(To find out more about this poem visit: http://www.profoundt.com/pts-fables/2010/9/25/baby-scare.html)
I’m conflicted
Everything that I knew has been shifted
This burden not lifted and I am losing my mind
Incapacitated with these thoughts in my head
I can’t go to bed ….worry has lead
Me down this road, where I feel I’ll explode
And be broken into insignificant pieces
Where my life is mere thesis and used as confetti
Along the Serengeti of someone else’s journey
I am hurting ……….don’t find this disturbing
If you have never reached this point in your life……..
For the plight I endure makes me insecure
And uncertain of what is the befall me
They’re stalling………..
O Lord they’re stalling!
And won’t provide answers
This anticipation menaces like cancer,
And I am the lantern
Who’s oil is about to dwindle
O God,
My God,
Rekindle this fire
Consecrate me with the iron and rod of
Correction, cause I……
Am stressing and guessing on what you have already promised
This wait is the longest
You promised
Oh My God you promised
Me,
This daughter,
And it feels like she’s slipping
Through my fingers like water.
Please let me embark of this harbor,
Of…..
Tranquility
No one else seems to be feeling me
They have compassion but what I am asking
Is for a net of safety.
Don’t let me go crazy
My love for you is amazing and
I will still love you in spite of your decisions
But I ask that this tension be made into
Joy………
Cause……..
You promised
Like Abraham and Isaac, i’m realizing
That this is only a test
But the axe is coming down and I am at my weakest…..
Point.
I have no choice but to trust
You at this climax before the resolution
Confusion …..
Is just fusion of me being conned
Into me thinking I’ve been robbed
Of what you have already promised
And the rest is just me being tarnished
By circumstance
Nothing is just happenstance
So I ask that when you deliver
That I will learn what you were teaching
And stop reaching for my own understanding.
(to be performed at a venue near you)
Some systems seem to be institutes
Of trepidation,
hiding the truth is endless
Paper-made trails of documentation and
Sanctions are made for threats to the community
Where you and me proctor tests as simple means to
Disguise the lies bureaucracy provides to make it seem like
We’re trying to make a real change
When the real change is in pockets
while sockets of social inequalities still exist
since people can’t seem to visualize this
And the greed and gluttony of officials stands as bottomless pits
We as community advocates stand corrected
Every time rejected by the youth
Who say to this system
They won’t accept it
Disgruntled we fumble at making a difference
Whether we’re standing in front of classes
Or in front of a pulpit
So we rearrange some things to satisfy job requirements
transition from one of learning to a classical conditioning environment
And raise children of this age who don’t think on their own
Get real attitudinal with them and never allow them to voice opinion
Because “you ain’t grown!”
We disown, brilliant minds
Because they spend too much time disrupting our
Mundane classes
And the problem is evident
But some of us have 20-50 vision
So we need glasses
Still we work outside of our professions
Suddenly become physicians
For a child who no longer has physical fitness
And is expected to sit for an hour and a half
You do the math….
It definitely doesn’t add up…
Still
We Diagnose and prescribe
Treat some students as magazines
We subscribe, to the minds that pacify our egos
We roll to the beat of our own drum
And become calloused with malice in our hearts
Killing dreams we, instead of impart
Depart from the mission
The mission to witness
And save,
and behave like psychotic neurotic robotic
Machines, we glean from the rules and regulations
Filled with robust language that says nothing
But how our children are becoming…….
Statistics,
Our pension is comprised of the lynching
Of youth
And it’s time to reboot
Our systems
Anytime the community
Focuses on a once a month youth convention
And expect for it to make a significant difference
I’d say we’re sadly mistaken
Like the kids repeatedly say….man, you… fakin’
Or are seriously misinformed
I urge ye therefore brethren
To go within arms reach
And teach from the depths of your soul
Cause kids can’t read and write
And frankly, that mess is getting old
We should have gotten over that when we stopped being sold
Into slavery
Now the handicap is not the man but
It’s our own lack of bravery
And it angers me
To see the perpetuation of the cycle
Like recycled old rags we hand down our trash
To the next generation
Then talk about their misbehavior as if they haven’t
Learned it from this make-shift nation
Advocates of the truth have been silenced
Because if they speak to the problems
There’s that unsettling feeling of job insecurity
And youth development is no longer the focus
But it’s workforce truancy
And if we are absent
Our kids are strapping and lacking
True character
Or they’re branded with a label
I’d say 98% of them are fables
Just the way in which the hand rocks the cradle
Which continues the behavior
Until a kid messes up so much there’s nothing left over to savor
And its cyclical
Nothing about this set up mystical
We drug kids because we don’t want to exert
The energy to actually teach to their needs
They show us a little activity or challenge
And we say to them……
Girl please
I got mine so you gotta get yours
Never take the time to see more…..
