Sistas

They represent the cream of the crop of women,
Precious in every way,
Both chocolate and red to the bone,
Bright, intelligent, sporting PhD’s in what matters most,
Which is being sistas,
Strongly opinionated, great in the kitchen, the sack
Just passionate,
The fulfillment of the black man’s dreams,
So considering that, I must ask?
Why do so many black men love white women?
Is it their hair? Their eyes?
I ask, ‘cause sistas have the total package,
Long, short, curly, straight hair,
Even shaved heads
And it’s all lovely, natural,
Except for the weave-weavers
And sistas have eyes that are both inviting and alluring,
Maybe some black men want white women
for arm pieces
But a sista stands out like a queen,
Sparking Sparkling with both beauty and knowledge.
If you’re a black man and you don’t have one,
Better strongly seek one,
Though it may be too late for O.J.
What sista wants him?
He must have never known what I know
And what I hope most brothers know,
That sistas are out there in every shape and shade,
Ready and willing to love
And be unyieldingly loved back.

Oh Bless NABJ

(Performed at NABJ's 30th Convention in Atlanta in 2005)
Bless, oh bless, yes we all must
Bless our founders, the 44 men and women
Of distinguished ability, knowledge
Of masterful command on keyboards and microphones.

Who on Dec. 12, 1975 in Washington, D.C., formulated
The Nobly Acclaimed, Beautiful and very Justified,
Then, now and for years to come
Nationally strong and united
National Association of Black Journalists
Oh bless, yes bless we all must.

And thank those trailblazing reporters from Philadelphia
Acel Moore, Chuck Stone and Claude Lewis among others
Such as the late, once riveting and inviting
Vernon Jarrett of the Chicago Tribune,
And the once great, long since deceased Max Robinson,
The man with the voice that once captivated the nation’s capital
As one of the founding women, Maureen Bunyan still does
And other female pioneers of media excellence
Norma Adams-Wade from the Dallas Morning News,
Sandra Rosen Dillard from the Denver Post
And Mal Johnson, who was once legendary at Cox Broadcasting.

Just as legendary in NABJ along with all the other founders
For they have laid the groundwork, established the mission
For which helps the thousands of NABJ memberscontinue to thrive and drive forward.
A mission that's fueled by determination
For more elevation and job promotions
From the smallest to the largest newspapers, radio and TV stations
From frigid Boston, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Minneapolis
From the Big Apple, Philadelphia and Chicago, cities with oh-so-lovely skylines
To Hotlanta, Miami, Orlando, Dallas and Southern Cali.

Oh bless, yes we bless and thank our founders
While also applauding black-owned newspapers,
Our nation's oldest in the Philadelphia Tribune
And the Afro-American in Baltimore,pages of which the legendary Sam Lacy
once graced with delightful and insightful words
And, for those who do not know but need to know,
Lacy also played a major role in Jackie Robinson breaking
Major League baseball’s color barrier in 1945.

Oh yes, that's why we bless
Why we as a whole continue so ambitiously
With strong minds, beating hearts,
Unbreakable will, undeniable chase for continued progress

Oh yes, yes for NABJ is large and will become larger,
Mighty and even mightier as long as NABJ's current and soon-to-be-members
Just stay on course, focused to build stronger bonds and friendships
Focused to stamp and plant our handprints and footprints all over this country
Focused to just be as our founders surely hoped
And that is journalists always on the move
While always making note that we are proud members of NABJ.

For NABJ is about helping black journalists rise
For NABJ is about helping to open doors, gates, and most of all
The minds of potential employers to what journalists of color really offer
Through the use of our fingers, voices, creative minds
For NABJ is an organization about helping dreams come true
For NABJ is about love and respect
As our founders obviously had
As all our past presidents who carried us into our 30th anniversary
And future presidents who'll lead us forward even more UNITED
In quests to maintain the strength and integrity of our organization
An organization that, bless its heart
Will remain proud and very accomplished and solidified
Through the continuous hustle and bustle of our organization's members
As time ages on, Bless, oh blessed, yes we are.

Knocking to Get Ahead

Knock, knock
Nobody’s actually at the door
That’s just me and my determination
Me and my unbreakable will
Knock, knock
Just me
Knocking hard, long
Wanting, seeking the right door to walk though
Knock, knock
A purposeful journey I’ve been on my entire life
Knock, knock, knock with me if you will
For we all must knock someday
On the right doors
Knock to get ahead
Knock to settle desires, dreams, missions of long desires
Knock, knock
Oh society, you know, sometimes tries to prevent us from knocking
And getting ahead
But knock, knock, knock, knock
I’ll knock every day, numerous times
Because I can not reached my destined path if I do not knock
Neither can you
Knock, knock.

Paradise Between the Sheets

Either side I roll in my bed
There’s no comfort, no warmth to be stimulated by
And a heating pad will not do
Warm towel
Just you and the heat from your body
Just you and the sizzling feeling you create
So, without you next to me
My bed is cold, lonely
But as I lay, I reflect on the times I’ve laid next to you
Cuddled and content
Wanting time to go ever so slow
As we melt deeper into each other
Passion of lay, elation of love
Everything I could ever imagine
All that I want again
All that only you can provide
No other woman
For paradise only exists between the sheets with you by my side.

