22 Saturday Apr 2017
Posted in Poems, THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS, Writing Prompts
Poetry is the art of making words beautiful,
It is using language the way a painter uses color.
–@StevieStreets #nationalpoetrymonth #artofpoetry #writingprompt | WHAT IS POETRY?
31 Sunday Jul 2016
Posted in Odes, Poems, Sonnets, THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS
Tags
apple of the eye, birds eye, man in a bowler hat, motifs, rene magritte, surrealism, symbolisms, the false mirror, the son of man, theatrical masks
Everything we see hides another thing; we always want to see what is hidden by what we see. -Rene Magritte
#codeofthestreets:
Here’s an ode to a surrealist…
Who’s the man in a bowler hat?
Who’s the son of man with the provocative and playful knack?
Why does the false mirror compel you to see the real gist?
Who do you know that can open the mind’s of academicians,
evoke mystery and keep nothing hidden?
Who’s better fit to depict the actualisms that appear before the eye…
with symbolisms and motifs that draw you to see what’s hidden neath the eye?
How many artists do you know that can alter sight like an optician,
illustrate optical illusions to draw attention to the visible that’s hidden?
There’s always more than meets the eye…
Did the forbidden fruit fall from a tree or was it the apple of the eye?
Never rule out what you see,
on the level – there’s always more left for the eye.
In your right mind,
your left eye is the bird’s eye…
Don’t be close minded,
open your third eye;
the windows to the unmasked soul lie in the left eye.
Did you peep the undertones of the guy in the overcoat?
How’d he hide the visible in plain sight? – Was the arm bent slight a clear indication or an oversight of the eye?
Why does keeping up appearances drive one to lose sight of the visible that is present to the eye?
How do we get past the theatrical masks?
Why are the tears of a clown too complex to grasp?
Is sight something we see
or is it a reflection of a conscious mind?
Why is sight often cited as eyesight;
why is the ability to see perceived by the range of vision on site,
why does visualization begin in the mind?
I don’t know why they say “believe half of what you see.”
I don’t know why psychoanalysis suggest: IMAGINATION can change the perceptions of reality.
What I know for sure is the surrealists invite us to look at the world differently;
even if it’s only in the mind,
even if it’s only in the mind.
–@StevieStreets #surrealism | Ode to a Surrealist
22 Friday Jul 2016
Tags
black lives matter, expletive the police, good cop - bad cop, good cops don't cop out, hands off of our people, police brutality, the revolution will not be televised
Well, I don’t know if the riots is wrong
But whitey’s been kickin’ my ass for too long.
-Gil Scott-Heron #blacklivesmatter | Small Talk at 125th & Lenox
#codeofthestreets:
“The revolution will not be televised.
There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down brothers in instant replay.”
Brother Gil tried to sound the alarm;
it’s been decades,
since he dropped words for the wise.
I wonder…
Why does his words resonate so well today?
Lady Justice!
OPEN YOUR EYES!
I wonder…
Why do we have to combat the social injustices of the 50s and the 60s in present day?
Dear #goodcop, #badcop… It’s 2016!
Why are the freedom cries of my grandparents and great-grandparents still relevant, today?
Sometimes,
I wonder…
Why the police don’t police the police?!
I wonder…
What’s it gonna take for the good cops to stop copping out?
I wonder…
How do they consider themselves good cops,
when they’re afraid to stand up
and call the bad cops out?
Truth be told…
We won’t see the so called “good cops” speaking out;
until the police brutality hits home,
they will continue to cop out.
Truth be told…
There will be no slow motion or still life of your sons and daughters getting executed by the few bad police;
when your fellow officers kill your loved ones,
it will be live – it will be live – it will be live.
When the blind eyes you keep turning
finally see that your Black Life Doesn’t Matter either,
it will be live – it will be live – it will be live.
When the revolution gets rolling,
you will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
–@StevieStreets #handsoffofourpeople | Interpolations of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: a no more copping out poem
28 Saturday May 2016
Tags
Remember the groups that planned picnics to lynch,
burn,
sodomize,
and/or mutilate a life?
They now have conservative values:
they propose opportunity school districts
and privatize the prisons,
they propose anti-gay laws
and sport bumper stickers that claim pro-life.
I wonder…
Why is there never a good ol’ boy in the systems
that they call the good ol’ boy system?
I wonder…
Why do they expect me to believe the Governor can see a failing educational system,
when he turns a blind eye to a failing prison system?
I wonder…
Why are equal rights and justice so hard to obtain?
Why is it so hard to see that the DNC and the GOP are one in the same?
During election season, they all seem to know your name.
When it comes to seeing that justice is served,
their eyes are all blinded the same.
I wonder…
Why do the politicians all preach change?
Do they really want change?!
After election season, they continue to speak change;
but they don’t wanna see change.
They just wanna see change;
they just want a piece of change.
Some do it for the money and the power,
some do it for the fame.
They get a few titles behind their name
and they never act the same.
When egos begin to change,
those that are appointed to protect the best interest of the people
tend to forget about the best interest of the people.
