My City Sleeps at Night

My city sleeps at night
No longer are cars impatiently revving
their engines at the intersection stop lights.
Instead yellow and orange blink incessantly
but it's calming rather than exciting.
There's a lull in the air
like smoke in the atmosphere
it's thick like a blanket-
and almost nobody is there
But a few passing cars
With loud music blaring out the window
from the stereo
I catch a bit of the tune but the words escape me though.
Peaceful.
Such a stark juxtaposition to just a few hours ago
Like in a play where the setting
remains the same
but the general mood and feeling has changed
The sky is dark blue but not really
The color is almost impossible to describe
but the stars are bright white
as they softly glimmer on this summer night
The air is warm to the touch and heavy with moisture
I feel if I stick out my tongue I could even taste the water
And for a moment I am completely grounded and rooted in the present.
I like to dream even while I'm awake
I'm the type of person who sees limitless potential for every moment to be changed from ordinary to something great
:breathe:
But right now in this moment
It feels like everything is nearly perfect
I don't feel too cold or too warm.
But there's a charge in the air
I barely feel reverberating
like right before a storm.
The only thing that would improve my mood
is if the clouds let loose and let the rain just pour.

Train

Gotta catch this train, before it passes on by,
past this town, past my stop and straight out of my life.
It's like a morgue where I stand,
because the winter is near
but I wait patiently for my train to arrive.

I count the trees just to pass the time,
but their stoic and fearless appearance only reminds me that I am alone
and completely unsure of myself.
If only you were here with me,
maybe we two could show the same solidarity,
as the group of trees that sway this way and that
together as one in the tumultuous winter winds.

I inhale the bitter, freezing air,
and exhale bursts of smoke, as if my insides are really on fire,
and I am only imagining that the air around me is so very cold.
I gaze about at the bleakness of the day, and I cringe as I see that I am all alone.

Will this train ever get here?
I am out on a limb, the nagging and constant pain in my heart
just a reminder of the giant leap of faith I have taken, without even a glimpse of what kind of landing I will meet.

I fear the worst, I am too late, I have missed that train…
But in the distance I hear, such an uplifting sound
A whistle resounds and echoes across the cold, still air.
It is here, and I will ride it wherever it shall take me.

Hope

Hope glimmers in the distance

past the dark and dreary murk that has amassed over time

Confusion turns to problem solving 

and I wonder

Why was I so worried in the first place?

Sure the journey was long

and arduous

but what is a life without struggle?

Through resistance, strength is built

and tasks that were once extremely difficult become

somewhat bearable.

We learn responsibility through making the right choices.

By choosing to do what is right, 

we also learn accountability, are you listening?

The fundamentals of life is learning,

and applying your knowledge to your life;

in a way that is productive and not cruel.

Try to do right by yourself and others,

apply the golden rule to your application of knowledge,

and you will be that glimmer of hope

to someone as mine is to me.

Strive for excellence

resist your defeat

Life is what you make of it and I live mine full of hope and grace. 

I write because sometimes 

what's in my heart is not the same thing that's on my mind. 

When I speak its like my brain competes with time 

and my mouth resorts to stating stark observations 

as opposed to the nuances of color and rhyme 

that my heart is able to easily define. 

I like that words can roll of of my tongue and sometimes 

I can relate my true feelings in a way that makes you feel you really understand me. 

Bur if I take a second to internalize what's going on all around me 

though my mind 

is quick to come to a conclusion 

my heart can sometimes 

see past the illusion of 'real life' 

so to speak. 

My heart, the essence of who i am is best found on paper.

my writing is my feelings no cryptic code needed to decipher 

Just read and breathe and take me in 

I swear that you will like it

When i am that much deeper under your skin

feel me 

Like this paper feels this pen

I cry

I laugh

I hurt

I rejoice

I fall

I rise

I do those things because I am human. I write because I need it  

Like I need my next breath

The Boy King

You open your mouth and spew division and poison all for a vote

you seek recognition from vipers and others who denote 

nothing more than the degradation of a once silent 

and ignorant society.

Silent because people were made to understand 

that certain vices and behaviors are inherently bad

Today every sin and vice is like a badge of honor

Don't get me wrong I love when folks make it out of bad situations

but there is no reason to coddle them during their latest

adultery or drug binge.

Ignorant to the horrors of aborted babies in doctors offices

places where healing was meant to occur;

One single life, the cost of his or her mother's

15 minutes of pleasure.

The womb was once the safest place for an American baby 

now its a danger zone; the baby an abhorrence 

once touted as a punishment by the 'boy king' in reference 

to if his daughters were to ever put themselves in a position 

where they too became impregnated.

Ignorant to what transpires behind closed doors of consenting adults

now there are parades and pornography on what used to be

family programs on regular cable TV.

You claim not to know about the events 

that affected parents, spouses and children of heroic Americans, 

yet you jump in on a local case because you saw it 

as an opportunity to create more racial division.

If that's the case 

and you are as ignorant as you claim 

you are not a magician or a king 

but a puppet dancing on invisible string. 

The Bible says to walk the straight and narrow path, 

don't look to the right or the left.

On the right we have corrupt politicians 

only interested in growing their own investments 

they feed on my convictions all the while not really living it themselves.

The left is straight real about the evil that they peddle

only difference is that they turn the villains into victims

like a twisted fairy tale and what's worse is that they buy it.

Christians say they are behind you because God raised you up

but that is false I know that God allowed it but just like in Hosea 8:4

you are a mere idol to their own lusts.

I don't believe in you

I do believe that God can change you

but only if you let him.

I pray for the state of this nation, 

I pray that we will magnify God and not our sin.

When we exult our sin there is no covering left, no protection

and it won't matter if you call upon allah, or claim to be an atheist

once His judgment is upon our lives; you won't be able to claim ignorance.

Just call upon Jesus.