Back In The Day

Back in the day

I remember
back in the day

When I could listen to music
And like what they’d say
Back when lyrics meant something
And they didn’t make you blush
Make mom come out yelling
“Don’t sing that mess, girl hush!”

I remember
Back in the day
When the street light came on
Meant the end of our play,
“Don’t make me come find you!”
We heard on the way out
Enough to get us back by dark
Of that there was no doubt

I remember
back in the day
Getting my hair done
By Miss Laura down the way
A stop at Mr. Henry’s
For a pickle on the run
Knowing that my head and ears
Miss Laura was sure to burn

I remember
Back in the day
When teacher meant honor
All the way
We also gave them, the utmost respect
they didn’t sleep with students
Calling it love
“What the heck?”

We should try to bring back
Our “back in the day”
They were the very best of times
Before we lost our way

copyright © 2008 Missy

myeishaspeaks@gmail.com

Renaissance, , New Millennium, , lyrics, , respect

Dans la memoire de . . .

This is blackstarr saying "Vive La Renaissance!"

photo by viper1955 at photobucket.

blackstarr52@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, Memorial Day, Vets, Loved Ones

The (In)justices of the Supreme Court (part 5 of 5)

The founding fathers had in mind to insure that the justices of the Supreme Court would be able to operate free of reprimand or fear of removal by wayward politicians, so they decided that Supreme Court justices would be endowed with lifetime tenure. That was a good practice considering the fact that the American Revolution was fought because the citizens had no say in how they were governed, and by allowing justices to serve for life, and having supreme rule, they thought that the people would never again be locked in by an unsympathetic government. Now, it seems that they have inadvertently accomplished the same, by way of having justices subject the nation to a body of lawmakers who maintain supreme rule. To make matters worse, they are virtually unstoppable.

The proposed changes in the lifetime tenure hopes to put an end to that situation. Although we have laws that prohibit discrimination based on age, one must consider the consequences of having octogenarians and the like discerning the scope of our inalienable rights. Whether it concerns persons in the public eye or a very private citizen, the idea that advanced years contribute to the loss of the ability to see things as clearly as one did in younger years must be looked upon with particular scrutiny. Now, that idea has come to the Supreme Court.

The following is a further breakdown of the proposed changes in the way in which the Supreme Court justices are appointed and the way in which they will serve.

Every two years, a new justice will be appointed, bumping a current and most senior justice to the position of "senior justice", a basically idle position will little to no power. That leaves one new justice, 8 old justices. As one justice is appointed, another is "bumped" to senior justice, every two years for 18 years. The proposal is unclear as to what duties the bumped justices will serve and as to how long they will continue to serve after being bumped.

By the time all of the old justices have been replaced (18 years), the Court will consist of the following:

1 new justice
1 who has served 2 years
1 who has served 4 years
1 who has served 6 years
1 who has served 8 years
1 who has served 10 years
1 who has served 12 years
1 who has served 14 years and
1 who has served 16 years -
for a total of 9 justices.

It would take a total of 18 years to completely remove all of the old judges (1 every two years) and have the new system completely in place.

Unfortunately, it cannot end there and the beginning will be traveled upon a very bumpy road. The first hurdle is to find a way in which to present the idea in a non-threatening manner to current justices - not an easy task. Who wants to see their power taken away? After that obstacle is surpassed, there must be diligence on our part as citizens to see that the proper justices are appointed. That can only be done by taking an active role in the politics of this nation. We must be cognizant of the backgrounds of those nominated for office. If they do not "fit the bill", it is up to us to contact our congressmen and senators, en masse, to let them know that the needs of the people are not being served. The entire process must be given our full attention and our subsequent actions must be swift.

The time has comes to transform the "injustices of the Supreme Court" into justices of the Supreme Court, with liberty and justice for all.

This is blackstarr saying "Vive La Renaissance!"

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

Blackstarr52@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, Supreme Court Justices, lifetime tenure, Carrington and Crampton

Near-life Experience

I had a near-life experience
I was thinking today
And while busy reflecting
on the way
My lifestyle obsession
That “must-have” possession
Still left me feeling
empty inside
And try as might
of that I can’t lie
And now filled with rage,
In my sad gilded cage
Miscarriages of justice
Are downright abhorrent
Please tell me where
is the Federal Government?
They stepped in with Vick
And they interceded
I guess with my people
They feel it’s not needed
We watch as all charges
Are acquitted or dropped
You know at some point
This has got to stop
Depression is here
And our Holocaust now
We must each make a difference
We see that now
Deep seated rejection
By America “The Great”
And it all stems from
A history of hate.
Like the Phoenix I’ll rise
Try this on for size
Teach one, reach one
And they’ll lift you up too
We all can be great
Both me and you
For crimes against us
there is always ablution
Unite and be one
Is a solution
No use in sitting idle
Thinking I’m on the fringe
We can be our own heroes
And be slavery’s revenge
I know that God
Did not mean this our due
If we make but one step
He will make two
You may not get it now
But maybe soon hence
You’ll wake up and see
Our near life experience

copyright © 2008 Missy

myeishaspeaks@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, life experience, ablution, justice, Federal Government, lifestyle obsession

The (In)Justices of the Supreme Court (part 4 of 5)

While I was brought up to believe that it is OK to bring forth constructive criticism and to point out the error of one’s ways, I was also taught that it is much better to do so with a solution in hand. Those who practice, teach, and dispense the law have both complained and criticized the U.S. Supreme Court, in particular, regarding the subject of tenure. Most have argued the point with good reasoning and with overwhelming evidence. Few have come with a viable solution in hand. A very good exception to that lack of any solution comes from a group of more than forty (40) prominent legal scholars. Among those leading the charge are Paul Carrington and Roger Crampton. They are not only professors and former deans of highly respected universities, but they put the icing on the cake of bipartisanship – one is a Democrat, and the other a Republican.

*Among the many complaints of most scholars is the thought that with lifetime tenure come both physical and mental health problems. With justices serving well into their late eighties (80’s) and beyond, are we being properly served by those who claim to still have the mental capacity to discern the intricacies of law?