I wonder…
How can one expect equal rights and justice,
when the proponents of justice are given free rein?
They cover up corruption
with subsequent remedial measures
and more corruption;
they’ll throw dirt on your name
until your left out in the rain.
All these laws on the books
and aint a damn thing change.
Obama did the best he could
but aint a damn thing change.
The prisons are still filled with Blacks and Latinos,
aint a damn thing change.
I wonder…
Why is it a rarity to see someone appointed to do the right thing
that actually does the right thing?
It’s getting hard to do the right thing;
it seems like doing wrong is the new right thing.
I just want to fast and pray to the east;
they just want me to fall prey to the right-wing.
Some days, I’d like to fly far away;
but I’m a poet not a pilot
and I’m rooted and grounded
so I guess I’ll write wings.
Brother Marvin sang about flying high through the friendly skies
without ever leaving the ground.
I wonder…
“Why are you surprised to see them blatantly stepping on toes?
Hell; they step over veterans asleep on the ground.”
They say, “Let’s Make America Great Again!”
For the life of me,
I can’t see the pictures they are painting:
Maybe, their propaganda is too colorful.
Maybe, my perspective is off;
maybe, I remember different hues.
Maybe, they didn’t stretch the truth;
maybe, they gallery wrapped the art of storytelling,
maybe, they want those that fall by the wayside to have better views.
I wonder… if the sharp symbolisms of hate
and the impressionisms of injustice
are the fabrics that they are speaking of,
when they say America was great.
I wonder…
Why do they feel so entitled in America?
They stole the land,
made fortunes off of those they stole from foreign land,
then they wrote laws to impose the perpetual divide in America.
They want me to pray to a merciful god
that shows no mercy,
while these so called political pundits walk imaginary lines of faith:
the so called “good Christians” wear hoods
and burn crosses neath the bible belt,
they kill children for whistling dixie neath the bible belt,
brown-skin children can’t even walk the streets with a pack of Skittles neath the bible belt.
I wonder…
Why do those that state they wanna keep America great
tend to tip the scales of justice
and misappropriate diplomacy?
I wonder…
Why do they consistently claim to not see the great divide in America?
I’m appalled at the newscasts in America.
It’s getting hard to tell the reruns from the world premieres in America.
I wonder…
How long must we see the same ol’ story in America?
I see church bombings,
I see bigotry,
I see brown-skin people being brutalized in America.
No! I’m not referring to the “Great History,”
I’m talking about modern day America.
Banksy illustrated:
“I SEE HUMANS
BUT NO HUMANITY”
I love street art!
Do you see the pictures they are painting?
Maybe, I’m too radiant… for America.
I tend to mix with the outliers in this world where white is right.
They wanna dim my light;
but they will never whitewash me.
Oh No! Not Me!
They try to blackball the coloreds like me, in America.
They will never bring me down…
Oh No! I will never let ’em bring me down.
No! They won’t bring me down.
They may try to keep a foot on my throat
but I’m standing on higher ground.
I’m standing on the shoulders of those who dared to say:
“I Too America!”
I vividly remember Langston Hughes;
I think of his views,
whenever I’m under attack by America.
I hold my head up high,
I look ’em in the eye;
cause I know
I too, sing, America.
I am the darker brother.
I am standing on the shoulders of those that got spat at in America.
I am standing on the shoulders of those that got hosed down in America.
I am standing on the shoulders of those that were attacked by German Shepherds in America.
I am standing on the shoulders of those that rescued slaves in America.
I am standing on the shoulders of those that fought and died so I could read a book in America.
I am standing on the shoulders of those that fought and died so I could cast a vote in America.
Yes, I am the darker bother.
I am standing on the shoulders of those brave souls that spoke up for equal rights and justice in America.
I am representing for the feeling that made sister Maya write:
“I rise
I rise
I rise”
when they tried to write her down.
I am representing for the feeling that made brother Langston write:
“I, too, am America”
when Jim Crow laws tried to keep him down.
Sometimes, I wonder…
Exactly, what is or what was so great about America?
–@StevieStreets #iWonder part two, the #sociology #poem | from THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS: I Wonder Too
28 Sunday Feb 2016
Wake Up and Wise Up…
records are being broken:
#howmanyshots… will it take to be considered an #epidemic?
#codeofthestreets:
Dear Police:
#shoothoopsnotpeople;
be like Steph Curry,
take it to the court…
Literally, let justice by decided in the court.
Do not hold court in the streets!
Mister Police Brutality;
your foot was on the scales of justice,
those shots don’t count…
You have to take a step back
and really look at the Justice System.
HANDS UP! DONT SHOOT!
I’m not taking shots,
I’m taking shots;
no pun intended…
And NO, I won’t apologize;
I don’t care if you’re offended.
If you’re a good Officer
and you stand by silently watching,
you’re a no good Officer.
