“You’re not the boss of me!” the kindergartner said
When his mommy told him, “Son, now it’s time for bed!”
“Wait till I turn 18, I’ll do just as I please”
Said the boy to his father as he took away his keys
“I’m 21 and DRINK; stop me if you dare!”
Genre: Family
You’re Not the Boss of Me!By Cindi Walton
“You’re not the boss of me!” the kindergartner said
When his mommy told him, “Son, now it’s time for bed!” “Wait till I turn 18, I’ll do just as I please”
Said the boy to his father as he took away his keys “I’m 21 and DRINK; stop me if you dare!”
His folks were concerned, but he didn’t really care
College came and went, and a job he did procure
Found a pretty brunette and asked to marry her
Bought a house in “Newville” where everything was new
The boss of his own destiny, to do as he would do
The years went by and children came, one, then two, then three
He had it all, life was grand, and this was his decree
“Look Mom and Dad” I did succeed, I knew it all along
You didn’t have to ride my butt and tell me right from wrong!”
The seasons changed, his kids grew up and then they started school “You’re not our boss!” his children cried, he knew he’d been a fool
He saw now as a parent sees, through eyes just like his own
He knew he had a call to make, pulling out his phone
And when his parents answered, he said between his tears
You’re the “best boss” a kid could have; I thank you for the years
You never walked away and let me run amuck
The things you meant to teach, I DO BELIEVE they’ve stuck
Until we are a parent and see what parents’ see
We never can appreciate just how we came to be
Thank you to my Mom and Dad, who led, and did not fold
And made me see the value of ….Do as you are told!
There are multiple themes that I try to touch on in my poem, love, wanderlust, youth, memory, but the biggest one is how people affect others. Everyone leaves some sort of an imprint on someone else, I like trying to look at how that can influence where people go from there and how they are as people afterwards.
Watch the Poetry Reading – PLANTING SEEDS
Poetry performed by actor Amaka Umeh
Get to know Abu B. Rafique
1) What is the theme of your poem?
There are multiple themes that I try to touch on in my poem, love, wanderlust, youth, memory, but the biggest one is how people affect others. Everyone leaves some sort of an imprint on someone else, I like trying to look at how that can influence where people go from there and how they are as people afterwards.
2) How would you like people to respond when they read or watch your poetry reading?
Preferably in a good way, I’d be a little put off if someone absolutely hated me or something. But the fact that they react is the most important thing no reaction would just make me feel like I did nothing with my words.
3) How long have you been writing poetry?
Since I was six years old. The first one I remember writing was about chicks. It’s the definitive work of a generation honestly.
4) Do you have a favorite poet?
That’s a hard one. If you threw together William Carlos Williams, Sylvia Plath, Rumi, and Allen Ginsberg, that’d probably be my favorite poet.
5) What influenced you to submit to the festival and have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
The chance to have another platform to share my work with people.
6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
Yes. I’ve got four books out actually, “Leave the Rice on the Windowsill (short story collection),” “Let’s Go Wandering (poetry collection),” “The Other Side of it All (more short stories),” and “The Chaotic Caffeine Fueled Collection (short stories and poetry).”
Many feel survival is more in the animal kingdom. Some years back, I was watching a TV station on animal survival documentary. And to be quite honest with you. The very day an animal is born, it starts surviving till its death. What I envy about them is the fact that the don’t seek pity, the keep on trying and adapt quite quickly to everything.
Genre: Society, Survivor
SURVIVAL
Many feel survival is more in the animal kingdom. Some years back, I was watching a TV station on animal survival documentary. And to be quite honest with you. The very day an animal is born, it starts surviving till its death. What I envy about them is the fact that the don’t seek pity, the keep on trying and adapt quite quickly to everything.
Truth is animals aren’t in fact too different from we humans. But the difference is when we start growing up, we forget about survival. But the animals grow up with only one thing on their mind which is survival. Our growing up is meant to be preparation for survival. Truth is that isn’t what we are doing right now. The world is getting to the stage whereby your academic excellence doesn’t determine your survival in the real world. Statistics over the years has shown that people who do well academically don’t transform that success in the real life. I think it’s only true for us to say that your fathers success isn’t enough to keep you throughout life without achieving anything yourself. The world has come to the stage whereby if you don’t prepare thoroughly for survival, you’ll literally die.