*Lifetime tenure itself is a testament to the inequality of the court system. If justices, chosen by presidents, may “hold their offices during good behavior” (or ‘til death do we depart), some presidents have no opportunity to appoint justices to the court. Appointments are only made when there is a vacancy. Presidents, particularly Republicans, tend to nominate potential appointees by virtue of their age, or lack thereof. With a justice starting out young and serving till it is no longer feasible (and even longer), the makeup of the court becomes extremely one-sided.

*Another problem brought on by lifetime tenure is the time in which it takes for the confirmation of a candidate. This goes hand in hand with the lopsidedness of the current system. If presidents make it their business to choose very young candidates who will have lifetime tenure, the opposition may tend to draw out the nomination process in an attempt to prevent the prevailing president from “stacking the odds”. One candidate after the other can be tossed aside, delaying the process of confirmation, possibly for years.

It has been argued that a person’s age should not be considered as a factor of employment or continued employment, in this case – laws have been passed prohibiting discrimination on the basis of age, basic civil rights laws. One argument that I disagree with is the idea that Oliver Wendell Holmes, who served for twenty-eight (28) years up to the age of ninety, was still in full mental capacity during the length of his tenure. There are tales of witty remarks that are said to have come from his lips, supposedly giving credibility to the retained sanity and mindfulness of an aged human being. I say that wit and memories of years past do not validate the idea that a person in his or her later years is still capable of discerning law and its intricacies.

The proposal, entitled “The Supreme Court Renewal Act”, brought forth by this “group of forty”, is to limit the number of years that each justice will serve to eighteen (18) years, and to appoint a new justice every two years. The plan is both complicated and hard to fathom. It is hard to fathom as there are many proponents of continued lifetime tenure. Who do you think would be the ones most in favor of maintaining the status quo? The justices themselves. Is it unreasonable to expect them to not want to usurp their own power? It will be a tough war to win, but, the “group of forty”, including Paul Carrington and Roger Crampton are prepared to do battle.

Paul Carrington and Roger Crampton have co-authored a book entitled “Reforming the Court”. For more details of the proposal and reasons that is should be instituted, please see Life Tenure Is Too Long . . .

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

blackstarr52@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, Supreme Court Justices, lifetime tenure, Carrington and Crampton

The (In)Justices of the Supreme Court (part 3 of 5)

The makeup of The U. S. Supreme Court can be as crucial as the decisions that it makes. It has historically been the case that the presidents, the ones who make the nominations, try to “stack” the panel with judges who are sympathetic to their causes. Even more crucially is the fact that since justices have lifetime tenure, the choices made for the positions reach far beyond the period of time in which a president serves. A conservative justice can be chosen by a conservative president, and when that president is replaced by one who is not so conservative, the outgoing president’s choices may serve to circumvent the legislative goals of the newly elected, non-conservative president for years to come.

It is important to understand that this court is the highest in the land. When a decision has been handed down, that’s it – end of the line. If you feel that you’ve been given a raw deal, too bad. Consider the Dred Scott vs. Sanford case. This came at a time when lawmakers, politicians, ministers, and even a president or two owned slaves. In that time period, it would not be hard to fathom that those in power would fight to “stack” the bench in their favor. The Dred Scott Decision was not decided by one or two votes – it was nearly unanimous, with two dissenting justices, one who concurred with the ruling, but not with reasoning behind it. That left six (6) justices who agreed that slavery should remain in effect and that the presiding precedent of “once free, always free” should be totally disregarded. This case provides one very typical, very dangerous example of how the makeup of the court can have a profound and lasting impact on our lives.

Today’s U.S. Supreme Court has justices who were chosen by four (4) different presidents. Two (2) justices were appointed by a Democrat, William Clinton. The remaining justices, including Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., were appointed by Republican presidents: Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, and G.W. Bush. The most recent justice to step down, Sandra Day O’Connor, was also nominated by a Republican, Reagan. The last justice chosen by a Democratic president, prior to today’s bench, was back in 1967 – Thurgood Marshall, appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson. That is an extremely long period of time to have an unbalanced makeup of justices presiding over the land.

There are plans afloat, by those who which to make a change and who have taken the time to come up with some feasible suggestions, to alleviate not only the lifetime tenure, but, as well, a system that would change the makeup of the bench as an ongoing process. The changes would not be the sort that hit the headlines today and fade into obscurity tomorrow, but, instead, would impact this generation and the next in ways that most of us never imagined.

Please join me on Wednesday for Part 4, when we explore the suggestions that are in the works.

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

blackstarr52@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, Supreme Court, justices, injustices, tenure, Dred Scott, presidential nominations, Thurgood Marshall, Lyndon B. Johnson, impact, consequences, once free always free

The (In)Justices of the Supreme Court (part 2)

How much do you know about the decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court and the impact that those decisions have on our lives? Your first thought might be that you know very little. The reality is that most of us have heard of the decisions, but, have very little knowledge as to what they mean. The titles to the decisions are practically household names: Dred Scot vs. Stanford (1857), Brown vs. Board of Education (1954), Miranda vs. Arizona (1966), Roe vs. Wade (1973), and U.S. vs. Nixon (1974). Of extreme impact was a lesser known decision – Plessy vs. Ferguson (1896).

First, there is Dred Scot vs. Stanford, better known as the Dred Scot Decision. This was a landmark case in that it established the idea that a slave cannot be declared free, just because he/she has entered into a free state. The decision of Scot to pursue that lawsuit came from English law. The law stated that if a slave was carried into a free area, then he/she is entitled to his/her freedom. Unfortunately, that law did not prevail in this case, although it was quite common for slaves to just he same (in the U.S.) – sue their masters, and win their freedom. In the original case, Scot won, but Stanford appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. The case was taken before a newly installed, pro-slavery justice, who ruled in favor of Stanford. Even more irony ensued – Scot’s first owner bought freedom for Dred and his family in May of 1857, and Scot died of tuberculosis six months later.

There was one dissenting justice in Plessy vs. Ferguson (PvF) -John Marshal Harlan, who declared the Dred Scot Decision nothing less than a tribunal. PvF upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation. It contended that the races were “separate but equal”. In 1892, Homer Plessy, a Black man, boarded a train which was designated for Whites only. When told to move to a “colored car”, he refused and was arrested. He argued that his rights, under the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, have been violated. The original case, Homer Adolph Plessy vs. The State of Louisiana, was presided over and decided by John Howard Ferguson, who ruled in favor of the state. Plessy then took his case to the U.S. Supreme Court under the title PvF. The dissenting justice, John M. Harlan, was a former slave owner who had “seen the light” as a result of Ku Klux Klan activity, and went on to fight for Black civil rights. Plessy lost the case, and paid his fine. “Separate but equal” remained a part of our history as law until the famed “Brown vs. The Board of Education” (BvB).

