Words from Emmanuel, Poetry 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

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

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The night we fell in love, Poetry by Lari G

When our eyes met the first time,

I knew it was a sign,

And when we talked for the first time,

I knew what was next in line

Genre: Love, Romance

The night we fell in love by Lari G

When our eyes met the first time,

I knew it was a sign,

And when we talked for the first time,

I knew what was next in line

 

We dance one night,

Your left hand holding my right

Together, we sway slowly

But our hearts are beating rapidly

 

And even when the music has stopped

And everybody wants to take a nap

We keep on dancing that night

That night, where everything felt right

 

The moon is shining brighter

The wind is blowing harder

And even if the stars are teasing

We just want to keep it going

 

That night, the night you came,

My world had never been the same,

‘Cause that’s when we knew that we are bound to be together

And we both hope and pray that it will last forever

 

We dance one night

Your left hand holding my right

And we kept on swaying that night

The night we fell in love.

 

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Not everyone, Poetry 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,

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.

twitter.com/pyxaz

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SLEIGH, Poetry by Brian Anthony Hardie

Something not absent about to be spoken…

On the spotlight day, back from the child’s Eye camera eye.

Now stop does what was While you left.

Within a mile I felt the Memories following behind.

Genre: Relationship

 

SLEIGH by Brian Anthony Hardie

Something not absent about to be spoken…

On the spotlight day, back from the child’s Eye camera eye.

Now stop does what was While you left.

Within a mile I felt the Memories following behind.

Meaningless this is And should be, for the feeling too real to pass on By life.

To sob I need to rid myself of Such tremor.

Yet no possible route the way I came in would relieve pain here and now.

Much worth To grasp for my burning of our flag waving Passion.

These words pull the tears with no such Mercy.

My (I want) panic (to kiss) alleviates (you and)

What love (say I’m) I should have put forth (sorry).

Maybe from the film I project the Audience tear.

Eyes so innocent my mind would Arrest the one invoking.

Flailing around my Panic dance.

Still on the street while nausea

Entertained. To cry would forge the rage

I harmed so badly with.

So to sit with past in

The flame my only way to mend hearts alike…

about.me/BASSCLEFSNCHEE

 

 

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A MOMENT, Poetry by Oyinkan Agboola

One moment, we are a race who sees beauty in everything

The next, we have devolved into a race that sees beauty only in the vanity of appearance.

Genre:  Philosophical, Sad, Semi Inspirational, Humanity, Disappointment and a little hope.

A MOMENT by Oyinkan Agboola

 

One moment, we are a race who sees beauty in everything

The next, we have devolved into a race that sees beauty only in the vanity of appearance.

 

One moment, we speak philosophically

The next, we mock our own wise words.

 

One moment, we weep over the empty voids that are supposed to be filled with emotions.

The next, we celebrate the emptiness of the void.

 

One moment, we are so willing to fall in love

The next moment, we fear to leave the safety of the loveless heart.

 

One moment, we cling to humanity

The next, we gleefully tramp on it.

 

The moment we once again begin to see the perfection in imperfection,

The moment compassion begins to flow again in our blood,

The moment the mockery stops and the loving starts.

That is the moment we regain our humanity and lose the insanity.

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Watch 2015, Poetry Movie by Gloria D. Gonsalves

Best Poetry of 2015 Runner Up.

Poetry by Gloria D. Gonsalves

Narrated by Steve Rizzo

Editing and Visual Design by Yujin Song

Produced by Matthew Toffolo

2015, Poetry Movie by Gloria D. Gonsalves

Best Poetry of 2015 Runner Up.

Poetry by Gloria D. Gonsalves

Narrated by Steve Rizzo

Editing and Visual Design by Yujin Song

Produced by Matthew Toffolo

​​​​​​It’s Only Right, Poetry by Drew Price

I know he didn’t mean it. He says I’m sorry so it’s only right I forgive him. He tells me he loves me so it’s only right I believe him. He tells me it won’t happen again so it’s only right I trust him.