So since survival is very important, why isn’t it taught in schools, why isn’t it taught by our parents? The world isn’t for the patient anymore. Its for those who have the balls to go out there and take what’s theirs. The world isn’t for the weak no more. Learn to survive. Learn to be an animal when humans surround you.
I have a passion for the art of word
And the lines and phrases that my heart beats
Always go unheard
From similes and metaphors
The words that I’m about to give you
Will soon sing higher than any chord
Genre: Life, Rhyme
Words from Emmanuel by Emmanuel Griggs
I have a passion for the art of word
And the lines and phrases that my heart beats
Always go unheard
From similes and metaphors
The words that I’m about to give you
Will soon sing higher than any chord
Please believe what I say
My dreams will become the greatest light of day
And when I speak to you that I am before
For me
It’s just another opened door
When I speak these words it’s the most fulfilling ecstasy
But only because of its lack of complexity
I can’t believe l’ve gotten this far
Keeping prying eyes, concluding
That this little black kid is up to par
These are words for Emmanuel from Emmanuel
Manually breathing
Annually
And
You’ll get what I mean
When you bare the burden of being awake
Emmanuel? I have a question
Do you know what’s at stake
Baring the energy of hate
Smiling at what’s fake
Just standing on stage…speaking
Letting the privileged kids give you a number or rate
Now Emmanuel answer me this
Do you remember?
Do you remember the now deceased girl you kissed
Do you remember? Calling Seattle Sundays bliss
I bet you remember avoiding the name calling and fist
I may sound pissed
But it’s only the hours of sleep I’ve missed
ProMISE
Now Emmanuel breath
Be calm
Read the chapter psalms
Not a Christian?
What?!
Emmanuel shame on you
These problems aren’t little anymore
Like stubbing your toe or getting the flu
Emmanuel
Listen!
You’re your best friend
Breath
Now beginning
You can do this
Now Emmanuel…who are you?
I am but a silhouette of who they see on stage
Speaking words that slumber on my heart awaiting awakening
I am but a name within a sea of names
Drifting upon a tide to a shore I’ll soon call my own
I am but a entertainer who’s audience crave a play on words and comfy tones
I am but a bored cloud on the airwaves
Who will sometimes get a bit of rain here and there
I am but a gazelle among the lions
Watching, running, dodging, the cunning
I am but a dream within the mind
Who can disappear at any given time
I am but a novel with no plot
With an infinite amount of pages
That captures, intrigues, and fascinates my readers
I am but a weak illness with enthusiasm
With an accepted fate yet immune to a cure
I am but a male born into a stereotype and statistic
I’m always sad
But still optimistic
I am but what you see as wrong
I am the melody, lyrics, and notes to your least favorite song
I am but a vowel
That’ll never make an A
Longing to close my I’s
Jumping through O after O
Born to the letter E
Yet
Will always stand tall for U
But I’ll sometimes ask Y
Is it worth it?
Do I deserve this?
Is this a privilege?
Have I earned this?
I am but a flower without a stem
Kissed by the earth
Waving farewell to the sky
I am but an ore among the ingots
Awaiting refinery
I am but a torch in the dark place
Illuminating my surrounding area
I am only Emmanuel
Not everyone supposed to get married,
Not everyone should have kids,
Not everyone should have high-end fixed pay nine to five job,
Not everyone could’ve travel overseas every holidays,
Not everyone could’ve partying every weekend,
Not everyone could’ve mind everyone’s business,
Genre: Life, Society
Not everyone by Pyja Jurid (pyxaz)
Not everyone supposed to get married,
Not everyone should have kids,
Not everyone should have high-end fixed pay nine to five job,
Not everyone could’ve travel overseas every holidays,
Not everyone could’ve partying every weekend,
Not everyone could’ve mind everyone’s business,
Not everyone likes uploading everything on their social media accounts,
Not everyone could’ve make a lot of money and drive fancy cars,
Not everyone could’ve differentiate people based on their statuses,
Not everyone could’ve do everything what everyone is doing and,
Not everyone should get mad and listen to this.
Write your own destiny but respect other’s lives and privacy.
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