Oliver L. Brown, a Black parent, voiced his concerns about “separate but equal” to attorney William Glenn, Sr, who, in turn, convinced Brown to join in a lawsuit against Topeka, Kansas schools, which eventually became Brown vs. the Board of Education (BvB). It seems that Brown’s daughter had to walk twenty-one (21) blocks to her school bus stop to ride to her elementary school (Monroe Elementary, a Black segregated school), although Sumner Elementary School (a white school) was only seven (7) blocks from her home. The case was lead by a group of lawyers from the NAACP, with their chief counsel being a lawyer by the name of Thurgood Marshall. The parents involved tried enrolling their children in closer White schools, and their applications were denied. Upon reaching court, “separate but equal” was cited per PvF, and ruled in favor of Topeka Schools. The case was then taken to the U.S. Supreme Court with the case combining five other cases of the same nature. The court ruled that segregated schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment in 1954. The ruling was re-argued to determine the “fix”, and the outcome was that schools should be de-segregated.

Ernesto Miranda was a Mexican immigrant arrested and charged with kidnap and rape. When the case went to court, Miranda vs. Arizona, it was determined that Miranda was never advised of his rights such as the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney, and all of the things that we are all so familiar with when it comes to being arrested and or prosecuted. It was argued that when Miranda was arrested, he was intimidated by the surroundings (police station, police environment, and being “out of his element”). This violated his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination. As a result of the Miranda Decision, all suspects must be advised (in no particular order) that they have the right to remain silent, that anything they said can, and will be used against them in a court of law, that they have the right to have an attorney present during questioning, and that if an attorney cannot be afforded, the court will provide a lawyer for the suspect (together known as the Miranda Statement). Ernesto Miranda was released. A new trial convicted him by use of witnesses, as opposed to his own self-incrimination. He was convicted, served time, and released. Miranda was killed in a knife fight. At the time of his death, he had several copies of the Miranda Statement on his person.

We can all name at least one landmark case that has been decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, and can give at least some small details as to the impact of the decision. The ones that we know of as “household” words are just a drop in the bucket compared to all of the other cases with which we are not familiar. They are all equally as important as the next – a variation on the “separate but equal” theme, if you will. It is important to know who makes these decisions and what impact they have on our lives today and tomorrow. Join us later for more of the (In)Justices of the Supreme Court.

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

Blackstarr52@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, Supreme Court, justices, Miranda, Brown vs Wade, Dred Scot, Brown vs Board of Education, Plessy vs Ferguson

Homegrown Terrorism

This is footage from a local Philadelphia news station, in which Philadelphia policemen are shown dragging three suspects from a car, on Monday, May 5th, 2008. The suspects were then kicked and beaten with batons, while the suspects were already on the ground. No weapons were ever recovered. In a different video (apparently copyrighted and not recordable), after it's all over, police are seen turning suspects over like sacks of potatoes to search their pockets.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Ramsey, as well as Philadelphia Mayor Nutter, tried to pawn it off as police being stressed out over a policeman being killed a few days earlier. There is no excuse for beating a suspect no matter what the alleged crime happens to be. There is an investigation going on, but, there is little faith that justice will prevail. These are the very same injustices that are perpetrated in every urban city in which people of color dwell. It is no longer safe to walk, drive, or ride "while being Black". Something has to be done before our race no longer exists.

Philadelphia police shot and killed two unarmed citizens, just to cite two. One was killed on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2006, and the other on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2007. The supposed investigation into those shootings is still not being publicized, and there is no information as to the results. It follows that the results of this investigation will never be known, as well. If it does become known, it is doubtful that justice will be served.

This is blackstarr saying "Vive La Renaissance!"

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

blackstarr52@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, police brutality, police beatings, police shootings, terrorism, racism.

The (in)Justices of the Supreme Court (part 1)

When United States Supreme Court justices are sworn into office, they are sworn in for life.

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is eighty-eight (88) years old. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seventy-five (75) years old. Justice Antonin Scalia is seventy-two (72) years old, followed by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who is seventy-one (71) years old. The remainder of the court’s justices’ ages does not get much better. Another thought to ponder is that when Justice Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court, she was already sixty-years old. Does anybody see where I’m going with this? In case you don’t, lifetime tenure for justices has outlived its usefulness. To further state the case for a change in a justice’s tenure, some justices have already outlived their states of health. Justice William H. Rehnquist was still in office, yet hospitalized, and was eighty (80) years old when illness took his life in 2005.

When the Constitution was formulated, it provided that justices “shall hold their offices during good behavior”. That means “for as long as he/she shall live". They have the option of resigning or retiring, but, it is not mandatory. Lifetime tenure was given to keep the courts independent of the political branches. In effect, the founding fathers wanted them to have absolute power and independence so that influence was not a factor. Their salaries are not revocable ($214,000 per year), so that neither Congress nor the Senate would be able to threaten them with loss of salary due to unpopular decisions by the justices. – giving them the freedom to vote as they will without fear. That “untouchability” is at the root of the current drive to change all of that. There is but one course of action to have a justice removed: impeachment. No justice has ever been removed through impeachment. What was once a good idea has become an hindrance.

Consider my mother, who is eighty-five (85) years old. She is just about as sharp as ever. Even so, I do not believe she has the soundness of mind to run things all on her own. Things have changed, technology has become more challenging, and even the language of the day is not what she once knew. The justices of the Supreme Court are no different. Do we really need someone who is eighty-eight (88) years old determining Constitutional wording, meaning, and scope? If the mind is still in good shape, what, then, of the body? Justice William Douglass served for nearly thirty-seven (37) years. During the last ten (10) months of his service, after a stroke in 1975. His colleagues decided (unofficially) to make null and void any decisions in which his was the deciding vote. In 2005, Justice William H. Rehnquist was barely able to make it to the podium to swear in President George W. Bush for Bush’s second term. Health concerns aside, it is a bit more troubling to know that a justice in his/her eighties is making the decisions that shape the country for centuries to come. It is time that the “injustices” of the Supreme Court to lose their tenure.

