Category: Uncategorised

Benny never was the flyest kid on the block,

Never the king of the kids, grades all over the shop,

‘Nerd,’ ‘geek’, ‘dweeb’, he’d heard ‘em all, branded every title suggesting weirdness and withdrawal,

Teacher was a decent sort, though that patience sometimes ran short,

Turned into a banshee rather quickly when her tribe be yapping like parrots atop a tree,

Now and then handed gifts to they who pulled their weight,

Worked hard and played fair, kind to all and made the grade,

Benny never cared, his sole objective was to survive,

So you could imagine his surprise, one time, he was announced the winner of the prize,

Felt great to be on top, to the victor goes the spoils,

The underdog crowned the king, his peers his loyal subjects, gotta do as he pleased,

But the moment was short-lived, reality an unwanted intruder,

The home bell sounds and they’re onto him like vultures,

Sore losers and intimidators joining forces demanding and threatening that he hand it over, even though he’d won it no problem,

Voices from all directions got him feeling trapped and frustrated,

Fuck the lot of them, fuck being the winner, turned out to be a curse than a blessing,

Off he marches to teacher, relinquishes the crown,

‘I don’t deserve this,’ says he, she needn’t question him any further,

Takes it back, dismissed the class, can’t condone actions nothing short of crass,

Much to their dismay, moaning and groaning all around,

Just desserts served, bullying can never be rewarded, they denied him of his moment, now they’re paying for it,

And so Benny slinks away, head bowed, thank God it’s a Friday,

It was a bitter blow but the weekend awaits, he lives to fight another day.

If you want it, go and get it, come hell or high water,

You’ll walk through fire for it, fight for it and whatever,

Heard it all before, motivational talk spewed to and fro,

Coming in handy for missions of all sorts, for crusades or when shooting for impossible goals,

They say only the persistent are rewarded, quitters never win,

But how much must one take before they’re permitted to pack it in?

They are lionized and admired, those who defy the odds,

But what of they who walk away, minds changed then switching lanes?

Do they get props for changing course or are they quitters only deserving scorn?

Sure, hard work pays off, the spoils go to those that work their asses off,

But what if you get more than you bargained for? Found out it wasn’t worth the struggle? Prompting a change in course to a destination less glamorous?

No telling what’s on the other side, gut instincts could save your life,

Perhaps backing out is warranted, but when is the proper time for it?

Half full, half empty, is the sun shining or darkness halted?

Given the state of the world today, you wonder how one can act like all’s ok?

Gotta keep it real and see it all for how it is, unlike those grinning ear to ear living in dreams,

But why keep your eyes trained to the grey and gloom? On a constant lookout for impending doom?

To the common eye seems a waste of time, living scared than in the prime of life,

They say they who peer through the proverbial shades tinted rose-colored to match their cheery disposition have a higher chance of getting more out of life, of smashing goals left and right,

Leave a lasting legacy that traverses through time, leave their counterparts floundering, unfulfilled, screaming into the night,

But that’s a myth, they, too, can build kingdoms, all while travelling unfiltered,

Understanding it ain’t all sunshine and rainbows and acknowledging the darkness, embracing what is than trying to paint it a different color,

Doesn’t make them the lesser among us, such a suggestion makes one self-righteous,

Some walk on sunshine while others are content to dance in the storm.

They say loneliness kills, innocuous but deadly,

Likewise they say to be wary, far too many carry hidden levels of toxicity,

There’s someone for everyone, up to us to find ‘em, that someone to build a life with, grow old and prosper with,

But get with the wrong one, that shit’s a death wish, hard to tell friend from foe, makes you wonder why try at all,

Their handiwork insidious, covert at first before bursting to the surface,

The damage irrevocable, often leading to dire and desperate consequences,

No wonder many go their own way, romance is dead, bright and clear as day,

Nothing wrong with travelling on your lonesome, but what of the other option,

The journey gets lonely, might be nice to have some company, to help with day to day living, the teamwork so gratifying,

Provided that love, trust and respect remains intact, such is the case, for the most part,

You need not read them only in stories, look around, it’s possible in reality,

Take your time and find one that you vibe with, never know what might unfold,

Can’t dump all in the same box, to do so suggests the whole race is lost,

Sadly, the mask drops when least expected, villains in disguise win, the innocent left the victims, broken and picking up the pieces.

Eyes looking up, eyes looking down, yours are the former, yours truly the latter,
Companions along the journey, one seen and done many, the other starting out, oblivious to what’s to come about,
That’s the way it is, Kiddo, both for you and me, better strap yourself in, the ride won’t always go smoothly,
You’ll laugh and you’ll cry, experience both ends of the spectrum,
Sunshine and rain, pleasure and pain, your outlook could change day after day.

