Monday, March 28, 2011

Hail to the King

King of Kings and Lord of Lords

This King has keys to all the doors

His throne sits atop a tower higher than all else

But we sit his crown on a shelf

Trying to keep His name alive while removing His power

Shelf life, only used in a struggling hour

Hails to the King

The one who breathes life in your dream

King of Kings and Lord of Lords

His mercy like rain pours

But when rain falls we usually hold up umbrellas

Putting others before our King makes Him jealous

He feeds off the love of His people

And as His people there is no equal

His accomplishments number in the impossible

Hail to the King

The one who breathes life in your dream


His Kingdom isn’t a region, but the entirety of your thoughts and minds eye

The gift given to you, He is the prize

His Kingdom is as far and as wide as space itself

But to Him its small as an elf

Hail to the King

The one who breathes life in your dream




Friday, January 14, 2011

Chain Heavy

My chain heavy man

Hanging from it is Jesus with holes in hand

It lies over my broken heart

I’m hoping the ice will heal that part

My chain cost more than I can afford

Lord help me carry this thing heavy as a billboard

Bright and shiny like my future, but that’s all you see

You see how it lays on the nice crispy tee

You don’t see me lying with it and how it affects my sleep

One eye open, peep

Striving for a false chain, the biggest I can find

But then financially it leaves me in a bind

It’s taking me backwards, this fake Jesus piece chain

But the thoughts of the effect of diamonds is a disease running through my veins

My chain heavy, rope tied to a noose

Hanging from a tree, wishing the links were a little loose

Guess I’ll just chuck up the deuce

Heavy chains hold you down

Slavery bound

My chain weights a lot

Hanging from it is an intricate plot

It begins with 500 years of slavery, chains and whips

Some how we got diamonds and ladies shaking hips

My chain too heavy, take it away

I don’t want to be the one that gets crowned on chaining day

I don’t want the responsibility to lead

All I want is the greed

I want the diamonds and flash

I don’t want to spread it to my community; I want to keep the cash

My chain heavy, yeah yeah my chain heavy

God it feels like I’m carrying a Chevy

I wonder if this is what the cross felt like…………………

My chain heavy, I’m not good enough

It’s too heavy, I’m faking being tough

The people behind me in the 25th hour

But I’m one sinful man and I shouldn’t have any power

Denzel time, get Malcolm X on em

But if I work out, I can lead longer

Learn my culture, read my bible, and lend my voice I’ll be stronger

My chain heavy but not as heavy as the cross

My gifts didn’t cost me a lot, Jesus paid that cost

With my focus narrowed, I won’t get lost

The heaviness of the chain is self inflicted

Behind “Chain Heavy”

I wrote a poem for my second book (Journey) called “Going Backwards” and this poem “Chain Heavy” could be kind of a sequel to that, but I really just used “Going Backwards” as a reference. For this poem I just wanted to play off of two songs out right now; Kanye West – Chain Heavy and J. Cole – Cost Me a Lot. What’s hanging from the “chain” here are struggles, perceptions, fears, a culture, and faith.

“Going Backwards” (http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=53704047&notes_tab=app_2347471856#!/note.php?note_id=35514313564)

“My chain cost more than I can afford / Lord help me carry this thing heavy as a billboard”

I can’t afford the price Jesus paid for my life. Sometimes life gets heavy and I need strength only He can provide

“Bright and shiny like my future, but that’s all you see / You see how it lays on the nice crispy tee / You don’t see me laying with it and how it affects my sleep / One eye open, peep”

We all have a bright future, but there is work to reach the goals we set and the dreams we dream about. It’s definitely not easy. We always see the success, the end result, but never the hard work in between.

“Striving for a false chain, the biggest I can find / But then financially it leaves me in a bind / its taking me backwards, this fake Jesus piece chain”

When you’re chasing the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, it can take a toll on you. There is always a consequence.

“But the thoughts of the effect of diamonds is a disease running through my veins”

Greed can consume you. The thoughts of what a diamond chain can bring you (fame, recognition, respect) becomes addictive. Kweli said, “The root of evil isn’t money, it’s the pursuit of money.” I can see that because when you get to a “by any means necessary” point, all bets are off. You’ll do any thing, evil things, to get that money, power, and respect.

My chain heavy, rope tied to a noose / Hanging from a tree, wishing the links were a little loose / Guess I’ll just chuck up the deuce”

Basically killing yourself for that chain. Instead of relinquishing the “chain,” your pride, you’d rather die. “Die enormous then live dormant.” – Jay-Z

“My chain weights a lot / Hanging from it is an intricate plot / It begins with 500 years of slavery, chains and whips / Some how we got diamonds and ladies shaking hips”

The whole poem is basically about what’s hanging from your chain. What’s your mountain? Hanging from this chain is the gap in generation. Hip Hop generation vs. Civil Rights generation. It’s about the responsibility to lead. What’s our mark as a generation? Poverty? Single mothers? Absent fathers? Diamonds? Nice cars?

