Can You Hear The Whispers ... In the Wind – Partie Un

As promised, it's the last day of the month of February, and I didn't post one thing about Black History Month, or Leap Year, in this new decade. Yikes!!!

I chose this image as a good representation of Black Pioneers and history makers, and because Michael Jackson's face just pops out at me and last November I discovered a song of his that I'd never heard of. The type of song that you hear the first few bars of and you're instantly hooked. The song is called Whatever Happens, and now it's in my current Playlist that I listen to, every morning and evening during my commutes, after 3 months ... still:

[Gotta love a great MJ song and album cover. Frankie, this one's for you]

Dang, 2020's Gotta Lot Goin' On ...

As I said a few posts back, I want to commemorate each month, on the last day of the month, with either my poetry or prose. So, let's kill two birds with one stone, shall we, and do that right now? I've pulled a few of my favorites from another collection called

Can You Hear The Whispers ... In the Wind?

and these we were written when I was a fresh, young tadpole.

Disclaimer #001: these poems were written quite a while ago, and although I wanted to present them as written, I did change a few words as I'm not intending to offend.

Disclaimer #002: a lot of my writing begins with the poem and ends with the title. Sorry, I was being creative. I think it'll be evident which one(s) those are.

Disclaimer #003: I also wrote one special poem, from the ground up. Meaning, the first line is at the bottom and the last line is at the top. Don't worry, I'll let you know which one that is, too.

 AWBM Presents

Can You Hear The Whispers ... In the Wind? – Partie Un

they came in droves of two and three
and took my baby ‘way from me
took him where he’d never be
a man, and surely never free

took no matter big or small
chained and beat, they took ‘em all
tied and strung they watched ‘em fall
then pushed ‘em back against the wall

cracked that whip and left their stains
then once again brought out the chains
they tried and tied to break my child
they tried until his head was bowed

“yessir, now don’t you look fine”
—stringing out the white man’s line

can’t go here and can’t go there
—and all them bright sheets everywhere

what was independence for
—when shades of skin meant so much more?

never again to seek that dream
—or hear the bells of freedom ring?

they came once and they’ll come again
those big white boats and big white men
coming back for more black skin
coming back to hunt again

but my baby, don’t you cry
‘cause this time you’re not leaving
not until they pass me by
or by my hand I die

Not This Time

don’t get caught draggin’ your butt when the clock turns back

now is the time to understand
that the freedom we have is not of this land

is not really freedom in the truest sense
‘cause all our coins are just ‘bout spent

it seems as though they’ve gradually
turned the clock back viciously …

 
did you hear the one ‘bout the other day
a black man was killed along the way
without a reason, cause or woe
someone struck with one sharp blow…

is that what we look forward to?
when they say “cut” for me and you?

because The Man says it’s so
and we know where we all can go?

Lord, there’s got to be an end
we’ve got to be as one again

NO! we can’t let time fall 30 years
and drag back misery, pain and fears

we’ve got to once again realize
we’re all we have to reach the skies

and maybe soon if time permits
there’ll come a day when we all fit

when who you are is what you are
not what you look to be
maybe then the world will truly
mean something to me.

 

I left my flashdrive at work, so this trio has become a twofur ... sigh ... I'll make sure I Get 'er DUN next month :) 

AWBM Blog Post #034 | 29 February 2020 ... Ta Ta, February (Leap Year)