Letters W/ One Sound

When you’re
so afraid
to scream
your emotions
from a mountain top
because
your echo,
will cause
turmoil.

Because your heart
lost a friend,
and remorse, pity, and
angst

Buried/Burned under
mounds of maddened
nites when
only The Most High
listened;
Has yet to give
signs of forgiveness

Because the
fall
is always greater than
the climb
With green grasses
on opposite fence sides
are crossed
then immediately—
brown.

Granted—
more muscles are
used to
frown
rather than
smile, but a
lonely comfort comes in
a frown

Forgot how to
be.
Steps to be taken
slowly;
mistakenly ran,
shoelaces untied,
& while no crystal-balls
are around;
tumble awaits.

Listen finally to
fear
or (choices are always present)
prepare the band-aid

......

…for both

© 2009 Clarence Barbee

Down Hill Slope

How much does one
have to
“give back,”
before the world turns,
before niggas learn,
before the crutch
can be removed, &
niggas can live on
their own 2—
hoppin’ on the backs of
me, you, ADC, WIC, & excuses
of baby daddy fools.

If you
lay with a fool,
doesn’t that make you
a fool too???
Yo’ Nabraska…
yoooouuuuu stooooopid!!

But on the real
how much dope can one
deal before they find
another ticket to
make a “mil”….a “meal”
ticket? Right?
How much can you
smoke & drink
before you find
your so-called 3rd eye

Fuck that!

How much can I take?
before I break,
before the life in me
expires—
the fire of
“doing this”
has steadily been
declining, & no
rewind button
can take me back
to the days when
this was
fresh, and new.
Too many
unpaid dues,
too many
features,
where I had to scream
to get through,
too many days,
hustlin’, strugglin’, jugglin’:
a stage, promotions, sales,
websites, web pages, message boards,
bills, life, & a job—
still with no wife….

damn nabraska,
you startin’ to depress me;
someone said you were uplifting….

Well—they lied!!

I done tried, I done cried
Taalam told u,
there’s a market 4 niggas
& all u did was
go and get fried….

maybe uncle ruckus
got it right—
Praise White Jesus!!