Please join us on Sunday as we delve further into the “Injustices Of The Supreme Court”.

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

blackstarr52@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, Supreme Court, justices, tenure, age, impeachment, lifetime, Chief Justices, founding fathers, Rehnquist, Berger, Marshall, Alito, O'Connor, Scalia, Ginsburg

Symphony for Sin in Seven Parts

a soul as old as the sands of time
owner of a house without reason or rhyme
only infidels are invited in
to partake all the delights of sin

thus the doors are opened wide
welcome to the darker side

Livia, Delilah and Jezebel
grin as they greet you at the gates of hell
keepers of the eternal fires
grantors of your darkest desires

thus the doors are opened wide
celebrate the darker side

a room full of mirrors crack’d and stained
sad souls dance before them ‘til they’re drained
down vanity’s slope these souls did slide
into the valley known as Pride

thus the doors are opened wide
take a look at the darker side

for those who Envy there’s a special hoard
of lovely things they could never afford
items they wish they could’ve bought
baubles for which they bitterly fought

thus the doors are opened wide
rejoice in the darker side

there’s a massive kitchen for Gluttony
in here you can eat everything you can see
smack your lips and watch your belly swell
then waddle thru the halls of hell

thus the doors are opened wide
drink deep of the darker side

the cellar holds a diabolical jury
for those who spent their lives in fury
follow a steep and spirally path
to cavort with the demon Wrath

thus the doors are opened wide
gambol in the darker side

we’ve not left out a room for Greed
so satisfy your every need
money and sex, or jewels and power
you’ll never have an idle hour

thus the doors are opened wide
delight in the darker side

lazy souls can pledge their troth
to the slovenly spirit Sloth
a simpering and mindless jerk
with him you’ll never have to work

thus the doors are opened wide
all hail the darker side

our favourite room was saved ‘til last
for boasters of their sexual past
the attic holds the incubus Lust
come copulate amidst the dust

thus the doors are opened wide
learn to love your darker side

copyright © 2007 KPMCL

Renaissance, New Millennium, darkness, poetry, sin, deadly sins, Hell, the darker side

Aphrodite’s child revisited

thoughts both beautiful & obscure
a heart as dark as it is pure
the sum of everything she’s sown
is Aphrodite’s child full-grown

lost lovers like so much debris
the strong gnarled arms of her family tree
the reflection of tiny lines on her face
as she grows old in another place

without & within the doors are open
a little wiser & well used to copin’
at childhood’s demise she will not mope
yet loves & writes with childlike hope

she works / she cleans / she cooks / she eats
then dreams at night on crisp linen sheets
unspoken wishes in a brain that’s yearning
dark desires that keep her stomach churning

a woman alone without a womb
at peace in Eden’s grey & green room
where angels look down from the walls
& memory dwells in hallowed halls

she lives with the voices of the ages
& with the Magi regularly engages
no matter that her arteries harden
there is joy amongst the words in her garden

what care she for the grey in her hair –
she, who’s endured the black dog’s glare?
she’s happy with the witch doctor’s pills
& the damp embrace of the Scottish hills

there’s no fear in the mistakes she accepts
just anger & grief & ashen regrets
yet she will fight a wee bit longer
& every battle will make her stronger

rejecting the role, rejoicing in the place
her duelling done with style & grace
demons & tricksters & stealers of hearts
felled at her feet with poison-pen darts

no matter that her waist grows thick
her breasts remain firm & her mind is quick
immune to anybody’s taunts
serenely meeting her needs & wants

barely free, torn between two homes
inside her head she endlessly roams
divided mind with heart still wild
is aging Aphrodite’s child

copyright © 2008 KPMCL

We Are Not Alone!!

Over the weekend, I checked out a friend’s friend, and then, one of their friends, and before I got around to checking the GPS, I ended up taking a blog walk through cyberspace – far outside the realm of Windows Live Spaces. It was an incredible journey, and as Scully was so fond of saying, as he desperately tried to win Mulder over, “We are not alone!” I found the humorous bloggers, the informants, the ramblers, the political/social commenters, and of course, the loonies (Oh, Beam me up, Scotty!). Not surprisingly, I found that just about 9 out of 10 that I stumbled upon were blogging about Obama and Clinton, or some odd offspring of the two. As if you don’t already have enough to do, as it is, here is my brief summary of a few of the more interesting sites that I’ve hit upon.

I started with the chocl8t diaries, a veritable African-American Aphrodite. I suppose that one would say that she specializes in “social commentary”, especially those things which are “African-American relative”, though not limited to the same. She has apparently been blogging for quite some time, as have most of the bloggers that I encountered over the past few days. She is involved with a network of bloggers who have a weekly “game” of “Old School Friday”. One particular week, each person in the network had to “name a vocalist you wanted to be like and state the reason why”. I didn’t quite get the part about “wanting to be like”. Nevertheless, it seemed to be an interesting game. Overall, the site is well worth a second, third, and fourth look.

From her page, I visited Mind Of Marcus (by Marcus Langford). Mr. Langford is a young, enterprising African-American out of Washington, D. C. He speaks on politics, business and humor, and has the ability to bring them all together, often in the same sentence.

I somehow found myself engrossed in an article at BlackPerspective.net, by D. Yobachi Boswell. Mr. Boswell’s self-description pretty much says it all: “Discussing the Diaspora as seen through an internal Black lens”. Since the political process has really intrigued me more than it has in any other year, I was at the site for quite a while. I did not bother to leave any comments, as he and I would surely be at odds for quite some time, and time just wasn’t on my side. He’s rather outspoken about his stance on politics, but, at the same time, amazingly open to others who venture by. Therefore, it is a foregone conclusion that “I’ll be back!”

Over Analyze It is a social/political/humorous blog by AJ, “a brother of color” as he puts it. He seems to center around news articles that are of particular relevance to people of color, and he does a great job with information dissemination, coupled with his own commentary. Of particular interest to me was a post entitled “Caption This”. It presented a photo of a sunglasses-sporting Barack Obama stepping out of his silver SUV. Folks dropped by with some very delightful captions. The two that struck me most were “Let me go show these fools in DC how it’s gone be” and “Dayum, you look good.”

