April is National Poetry Month. A time to read, write, explore, reach and teach...through poetry.
National Poetry Month was originally launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996 and is a yearly celebration across the country.
Accordingly, here are a few selections of verse for your edification and enjoyment.
Thanks for reading!
What Next for Black America
(C) 2009 Eve Cogdell
If a Black man can
Rise above the horrible atrocities of slavery
If he can lead a nation to envision
Unheard of possibilities
If a Black man can
Lead voter registrations, if he can make decisions
That affect our entire nation
If a Black man can
Change a country’s centuries old beliefs
If he can become mayor of a major city
If a Black man can
Prevent violence in our neighborhoods
And crimes in our communities
If a Black man can
Lead youth to believe in themselves
If he can make the world stand up
And take notice of all his accomplishments
If a Black man can become a Benjamin Carson
Or a Smokie Norful or a Jesse Jackson,
Or a Peabo Bryson or a Charles Drew
Or a Jan Matzilinger or a Jamie Foxx
Or a Will Smith or a Michael Jordan
Or a TD Jakes or a Denzel Washington
Or a Booker T. Washington or a Malcolm X
Or a Martin Luther King, Jr.
If a Black man can become President
Of the United States, and sit in the White House
Then, what next for Black America
Maybe, just maybe like Martin we’ll finally be able to say
I’ve been to the mountaintop
Maybe we’ll be like the Israelites
And cross over the Jordan
And maybe, just maybe we will finally be able to ascend
To new heights on the wings of our dreams
CORONA CONTEMPLATIONS
BY: SPORTY KING
How many positive conversations have you had with yourself this week?
Why not plan to add to that number today
it may feel a little funny at first
Especially if you have nothing but Nice things to say.
Pat your back of Resiliency with a coat of Noteworthy praise
Cast aside the Negativity of Negligence
As the mirror must be your immediate concern.
Immerse yourself in how to logon and connect
To personalize the technology you must learn.
Be Nimble as you work your way around the kitchen
Renaming it the Break Room or the Lounge
Satisfy your Ravenous appetite for success
So that your testimony will Resound.
For as we are all in this together
Let’s keep it together while we’re in
Be it household, neighborhood, County, city, state or on a desert plain.
Believe that the virus won’t get the last word
For the victory is sewn into the word
Of the God whose Love Undoes Everything
Walking us through the valley of the dead (YEY)
Focused on the sunshine He guarantees will follow the Rain.
-
ADVICE TO A YOUNGER GENERATION
BY: JENNIFER BROWN BANKS
LIFE CAN SOMETIMES BE HARD
BETTER LEARN TO BE SMART,
USE A PARENT
OR AN ELDER
FOR A MENTOR--
THINK OF US
AS STUDY BUDDIES,
WE KNOW THE MATERIALS
WROTE
THE “CLIFF NOTES,”
WE’RE SCHOLARS
OF THE SCHOOL OF “HARD KNOCKS”
DON’T YOU KNOW THAT
MATURITY ROCKS?
OUR YEARS
ON THIS EARTH HERE,
HAVE PROVIDED
MANY VALUABLE LESSONS,
TO SAVE YOU
TRIAL AND ERROR
AND HEARTBREAK,
FOR HEAVEN SAKES,
ASK US QUESTIONS,
PICK OUR BRAINS,
THERE IS SO MUCH WISDOM
TO BE GAINED!
For additional resources and reads regarding National Poetry Month, visit:
Thoughts? Comments?
Image credits: Pixabay.com