We soar and trample our kids emotions and livelihoods
Onto classroom floors
And hoard anger and frustration
Dispense it like it’s a new found language
And parents stand by anticipating modifications
Complaining, as if they’re not the number one factors
In their child’s success, we need to adjust this redress of grievance
Stop passing the buck and deal with our own demons
Cause your behavior might make our break your kids future
Maybe if you focused more on being an example, your child wouldn’t be
Advanced in lessons of kama sutra
And the rooster….is crowing
It’s a new day and we need to start
Going…
Going with the truth
And the truth is , our minds need a systematic reboot
Reboot the way we think about
The educational process
Unlock this door to change
Like a locksmith
There is no one facet to this situation
And sitting and twiddling our thumbs
Will only cause more anguish
Patience is a commodity we can not afford
Stop looking at the surface and get to the core
It’s us…..on the crux of catastrophe
And I’ll be daggon if I sit by watching
While it’s happening
We need to begin to grasp the issues
Stop wiping away the dirt and grime of this time with soft felt tissue
and arise to the challenge
the challenge, of imbalance within the culture
social systems are devouring our children
like vultures
Yet we sit on the sidelines and ride the bench
as if we’re spectators
this ain’t the NFL or NBA
You ain’t in the limelight and even if you were
Forget the haters
Take strides toward momentous change
And let your veins flow with compassionate
Blood, whether you’re from the hood,
Suburbs or sticks
It’s all good
We should
Stand up for what we believe in
Get behind the lives of these kids
and mend the broken pieces
cause we all play a part in this system
and now that the cat’s out of the bag
the underlying issues are no longer a secret
It’s time to stand up and move with a cause
All bets are off
Our youth will not fail
That’s of course if we’re not hung up
On the concept of betrayal
Let’s sail into new horizons
The truth is before us
We don’t need to find it.
Change…..we need it!
I've been working diligently to provide you all with a site that you can easily access to find out more about who I am as a person, and my engagements. This site also gives you further opportunities to voice your opinions about certain topics.
Feel free to visit at: http://www.profoundt.com
If your child misbehaves, you know the answer,
Take out the rod and show who’s the master.
Tell him if he doesn’t follow, exactly what you say
You’ll take him out this world just like you brought him in that day
Beat the living daylights out of him until he complies
Never take out a moment to speak to his heart and mind
Don’t read research books, that’s completely absurd
Perpetuate the cycle of confusion and do what YOU learned
Cause back in the day…
Our parents didn’t tolerate disrespect
Of for that matter, any other foolishness
We did what they said
And there was no question
Never assisted our parents with character
Even if they needed the correction…
-PT
After serious reflection and contemplation I’ve come to this conclusion….Black parenting makes absolutely no sense. If you have to spank your child for the same thing over and over again, obviously the spankings aren’t working. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out, but many of us, act as if it does. We have been brainwashed by our own upbringings.
Our only resolve to the lack of character development within our children seems to be “the mighty rod of correction.” We say it all the time, “spare the rod, spoil the child,” but like a wise woman in church said one day… “It doesn’t say abuse the rod either.” More often than not, the dominating traits within our child(ren) are manifestations of our characters or lack thereof.
I have yet to find an African American parent that will say, “Yea, Shaniqua is lying because I have the tendency to embellish the truth while talking to my girlfriends over the phone.” It’s a harsh reality but we need to start owning our own mess. Children only mimic what they see, and what we see as microscopic in nature is actually magnified 100 times in a child’s eyes.