Fueled By Determination

I rise each morning
Fueled by desire out of the norm
Brimming with hope
Dreams flashing, goals apparently within reach
My world
No other way
For I and you too must feel as though no matter what
You will conquer
No obstacle big enough to prevent
My mission statement each day that I rise
Glory as the mission
Determination as my fuel to achieve.

Pleasing You

The things I desire to do with you
A dance on top of Sugar Loaf Mountain
A waltz down the Atlantic City boardwalk
A skip through the Las Vegas sand
A cocktail-sipping journey down Bourbon Street
Romance in the gorgeous Poconos
Sun bathing on Miami or Venice Beach
You in the bikini, me in, oh a pair of shorts or so
You and I
The woman I desire to do so much with
So, given so, may I have your ear
You must know
I desire so
Because my heart has been touched by you
Now you have it
My mind is focused on you
And when I think of anything great I want to do
I’ll think of you
And, of course, want you hand-in-hand with me
The best, absolute best
Write this down
The best, absolute best
Woman that I know, that I desire
That I will forever love
Forever, yes
Because I’ve waited my entire life to meet a woman who could make my heart jump out and dance around
Who could make me shout, yessssss
Who, by the grace of God
I was fortunate to meet
And now with sincerity of heart
My mission is to love and please you by all means possible.

Everlasting Beauty

http://bit.ly/blFcSx
You are so many highways, rivers
Mountain tops, pastures of waiting beauty away
But I still feel you close
Your smell, your glow
Your walk of grace
Even your touch
For it’s lasting, ongoing refreshment
Sizzles me like never before
Because you’re hot
Fabulous, marvelous
A woman worth any long highway drive
River swim
Mountain-to-mountain top jump
Beauty that’s everlasting in my mind.

Perfectly Satisfied With You

Please do not ask me to look away from you
Though I know I stare a lot
Just can’t help myself
See because when I look at you
I see beauty and perfectionI see sizzle, dazzle
All that is poppin’
Sweetness and completeness
So I stare and stare
So marvelous
Fabulous
Delicious
So what makes me tick and tick
For mere sight of you creates amazing buzz
Revs me to the highest level
Wanting nothing more than to scoop you up
Ever lightly, yet passionately
And hold you softly, yet firmly
Then kiss you and kiss you and kiss you
As I escape deeper and deeper into your eyes
Beauty and perfection
Satisfaction beyond what I only ever imagined
But now have within my eyesight, touching and kissing range
Such a heart-pounding joy.
http://bit.ly/blFcSx

Victory

Excerpt from Undaunted
http://bit.ly/blFcSx
Victory, yes victory
For victory, if you really think about it
Is just being you and not somebody that’s fake
Greedy and deceitful
Just you, champion to yourself and your family
For when you have control, a handle on yourself
Your ambitions, drive, sense of mind
You just have it—victory, your victory
But right now my victory
For I am fulfilled.

The Dead At Peace

Who dat
New Orleans can say it now, shout it, do so with pride
But everybody knows who dat
Super Bowl champs
From a city once again electric
Full of drunken fools dancing in the street
But, on the real, they’re not alone in the dark of night
For the spirits of Hurricane Katrina victims dance with them
‘Cause it’s still there city too for they’ll never be forgotten
So amidst the trumpets and guitars, saxophones and drums
Maybe somebody now sill listen as the dead also sings
“Oh New Orleans, miss you, love you, congrats Saints
Keep on marching
And now let us go back and rest happily in peace.

Forever Gone (Hurricane Katrina Remembered)

Nobody hears them now
Unfortunately so,
But nobody heard them then
When their screams were loud
Or saw their trickling tears because of fears
Of existence no more
Because of overflow waters and sewage and insanity
And willpower gone, vanished because of souls tarnished
But only if somebody had listened, somebody of authority
Of national command
Of strong morals
Maybe the caskets would not have been so vast
With body after body, thousands in devastating count
As New Orleans, city of once sweet-sounding jazz,
All night dancing and drinking just getting washed away
All the electricity and good food
All the happiness turned into dimness
And all because nobody heard them
Their pleas, prayers for life extension
Because of what they saw, heard in high volume
Because of the speed and power, mercilessness
Oh Katrina, the hurricane that killed dreams, jobs
Far too many lives, good people, unsuspecting, maybe suspecting because of the repeated warnings,
“Get out of town and run and live to talk and eat, maybe, laugh another day,”
But far too many were helpless, not enough money in pocket or bank to escape
Escape the wrath of the mighty, mighty
swift-moving waters
That turned the city of New Orleans into a city
of the swimming dead
Unfortunately, so, so sadly
Because now nobody will ever hear them again.

