Books Matter Too

Tags

#booksmatter, anti-censorship, banned books week, censorship, first amendment, fREADom, read banned books

Let’s fight censorship…
defend the first amendment,
’cause books matter too.

-StevieStreets #LibraryDiaries | Books Matter Too: read banned books

Explore The Stacks

Tags

anti-censorship, banned books week, censorship, fREADom, read banned books, READstricted, the stacks

Let’s explore the stacks!
Look for books from the banned list,
celebrate fREADom.

–@StevieStreets #LibraryDiaries | from THE COFFEEHOUSE COLLECTION: Explore The Stacks: read banned books

#ITSTOOMUCH

Tags

#itstoomuch, black lives matter, dear america, die nigger die nigger die nigger die, expletive the police, i too am america, insert name here, it's too many to name, police brutality

Athletes sit down and there’s a public outcry.
Politicians not standing up for justice should be the public outcry.

Unarmed men and women fall victim to those sworn to uphold the law…
civil servants & critics sit on the sidelines.
Athletes take a knee in solidarity to draw attention to the public executions that we all saw…
they’re criticized for sitting on the sidelines.

It’s amazing how the same people that were defending the confederate flag are now concerned with patriotism.
It’s amazing how the same league that didn’t bring athletes out for the national anthem is now concerned with patriotism.

I’m not surprised when justice is not found…
the scales of justice don’t hold no weight, if your skin is black or brown.

This is the same country that planned picnics to go see my people die…
So no; I’m not surprised when I hear echoes of DIE NIGGER! DIE NIGGER! DIE NIGGER! DIE!

They want me to believe that I too am America… but I don’t see why.
No! I don’t see how… I don’t see how they expect me to believe the world’s a better place.
We have Black and Brown people incarcerated at epidemic rates.
We have Black men and women being killed by the police at epidemic rates.

White men that molest children get less time than Black and Brown men that sell drugs in the United States.
White men that rape women get less time than Black and Brown men that fight dogs in the United States.

White men can commit a murder on videotape and never do a day in jail in the United States.
A Black man can get killed with his hands up on videotape…
and before his body is laid to rest, the media will put his character on trial in the United States.

I don’t see how they want me to believe that the times have changed in the United States.
It’s 2016 but it feels like 1958 in America.
I don’t see how we have a bigot as a potential presidential candidate in America.

They’ve been cutting school budgets and privatizing prisons…
but the media won’t relay that to the citizens of America.
The governer is trying take over the schools…
but they’re more concerned with teacher bae in America.

Athletes sit down to stand up for justice and there’s public outcry in America.
Police are killing Black men and women like it’s open season…
yet your eyes are dry America.
We hashtag BLACK LIVES MATTER and they say all lives matter…
aint that America.

Dear America, we hear you…
sweet land of liberty – right?
Equal rights and justice for all…
all but the Blacks and Browns – right?

It’s all about the green…
green eyes and greenbacks – right?
I hope you remember your statue of liberty is brown…
oxidation made it green – right?

Dear America,
the police killings are becoming much too much.
Dear America,
the disparities of justice are much too much.
IT’S TOO MUCH!
IT’S TOO MUCH!
IT’S TOO MUCH!

–@StevieStreets #insertnamehere, #itstoomanytoname #poem | #ITSTOOMUCH

Diamond Life Insights: Redefine Your Mind

Tags

alchemy, diamonds, facing fears, inner glow, jewels of life, mindset, outlook, pressure, understanding, vantage points

A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure. -Henry Kissinger

#codeofthestreets:
If you’re going through something, go through it; face your fears, focus, and keep pressing forward. Don’t let the pressure of the process break you; there’s always a process before progress, let your obstacles make you… let ’em make you mentally, physically, and emotionally stronger. If you can’t jump over the hurdles, RUN THROUGH THEM; don’t let trepidation take you off track, don’t fall at the first hurdle. Remember, obstacle courses are designed to enhance your ability. Your stumbling blocks are building you up, let them lead you towards something beautiful. Keep on keeping on, stay the course, the pressure is shaping something beautiful. You are tougher than a diamond, you are as brilliant as a diamond; with laser-sharp focus, you will shine bright like a diamond… THE WORLD IS YOURS, there’s a diamond mine in your mind; if the diamond can make it out of the rough, so can you.

Time tells everything, fire refines gold, pressure makes diamonds and your attitude is the alchemist that makes ordinary moments extraordinary. Imagine how wonderful life would be, if you learned to welcome the pressure. Now practice the power of now and welcome the pressure like the Hope Diamond. Learn to let the jewels of life enrich your heart and enrich your mind and in Godspeed may they transform your soul into a beautiful treasure.