Although the list from my journey is very long, I’ll end today with a woman who is very well-known in the Windows Live Spaces realm, Being Tru. Her non-Windows Live spot is entitled TruScapes, which is a photoblog. Although there are a few (very few) photos that decry her self-assessment of “I am a work in progress”, you may find that hard to believe, as most of her work is professional grade. She has a way of capturing “life in the raw” – a site that should not be missed.

There is a virtually infinite number of bloggers out there, some of whom will tickle your fancy, while others may succeed in “getting your dander up”. There are also a few that I intentionally left out. Why? Let me give you a political analogy: Although I know better, McCain is a “non-entity” to me. He represents all that I despise and for me to even acknowledge him grates my nerves. I should, at the very least, be aware of what he’s saying. By the same token, I came across a few bloggers who are way out there, lost in space, as it were. I don’t meant the usual “whacky” stuff – I’m speaking about those whose pages border on hate, and if not hate, then, at least so far to one side that they are not worth acknowledgement. However, like McCain, they should be read just so that you know what morons are lurking in the background, planting seeds of ill-will to the unsuspecting. E-mail me and I will get you a link or two, if you want. Now, go back and click a link to cyberspace that sounds interesting and I assure you that you will soon discover that “We are not alone!”

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

blackstarr52@gmail.com

Renaissance, New Millennium, blogs, chocl8t diaries, Mind Of Marcus, BlackPerspective.net, Over Analyze It, TruScapes, Scully, Mulder, We Are Not Alone

The Harlem Renaissance: Part 5 of 5

Countee Cullen (1903-1946) (born Countee Lee Porter) was probably born in Louisville, Kentucky, although Cullen was known to confuse his associates with tales of being born in Baltimore, MD., or New York City. Most have settled on the idea that he was born in Kentucky. His young life was filled with tragedy. His mother died when he was still a young boy. He was then entrusted to a woman who is believed to be his grandmother, who took him to Harlem to live. She died in 1918, when Cullen was just 15. He was taken in by the Rev. F. A. Cullen and his wife. He was never officially adopted by the Rev. and Mrs. Cullen, but, he eventually took on their last name. Although he was one of the few Blacks at his high school, he became very active, becoming known for his poetry and for being inducted into his school’s honor society.

He attended New York University (NYU) and was editor of The Arch, the school newspaper. One of his most notable works, Color (1925), was published during his senior year. The book dealt with race, and was ushered in with concern from his critics. His second book, Copper Sun (1927) was less about race and more concerned with life and love. He graduated from Harvard University in 1927. From that time until 1928, he worked as associate editor of the magazine Opportunity. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, which allowed him to study abroad. Before leaving for Europe, he married Nina Yolande Du Bois, daughter to W.E.B. DuBois. That union lasted less than a year.

Countee Cullen wanted to be recognized as an “Anglo-American” as opposed to a “Black poet”, causing an uproar with such acquaintances as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Zora Neale Hurston. He wrote The Ballad of the Brown Girl in 1928 and The Black Christ and Other Poems in 1929. From 1929, until his death, he wrote many articles and poems, but, the reception that he had received with his earlier works was no longer present. His remaining years were dedicated to teaching English and French to mostly black high school students. He collaborated on a play with Arna Bontemps entitled St. Louis Woman. The play was based on Bontemps’ novel God Sends Sunday (1931). A few months before the play was to open, Countee Cullen died of high blood pressure on January 9, 1946.

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We thank you for following our five-part series on The Harlem Renaissance, and hope that it was entertaining, as well as informative. There is a wealth of information on The Harlem Renaissance to be found on the internet. Here are a just few links:

Perspectives in American Literature

Harlem Renaissance (MSN Encarta)

Harlem Renaissance - The New Negro Movement

Please join us soon for an important series exploring the dangers presented by none other than our own Supreme Court system, and the justices that rule with absolute power.

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

blackstarr52@gmail.com

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

Renaissance, New Millennium, Countee Cullen, Harlem Renaissance, literature, poetry, Color, Copper Sun

Aphrodite’s Child

at the tender age of ten
come the attentions of the men
merry monkeys who endeavoured to appear innocent
as they praised her parents for producing
“such a beautiful child!”
& her parents - wishing not to appear too proud
responded with “she pretty, but she wild!”

bony bare-legged black boys
made her gifts of their most-prized toys
& watery-eyed white boys wistfully wished
for a way to get her alone
(they wanted no witnesses when they asked to walk her home)
moody & mesmerizing
teasing & tantalizing
fully aware that she’s everybody’s baby
neither affirmative nor negative, always a murmured “maybe”

the boy next door is on the precipice of manhood
know-it-all 19 to her tentative 13
& goddess status is no guarantee
against infallibility
fooled by flowers & flattery she falls from the pedestal
eager to believe this is love
(unable to perceive it’s merely lust)
too soon she is forlorn & forgotten
her love reduced to ashes & dust

the powerful patriarch plays with thoughts of slaughter
of the upstart who dared to seduce his daughter
quietly the queen mother dissuades him
using her womanly wiles to persuade him
to hunt for an Hephaestus for their errant Aphrodite:
“lest this attention make her vainglorious,
before she develops appetites notorious!
already she’s caroused in the conjugal bed –
to save her face (& ours) she must be wed!”

the peeved papa searches for a suitor well-bred & well-read,
one who’ll welcome such a treasure to his lonely bachelor’s bed
still grieving, before she can find her voice
the goddess is girded to a man not of her choice
a slovenly adoring ass, incapable of original thought
like Judas, her father sold –
like a slave, she is bought

despite her outrage at her father’s wrong
her sense of filial duty remains strong
she decides to make a go of this life
& at first she is a wonderful wife
she cooks/she cleans/she hides her gloom
a lady in company, a whore in their bedroom
of course he’s happy with his lot
but she’s not – she needs another
& so determines to take a lover
in a greasy garage with oil on the floor
she stumbles on the key to desire’s door
fully equipped with all the arrogance of youth
he’s self-important & uncouth
yet free from all taint of sin, & - blessed bonus! –
a veritable virgin
her stars are lucky (or the gods are kind)
so without examining sub or conscious mind
eyes shining, lips swollen & wet,
she decisively draws him into her net

