miss lou

Mi jus lov wi daialek,
cyaa tap chat i so til.
Aal ina puos mi a yuus i,
an a ungl siek a yuu...
yu mek wi proud a wa wi bi
an fi dat, tenky Mis Lou.

(Read in English)

The Honorable Louise Bennett-Coverly
Famous Jamaican Poet & Queen of Theatre
Sep. 7, 1919 - July 26, 2006

stir crazy

a cold dark space
huddled in a corner
hands around feet
face buried in knees
a cry for help
goes unheeded
though everyone looks
no one sees
the loneliness
leads to steady draining
of a mind already marred
slowly going crazy
all alone

parallel

laax, mi tayad a yu.
mi no waan si no muor a yu.
mi tayad a tink bout yu.
mi ed a at mi siek a yu.
dis gwe fram mi man,
mi sik a si yu...

(sigh)

(kiss teet)

now com ya so,
mek mi diil wid yu.

ventilation

when I bottle you inside,
ignore you
pretend you don't affect me,
you don't go away...
immediately.
Instead, you fill me
to breaking point,
I crack with the pressure,
release steam,
rest you off,
shake you down,
and start all over,
hoping that one day
you will go away...
permanently.

aftermath

the bird begins to quietly sing
as the weights are removed
and feeling returns to her wings

fatigued

Too strained to think another thought,
too drained to write another word,
too pained to read another line,
it's just too late to concentrate.

breakdown

Sometimes life is overwhelming enough to overflow the driest eyes.

mind games

you set the board,
know the rules,
think far ahead
anticipating the moves,
you read your enemies
find their weaknesses,
play your part
and pull them down
beneath you.

with little effort
you tire soon,
the challenge ends
you change the rules,
swap the players,
start anew,
continuing till
there's no one else
above you.

that poker face
you hide behind,
becomes the mask
of the void inside.
the prize you gain,
your own pedestal.
but its just not worth it
at the top
of a lonely game
with no one else
beside you

strength in weakness

She moves very slowly, her eyes shut with deep frustration and strain from fighting as hard as she can. Her time is running out. So is her strength. The current sweeping her is powerful. She must fight her way to the shore soon, or she will certainly drown trying.

It is only once she surrenders that she will finally realize the current has strength enough to get her to shore much faster.

aroma

Do you smell that?

the comfort of the rain,
gentleness of fresh sheets,
newness of a baby...

the tenderness of clean skin,
pleasing uniqueness of a friend,
or greenery with early morning dew...

Do you smell them?

the memories breathed inside
that fill the spaces, and display on faces...
the powerful triggers that lay waiting
in one simple subtle scent.

return to my right

I greatly missed
the long forsaken
comfort zone
on my right

that place where
my dreams are released
instantly as I fall in deep
on my right

I touched down gently
and pleasantly realized
‘tis no longer forbidden
on my right

great relief
of finally catching
such beautiful sleep
on my right

with age

Often it takes a little time
to appreciate what's right in front of our eyes.

fire·work·out

Shots of fire on the outside
shouts of music on the in,
feet in motion, sky ablaze,
body drenched in sweat,
night filled with light,
heart pumping overtime,
air pounding under pressure,
weary muscles out of shape
flexing and fixing to a beat,
sparkled lights forming shapes
bursting and brightening in the heat.