreams.
No nose so I won't smell the coming of the spring,
Mouth formed of sandstone to signify the grit of defeat.
The hat a Broken Top Hat, turned inside out, 
Shows how my life has nothing at the top, 
Inside out meaning how confused it all is.
Arms of thinnest sticks show the weakness of my grasp,
And round ball of ice shows the inability to run, walk or move
Away.

Then in the darkness of my dreams
I saw you.
Dancing in the snow, 
Singing a song that seemingly brought memories of warmer days
To my heart.

You came up to my frozen figure and smile so sad, then 
Smiled again.

From your pockets you pulled two green acorns. . .
You threw the bits of coal away and placed those acorns in their place.
Green acorns giving the promise of new life. . .
The corncob pipe you removed and in its place put a Meerschaum pipe.
A class act all in its self. . .
The sandstone bits you pitched to the ground and in their place put seeds 
Of the sunflower in a bright grin.

And joy of joys, for a nose you placed a crocus,
A promise of a spring to come.
For arms you threw away those thin useless sticks
And replaced with heavy boughs of pine. . .
Fresh with sap running in them and strong with inner
Tensile strength.

And with abandonment of joy you threw yourself in the 
Snow and made snow angels. . . 

Laughing, and singing you danced around me, 
The song I heard made my smile warm,
The frigid fist of winter melted from around my heart,
My feet for the first time began to twitch.

My nose smelled the fragrance of Lilacs,
And eyes watered with the warmth of tears,
For the Lady Who Never Knew the Snow,
Danced into my life, 
Warmed my life.

Frigid no more, 
Snowman no more,
Alive, vibrant and dancing I am
To the song, "You Are My Sunshine"
With the lady of my Spring.

Shaun Cecil (c) unteteunbois@usa.net

************************************************************

  THE PIANO DIED 
(from natural causes)
            
I still miss him 
with his chicken walk
and his brain ticking thoughts

He would approach you
and say hello
like it was a new Idea

The obituary should have read
death from Intentional overdose

but no one wants to talk
so they send away the problem

not one last wish 
not one moves forward

now that he's gone
we are all a little out of step

Jim Roche (c) coralash@juno.com

************************************************************

MANY MOONS AGO

Many moons ago I walked
along the foot-paths to my village
and watched the villagers rise with the dawn,

I met men carrying cutlasses,
hoes and guns on their shoulders
they were going to their farms spread long
on the green savanna lands
they sang with the morning birds of the field
bracing themselves against the morning mist.

Behind them were the women
with the children they carried water
and food in pots to the men on the farm
they sang songs ancient to the men
bracing them against the pains of the sun
and they made maize fields lush across
the horizon after the rains.

Few moons ago I walked the same
foot-paths to the village
where once they made maize fields lush
across the horizon after the rains.
Now tobacco farms stand tall instead
Everyday, tobacco farmers mount tractors cross
the fields and they rip the soil sour.

They no longer hear the sweet songs of women
with the children carrying water
with food in pots to the men on the farm
it is the cracking hums of tractor engines
it broke the eardrums of everyone in the village.

Over the village are now puffs of tobacco
smoke blighting through the streets
everywhere are children by the streets with plates
asking for maize from passerby.
The naked ribs of the men
stand lean by the trees in the village compound
they drown the love songs of old
and a journalist full of love paints this
sweetly in the magazine across the ocean
as the poverty of our lands.

Many moons ago I walked
along the foot-paths to my village
and watched the villagers rise with the dawn,
I met men carrying cutlasses,
hoes and guns on their shoulders
they were going to their farms spread long
on the green savanna lands
they sang with the morning birds of the field
bracing themselves against the morning mist.

Padmore Agbemabiese (c)  agbemabiese.1@osu.edu

************************************************************

DESTINY FULFILLED

{I just want to testify
That My GOD HE answers prayers
I prayed to GOD and HIS Answer was You}

From the top of my heart
I Love You
Your Love is just too good
Not to be true
And I don't quite know how
I made it this far in My life
Without you

You are that missing part of me
You came and set my loving free

Could you be my destiny fulfilled,
Could you be my life long dream come true;
Are you the one
That I've been waiting for, forever
And ever
Could you be the promise made to me
Forever and for all eternity
Could you be the one
Are you the one
On bended knees I prayed for

I knew, if I held on a little bit longer,
You would come my way
I closed my eyes, and I wished upon you babe;
Heaven must have sent you down to me, cause,
If you look into my eyes you'll see
That you're my angel, you're my angel

Like a shooting star, You fell into my sky
You brightened up my life

True Love was never hard To find in you
A friend for life I'll always be to you
I'll give my all just to see you through
I give my heart to you

David L. Weeks (c)  conqlion@hotmail.com

************************************************************

                           ALONE HAVING TWINS…….

There is a girl is cyber space whose portal is in Ohio. She once prayed in bed 
with a man from a chat room, a man who she once thought was free and it
cost her. This man has run back across time and states to hide under his
life, wife and  children deathly afraid that. . .

She is alone having twins,

She has spoken to his wife and his wife tells her she is one of many who he
fears. He does not call anymore, she wishes though he would so she could
hang up on him, she wishes he would call again so she could hang up again,
she wishes she had to change her #, She wishes she had to run from him, 
She wishes she had to hide from him, but she doesn’t have to. . . 

She is alone having twins,

Last night she had to go to the emergency room because she had bad pains.
Her doctor tells her she has a fibroid tumor that grows and bleeds as the
twins grow and breathe.  Her doctor tells her there might be a problem, she
might lose her uterus.  She understands. . .she is only 32 years old and. . .

She is alone having twins,

She is not happy, she is helpless and she is sad, and it hurts too bad to
cry. . .friends can't help, family can't help, and having email doesn’t take
away the pain.  Her life is not Hell. . .yet. . ., she would welcome Hell if
she could only share it with someone. . ., someone who loves girls alone
having twins. . .