“My chain too heavy, take it away / I don’t want to be the one that gets crowned on chaining day / I don’t want the responsibility to lead”

From here on its pretty explanatory. When chains were really big, “camps” (like the ROC) would “crown” or put their signature chain on new artists. So this is like running from being crowned. You’re next in line to lead and set the example, but instead you run away from that responsibility.

“The people behind me in the 25th hour / But I’m one sinful man and I shouldn’t have any power / Denzel time, get Malcolm X on em”

The 25th hour was a Spike Lee movie; no one man should have that much power was a line from Malcolm X (Spike Lee, Denzel; a white cop said that line to Malcolm) and it also was a line in Kanye’s song “Power.” Linking more Kanye, “Denzel time, get Malcolm X on em” is a play on his line from “Chain Heavy” (Don Cheadle time, get extra black on em) and also more Spike/Denzel/Malcolm X connections.

“The heaviness of the chain is self inflicted”

Life isn’t hard, but it’s pretty tough. Adding dumb choices, fear, and doubt don’t make it any easier. In this world today it’s easy to get lost on a path not of morals and values, but doing so brings more weight to the chain you already carry. You can’t control everything but you can control how you respond to everything. There is a choice in every decision made.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Friday, November 19, 2010

Lips Like Hers

I never kissed lips like hers

The way they connect and the way they curve

When she smiles, the way they shift

Can give a down heart a lift

And a smile from them is a gift

When she licks her lips everything stops

They command attention, watch

I never tasted lips like hers

If I were a cat, you would hear me purr

My spine even misses the touch

Cause the feeling they get leaves em needing a crutch

And when she kisses she does it so perfectly

Its crazy how those lips touched me

When I think of her I think of them

And how everything else around gets dim

And when we kiss they’re all I see

Because kissing those lips is where I wanna be

Those lips those lips

Man I just wanna take a dip

And since that 1st moment I’ve been wanting them back

To put my lips under attack

Will I ever again get that chance?

The answer lies in her glance

I never experienced lips like hers

The kind to turn my eyes blur

Meaning I’m not focused on nothing but those

And how I wanna be a picture, hold that pose

If I could feel, if only one more time

I would go to jail for that passionate crime

Yes, for lips like hers

Thursday, November 18, 2010

In a Box

In a Box

Sly as a fox

My style isn’t boxed

They wanna put it in a box to understand better

Slice it up like cheddar

But why cut up the whole?

To fit it in a boxed bowl?

Why not take it as is

I mean you wouldn’t over water grits…

Everyone wants separation

Didn’t we get over that with segregation?

It can be long or short

Telling a story sending you through a teleport

It can just flow with no point

Or it can be a musical joint

Its poetry, who cares what kind

Sly as a fox

My style isn’t boxed

Is yours?

Friday, October 8, 2010

By the Lake

By the Lake

By the Lake I write
By the Lake out of sight out of mind
By the Lake I don’t fight
Just relax
I listen to the waves crash against the rocks
Like its a test
By the Lake its so nice
Especially at night
By the Lake I finish my poem
Lake Erie and Cleveland, Ohio is home
-Te’erra

By the Lake I hear nothing
By the Lake I see nothing
By the Lake it’s just me and my pad
By the Lake sometimes I get sad
By the Lake I get mad
By the Lake I like to see the sun set
When I’m at the Lake I feel ok
By the Lake I think
By the Lake I share a kiss with her
By the Lake I hope it’s her next time
-Patrick

Sitting by the Lake letting it all go
By the Lake I get renewed like cutting the fro
I take notes from the waves
Brilliant as I gaze
They're receptive yet strong
They'll embrace you or swallow you if you're wrong
Golden waves of Lake Erie
And sitting by the Lake constantly changes my theory
-Dennis

By the Lake I never have fear
Being by the Lake reminds me home is right here
By the Lake where the weather is so cold
It is where I gained the courage to be so bold
By the Lake I gained the strength and wisdom to write
Scribing things to help you grow and not out of spite
Sitting by the Lake watching the seagulls eat
Reminds me that you have to hustle hard on Cleveland streets
By the Lake I always find peace
The only thing that calms like a pen and pad release
-Dave


Get your copy of By Way of Cleveland ASAP!!!
www.wix.com/C_Town/BWofC-Town

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The Struggle - Never Hurt Again

I promised I'd never hurt again, I felt that pain
And I never wanted to feel the same
So I locked it all up, my feelings my dreams my heart
If there's no wall to crumble how can things fall apart?
Right?
I'll never feel that hurt
So I'm a zombie, yea that'll work
Living for just the basic needs in life
When a problem arises I don't need to fight
Because the outcome doesn't matter
I don't want to fall so I stay off the ladder
I promised myself, so I make no long turn commitments
Losing out on a relationship, that pain is expensive
So if you need a care, sorry I aint got it
I'm all out of it
My expenses are greater than my revenue and that equals no profit
If life is about risks, well I'm out that game
I'm taking no risk that'll hurt me, that's my aim
Hey I don't hide it so I apologize if the feelings are one way
After he passed I made a promise to myself that day
I'll never feel that pain again