Ten long years in jail for petty theft at a bus stop,
While leaders steal in billions with a wrist-slap.
A man wore the hangman’s noose for armed robbery,
Yet a governor earned honours for a pen robbery.
Citizens bled by taxes to please Bretton Woods,
Loans secured not for growth but to fatten pockets.
When the people protest, police scatter them with contempt,
And soldiers fire bullets to silence their voices.
Black ink scrawls draconian laws on tyrant’s tables,
Threats and punishments stitched to entrench their power.
But such laws befriend only ephemerality,
Before the masses seize the reins of their rulers’ reign.
Mass anger drove Rajapaksa out of Sri Lanka,
Gen Z rose in Nepal against a media ban.
Burkina Faso’s streets toppled Compaoré,
And Egypt’s squares forced Mubarak to resign.
The people’s voice will always drown draconian laws;
Chains that glitter at first soon corrode into rust.
The rulers may feast while the nation starves in silence,
But shackles will break—the storm leaves none untouched.
You know crime has crossed the line when the Gucci Store suffers a daytime armed robbery.
Brazen acts, once under cover of night
trust now ransacked in broad daylight
Rape, armed robbery, carjackings
released from murky lairs on alien wings
Our beliefs torn asunder, the world upside down
no foot traffic seen in our part of town
"Though I never see with human eyes The hands that lead me home." Last line, Angels Watching Over Me, by Amy Grant
Although I have never seen one, I believe in angels.
I believe that they serve God's bidding and our benefit.
Although when they encountered people in the Bible,
They invoked fear; but they were quick to create calm.
I would cite an armed robbery on the streets of Chicago
As my first encounter with a life-threatening experience.
In the dark of night, two youths approached me with a gun
Demanding money. They took $90 from me, and I was blessed
To walk away with life and limbs. I saw no angel, but I believe
That one was surely present, deflecting chaos and creating calm.
051122PSCtest, Divine Intervention Poetry Contest, Chantelle Ann Cooke
Let's talk about Wrath one of the seven deadly sins
its magnitude contends where the other six soon begins
it can start with Pride by hiding ones true feelings and implode
then lashing out at someone close because it was swallowed
Lust comes in when indignant thoughts lead to hurtful words
the victim looks for kindness and sweet talk comes in herds
it is often found with Envy whether it is love or financial gain
people covet what others have and will inflict the worst of pain
Gluttony is sanctioned it happens to some in time
I can eat that other piece of pie for I am in my prime
let's not forget Vanity for that is known worldwide
people suing surgeons for mistakes they cannot hide
Lastly there's Greed comes to play with its only friend
armed robbery to petty theft with heart's left to mend
this list hardly covers what this word of rage entails
for Wrath is my worst enemy it festers and it swells
Spit and the Ocean
The sand spits at me as I walk
an uninvited interloper
content in my inane belief
I leave disappearing footprints.
Theft, pilferage, armed robbery,
committed in covetous collusion,
sunrises seared into memory,
plagiarized in dreams.
Thundering timpani of surf
rolling rounded stones,
salty chime of windblown sand
peppering the sea wall,
distant fog horn tuba -
ushers in the dimly lit aisles
following history’s lights
through shifting shoals.
The air shrieks, the ocean growls,
the sand burns, the brine stings,
the surf - in foaming rage - erases
all sign of my presence,
spitting as I walk away.
1/29/2016
Zero Tolerance at Schools
By Elton Camp
It began with a federal law about bringing guns to school
That offenders must be expelled was the ironclad rule
Then, unwisely, local officials the policy vastly expanded
For drugs, aggression, and other things, expulsion demanded
The intention behind these regulations may have been good
School officials couldn’t be trusted to enforce as they should
Because the regulations by modern Dracos had been written,
Students, for childish behavior, with expulsion were smitten
A six-year-old, happy at joining the cub scouts, ruined his life
Because he brought to school camping stuff: spoon, fork, knife
Because of his heinous crime, zero tolerance enforced the rule
He got a suspension and spent forty-five days in reform school
A retarded child for “strong-armed robbery” was arrested
He stole two dollars and in adult jail for six weeks rested
Only when a CBS “60 Minutes” crew came to report the case
Were the ridiculous charges then dismissed with greatest haste
What very desperately needs to be done, it seems to me,
Is a zero tolerance policy for school officials’ stupidity
Beware, Beware,
You may not see them, but I promise you they are there.
They are on everything we purchase and everything we use,
Federal, state, and local, we all must pay our dues.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, I want a little more,
Is what you hear them saying, from sea to shining shore.
Big brother is here to help me, he promised me he would,
Just sign your paycheck over, it will make you feel so good.
You don’t need no money, we’ve got you covered son,
It felt like armed robbery, but I didn’t see the gun.
A brand new car it sits right there, while I enjoy the air,
I can’t afford to drive it, I even had to sell the spare.
They want to run my budget, which only they know how to do,
Red is their favorite color, when balancing it for you.
I’ve never made a million, but they say that’s what I owe,
And they won’t accept my check, but they will accept my dough.
I remember hearing of a tea party in Boston long ago,
Instead of Republicans or Democrat parties, how about a “tea party,” don’t you know?
Maybe this new party would have the peoples interest at heart,
We really do need change and what a wonderful place to start.
I was scared to even cut
I would come 10 minutes
before the bell would even ring
I was on my best behavior
I never once got suspended
until someone informed me
that the permanent record
wasn't real.
The moment I learned this.
My fear diminished.
What I really should
have been scared of
was the day I became an adult
and jobs wouldn't hire me.
Because the system has
me listed for armed robbery
Now that's something that will follow me.
O.J O.J O.J
your life in dissaray...
oppertunist - has been...
...psychological self amusement
...trend...
You want to go inside...
...This game you play...
...Alliby...
Without probable cause...
...arrogant silence...
...trend...
...powerful word alleged...
...every dog has his day...
...ring fence...
O.J once more on display...
...powerful word innocent...
...once accused of murder...
...armed robbery on the table...
accusation - alledged - alliby...
deny...deny...deny...
...suspicious...compromise...
Norfolk city jail light outs I'm thinking
I've been in here 25 days over some B.S on the weekend
it started out with the regular routine
but extreme when this cat tried to shine and gleam
took it to the extreme like he was bout his work
I made his mouth hurt knocked that nigga out his skirt
He shouldn't slept on repetitious rights and lefts
beat him within a inch of death
and jetted up the steps
when the cops crept Oh! Lord this nigga played the hoe roll
how quick a nigga switch from hard core to homo
they asked us questions about the ruckus
simply put he had beef and I had beef we took it all to street justice
his story quickly revised
edit,embedded with lies
embellishments to them more on his side
he said it was me and a group of 1,2 no 3
who beat him maliciously
during a armed robbery
they took our statements and told me to go home
two weeks latter I get scooped by two blue uniforms
with a warrant from the precinct
my cell had the pee stink
they said he was an O.G I cant believe that he finked
She pushes a baby pram, pushing away youth,
The ecstacy of a moment sealing her future;
Stringy, long hair, a wide puffy face,
Innocence destroyed, not even sixteen.
She lives for today, the food stamps, the welfare,
No money from him, he's in jail for armed robbery;
Mama provides grudgingly the roof and the food,
Resenting the intruder invading her life.
Summer is warm and winter is cold,
Clothes must be bought, doctor bills paid;
Life has no meaning, there's only existence,
Do what you can in a world of gray hues.
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