She. . .is. . .alone. . .having. . .twins

Bree (c) Truth98@email.msn.com

************************************************************

Midnight in terms of the slaughter
Something as if the unseen behind my head
Insanity temporary, madness?! permanent;
only God can see this pain
perhaps if you'd never felt, or rather experienced
whereas your sin is without the shadow of a doubt
something to get out of, something new to come into
being of a level higher than anything you're actually willing to go through
drugged and dragged through the fields of the lost
sat and left in the sand on the beaches of the ocean
better off in the waters fighting to survive;  
at least they would know I'm alive
if nothing else it's best not to look back
daytime now, and the beauty of the sun having risen
waiting patiently for that time in which they'll be no darkness
just preparation, so I won't have to deal with this anymore

Chris Kendalls (c) chris.kendalls@lexis-nexis.com

************************************************************

SOLITAIRE

Harlot in a smoke
dense room.
Chain smoking another
one of her "KOOLS".

Pulling hard on her
cancer stick,
exhaling slowly
with relief.

Picks up a card
with one hand
while the other
flicks the ashes
on the floor
and places the
"KOOL" on
the astray to
pick up a rocks
glass with "JD"
(no rocks).

Takes a swig,
no grimace in
her face.

The game is solitaire.
She's winning.
Of course she cheats.

She'll continue
her days in this
stifling atmosphere.
Alive with the stench
of cigarette smoke
mixed with other odors.

Until twilight
comes and it's time
to turn another trick.

Cesar Vargas  (c)  dragon1legion@hotmail.com

************************************************************

ANOTHER AGE OLD RIDDLE

The sensation of penetration
Some say this is the best
But is it as good as her head at rest?
On your chest?
As comfortable as a bird in it’s nest?

With her so close to your heart
After the performance of the art
And the intoxicating sensation starts
To take you away, in dreams you depart?
But you can still feel her there
Smell her sweat and her hair
Releasing the cares
That the days bring to bear

The beginning or the end?
Which one is the greatest?
Contemplate it and debate it
Research it and chase it
Find out the hard way if the end justifies the means
Or is the end justified by the preceding scenes

Scenes of two bodies moving as one
To exchange passion, emotions and simply for fun
And if you’ve ever done it right
Or all through the night
You KNOW that it’s tight
And can at times be as competitive as a Sugar Ray/Duran fight
Stick and move
Combinations, body blows
Got ‘em scared to relax, because you’re on your toes
Getting leverage for the grind
Seeing if you can find
The spot to take the mind
As high as it can climb

Until the zenith of the dance is inevitable
An explosion so incredible
Of fluids sometimes edible
This moment unregretable
Unforgettable uuuuugghhhh*

It's all good in the end, there’s no winning
And you can’t wait until the next beginning

So is it the beginning, the end or the middle?
Let’s just add this to the other age-old riddles

James L. Abernathy (c) big_ab@hotmail.com

************************************************************

1 BLACK MAN CRYING OUT 2 U


WHEN I CRY 2 U DO U OR I UNDERSTAND MY TEARS,
ARE THEY TRULY A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OR TEARS I
DESERVED?  IS IT A FACADE I USE 2 HIDE U FROM MY DEEPER (...)
FEARS? (...)

AS A SISTER IS TEACHING ME 2 DEAL WITH FEAR YOUR JOB,
SHOULDN'T YOUR LOVE TEACH ME ABOUT DEVOTION,
R U MY MOTHER OR MY LOVER?, NO DISRESPECT, BUT HELL (...)
I SHOULD'VE COME TO U PREPARED 2 SHOW U REAL EMOTION

NEVER COULD I BLAME U FOR BEING THE WAY I AM,
NEVER COULD I FEEL THAT U FAILED ME,
U WEREN'T THE ONE WHO PLACED THE DRUGS IN MY HAND,
RELYING ON U 4 MY LIFE I'D BE IN PRISON ANYWAY IF NOT
PHYSICALLY -- MENTALLY (...)

MY SISTER DON'T BE ASHAMED OF ME BECAUSE OF MY IGNORANCE,
I HEARD ALL YOUR CRIES, PLEADINGS AND YOU’RE YELLIN'
DON'T PITY ME FOR TRYING EVERYTHING EXCEPT COMMON SENSE
ALL THE GETTIN' PAID SCHEMES, RUNNING GAME, DRUG SELLIN'

SOMETIMES IT IS MY FAULT WHEN U SLAP MY FACE,
I MAY DESERVE IT WHETHER U KNOW WHY OR NOT,
NO NEED 2 QUESTION U WHEN I DATE ANOTHER RACE,
BLAME ME 4 NOT SEEING THE GOODNESS &STRENGTH IN YOUR
HEART

IT'S NOT YOUR PLACE TO MAKE ME GO 2 CHURCH ON SUNDAY,
GOD'S WORD PUT ME AT THE HEAD OF MY FAMILY,
BELIEVING WHAT HE SAYS I SHOULD TAKE U BY THE HAND AND
LEAD THE WAY GETTING THE NOURISHMENT OF HIS WORD 2 U
IS MY RESPONSIBLITY

FINALLY MY SISTER PRAY THAT THESE LESSONS OF LOVE I LEARN
WALK BY MY SIDE, BE MY STRENGTH AS I CONQUER MY FEARS
AS A REAL BLACK MAN WILL FIND A WAY 2 DO
QUESTION ME IF NEED B &LOVE ME BUT ONLY IN RETURN,
FEEL &UNDERSTAND MY WORDS, THESE WORDS OF A 1 BLACK
MAN CRYING 2 YOU

RF II (c) swtwrds@yahoo.com