Got a permanent smile on your dial, the world is your oyster with so much to offer,
So much to look forward to, time must move at a snail’s pace for you,
Picked up some bare necessities but on the lookout for what’s unexplored,
Slow and steady does it, you’re but a fresh young chook strutting about the paddock in the early morning,
In stark contrast this old boy’s inching closer to midday, many hours elapsed, still some way to endgame,
Once was where you were, all smiles and full of beans, counting tomorrows than yesterdays, living carefree,
Never stressing about the calendar, let alone the clock,
But as time passes, so do those halcyon days, welcome to the struggle, less time for games,
Gotta fend for yourself, gotta be smart and savvy, every decision can and will pay dividends but also lead to catastrophes,
Curiosity and willingness taking a back seat to caution and thoughtfulness, sometimes to the point of overthinking, no wonder grown folks stop dreaming,
Failure becomes a dirty word, a means to quit than to renew the search,
Been guilty of giving one too many cares to trends and others’ opinions, shook it off long ago, but the fact remains some valuable time went to waste,
Sun still shining bright for ya, lights slightly dimming for this warrior,
Let’s get back on course, to the present, there’s no need to scare ya.

How you find entertainment in any random moment, no matter how small and insignificant, plain and mundane,
That insatiable curiosity, that eagerness to have a go,
They may drive your parents up the wall, but don’t you ever let it go,
Sure, you gotta have boundaries, there are lessons to be learned,
Pushing one too many buttons can get yourself burned,
But don’t let the so-called powers stop you from thriving,
Stay gold and keep on growing, that’s the art of living,
Time is undefeated, but do stay curious and never jaded,
Slow that clock to a crawl, you’ll feel you can live forevermore,
And don’t let trials and tribulations render you cold and indifferent,
Many done took the bait and been trapped, all sense of wonder and appreciation sapped,
No one likes a downer, more of them head to the afterlife sooner,
Keep on the sunny side and see that glass as half-full, watch and you’ll see, you’ll be paid in full.

Back to the present, watching you swing that cabinet door,
Somehow thrilled by that cling-clang, back-and-forth,
Suddenly you turn, wondering towards this weary soul,
Still with a smile, a giggle to go with it, hands up, looking up, looking to hitch a ride.

Though conjured up from one writer’s imagination you’d since been dumped along with cinema’s greatest villains,
No, you never shared their dark intentions, never was bent on domination and mass murdering,
Rather, they deemed you guilty of manipulation and deception towards the one that loved you come hell or high water,
By all appearances you were the girl-next-door, the type guys take home to Mom,
On the surface beautiful and glowing, sadly, your journey nothing short of tragic,
Wounds may heal but scars never fade, if they only knew, if they walked in your shoes, how would they handle the pain?

Boy gets on school bus, an instant victim of hazing,
Girl offers him a seat, a godsend among bullies, brats and the indifferent,
Thus began a friendship, like peas and carrots as he put it,
Found out soon enough she was born into darkness,
Pops was bitter, drunk and a pervert, preyed upon her and her sisters,
His reign of terror blunted by coppers while she was saved by social services,
Should have been new beginnings but began a prolonged period of suffering,
Self-destruction, vices and toxic entanglements your main means of coping with the shame and self-loathing that comes with a childhood taken, by he who was supposed to keep you sheltered from the monsters and trappings life hurls large doses,
Feeling dirty day by day, no amount of washing can wipe away the shame,
If he should get a glimpse, what would he say?

Maybe he’s different, might still deem you a worthy companion,
But a closer look could send him off and running, his rejection akin to a death sentence,
Can’t risk that last rope, somewhere deep inside you remains a flickering hope,
With him the main source, his mere presence your own safe zone,
And so you build barriers, can’t let him get close,
Fearful of his rejection, for he’s too pure a soul,
And so they call you the villain and abuser, ironic given how you came up,
Can’t stop, won’t stop leaving him wanting, they’re saying, his heart you’re constantly breaking,
He took on the Vietcong, won the Medal of Honor, became a champ at ping pong, got rich off of shrimping, cleaned up thanks to Apple,
While you set out drifting, finding new synthetic ways to go flying, hooked up with one lowlife after another, ending up bruised and battered, even considered ending matters,
Reunited every once in a while, your paths at times intertwined, but whenever he made a play you somehow always slipped away,
Soon he popped the question, said he’d make a good hubby, you cautioned him against it, fearful that he’d regret it,
Came back for good only after you’d had his kid, never even called him, hit him with the news from out the damn blue, how messed-up are you?