Respectfully,
Stevie Streets
–@StevieStreets | Shooting Records: America’s Best Shooters, Chef Curry & The Police
04 Sunday Oct 2015
Posted in Haiku, Poems, THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS
I
More Dead Than Alive:
How are you going through life
merely existing?
II
MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE:
You should start living your dreams.
How could you not try?
III
MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE:
Act as if you will succeed.
Why not act as if?
IV
MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE:
How could you live life dormant,
when you are awake?
V
MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE:
Why would you settle for less?
Why not reach higher?
–@StevieStreets | from THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS: More Dead Than Alive
03 Saturday Oct 2015
Posted in Haiku, Poems, THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS
What makes you happy?
Is it time alone? Is it…
friends and family?
–@StevieStreets | from THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS: What Makes You Happy?
20 Monday Jul 2015
Posted in Poems, Sonnets, THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS
Exactly, what is radical Islam?
Is the hatred that plaques America radical Christianity?
Are you a radical Catholic if your allegiance is tied to the Vatican confraternity?
Help me understand the term radical Islam?
Exactly, what is radical Islam?
Is radical Judaism, Hinduism, or Buddhism a carbon copy?
Is it liken to the radicalisms that dropped bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Help me understand the term radical Islam?
Do the demerits of radical individuals define the merits of religionist sects?
If so, radical Christianity has returned as the radical chic in America.
The southernmost racist traditions have been aggrandized and advertised as heritage not hate again; the devout Christians are back to wearing sheets and burning churches again.
Do the demerits of radical individuals define the merits of religionist sects?
If so, the fundamentalist Christians, Catholics, and Jews reign as wolves dressed like sheep in America.
The world power religions are judging the garments again; the radical isms are propagandarizing and false prophecizing to point the finger at those that do not worship akin.
–@StevieStreets | Exactly, What Is Radical Islam?
26 Friday Jun 2015
Posted in Poems, THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS
How does one champion faith yet embrace blasphemous acts?
How does one champion religious freedom yet embrace sacreligous acts?
Why do they want to rebuild Sodom and Gomorrah?
Why do they want to destroy the Bible, the Qur’an, and the Torah?
Why do they not listen,
when wisdom cries out to the streets?
Why do they not listen,
when innocent blood is poured out in the streets?
Why did they make so much noise about the confederate flag in the last few weeks?
Why did they silently raise rainbow flags in the last few weeks?
How does one hear the cries for prop 8…
yet fail to listen to the cries about the incarceration rates?
How does one champion for the right to fornicate…
yet fail to preserve and restore a pure mind state?
I wonder…
“Why do they glorify the pagans and the derelicts?”
I wonder…
“Why do they mystify the vegans and the heretics?”
I’m conscience…
I keep my mind’s eye on the prophets.
I’m conscious…
I see they turn a blind eye for the profits.
I cummune with the ancient spirits;
don’t get it confused, these aint just lyrics.
You were told to fast and pray to the east,
yet you couldn’t restrain and fell prey to the beast.
America Unleashed…
The Nation of Incarceration,
Home of the modern day concentration camps;
to say the least.
America Unleashed…
The Nation of Fornication,
Home of the abomination fans; to say the least.
I wonder…
“How does one lead the new world order; yet fail to follow divine order?”
I wonder…
“How does one propose law and order; yet assail sacred order?”
I wonder…
Why the powers that be want the free society to accept sodomy?
I wonder…
Why the prison system is quietly a monopoly for the secret societies?
I wonder…
Why do they oppose Ancient African Chastity?
Yet they televise misogyny.
I wonder…
Why do they impose census on your mother tongue and nativity?
Yet they depopulate societies.
I wonder…
Why do they excerise eugenics and teach you to despise knowledge of self?
How do you neglect the vast disproportions of wealth?
How does contraceptives and abortions promote good health?
I wonder…
How is it a sign of progress for one to cross dress?
I wonder…
How is civil rights likened to same sex?
I wonder…
How did we make it this far just to digress?
I wonder why I’m condemned as a heretic…
I wonder why I can’t be led astray by the government or religious sects…
I wonder why they desecrate the ancient beliefs…
I wonder why the only thing they do religiously is brush their teeth…
–@StevieStreets | HERETIC
28 Thursday May 2015
Posted in Poems, THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS
Who am I to judge?
Who am I to define love?
Who am I to say the consummation of she and she is wrong?
Who am I to say they don’t have the right to be wrong?
We all have choices.
We all have voices.
We all have the right to be wrong.
The right to be wrong.
The right to be wrong.
Who am I to judge peace?
Who am I to define beliefs?
Who am I to say the ideology of religion is wrong?
Who am I to say they don’t have the right to worship wrong?
We all have choices.
We all have voices.
We all have the right to be wrong.
The right to be wrong.
The right to be wrong.
Who am I to judge conception?
Who am I to define affection?
Who am I to say contraception is wrong?
Who am I to say they don’t have a right to be wrong?
We all have choices.
We all have voices.
We all have the right to be wrong.
The right to be wrong.
The right to be wrong.
–@StevieStreets | The Right To Be Wrong