Poem: Michael Vick's Conditional Return

Michael Vick
Back in the NFL, a revitalized, reformed man
Out of his prison jump suit and back into an NFL uniform
Midnight Green as a Philadelphia Eagles quarterback
D-McNabb’s backup
His longtime friend, now mentor as the reinvention of one of the NFL’s most dazzling, exciting open field players begins
Amid speculation
Of what can Vick still accomplish with his sleek-feet and strong arm
Given that he’s still athletic, described as lightening in a bottle by his new teammate, center Jamaal Jackson
And, yes, Vick can still fly, still has graceAnd ambition?
Oh, we’re all waiting to see
Waiting to see if, after a 23-month federal prison sentence, he can still take over a game
Make defensive linemen look like they’re stuck in quick sand
Linebackers nearly break their ankles trying to tackle him
Yes, with intrigue, curiosity, we all wait
Dog owners, dog lovers, whether they hate him or not
Waiting to see if he can dash and flash, still knows how to slash
And all, you see, for the very reason that helps our country heal
That being sports, that being the power and appeal of an athlete
For sports is the ultimate healer
Can help clear demons
Can help rectify
And Michael Vick has a whole lot of rectifying to do for his merciless past crimes with dogs
But he paid his dues, spent his time behind bars, lost millions and marketing power
His life will never be the same again
But he’s back in the NFL, the game he’s always loved
Will play before and perhaps delight fans in Philly who once cheered against him
Some may boo in his NFL debut against him
But after one touchdown or two, one elusive open field move, electrifying run
We’ll all see how much perception of Vick changes
May not be fast, but every man deserves the chance to prove his remorse
To prove that he’s rehabilitated
To prove that he can be a positive influence in life away from the field as well as on it
Both major keys to the full comeback of Michael Vick
A great football player again, and we can all only hope, a better man
At peace within himself
His criminal acts behind him
Life, the NFL ahead
And perhaps forgiveness by people who now say that they hate him
But that is not God’s way
So, if Vick is indeed reformed, remorseful
Then his return to the NFL deserves to be more welcomed than hated.

Dallas vs. Philadelphia Showdown

So, here it goes
Philadelphia vs. Dallas
Birds against Cowboys
Some say Cowgirls, but Cowgirls dance
Not shoot, not stomp
Run wild? Well, yes Cowgirls do, but so too does these Cowboys
Twice whipping the Eagles this season
But pride, oh no, Dallas has not taken it away
So here it is Philly vs. Dallas
NFC wild-card game, winner move on, loser head on outta here
Gotta love it, the NFL playoffs, pressure-cooker stuff at its best
The season hanging in the balance each game for each team
Cliffhanging stuff
And a cliffhanger come to think about is what the Eagles have been on all season
From training camp where there was the crushing death of longtime defensive coordinator Jim Johnson
To season-ending injuries of MIKE Stewart Bradley and rookie tight end Cornelius Ingram
And there was that out-on-the-town-turned-bad-night for defensive end Juqua Parker
Arrested for apparently having a joint in his possession
A wrist slapper, a minor distraction
Of which nobody really cared about them, not putting high in the memory banks now
Just part of the season, a long one
One that tonight in Texas could come to an end
Maybe not
Maybe not because Donovan McNabb will introduce Fly McNabb and pass all over Cowboys Stadium and into the hands of Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin or tight end Brent Celek
Or Kevin Curtis, yeah, remember him, or Brian Westbrook, yes, this may be No. 36’s time to shine in a season of more downs than ups for the veteran running back
It’s on, no doubt, must be on
So, behind Fly McNabb the Eagles must bounce back from the 24-0 loss to Dallas last week
From humiliation
As they did after an Oct. 18 loss to the bumbling, stumbling Oakland Raiders, 13-9
Whipped the Washington Redskins the following week, 27-17, then tore into the New York Giants, 40-17,
Then uh oh, Dallas paid Philly a visit, Cowboys with a star on their helmet
And Dallas, helped by a fourth quarter Tony Romo-to-Miles Austin 49-yard TD pass, prevailed 20-16
A nail-biter, typical Dallas-Philly
Gut-wrenching stuff
What tonight may be in the final showdown of this season between longtime rivals
Bang, bang
Yes, it’s on
Dallas vs. Philly
Birds vs. Cowboys
And the winner ….
To be determined before the strike of midnight.

Lucky New Year

Happy New Year
We here it all the time
Never bad
Though it happens in far too many years
Lucky, no never hear it
But luck is what most of us need as we brace, then try to brave all of society’s elements
The good, the bad, the ugly
The unforeseen
That blindsided shot, either from a friend, family member, your boss
That stab in the back, ditto the above
So how to survive and keep on ticking?
A question for today, tomorrow, essentially every year
I, perhaps you neither have a clear, convincing answer
So for you as well as I, all we can really do is just pray
Pray that this year will be better than the last
Pray that there’s endless joy, little disappointment
Pray for love and healthy relationship
With your mate
With your family
With God, always God
And pray, pray for luck
For while we each entered this year saying Happy New Year
Ultimately it is luck that will carry us through
Helping us to overcome all obstacles
Big and small
Helping us succeed
For success, no matter the degree
Should be on each of our minds
Otherwise, why say Happy New Year
If you’re not ready continue chasing after all your dream?