I choose to dismiss your condescending approach
That sanctimonious smile and those words of reproach
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone
You shamelessly preach in that accusatory tone

Who do I think I am, you ask
Supplying an answer is no small task
For you see I transcend your words
And choose to define myself of my own accord

If I could see things through the eyes of a child
All that is dreadful would seem very mild
With emerging predicaments far less intense
Life’s great possibilities would loom immense

Sweet potato pie, a mouth watering sensation
Its palatability induces pure intoxication
Causing dignified women to become wholly obsessed
Shrewdly plotting and scheming as if they were possessed

Your frivolous attempts at diminishing my pride
Only served to confirm that my worth wont be denied
You said I lacked the fortitude to make it on my own
Always quick to castigate, you really should have known

Our men were maliciously stripped of their dignity
In an unmitigated ploy to derogate their integrity
To be seen by their women and children as weak
Prescribed by force to turn the other cheek

My truth is delineated by the words I speak
The verity of which often warrants critique
Resolved to stand firm in the face of opposition
With opinions of me drawn from pure supposition

Constantly looking for the perfect man
To fit rather neatly into the plan
Seems to be the life long mission
For the woman acting of her own volition

Beware of the charmer for his intentions are not pure
His tricks of the trade are used simply as a lure
He’ll tell you all the wonderful things he knows you long to hear
All the while devising a plan to leave you in despair

Traditional in every way, yet independent too
A living breathing paradox, astonishing but true
Balancing all the many sides that make me oh so rare
Remains a feat so complex that most will never dare

There is truly no escaping the utter devastation
If only you had the will to resist the temptation
The irrevocable damage you shamelessly deny
All too consumed with that drug induced high

Each day as I rise ready to brave the confusion
Casually dealt by life’s unscripted conclusions
I’m imminently seized by an obstacle to overcome
With an obligatory agenda prodding me to succumb

I’m labeled conceited for I am self-assured
My courage is devalued my confidence abhorred
I’m labeled unfriendly for I choose to separate
From you inane beliefs to which I can’t relate

I willingly accept what you choose to bestow
My never-ending gratitude I’m not afraid to show
All doubts and insecurities I humbly place in you hands
And look to you for guidance as life makes its dmenads

There seems to be confusion about the roles the genders play
Everyone has his own opinion on how things got this way
What’s important is not when or how, but that the line is blurred
I find it rather curious the fate we have incurred

In a fleeting moment of brief confusion
I’ve become real, no longer an illusion
With nothing left to hide behind
I wish like hell I could press rewind

With each curve I am reminded of my indisputable femininity
That so eloquently captures the essence of my divinity
My chocolate complexion a sight to behold
Hides insatiable secrets better left untold

To hear “I’m sorry, we did all that we could”
Was enough to arrest me right where I stood
The anguish avowed was incredibly profound
Everyone’s words only seemed to compound

It’s challenging to appreciate the here and now
When all the what ifs simply won’t allow
A coherent perspective to make its way through
Those self imposed obstacles we tend to construe

Poetry is a form of artistic expression
Culminating in a host of intimate confessions
That in many ways is euphorically cathartic
Once roused no longer creatively lethargic

Your ego is bruised, your self esteem shattered
Wondering if what you had ever really mattered
With your head in a fog feeling dazed and confused
You grasp that your trust has just been abused

I grapple with the sentiment that I will make it through
Then thankfully tomorrow dawns a chance to start anew
I’m encouraged by a certitude I guess I’ve always known
Depression is a fact of life to which we all are prone

The scent of his skin is a great temptation
The sweet taste of his kiss incites anticipation
Locked in suspense ‘til our bodies meet at last
Weak in the knees as his spell is cast

Not at all like any man I’ve ever met before
The obvious distinction impossible to ignore
So very intrigued by his rousing intellect
Never quite sure just what to expect

A good look in the mirror reveals only flaws
Consumed by what you think you see, oblivious to the cause
This self fulfilling prophecy has you firmly in its grip
The faintest hint of self-assurance it most efficiently nips