Genre: Hurt, Love, Lust, Pain

​​​​​​It’s Only Right by Drew Price
​​​The Fool in Love (Which Always Seems To Be The Woman)

​​​​​​Cliché

I know he didn’t mean it. He says I’m sorry so it’s only right I forgive him. He tells me he loves me so it’s only right I believe him. He tells me it won’t happen again so it’s only right I trust him. And you know I’d leave him but its only right I’m insecure, lost without him its only right my self-esteem be knee high to a grass hopper, Knee high to a new born, knee high to the leg of the chair I fell into you know the one he pushed me into when I mustard up a mustard seed amount of courage to tell him I’m worth more, but its only right that I didn’t because not even I believe that. I know he’s unfaithful, but it’s only right I stay because he may sleep with them, but he comes home to me so I know he doesn’t care about them only me, just like he says. Not even the sting of peroxide inside my open wounds makes for reason enough to leave because I know he’s just stressing got a lot on his plate and I just pushed him to his limit. So don’t tell me to go don’t warn me of my safety because I find pleasure in the pain of the fast fist and harsh words or at least that’s what I told myself because its only right I make excuses as to why I should stay. We all know I’m insecure its only right I can’t live without him like my life wasn’t created before him and won’t be without him like I hadn’t found any parts of heaven before him but hell burned in my back yard so you know it’s only right he be my knight and shining armor to put the fire out. I know his words are sour. Stale “your beautiful” and false “I love you,” but I stomach it because somewhere this must be a delicacy and I must be very lucky and you must be a treasure and I must be a wonder and you don’t see it yet, but its only right I stay around until you do because we all know a foolish wife believes all tales true or untrue which goes right back to me needing you which goes right back to never leaving you because that’s what I’m supposed to do as the insecure lover who obviously has no brother.. Or no father because its only right my reasoning be need for male figures need for a heart lifter need for a strong hand even though your back hand is firmer than your hug but somehow they both feel the same. It’s only right I push that feeling behind my lasting love because it’s only right I become a punching bag for love. It’s only right I have no back bone so I stomach your rough hands even if they crack and bleed against my open wounds created by those same rough hands. It’s only right I be stuck between rock and hard place more like fist and fist cold heart and dead emotion not love all lust but its only right I stay. I…. the joke past among friends masked as she deserves betters and she’s stupid for staying, masked as “why do you think so little of yourself?” and “ Child I know you lost your father but he’s turning over in his grave at the sight of you with this monster.” It’s only right I lift my head slow with the weight of a ton of a bricks and say “you don’t know him like I do. Really, he’s a different so don’t talk bad about him just remember the curl in his smile the first day you met him and remember how beautiful the mask created by his wit was. Remember him as he was the fantasy of my imagination. Remember when I told you “This one’s different,” It’s only right I face my mother like god on judgement day and say “See momma’ I’m okay. He gave me this ring to make it all go away. He gave me this bag and begged me to stay.” But he also gave me these scars and on this floor I lay but its only right I stay because it’s my fault I had no right acting this way so it’s only right I stay as long as you’ve covered the bruises it means they’ve gone away so forget that day…allow it to become dust along with the person you once were… before you fell in dangerous love. This person, this flawed person with eyes containing no depth and hands too weak to hold a heart now to broken to mold into anything desirable. I, clearly the face of bastard children. Looking as though I’ve lived with no love so desperate willing to give my heart to any person willing to take it, so along came you and along came this cliché which I fit perfectly… It’s only right one day I come to my senses but only when it’s too late only when I’m bearing a child because my life alone isn’t enough to care about so it always takes a child for me to realize any sense of worth and even then my worth is no worth at all because its only right that I place me below your hard rugged feet, a footstool, a doormat, just an object to you its only right that be me. I that silent spirit too flawed for gods touch too flawed for your desire just weak enough for your abuse, I that still fool hearted silly girl, you clever lover with oil words silk smooth yet bitter to the taste but that just goes back to the delicacy you are how I must treasure this bitter taste you are this sticky feeling you bring, old song you sing, once music to the king, but your demonic heart shot your music to hell and it only be right I come along for the ride only right I steer this ship called love wreck we’ve created with our hands this ship called love wreck we’ve created where we stand and when this ship is destroyed.. It’s only right I take the blame not like you deserve it, but its only right I take the shame. To what do I owe this pleasure? You and me together to what do I owe it? I learned the back side of your hand like momma done raised me right so I memorized the sting of it that way I would never be caught off guard by the pain of it. Oh this stain you left of me. Oh this heart you broke of mine…this evil you’ve surrounded me by, so why did I pray by you? Pray for you? Have faith in your I’m sorry’s? Why? You this vast ocean with angry waves ruffled by rough winds me, this delicate ship who bares your waves just to feel the cool of your waters against my cheeks how I love the feel… even though the after math be rotting and broken boards my ship little and fragile standing up to the devil in your rocking waters…. Just for the feel of your cool waters. You my cool waters words like diamonds sharp enough to cut…. And you do, but it’s only right I hide the bleeding put a bandage over and act like it’s not there its only right I ignore the pain and the fear and the warning. My god. This skeleton of me you’ve created all skin and bones its only right I learned to starve the need for love, my god, this skeleton of me you’ve created, but its only right I learn to love my bones.
The eve of my funeral it’s only right you sit… behind rusted grey bars in a black and white jumpsuit and think of me, how much you loved me. They gave you life for taking mine. It rained for days after that because I sent tears from heaven just so you know I still cared and… I did. I this distant memory of limbs and organs who fell in love with the devil so it’s only right that even from heaven I find a soothing melody in your eyes. When you sleep I appear in your dreams and tell you, “I love the flowers you sent my mom on the eve of my death… I wish I could smell them but you snatched the air out of my lungs when your unhappy hands met my neck like baseball bats and… I forgive you, because its only right I forgive you.”