Spankings, time-outs or demonstrations don’t always work, and sometimes they actually backfire because you only get temporary compliance. Your child(ren) will act out when you’re not around because he/she has only learned not to make decisions around the enforcer and when I say decisions I mean exactly that…….decisions. Children have to feel free to make decisions and they will not always be what we think are correct. If they don’t feel safe enough around you to make them, they will try testing the waters in school and other environments where you have no control. Does that mean we spank or beat them?
Have you ever tried talking or working through a problem together? Yeah, I know this sounds absurd to black parents, but as absurd as it is…..it works at times. Your child not only learns critical thinking, but that you actually care. Discipline does not always have to be negative. As a matter of fact I prefer instruction rather than the word discipline. Kids hate that word and discipline implies the need to control.
Ask yourself, what is it that you want for your child? Do you want an obedient adolescent that listens to every wind and doctrine or one that thinks for him/herself based off their own convictions? I chose the latter but the process of getting there is still rocket science to me right now. Parenting is difficult and it takes actual work. I believe people immediately spank their kids because it’s the easiest solution, especially if you’re tired, just got in from work or are trying to keep people from thinking that you’re this soft, passive parent.
Please don’t think I’m saying spankings should be ruled out altogether. That is definitely not the case. Some things call for a spanking but you have to discern what those things are and you still have to talk to your child(ren).
Now, I haven’t completely figured out everything but I know one thing is for sure; I won’t be providing the same consequences and expecting different results.
Image found at: www.stuffnigerianpeoplelike.com/
Fellow Readers,
It's been some time since I've been up here. As you all know, life happens and sometimes, people happen....if you get my drift. Some just know how to push those buttons and leave you in a rut, left fending for yourself, because they said something to question your character or take you out of character. Nevertheless,I can't really blame them for my own mishaps, because when it comes down to it, I am responsible for my own behavior. Sometimes it can be difficult. You may find yourself grown still acting like a child, wanting to punch someone in the face for something they did or said. Stress takes its toll on you and you don't have time or may not feel like doing anything else because, in the words of my fellow co-worker.....you're drained.
I say all this to say...."I simply did not have time to post stuff." You ever have so much crap happening to you that you thought someone was conspiring against you? I mean "A" might not even know "B" but you just feel somehow, they are connected, because there is literally, no way possible for everything to seemingly go on a decline at the same time.
You have to agree with what I'm saying. Problems are enemies to no one. You can be the wealthiest in the world and still have problems. What I don't get is why, people act like you shouldn't have them and that you should always be on your "A" game. Excuse me, unless you have supernatural abilities, you will fall off at some point. Whether it be from posting to your blog, relationship, parenting, working or what have you....you will not perfect everything in your life time. So give people a break. Let them come up for air. And most of all, give yourself one. You have to get dry mouth from talking about people so much. If you give yourself a break and provide others mercy, maybe you will avoid the white crust that forms on the cracks of your mouth from talking so much and the stench of halitosis.
Somebody said that in order for someone to want to follow a blog, you have to talk about people. How about....let's talk about our own junk. If we start there, we'll talk for days. Anyways.......
Sorry for chatting you up. Time for me to give my mouth a break..well, my fingers. I should be more current with my posts now, however,that doesn't mean my problems have subsided....it just means I now have time and energy.
image found at: www.kf6nvr.net/blog/archives/cat_work.html
Dear Imprisoned Voice,
I apologize for the lies that I use to disguise you, for the emotional abuse you cried through. My sincerest regrets for wanting to reject you, then conveniently upset you, by forcing you to come from beneath your hiding place.
Please once again make haste and chase any and every vulgar, irrefutable outrageous
And outlandish item discussed within your presence, because my words recently roll off my lips like heaven. But not in the sense of being a place of rest, just one of distress when the individual discovers my words to be untruthful but initially easy to digest.
I beg you dissect all that is uncovered. Find a way to overcome this lover of acceptance. Force me to release you and stop being reckless—provide you leverage and wisdom…..
Controlled from the folds within this cranium so that I can unlock you from the chains that have stained my character.
Sincerely,
ProfoundThought
(image found at: www.soldiersperspective.us/.../ )