Waterfall At Stanhope

Waterfall At Stanhope
photo by ljoyburke

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Life is What Happens III - Leaving Suburbia

    Days are the ticking of the clock 
            goin' round, alarms sound
                beginning the day's race
            through green, yellow, red
                         green,yellow, red
            changing too fast in the day 
slowed down to flashing in the night. 

Pedestrians march past city pigeons,
             seldom startled into flight,
   church bells chiming, car alarms
   beeping and whining, merchants
    unlocking and raising their gates.

   Clank of change in computerized 
          drawers, retrograde fashions 
       clogging the stores, clandestine 
        smokers block office building
            doors. Fast cars with vanity 
    plates pass panhandlers with box 
       card signs, begging the movers 
                       for ten times a dime.

And some shady man
sellin' contra band
taps me on the shoulder
he said "We ain't gonna get much older,
seems all the world is thieves,
straight at the top,
it ain't gonna stop this
foolish land of plenty bit,
and you and I we be gettin by
by just ignoring all this shit."
He said, "Take my hand you
gotta make a stand, to deal with
this unnatural life."He said, 'Have 
smoke, you'll see it's all a joke,
then you'll be naturally aware,
then you won't have to care,
'bout sellin' and buyin'
your soul."


Wind blows suddenly
 against a porch chime, 
  angelic sound slows
   down too fast time
   jangled on the wind.

Copyright 9/94 Linda Joy Burke

This Poem originally appeared in "When Divas Laugh" Edited by Chezia Cager 
available at Black Classic Press

One of My Peeps

One of My Peeps
Robin photo by ljoyburke

Vote for Heal a Woman Heal a Nation Inc.

Chase is having a competition to divide 5,000,000 amongst 100 community based non-profits. I've voted for Heal A Woman Heal a Nation Inc. Baltimore City Non profit organization which works to give women the tools they need to be empowered to have happy healthier lives. The founders started the organization right out of college, have sponsored 5 highly successful conferences and monthly workshop events. They deal with a variety of topics, from health care, to financial literacy. Today is the last day to cast your vote so I hope you'll take the time to vote for them. Peace and Blessing to all in the this season of light-celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice, Kwanzaa.