 

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The Destitute Democracy, Poetry by Steve Miller

Democracy is in peril my friends
forces greater than you or I
Conspire in the night
They seek to steal it as we slumber

Genre: Life, Society, Political

The Destitute Democracy by Steve Miller

Democracy is in peril my friends
forces greater than you or I
Conspire in the night
They seek to steal it as we slumber

Democracy is in peril my friends
We sleep walk into our fate
A fate of destitution and destruction
Where man and beast are one the same

Democracy is in peril my friends
Power rests in the hands of the minority
While the majority fends in the urban wilds
As the few live in luxury and opulence

Democracy is in peril my friends
Corruption has seeped into our society
The maxim of the age is greed is good
And might is right; we need a Robin Hood

Democracy is in peril my friends
the powerful stand as tyrants
Modern day kings of capitalism
You and I their faithful subjects

Democracy is in danger,
It is on its last legs.

Democracy lies on its deathbed
About to take its final breath
It’s time you found your voice
Before there is nothing left

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Gabby’s Story, Poetry by Ms. Rockett

From the hood of the ghettos I still rose
It wasn’t because the clothes on my back or what covered my toes
It wasn’t because my Daddy had stacks or cuz he had hoes
My momma had woes
As she rose to wake up to make up
What my Daddy left behind

Genre: Lifestyle

Gabby’s Story by Ms. Rockett

From the hood of the ghettos I still rose
It wasn’t because the clothes on my back or what covered my toes
It wasn’t because my Daddy had stacks or cuz he had hoes
My momma had woes
As she rose to wake up to make up
What my Daddy left behind
In the same town, in the same time
There were nights without lights
Roaches and mice
Screaming and fights
Grilled cheese sandwiches and box Macaroni and Cheese, canned corn and brown, I mean “green” beans
That was my life
Time behind bars before I could even dream about stars
Long dark walks and old azz men stopping in their cars
As I ran away to my Grandma house only to find out that life was still the same
No shame
It took hella years to know that I was more than my name
More than the blame
More to what came
And went
Money spent late bills sent
After the stint
In the US Navy
Shit still didn’t make sense
I’ve walked down the aisle to receive my honors
Praying and hoping the bill collectors just wouldn’t bother
I’m struggling to survive
Hoping good 90 day evaluations can keep me alive
Thinking my degrees would stop the fees, reduce my needs
Nope
Life don’t work like that
It wasn’t until I decided that it was my shadow of doubt and fear
That always seemed to loom near
Something I can’t name yet something that I framed
Operating in that frame of mind
Lost a lot of time. Cost a lot of dimes
So now I mind my mind
I practice great thinking
I sit without blinking
I make vision boards and do prayers and affirmations
I’ve turned my life into a declaration
I’ve freed myself of all frustration
The best way to describe this feeling is elation
I’ve elevated operating on a higher frequency
The bottom thinking people can’t see me
From the hood of the ghettos I’ve become a rose
One that grows inside and outside the ground and no one knows
How
Why
When
And Then
It just happened
I started blooming…

 

 

 

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Read NEW Poetry from new poets from around the world

Read NEW Poetry from new poets from around the world

MESS, by Damilola K. Fashola

https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/02/22/mess-poetry-by-damilola-k-fashola/

TANGENT, by Rebekah Mambiar

https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/02/22/tangent-poetry-by-rebekah-mambiar/

VAIN I AM, A.D. Largie

https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/02/22/vain-i-am-poetry-by-a-d-largie/

THOUGHT NAZIS, by Benzuko

https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/02/22/thought-nazis-poetry-by-benzuko/

BE THE LIGHT, by Yusef Vance

https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/02/22/be-the-light-poetry-by-yusef-vance/

MY COMPASS, by Esmeralda

https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/02/23/my-compass-poetry-by-esmeralda-hernandez/

JAHH THE POET, by Hooper Simba

https://festivalforpoetry.com/2016/02/23/jahh-the-poet-poetry-by-hooper-simba/

 

 

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