DU hall of BAME

Words of lime, mouth of ginger;
tongue of ice, throat of water.

Powder the sun
a dizzy mellow.

The rain drunk stiff,
the street comes softer.

Salty rays on an open eye,
inverted scales of concept —
dim to blind —
and in twilight of state —
citrine twirls opal
on glassing sky map.

Blacken the drum.
Fade keys.
Or else, fall a season below
and cup flower there.

But sweetening the grit in the eyes,
the clock-hands wind around the head
grapevine wire in stray thought
at the base of a succulent crown.

Do you know those places?
Where the nights are still
and undisturbed by vulgar urban traffic

Do you know those places?
Where the skies are dark
on cloudy nights
only illuminated by the handheld lamp
of a woman walking from
one room to another

Those Places
Where the grasses glow
different shades of lime
in devotion to the moon and stars
on clear nights

Where lakes attempt to recreate the past
like Gatsby, by reflecting
light emitted by constellations
that exploded in spectacular supernovas
centuries ago

You do know those places
Where the buck grazes in tranquility
uninterrupted by the intruding tourist
where the distant city whistles and hollers
cannot rudely awaken
the dreaming antelope

You have seen those places
Where lost love is forgotten
and new curiosities are aroused
Where our flaws face the facts
and characters are re-assessed
Where the indiscernible rhythms
of nature's instinctive tunes
beget new acquaintanceships  
and journey upon untrodden landscapes

Those Places
Where cacophonic chatter
morphs into complex drum patterns
that act as the beat
to the melodic inceptions
of curious relations

Where incessant uproar
is the equivalent of young virgins
singing to birth of a new empire

You remember that Place
Where the strumming of guitars
and the tapping of feet
kissed to signify
the beautiful bonding
of music and dance
to form immortal melancholy memories

Yes, Those Places
Where the rivers are deep
and the lakes vast
The waters are murky
and the currents heavy

Where life is stripped
of its societal pretence
and moral oxymorons
Where character is left
bare as the wild beasts
and aquatic fantasies

Those very Places
Where adolescents dream
and the future is born

A song of freedom and hope for everyone everywhere in the world
who feels oppressed by the misdeeds of others
 
-i-
pass me not
    like a shadow
   at your feet
      to trample en route
    to your high horses
or lofty mountains.
    acknowledge me
   before the sun burns out,
      before the rocks cry out
    beyond a shadow’s doubt.
i am the souls of black folk,
    essential ebony
   that melts the irony
      of freedom wearing chains.
    of pavements
choked on bloodstains.
    of a godly heritage
   denatured by the gross controversy
      of a retrospect of pain
    for your base pleasure.
 
-ii-
pass me not
    like a widow        
   on the street,                    
      ripped from stem and root            
    to build your farces.            
from weeping fountains
    i challenge thee
   before your gut turns out
      and mercy streams dry out
    under my widow’s shout.
for heavy is the black yoke
    whose lethal cruelty
   lays bare the tyranny
      of freedom bearing chains’
    bereavements.
cloaked in membranes
    of ungodly sabotage
   ennobled by your inadvertency
      i shall glean respect from pain
    by time’s just measure.
 
-iii-
pass me not    
    like much ado
   about fleet
      moments on the flute
    whose vain concourses
and underground dens
    whisper to me.
   so deafening the shout
      of innocence, without
    faint hope to sing about!
oppressive though the black stroke
    of serendipity,
   your own fortuity
      shall glory in no gains;
    achievements,
whose deadly strains
    souls ensnare by camouflage,
   shall melt away when sleep’s complacency
      liberates the serfs to reign
    o’er once-lost treasure.
 
© Copyright 2021 February 10
by Clyve A. Bowen♫

Never took a stiff drink for you to speak a sober tongue
& remember how in tongues we'd speak silently through premeditated thoughts


...if only through a smile...



...so now you wonder...


if it's any consolation
I still see the constellations
that have became your eyes sunshine
& I still sip tequilla not to kill mocking birds
but rather hear them repeat lyrics
designed to romance me
while agave based liquid soothe
my troublesome days


truth be told...

I've been a mess without you...

emotional rollercoasters
have taken me for an extended ride
expending all hopes that I only can find
at the bottom of bottles
& within lace boyshorts with high heeled ambitions
in compromising posistions
promptly positioned once blurred became visions

this isn't a love letter
this is my admission

my house hasn't been a home
& if home is where the heart is
then maybe you need to look beside you
& handle that organ with care
while I'm away trying to find shelter
from these thunderstorms they call tears
& if you really looking for me


I'm somewhere really dry...


come get me...

I Wanna Be
 





This is a Spoken Word Song
  
I wanna be...
One of...
the rays of sun
that touch your face
when you rise...
  
I wanna be...
a pleasant thing
By which you can rest
your eyes...upon.
  
I know...
Your days are long...
as you move alone  
inside your self
on your own...
  
That's why...
I wanna be...
The Soothing Place
that you can call
Your home...
  
You no longer have to roam
Or...be alone...
  
I wanna be
That warm place
that gentle face
you can get used to
  
I ...wanna soothe you
Even as a Man...
I sence all you have been through
  
So let me...
Help you unwind...
slowly...like fine wine
  
Succulently...
Like I'm your favorite place
to dine...
  
I wanna be...
what makes you
wanna shine...
  
Cause I think...
I wanna make you  
all mine...
  
Yes...
  
I wanna be
that moving
energy...
that moves
languidly...over
the calm ocean
of your soul...
  
I ...
wanna be....
what  makes you feel  
complete......and whole...
  
Oh...won't you let me
Please...
Let your soul breathe...
Fluidly ....into me
  
I want you ...
to release...
your anxiety...
  
Make it a priority
To dive in...to me
  
I wanna be...
what you need
  
I wanna be  
Your "Love Dujour"
Complete.
  
SO ...
Let me.