He must be blinded or a simp to take you back, he always was naïve,
They claim to see the real you, their vitriol rather hard to believe.
But they can’t or won’t see your side of the story,
Yours was hardly sunshine and rainbows, a horror show even if not as gory,
Low self-worth and a fear of abandonment conspiring to leave you ill-equipped to open up, trust and truly love another
They say you played him like a fiddle, but in truth your heart been kicked and busted once too often,
Left battered and burned by former flames, Pops was far from the only culprit,
Later the film got you both running, but for different reasons,
He’s running to gain clarity and a search for answers, you’re running for self-preservation and a need to escape demons,
But not before you both popped the cherry, finally, from there created life,
A bouncing baby boy born to y’all, only, the father was out accruing miles,
And so you raised him alone, until he was five or four,
Daddy finally home, found your letter, off he went to your humble abode,
They say you should have called him sooner, but forget that he was lapping the country several times over,
Took him three years, in the 1980s, when connections were limited, no smartphones, social media, facetime or any advanced technologies,
At least you let him know, eventually, became a family, effortlessly,
Finally exchanged ‘I do’s’, a happy ending achieved, living and loving life together until you became a precious memory,
Best friends-turned-star-crossed lovers, a charmed life and a cursed one colliding, both paths eventually merging, Mr. Groom couldn’t have penned it better,
Spawned a classic film, one of the most iconic, a story of hope, fortitude and determination, and a simple box of chocolates.

So that’s about it, Dear Jenn, sorry they treated you this way,
Not sure if you were written to be the villain or the victim of a gross misunderstanding,
Shows the hazards of a wretched upbringing, how trauma leads to destruction,
The avoidant tendencies of the broken, even towards loved ones,
But in the end you’re merely fictional, conjured up from the mind of some writer,
Though yours is a story all too familiar for some real-life individuals,
Not all are privileged to have come up unscathed and injury-free,
To be born into love and stability, granted a childhood both complete and nostalgic,
If they only viewed it through the lenses you’re wearing, what would they say?
Walked a mile in your shoes, would they feel the same way?

Scene is set, somehow back in the motherland, hardly alone, though, with me are the fam,

Unsure of the occasion, somehow, a house party is in order,

Might have been Unc’s, never did meet the owner,

Good time had by all, bonded with a select few at the ball,

Came from humble beginnings, the type that first-world dwellers couldn’t comprehend, a brand of desperation that would send the mind spinnin’,

So ends the first act, a brief intermission is in order before the next one, let’s see how it unfolds.

After a brief haze the picture clears, no static, just cut to the next scene,

The setting remains the same but there lies a soon-to-be-shocking change,

Still there with the fam, a few extended making an appearance,

But those street cats that I done chopped it with, some are missing in action,

Went out for a breather, from the corner spotted him a few yards,

Wondered why he ain’t inside, fuck it, went to see if he’d like to trade barbs,

Suddenly, from out his pocket, dude pulled out his piece,

Cocked and ready to roll, pointed it straight at me,

‘Gimme your money,’ said he, looked like a scene from a hood film,

Slowly reached for the wallet, slowly drew it out, hoping he’d soften his stance, alas he remained on guard,

Hurled it at his mug as a distraction tactic, before trying to kick that heater from his grip,

Didn’t go too far, the trigger finger proved too quick,

One shot was all it took, straight to the kisser,

A final vision of blue sky, quickly snapped into noir.

Woke up in bed, wide-eyed panting like a thirsty canine,

‘twas but a dream, shaken and stirred at what had transpired,

Found my legs eventually, slowly stood tall, feeling the earth move like Martika, not good at all,

Melted over to the sink, cold water ought to do the trick,

Staring blankly the mirror, suddenly feeling weaker,

Blood draining, eyes rolling, stiffened then hit the floor, the old boy knew no more, just like in that dream from the night before.

Woke up once more, this time in the present, had to pinch myself first, a new day has started,

A nightmare within another, definitely a first, questions and interpretations swirling, the mind fit to burst,

Struggling to comprehend the meaning, unsure if I want to proceed,

Hoping this ain’t some premonition of a grisly fate that awaits me,

Or perhaps the a product of watching one too many action and gangsta flicks,

Guess I got lost in ‘em, like it was part of someone else’s script,

So far, ain’t nothing happened to trigger a fight or flight,

Guess I’ll march on and see what happens, gotta keep that defense tight.