& he is willing, & he adores her
in abject abasement he grovels before her
in his eyes a kind of madness burns
but before she knows it, the tables have turned
now she’s hypnotized/mesmerized
a body enslaved & paralyzed
a heart beating hard with love & trust
a woman laid low on the alter of lust

her adoration makes her crazy
the constant worship makes him lazy
but he’s there:
to her & for her,
a ballsy sibyl that can do no wrong
seducing her & swamping her
with love’s sensual song

she is swept away from her stupid spouse
from father & family &
the hated husband’s house
o infidel! o infamy!
poisoned by passion & pride
convinced of invincibility
as long as he’s at her side
the world is theirs, for so she arranges
then Chance erupts, & everything changes

into their interlude falls cold white snow
& he dances with a demon
in a place she dare not go
he dances while she dreams & schemes
of a way to win him back,
but the demon brings a Darkness
that forebodes a future black

thunder & lightning, all that is frightening
is passed through the end of a phone
snow surrounds, then topples
Eros from his throne
the sea rages & swells
the sacred shell shatters
Death rescinds love
now her life does not matter

lamenting & lost
in a tempest she is tossed
& she drinks as she cries
she screams/she shrieks/she sighs
in vain she tries to understand
why the gods have withdrawn their hands
the Muses warn she must repent
before the Parent Gods relent

doomed by love
damned by her loss
she flees Olympus
the last line is crossed
so she wanders with whispering voices in her head
capering cacophonous demi-gods
on her journey to the Dead

bleeding/bruised/broken
she wanders without will
seeking potions sweet & noxious
to render heart & body still
a tightly entwined rope
around her slender saddened neck
surely somewhere, something or someone
can put this grief in check

in her woe she is wanton
open to forces beyond her ken
so she roams, restless & reckless
lying with many men
some are nice (& some are not)
most are total shits
something better soon must beckon
so one day she simply quits

she runs/she hides
she makes a brand new home
& her eyes reveal acceptance
of a life that’s lived alone
she buries herself with Art & books
her new life is quiet & pure
to strangers passing on the street
she appears serene & sure
& other lonely souls believe she’s found a magic cure

eyes downcast or hidden
she lives this way for many years
a helpful & happy exterior
swimming in solitary tears
& she dare not admit (especially to herself)
that life & love are passing
while she dwells on this dusty shelf
then one day the gods relent at last
& send her one who obliterates the past

on a hot & hazy morning
sun shining in her eyes
the Divinity appears behind her
transported from the skies
he smiles at her, & she is bewitched
he speaks & she listens, totally transfixed
his demeanor is somehow both gentle & grand
awed & acquiescent, she allows him to claim her hand

he guides her to the garden she’d created for herself
& there he does things to her
that divests the dust from the shelf
her body is a blank book that he writes in
her mind is a fountain that he delights in
then he tells her that he loves her
his voice confident & strong
the words deliver her from the darkness
that has hidden her heart for so long

the chains have been cut
the past has been banished
the monsters of memory that hounded her have vanished
all that once hurt her he has abolished
the demons that dogged her he destroyed & demolished
the goddess has been restored
no longer afraid or alone
in the heart of the Divinity
Aphrodite’s child has found a home.

copyright © 2007 KPMCL

Aphrodite, innocence, tantalizing, mesmerizing, goddess, deathless, Sappho, temptress, adoration, Olympus, Divinity, Ahrodite's Child

dark wonder

a dark wonder
manifest in verse
life as a blessing
love as a curse
hopes that curdle
like spoiled cream
depression devours
every dream
lawless / legless
tortured thoughts shifting
vainly seeking
light uplifting
a buzzing noise
a heart like stone
sweaty / sleepless
nights alone

copyright © 2008 KPMCL

dark wonder, nights, depression, thoughts, love

They've killed one of our own!!

Well, here we go again: Police officer slain in Philadelphia. The officer, who was forty (40) years old, was gunned down in a bank robbery on Saturday morning, May 3, 2008. The manhunt had spread to New Jersey by Saturday evening. Mayor Michael Nutter has put into effect a thirty-day mourning period. He said that this is a tragedy for the police force and for all of Philadelphia’s citizens.

I’m not angry, once again, as a result of the city suggesting that we hold a thirty (30) day mourning period for the slain officer. I’m not angry, once again, because a manhunt has spread to New Jersey. Of course, it is a great tragedy for the family of the officer, and I am tired of hearing about policemen being killed in the line of duty.

Was disgruntles me is the audacity that this city has for placing the value of the lives of a police officer over and above the lives of its citizens. In 2008, there were 392 homicides, of which, one was a police officer. Of all of those murders, only one manhunt went into effect: the one carried out for the suspected killer of the policeman. In that situation, as well as the current one, the powers that be have the same tired statement to present: They’ve killed one of our own and we will not stop until the suspect is in custody.

One of the first things out of the Mayor’s and Police Chief’s mouths is that these criminals are so ruthless that they will shoot at and kill a police officer. The problem with that statement is that the policemen signed on for that duty. It should very well be a policeman that is fired upon rather than a citizen. A citizen is unarmed and did not sign on to fight criminals. Therefore, it should be more of a shock that criminals would shoot citizens than policemen. That statement is always followed by “They’ve killed one of our own and we will not stop until the suspect is in custody”.

Where is the manhunt for the suspects in the murders of the other 391 homicides? Why is it such a tragedy that a policeman was killed, but, just another day in the ghetto when a citizen is killed? Why is it that the police will search non-stop for a cop-killer, but end a search the next day for the killer of an average citizen? Why is it such an awful and despicable thing for a criminal to shoot at a police officer, but a humdrum event when a citizen is shot?

Now, it’s 2008, and it’s all begun anew. Another tragedy has taken place – the death of a police officer in the line of duty, killed by a ruthless bank robber. It is truly a tragedy, and my condolences go out to the family. However, I am sick and tired of hearing that the city feels that the loss of a policeman’s life is a far greater loss than that of an ordinary citizen. I’m tired of the streets filled with police cars when a policeman gets shot, yet devoid of the same when a citizen is shot. When will the city realize that a citizen’s life is just as valuable as a policeman’s? When will the police begin to pursue a criminal who has harmed a citizen with the same fervor as when a policeman has been harmed? When will the hypocrisy end?

Did I happen to mention that of the 392 homicides in 2007, three-hundred-eleven (311) were of African-American decent. . . ordinary citizens?

