In the black and white of life, I see vibrant hues

by Renee Matthews Jackson

I wake up in the Bahamas,

                                   which is my bedroom,

then eventually I travel down to London in the living room. 

                                              Eventually, I make my way to Detroit( dining room ) 

                                                                                                and then travel to Kentucky to get some good home-cooked- meals.

Sometimes, but not often, I’ll travel to Denver

because it’s a little cooler down there in the basement

and last, but not least

I come back to the Bahamas and rejuvenate, until the next sunrise.”

~ I wake up.~ 

Angela Winborn

@Iforcolor.org
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED {Angela Winborn}

Movement impulse feeling in the hands.    

old|young|tired|hands music guitar talks

don’t need to play just close my eyes and

fingers fly close my eyes play this play

that see I don’t’ play guitar

guitar plays

me fine! Fine.

Guitar play me fine music just come don’t know how.

Music just come just close my eyes and fingers fly just close my eyes and fingers fly smilin’, rocin’ and clapp’n in time see fingers fly starts to sings a new song close my eyes singing this time.

words just come don’t know how words just come don’t care how guitar say slow, guitar say go guitar plays me Fine! Fine!

guitar plays me Fine! Fine! Fine!

MARY SEYMOUR  All rights reserved (c) Mary Seymour – [Iforcolor.org] NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED

Me
Mary Seymour
Choose|Chose

Choose|Chose

i chose to believe whatever i chose to believe

I choose not to care what you think about this poem interesting? For feelings are me. This totally unique member of humankind

chosen to be on this planet for one second at this time don’t want to rhyme i choose to choose to use this time as wisely as wise

i chose not to blame my parents, husband, children or grandchild for what I will or will not achieve in life.

i choose to see the beauty in everything that is beautiful determined by my standard and not others

not others

i choose to get excited and smile when music takes over for one moment I choose to be proud of Black Skin and Kinky Hair

I choose to embrace the history of my ancestors with love and respect

I choose to liberate what I chose from the layers of conditioning that has been imposed on choosing.

i choose to be the a educated Black woman understanding the complexity of my blackness.

when I choose I chose not to impress just write what’s right for me.

i choose to love the energy of honest love

i choose to write and write until I write the chosen truths in my soul

maybe the first step I choose to believe. 

All rights reserved (c) Mary Seymour [Iforcolor.org] NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED

Lorraine Hansberry singing. Photograph by Molly Malone Cook, circa 1957-1958.

I LIKE

Mahalia Jackson’s music
My husband — most of the time
dressed up
being admired for my looks
Dorothy Secules eyes
Dorothy Secules
Shakespeare
Having an appetite
Slacks
My homosexuality
Being alone
Eartha Kitt’s looks
Eartha Kitt
That first drink of Scotch
To feel like working
The little boy in “400 Blows”
The way I look
Certain flowers
The way Dorothy Talks
Older Women
Miranda D’Corona’s accent
Charming women
And/or intelligent women

I HATE

Being asked to speak
Speaking getting
Too much mail
My loneliness
My homosexuality
Stupidity
Most television programs
What has happened to Sidney Poitier
Racism
People who defend it
Seeing my picture
Reading my interviews
Jean Genet’s plays
Jean Paul Sartre’s writing
Not being able to work
Death
Pain Cramps
Being hung over
Silly women
As silly men
David Suskind’s pretensions  
Sneaky love affairs.

Lorraine Hansberry, 1959. Photograph by David Attie. (National Portrait Gallery)

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED 

I listened as they called my President a Muslim.
I listened as they called him and his family a pack of monkeys.

I listened as they said he wasn’t born here.
I watched as they blocked every single path to progress that they could.

“Let’s all take a moment to remember those Presidents who carried out their duties even when water fell from the sky.”

“You Matter. You Count.” – President Barack Obama walks with mentees on the South Lawn of the White House, Oct. 14, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)