Even in a crowded room I sometimes feel alone
The emptiness confined inside I’m eager to disown
I hunger for the comforts only a man can provide
As I long for the day that the yearning will subside

What a laborious feat to forgive and forget
Though simpler still than to suffer regret
Stemming from years of harbored resentment
Robbed of the right to attain contentment

An allegiant air permeated the room
Life’s daily routine would soon resume
With one very notable difference to boast
I raised my right hand entirely engrossed

What does he see when he looks at me
Is it merely the euphoric memory that she
Has left so indelibly etched in his mind
Or perhaps it is something he’s yet to define

Systematically conditioned to consent to the hype
Believing women in his likeness aren’t fit to be his type
With little or no compunction he forsakes his black queen
The repercussions of his actions remain to be seen

Allow me to express my admiration for thee
Magnanimously rising from the depth of debris
Left in the wake of an unscrupulous attempt
To slowly diminish him out of utter contempt

Enchanted by the man who can stimulate my mind
Lost in a maze of words exquisitely defined
I revel in his display of sheer competence
Eloquently flourished with utter confidence

Never stand in the shadow of someone else
When you can cast a shadow of yourself

Step out of the darkness into the light
Display your personal talents without fright

Move to the forefront and take control
Seize the challenges of life and be bold

Don’t let someone else take your place
For you are a unique member of the human race

I am…
A woman with a full heart, hidden

I hear…
A voice that whispers warnings half-formed.

I see…
A woman, proud, uncompromising

I want…
A measure of quietude, a certain silence, I am a
woman hidden.

I pretend…
That I can live forever, I can wait, I can be happy
tomorrow

I feel…
Too much – too deeply to be directionless, too real
for imagining and yet the familiar eyes hold
nothing of recognition.

I touch…
The downy wings of hope, in wonder, in reverence,
in need, in hunger.

I worry…
That I am alone, but oh what reward
What smile divine should light the path of freedom

I cry…
For having too much fear of bursting, when by
pouring
Of my soul I lie, a vessel emptied, I cry again.
I am a woman empty…
I understand that life is what you make it

I try…
To lead by example, knowing that merely the
telling holds no power.

I hope…
That my darkness holds you gently. That pain is
halved by sharing
I am a woman, only.

Why would you want to be someone else
When you could be better by being yourself

Cheating yourself of the life you have to live
Deprives others of that which only you can give

You have much more to offer by just being you
Rather than walking around in someone else’s shoe

Be yourself and let your qualities show through
Others will love you more for being you

Trouble comes in measures and we stack them up real high,
Until we are convinced we have no reason to try.
If you feel defeated you are absolutely wrong,
For if you follow your dreams you will never lose for long.
Ignore the minor set-backs that pile up and trouble you
Or you’ll build a mountain out of the stones hurled at you.
The future holds great promise, your destiny not yet known
And with God’s help you will never be alone.
Soar bravely towards your goal and let nothing and no one darken the way
For you alone can change your tomorrow,
If you seek your dreams today.

You may get a lot of negative feedback from others
And so much may happen in life to block the road you wish to travel
But you must dream anyway and cherish your dreams
As they come from your soul and are the blue print of who you are.
What’s more they represent the direction you should take,
So let your heart set your goals and remain dedicated to them.

There are beautiful sounds coming from the heavens
The stringed instruments are playing
The flutes are serenading
For I the Father have come with my angels
To take my daughter home

Don’t be saddened
That you’ve been left behind
It’s not your time

Family and friends
I feel your loss of her presence
I hear your cries
I see your tears
And I know your sorrows

My children I speak to you in truth
For I will turn your loss into fulfillment
Your cries bring tears
That I will turn into joy
And all your sorrows into glorious tomorrows

There are no fears
There is no pain
There’s no such thing

The heavens have opened wide
The angels are here to guide
For my daughter is singing, dancing and shouting
With a joyful sound
With angels all around

Singing high praises to the Lord, our God
I say to you my children
Who are family and friends
Walk as children o light

For my word is faith
My word is hope, my word is love
The greatest of these is love

Now my children
Look up into the heavens
Lift up your hands
And give a wave of praise
With a joyful heart

Amen