Cut these strings

As these repulsive thoughts

Bounce around in my mind

I realize the truth

Which was difficult to find

When have you noticed?

When have you cared?

I see no mutual feelings

We ever could have shared

I feel a lot of love

But also a lot of pain

These conflicted emotions

Are driving me insane

I see no future

Neither do you

You never have

But this isn't new

I'm through with these struggles

I'm tired of the confusion

I need to snap out

Of this foggy delusion

I'm going to do it

Follow what my mind sings

I need to let it go

I need to cut these strings.

- Kareem Marshall

_________________

Hold me

Hold me sunshine with care

Teach me to withstand the pain of loving you

Retrain the lion in me, I fear

Delete jealousy for love is trust

And it's the strength of a relationship

Hold me sunflower state

Darling the nick name of Kansas State

Strap-shaped and bright yellow

Purple, is no common sunflower

Hold me with that heavenly body

The centre of attraction

Hold me Petal Face

Hold me seeking love and bring to light

My emotion like soul music

hold my present

and bring out beautiful memories of the past

Hold me at first and at last and let forever spell our name

Billy Ray and Petal Face.

- L.H. Ford

___________________

Reality

Simple but often complex

thoughts and feelings often disguised

into what the bearer wants to reveal

Thoughts sometimes disappear

feelings may not show

for life to continue

most times they are disguised

The thought of a perfect world

where the only trouble is "nothing"

and the only feeling is "ok".

Bluebells are naturally blue

sunflowers are their sun's colour

an orange is exactly that, but

thoughts and feelings somehow are disguised.

The thought of being hurt

calls on the feeling of concern.

Concern though genuine at times

is and may well be twisted.

Creative expressions rely on the interpretations

of varied beliefs.

Then life is like an illusion

its open for scrutiny of all

for thoughts and feelings to be thrown at it.

To cope with tragedies or joy

for social acceptance we adhere

obeying all principles causing a jam.

Feelings are stifled, our thoughts muffled

and a cover appears.

How to deal with this?

Pretend of course!

Since simple but often complex

are thoughts and feelings often disguised.

- Xavier Llewellyn

___________________

The sun

The sun doesn't shine for itself

It shines for everything

You, me, the trees

Birds and the bees

Now the bees pollinate the trees

leaving fruits and vegetables to eat

Not to mention, we need oxygen to breathe

air is formed by sunlight, water and tree leaves

plus a humid climate

a rain forest is what you call it

what about food for the trees?

The seas receive heat from the sun

that evaporates ocean water

steam goes up and forms rain clouds

salts from the water cause rain to fall from the clouds

Refilling the water that was evaporated

It also feeds the plants and trees that we planted

Without the sun all these things we need

Wouldn't be

So when you see the sun, its work is never done

As long as there are animals, trees and human beings.

- Craig
___________________

Black overcome

Black!

A how yuh black so?

Black!

A how yuh black so?

Black attack

Whip inna mi back

Mental slavery

Loss of identity

Thank God!

For the works of

Nanny, Paul Bogle

Mr Sharpe

I refuse to be enslaved

Thank God!

For the words of the man

Marcus Garvey

Be proud of your race

To be black

Is to be strong

To have suffered loss

And to overcome.

- Syan Rodgers

Silent movie

I lay here half murdered

in the broadest light of day

wondering why

no one has come

Did nobody hear the knife

slide into me?

My lungs gasp and whimper?

Did nobody hear the words

she whispered into my ear,

her tears fall on the asphalt?

Did nobody hear the kiss?

Not my fault, but

nobody knows

the reason why

I lay here half-murdered

synchronised with the sun.

- Phillip Baker

____________________

Mistake a mistake

A white man born in America

wilfully breaks the law

His excuse is he did not know that was the law

Excuse received and he is allowed to go free!

A black man arrives from one Caribbean Island

He breaks the law and explains

He did not know that any law was broken

Swiftly he is forced into the institution of a US prison

Mistake a mistake

Purpose a purpose

Mistakes you must excuse

No matter the colour of one's skin

Purpose you must investigate

Before you begin to condemn

Stop abusing the lives of our Caribbean men

Dragging them away into your

2K slavery institutional systems

Liberation is on the rise

Educated minds can't be denied

Suffering people have

Nothing left to lose

Our voices will be heard

Our presence will be seen

Standing strong regaining our original dignity

Our ears hear

only the Most High's voice

He is our true authority

Mistake a Mistake

Purpose a Purpose

We strongly encourage that you forgive

The likkle mistakes dem and

We demand that you investigate

The purpose before you begin to condemn

Mistake a Mistake

Purpose a Purpose.

- Iyata Christie

__________________

Breathing

Reaching out to touch the sky

Wishing I had wings and knew how to fly

I want to let loose like a nightingale

Spread my wings and stop waiting to exhale

Life is like contemporary art

Interesting, complex and hard to set apart

Regressing memories is not a safe practice

Everything will get twisted like a chemical lattice.

Sitting and not knowing what to do

Praying for a presentation of a better view

A clear mind and positive thoughts

Finally I have found what I sought

Hearing the soothing sound of the morning breeze

I then, for that one moment became a bird and flew with ease

Feeling calm, innocent and free

Is what makes me able to breathe.

- Robert Powell

Send us your poems!

If you would like to have your poems published in The Sunday Gleaner, send them to us via email at editorial@gleanerjm.com