–@StevieStreets | Diamond Life Insights: Redefine Your Mind

Side Eye

Tags

#sideeyebae, Aunt Esther, black girl magic, black women's attitude, if looks could kill, side eye, watch out sucka

She’s nice and lovely…
but her side eye game is mean;
she’ll Aunt Esther you.

I admit, I love…
the infamous attitude
and side eye glances.

She sits quietly…
silently judging, speaking
with side eye sidebars.

That black girl magic
paired with that bold attitude;
nothing more to say.

Where’s #sideeyebae at?
Ms. communicate with looks,
I’m looking for you. 😉

–@StevieStreets 😒 #haiku | Side Eye: an ode to LaWanda Page and the infamous black women’s attitude

Instagram, Instamatic

Tags

instagram, instamatic, kodak moments, photo genics, photographic

She’s Instagram Bae,
I’m Kodak Instamatic;
we shared a moment.

She’s IG Ready…
and me – I’m her Classic Man;
we’re picture perfect.

Kodak Moments and…
photographic memories;
EXPERIENCE LIFE.

She – she became life…
He – he became old man time;
they made history.

Time is illmatic…
Instagram’s Instamatic;
new wave, same fabric.

–@StevieStreets #newinstamatic #haiku | Instagram, Instamatic

The War On Drugs revisited

Tags

opportunity school districts, reaganomics, rockefeller drug laws, schools not prisons, sociology, the war on drugs, white collar crime

#rockefellerdruglaws

#thewarondrugs [eh hmm #thewaronthepoor]

#sociology

#whitecollarcrime [#privatizedprisons, #capitalists on #capitolhill, #mandatoryminimum & #threestrikelaws, #commodifiedconvictions, the #GEOgroup & the #correctionscorporationofamerica, and #reaganomics]

#unequaleducation [#elementaryandsecondaryeducationact, #nochildleftbehindact, #HB133 – #OSD: #opportunityschooldistricts , #ADD & #ADHD #misdiagnosis]

WAKE UP & WISE UP:
#noHB133 #noOSD;
it’s another legal opportunity to destroy the community,
the capitalists are reinventing legislation to allow them to capitalize off of the community.

THE WAR ON DRUGS has allowed the corporations to push pharmaceuticals from cubicles.

They have been peddling Ritalin to children,
lobbying the doctors to doctor you up with prescriptions.

They misdiagnose and overwrite prescriptions
cause their money multiplies when they prescribe your addictions.

They have been cutting school budgets and building prisons
cause they make money off of the inmates in prison.

When your lack of education becomes a crippling affliction,
the good folks behind the war on drugs will be there to sell you methadone and methamphetamines to soothe your addiction.

The war on drugs has increased the incarceration rates,
Blacks & Latinos have been incarcerated at epidemic rates.

The war on drugs has allowed the prescription pill mills to grow at alarming rates,
the FDA approves oxycontin for children in the United States.

Meanwhile rapists and killers have done less time than drug dealers in the United States…
and World Wars have had less casualties than the drug war of the United States.

World Wars have had less casualties than the drug war of the United States.
World Wars have had less casualties than the drug war of the United States.

–@StevieStreets #blacklivesmatter | The War On Drugs revisited

Pinot Grigio & Poetry

Tags

a different kind of vibe, amy winehouse, invocations, libations, literature, muse, pinot grigio, poet, poetry, wine house

I just wanna listen to Amy Winehouse
in a wine house,
swirl something light,
invocate the muse,
and write.

–@StevieStreets #amywinehouse, the #winelover, the #poet #writing a #poem… #adifferentkindofvibe poem | Pinot Grigio & Poetry: an ode to lioness – hidden treasures, libations, & literature

National Read A Book Day 2016

Tags

#turnupabook, celebrate reading, LIBRARY DIARIES, local author collection, read local

September 6 is
NATIONAL READ A BOOK DAY;
#turnupabook, please.

Download an eBook,
crack open a Hardcover,
or a paperback.

Celebrate Reading!
Today is read a book day,
read more and talk less.

Browse your library’s
local author collection,
read local today.

Read for an hour… or
read a few chapters. By all
means, make sure you read.

–@StevieStreets #readabookday #haiku | National Read A Book Day 2016

The Book Exchange

Tags

#datlibrarylife, #librariesofinstagram, bih better have my books, hostage negotiations, library circulation, read it return it, return your books, the circ department

Read It! Return It!
’cause the circ team be like… BIH
BETTER HAVE MY BOOKS! 😂

Yeah, you have our books.
It’s cool, we have your boy. Then
came the book exchange.

The #circdepartment
#librariesofinstagram
#datlibrarylife

The circulation
department is the heartbeat
of the library.

–@StevieStreets #librarycirculation #haiku | from THE LIBRARY DIARIES COLLECTION: The Book Exchange

postscript:

We don’t want your boy…
pay your fines, return your books;
you have 14 days.