FAITH. HOPE. LOVE| Spoken Word by J. Cadence

Black Poets Speak Out--The Secret Society of Black Mothers By Natasha Ri...

The Best Advice Dr. Maya Angelou Has Ever Given—and Received - Super Sou...

Amiri Baraka on his poetry and breaking rules

Poetry-Suli Breaks- Actions Speak Louder Than Words

He Black

That’s all we know!

“He black!

He spent stacks!”

Talking about “Lord, Lord.”

You put down your sword.

No strong men among the weak.

Too busy looking for a treat.

Got their eyes on anything that move,

looking for a behind to soothe.

“He black.”

Have you got no tack?

Are you ready for attack?

Already complaining about lack.

Do you even know one fact?

Look at the price on the rack!

Can’t afford this or that!!

Want people to have your back.

Walking around like a Mack.

Be happy?

For what?

Oh that’s right, you just got butt.

So do you even care,

when all you like to do is stare.

I heard about him,

most days in front of a TV screen,

looking all lean.

Come out when they tell him,

looking clean.

Why should I be happy?

I was told to do for myself

four years ago,

he said so.

or don’t you remember?

Oh yeah, you’re a black and white member!

Change what, change who,

I didn’t abandon blue.

But blue changed into red

had me double-checking what he said.

Then red changed into blue and I knew what I wasn’t going to do.

If I didn’t make a stand,

then I would be shaking a liar’s hand.

So I closed my ears,

looked beyond my fears,

and avoided those back in the day tears.

And watched like you,

except this time,

supported my own view—

now who’s who?

Nicholl McGuire author of Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic and other books.

A Black American - Def Poetry Jam, Smokey Robinson - YouTube

A Black American - Def Poetry Jam - YouTube

Poem: They Want Our Children by Nicholl McGuire - YouTube

Poem: They Want Our Children by Nicholl McGuire - YouTube

Effeminate Male a poem by Nicholl McGuire - YouTube

I don't know why our people like to look away when something is just wrong in the atmosphere!  Do people even speak truth anymore?  Some of us excuse foolishness with, "Well you know, he's just touched...I tried to talk to him...I don't know what's wrong maybe he's a momma's boy."

So what, we just let the effeminate male watch the kids, direct the choir, or shop with us while wearing his high heel shoes and carrying his murse?  Come on now!?

I kept the following video family-friendly, and besides I didn't want any one of my young relatives thinking I was glorifying certain behaviors.  But you will get the point when you watch the video.  Please speak up if you know of a few, stay true, and don't be bullied just because some think, "Ain't nothin' wrong, don't say nothin.' "

Effeminate Male a poem by Nicholl McGuire - YouTube

For the Love...Forgetting About Your Roots

Snow White will always be in the picture with you and me,
while I'll be sitting on the table
in the background smiling,
my little smile on a syrup bottle.

I should have known from the first day
I met you that respect was far out of your reach.
For a man to respect any woman
he must respect his mother first and you don't.

Instead Snow White receives the highest honors
for her long, straight hair, thin lips
and Yankee Doodle grin.

And you say it's because she's easy...
easy in bed, easy to love,
easy to control.

And as for me, well all you have is that empty syrup bottle
to remind you of my presence,
because your too busy hiding Uncle Ben behind
the can goods in the closet of your mind.

It's just not proper to be reminded
of your blackness,
and Snow White makes you think otherwise.

You look in her mirror and you become
mentally drained into believing
that you indeed are the "fairest"
one of them all.

Nicholl McGuire, Poet and Author

Poem: My Black Ken

Alone you sit on the shelf,
the only one of your likeness
among many tan shades, blue eyes,
blond tresses, and smiling faces.

Your sistas stare at you
from across the room between
blonde strands of hair blowing
in your face.

They hope you take notice,
but you continue to look ahead
while wearing a plastic grin
and a plastic fro.

I've caught you every now and then
glancing at the tan Barbie Babes
and I moved you to a different spot.

Your sistas told me to make some room
for you near them, and I did.
But you kept falling over!

I would bend your legs,
support your back,
yet you would still fall!

So I moved you back among the Barbie Babes
and their you rested on their shoulders.

Nicholl McGuire
http://lovepoemsbynicholl.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/poemsbynicholl

Why Some People Refuse to Move to the Back of the Bus

He's afraid he may lose
his position in society
too determined
too frustrated
too worried
too stubborn
to move to the back
because if he does
he may be crowded out
forgotten
instead he rather be bumped in the head
pushed to the side
hit with bags
or hurt someone else
She's afraid like him to move
to the back
too many protests, tears, and screams
to be in the front
neither one wants to step
behind the line
neither one wants to sit in the back
so afraid, so afraid
they observe their surroundings
and hold fast with all their might
by all means
to their positions in society
their territory
their pride
their dignity.

Nicholl McGuire
http://www.twitter.com/blackspotlight

Pittsburgh African American Home Owners Bring out the Best in their Landscaping

Consider sending your neighbors a message by what you plant in your yard next season! In the book, Floral Beauty on a Dead End Street, you will see the stunning floral landscaping of two African American gardeners in a suburban neighborhood of Pittsburgh. With the city’s torrential rains and bad snow storms who would have thought flowers could survive much less be so gorgeous! Nick and Erlene McGuire have worked in their yard for over 30 years planting a variety of flowers and vegetables. When asked why do they spend so much time in their yard (from sun up sometimes to sun down,) they both respond, “Because we love being out in the yard. It is good for us.”

I have made personal contributions to their book in the form of poetry. I decided to make the wonderful flowers that they spend so much time nurturing talk. If beauty like the flowers in this book could speak, "What would they say?" I often asked myself while putting Floral Beauty on a Dead End Street together for them. The results are in this book. I use inspirational words to paint a picture of what we look like to them. I provide wisdom as if God commanded the flowers to speak. I use the flowers to remind you of your purpose in life.

Please order Floral Beauty on a Dead End Street which is in my hometown Pittsburgh at Blurb.com. Be prepared to be inspired to plant beauty wherever you may go whether it is through landscaping work like the McGuires, writing like me, singing, dancing, acting, organizing, or even spinning – help yourself and help someone else just smile!

This book is created with quality materials, a treasure that is designed to last a lifetime definitely a product you would be proud to collect: Floral Beauty on a Dead End Street