Friday, August 26, 2016

Oh my mama told me




Here I lay holding my child in my arms
Hunger only for the peace in my heart
While Tracy Chapman croons on
Feeling utterly blessed

Lyrics

Oh my mama told me 
'Cause she say she learned the hard way 
Say she want to spare the children 
She say don't give or sell your soul away 
'Cause all that you have is your soul

Don't be tempted by the shiny apple 
Don't you eat of a bitter fruit 
Hunger only for a taste of justice 
Hunger only for a world of truth 
'Cause all that you have is your soul

I was a pretty young girl once 
I had dreams I had high hopes 
I married a man he stole my heart away 
He gave his love but what a high price I paid 
And all that you have is your soul

Don't be tempted by the shiny apple 
Don't you eat of a bitter fruit 
Hunger only for a taste of justice 
Hunger only for a world of truth 
'Cause all that you have is your soul

Why was I such a young fool 
Thought I'd make history 
Making babies was the best I could do 
Thought I'd made something that could be mine forever 
Found out the hard way one can't possess another 
And all that you have is your soul

Don't be tempted by the shiny apple 
Don't you eat of a bitter fruit 
Hunger only for a taste of justice 
Hunger only for a world of truth 
'Cause all that you have is your soul

I thought, thought that I could find a way 
To beat the system 
To make a deal and have no debts to pay 
I'd take it all take it all I'd run away 
Me for myself first class and first rate 
But all that you have is your soul

Don't be tempted by the shiny apple 
Don't you eat of a bitter fruit 
Hunger only for a taste of justice 
Hunger only for a world of truth 
'Cause all that you have is your soul

Here I am I'm waiting for a better day 
A second chance 
A little luck to come my way 
A hope to dream a hope that I can sleep again 
And wake in the world with a clear conscience and clean hands 
'Cause all that you have is your soul

Don't be tempted by the shiny apple 
Don't you eat of a bitter fruit 
Hunger only for a taste of justice 
Hunger only for a world of truth 
'Cause all that you have is your soul

Oh my mama told me 
'Cause she say she learned the hard way 
Say she want to spare the children 
She say don't give or sell your soul away 
'Cause all that you have is your soul

All that you have 
All that you have 
All that you have 
Is your soul


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Shedding old skin

Shedding old skin 
All thoughts die away
Dissolve into nothing
Wisps on the wind
Giants fade to dust
Fear drops away
When the worst they could do to you
Is done
It's like shedding old skin
You step out of it 
And simply walk away

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Grace- at the end of the road

When you arrive at the end of the road to the point of no return, there is a deafening silence. You can see with absolute clarity the indisputable truth. It solemnly states itself. It is neither dramatic nor loud. Sans fanfare it is just 'there'. No solutions are apparent. You've already given all you had. There is no turning back because behind you lies only unhappiness. And yet you cannot step forward because before you lies a bottomless ocean. There is nothing more you can do...A strange calmness envelops you in its embrace. There is a resignation. An acceptance-of that which is. Simply is.

At this moment dear human take a breath.

Pause.

Laugh.

Feel giddy with euphoria...

Because, dear one, only magnificence lies before you at this point.

One of two things can happen.

You will either be taught how to walk on water, or you will be given wings to fly!

(The universe will never throw you, where grace will not catch you O faithful one.)




Sunday, August 14, 2016

Out of your reach

You ask me about my strength
You wonder how I got it
And what it is that makes me tick
And keep on ticking 
Even after I take a licking

I fought a monkey when I was five
I fought a mugger at ten
At nine I was held at gunpoint
At eleven my family split
At fourteen I struggled with relatives
Who always saw me as troublesome
Because I called out their bullshit
At nineteen I was wed
At twenty two I was a mother
At twenty six I was divorced
And then I took some lovers
Who ripped my heart to shreds 
So I left the lovers and learned how to sew myself together
Somewhere along the way I got some degrees
Somewhere along the way I fell and cried and picked myself up again
My bones tell the tale
Of all my aches and pains
Unspoken wails sit in the tight knots of my muscles
And the smile on my face hides the tears
That I hold back sometimes for days

You wonder at my calm
And at my joy
Before there was calm
There were screams for days
Before there was joy
I wept an ocean

You see me stand tall
And you see me laugh
And in your entitlement
You seek to judge
You try to break me down
Sometimes for sport
Sometines you stand in awe of me
Some days you fear me

It will take more than you to break me
More than you to make me fall
Not in your lifetime will I crumble
Never before you kow tow
Maybe that is what frightens you
Maybe that's why you judge
Maybe that is why you try to break me
Hoping that before you I will bow

Strength is earned 
By each fall we take
Courage is an internal state
Joy is a choice
I will not break in your lifetime
Try as you might
I will be like water 
Slip through your fist
The tighter you try to squeeze me
I'll melt away
Out of reach