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

Blackstarr52@gmail.com

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

Renaissance, New Millennium, policeman killed, Chief Ramsey, one of our own, Stop and frisk, officer down, Michael Nutter, homicides, black and hispanic neighborhoods

Supreme Discrimination

I heard it first from Afro-American Writer in her weekly wrap-up of the news. I then checked out the information that she presented. It is more than reasonable to conclude that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a dangerous man. Unfortunately, he is not alone. He has an entire panel of cronies, er . . . justices at his side. THEY are a dangerous team! There was a decision made on April 28, 2008 that upheld an earlier decision by a lower court to require Indiana residents to provide photo-identification in order to vote. The vote was split 6-3. Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, John Paul Stevens, John Roberts and Anthony Kennedy voted to uphold the lower court decision. Dissenting were Supreme Court Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter. While the state of Indiana offers free photo identification, residents are first required to provide proof of residence. The Indiana Primary will be held this coming Tuesday, May 6, 2008. Is there time enough for the elderly, minorities, and the poor to obtain the proper identification by May 6^th? It’s doubtful.

How many of us actually know how much power The Supreme Court holds? When a position becomes available and a candidate is offered, how many of us get involved? It’s time that we understand the inner workings of the court. We need to understand what consequences arise from the decisions made by our justices. We need to understand that the decisions made by these justices, for the most part, are the key elements of the disenfranchisement of the elderly, the poor, and minorities.

The first thing that needs to be understood is that the justices who make the decisions that affect our lives do so with their own personal ideals and their own personal sense of reasoning. That means that what a particular justice believes in his or her heart influences the way in which they decide. That’s only natural. While it is difficult to determine what a person feels in their heart, it is important to understand what he or she outwardly feels. One would argue that a potential judicial candidate, much like a politician, can say just about anything that the citizens want to hear. So, how do we go about the task of making the decision as to who is best for the job? It is accomplished by reviewing past decisions that were made when they served as justices of a lower court.

The consequences which arise from the decisions rendered are far-reaching. What is of utmost importance is the realization that The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. When The Supreme Court rules on a constitutional issue, that judgment is virtually final; its decisions can be altered only by the rarely used procedure of constitutional amendment or by a new ruling of The Supreme Court. That means that once The Supreme Court makes its decision, that’s basically it. There is always the option of appeal, a rare occurrence, but that only means that you are sending the case back to the same justices who ruled upon it in the first place.

That brings us back to the primaries of Indiana, and the idea of legal discrimination as a result of disenfranchisement. That is precisely what The Supreme Court did to the voters of Indiana on April 28, 2008: the institution of legal discrimination. This sort of thing can be avoided. We must pay particularly close attention to who is being offered up as our supreme decision makers. We must review the rulings that that they have handed down before being nominated for The Supreme Court. We must look at their records and ask ourselves the question “Is this a person with whom I want to entrust my life? The question must be asked “How has his or her previous rulings affected me and those about whom I care?” You must ask yourself whether this person is looking out for your well-being or is this person looking to use The Supreme Court as his or her own playground, a playground in which they realize all too well that they are the supreme rulers. Do any particular justices names come to mind?

I will return soon with more information regarding Supreme Discrimination.

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

Blackstarr52@gmail.com

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

Renaissance, New Millennium, Scalia, Thomas, discrimination, Indiana, The Supreme Court, Alito, justice, disenfranchisement

Harlem Renaissance: Part 4 of 5

Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) was born on January 7, 1891, in Eatonville, Florida. Her family wanted for little and they lived on five acres of land in an eight-room house. Eatonville and her experiences there provided the inspiration for several of her novels, including Dust Tracks on the Road (1939). While she grew up in Florida, Hurston made her fame in New York as a writer in the 1920s and '30s during the Harlem Renaissance. She attended Morgan Academy (now Morgan State University) in Baltimore. There, she completed her high school requirements, then studied at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Her first publication came in May of 1921, which caught the attention of writer and professor, Alain Locke. Impressed with Hurston's storytelling ability, he recommended her work to Opportunity editor, Dr. Charles S. Johnson, who invited Hurston to submit material to Opportunity. She obliged, and later, at Johnson's urging, Zora packed her manuscripts and clothes and headed to New York.

In New York, she met the likes of Langston Hughes and Fannie Hurst. Before long, Hurston became an integral part of Harlem, attending rent parties and hanging out with the other newly well-known personalities such as Carl Van Vechten, Countee Cullen, and Claude McKay. She was seen as clever, witty and out-going. She was a person that people wanted to be around. She soon met Ms Charlotte Osgood Mason, an elderly white woman who employed Hurston at $200 a month to gather folk-tales and history of the African Americans of the south. Unfortunately, the relationship with Mason was severely limiting for Hurston. She could only write on subjects that were pre-approved by Mason. It wasn’t until after she severed her financial ties with Mason that her work began to take off.

One of Zora Neale Hurston's best-known works, Their Eyes Were Watching God, was published in 1937. It was deemed controversial because it didn't fit easily into stereotypes of black stories. She was criticized within the black community for taking funds from whites to support her writing. Hurston answered with an essay entitled "How It Feels to be Colored Me." (1928). She wrote: "I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul . . . I do not belong to that sobbing school of Negrohood who hold that nature somehow has given them a lowdown dirty deal.... No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife."

With new-found friends such as Jean Toomer and Countee Cullen, Hurston became one of the "New Negroes." They, along with Langston Hughes, were the black intellectuals demanding equal billing for African-American culture in American history. Many held Hurston with special admiration. A talented young writer who would celebrate that culture through her art, she is said to have personified the movement and was dubbed the "Queen of the Renaissance." She and Hughes took off in a car, headed for the South, an adventure which would produce the folklore for which she was most well-known, including Mules And Men (1935). In 1931, she and Hughes fell out of favor with each other due to a grave argument over the authorship of a play, Mule Bone: A Comedy of Negro Life (1920), on which they collaborated. It wasn’t produced on Broadway until 1991.

Zora Neale Hurston wrote seven books and more than fifty articles and short stories. She was a playwright, traveler, anthropologist, and folklorist. In 1959 she suffered a stroke and was forced to move into a welfare home. She died penniless on January 20, 1960.

In 1973, Alice Walker made a pilgrimage to Fort Pierce, Florida and placed a tombstone on the site she guessed to be Hurston's unmarked grave. The stone was inscribed: "Zora Neale Hurston, A Genius of the South."

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

Blackstarr52@gmail.com

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

Renaissance, New Millennium, Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Southern folklore, Queen of the Renaissance ,Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, Alice Walker, Jean Toomer, Alain Locke

Up, up, and away!

I can remember very vividly the little store that was across the street from our house while I was in grade school. It was like a corner store, but, it wasn’t quite on the corner. You could buy bread, two-for-a-penny cookies, and just about every little household item that came to mind. The thing that I remember the most (after the cookies, of course) was the Philadelphia Daily News. It sold for three (3) cents. After a while, it went up to a nickel. Before long people were starting to say “When it hits a quarter, I’m not buying it anymore”. I haven’t bought one in ages, but, that’s only because I switched to the Philadelphia Inquirer. I don’t know what the Inquirer sold for back then, but, both papers are now up to about seventy-five (75) cents – and the sales are still flourishing.

I got a little older, and I remember riding on our public transit system, Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC), which was twenty-five (25) cents to ride. That fare also included a pass, if you wanted one. You could get all around town for less than fifty (50) cents. When the price started to rise, everyone said that “when it reaches a dollar, that’s it – I’ll stop riding it”. PTC – it was such a small name. It turned into the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Its name was not the only thing that grew in size - it now costs two (2) dollars just to get on the bus, then, an additional sixty (60) cents for a transfer, purportedly the highest fare in the nation. It’s the only game in town, outrageously priced, and the ridership is as it was at a quarter a pop.

A few years passed by, and high school came along. That’s when I picked up that disgusting addiction to tobacco. Ah, KOOLS! Now, the neighborhood choice is Newports. Back then, if memory serves me correctly, a pack went for about $1.50. I’m sure that you can imagine what was said when the price started to rise: “When they reach $2.00 a pack, I’m quitting”. I’ve switched to a less rough smoke, now, but, the last time that I looked, Newports were up to about $4.65 a pack. People complain, but, they drop the cash on the counter and walk out with nicotine in hand.

I was proud to be the Valedictorian when I graduated high school, but, the summer following the 11^th grade found me and my best friend forced to attend summer school to make up for our lousy math grade. It wasn’t that the grades were so bad (although I hated and stunk at math). We angered our math teacher, missed an all-important test, and he refused to budge. My friend had his driver’s license, so his dad allowed him to use the car for us to get back and forth to school for the summer. Now listen up, young’uns, because I wouldn’t lie – we pooled my fifty (50) cents and his fifty (50) cents to get gas. We went to school, drove around the neighborhood afterwards, and still had plenty gas to make it home! Everyone said, when the price started to rise, “When it reaches $1.50 a gallon, I’m going to have to find another way around”. Today, when I got gas, the price was a whopping $3.59 a gallon and, I had to wait in line at the pump!

This is where it stops. I’m not sure what the solution is, but, we need one and soon. If anyone has any suggestions, by all means, speak up. For now, I am starting a nationwide boycott – the Great Gas Out. Not to worry, as I don’t mean tomorrow. Here’s what I’d like to do. We had a Black Out last summer, a boycott in which no one (at least African-Americans) was to buy anything on that particular day. The point was to show that we had great economic buying power and that power needs to be recognized. I want to start one in the same spirit, one which is all-inclusive - the entire nation. I’m going to need your help to spread the word. I figure that Saturdays and Sundays are the days when most people can most afford not to gas up, considering the fact that just about everyone has to be to work during the week. I want to shoot for Saturday, June 14, 2008. That should give everyone enough time to spread the word. We will not stop at the pumps on that day and see what effect it has on the pockets of the greedy. If it works, and it should, we’ll do it again on Saturday, June 21, 2008.

Every time you send an e-mail, put a note/reminder at the bottom of it to let everyone know about the boycott. Blog about it – The Great Gas Out. Put a reminder at the bottom of your posts, reminding people of the Great Gas Out. Spread it by word of mouth. Tell your loud-mouthed neighbor. Send a text message to anyone you can. This may not be the best way to go about things, but, it’s a start. Besides, I said that when gas reaches . . .

This is blackstarr saying “Vive La Renaissance!”

Blackstarr52@gmail.com

copyright © 2008 blackstarr

Renaissance, New Millennium, Black Out, Great Gas Out, corporate greed, inflation, Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, boycott, June 14 2008, June 21 2008

Father Figure

Kenny kissed me on the cheek before getting out of the car
a gentle kiss
in a space on my face where the cheek ends & the lips begin.
“yo, I’ll call you” drifted lazily over my shoulder as he strode across the street
hipshot & arrogant
his hat cocked back at an angle that said he was large & in charge.

the spot on my face where he’d kissed me tingled with warmth.

I watched him cross the street, a remnant of my big sistah role
other men nodded at him respectfully, & women black & white
furtively flirted & followed him with their eyes.

& I felt surprise:
somewhere along my path of acquisition & ambition
he had become a Man.

echoes of my girlfriends’ voices whispered in my head:
“girl, yo brotha is fine”
even Sharon, & her & Kenny had never gotten along.
I watched him make his way across the street, & my eyes told me the voices spoke true –
he was fine:
tall & thick & long of limb,
his frame graced by Adolfo suits, Pierre Cardin shoes,
his neck caressed by thin expensive gold chains,
exuding confidence & Polo.

a Man had replaced the brother who’d given insulting names to all my boyfriends,
bitten all the fingers & toes off my Barbie dolls, then arranged them in obscene positions
with his G.I. Joes.
surely this black Adonis was not the brother who’d given me a 10-pound bag of Vigaro,
telling me it would make my chest grow.
enraged, I’d told my parents – who did nothing.
only son of my mother, she’d ruffled his hair.
only male issue of my father’s loins, Daddy never even lowered the paper he’d been perusing,
merely mumbled from behind it that
“yo’ brotha got a point, men like wimmen wit big titties.”

they never did grow, but Kenny did.
& with the bestowal of that kiss, it was declared that
the brother of my childhood had been laid to rest,
replaced by this man elected by primogeniture to assume the role of Father,
now that the real Father was dead.

I drove home on auto-pilot,
slowly & in awe, thinking, “Kenny grew up!
Do I have to grow up now, too?”

copyright © 2007 KPMCL