Thoughtful but seldom happy
Feigned by concerns and craving
Reigned by dishonor and shame
Ridden with regret and remorse
Seething with paucity and pain
Battered by unreturned hard work
Helplessness writ large
O poor! sorrow and slight
Are your destiny.
But, be straight and upright
You are not alone
Those calling themselves affluent
Confined in their ivory towers
Depressed, jealous and worried
Riddled with insecurity and mistrust
With chronic illnesses
Counting their days
Are million times unhappy
When honor is usually sold, surely dishonor guaranteed
A warrior lives
like he’s already dead
Honor intact,
his last mission ahead
Destiny called
by an enemy name
All glory to God
—no dishonor or shame
(Villanova Pennsylvania: February, 2017)
A warrior lives,
like he’s already dead
His honor intact,
his mission ahead
A destiny called,
by an enemy name
All glory to God,
—no dishonor or shame
(Villanova Pennsylvania: February, 2017)
Reading David Rakoff’s book,
In rhyming couplets, really shook
Me way down deep inside my core;
I read and read and wanted more.
A novel all in poetry?
I think he wrote it just for me,
For who could love it more than I?
I’m sure that you can guess the why.
The brilliant rhymings all surpass,
In creativity and sass,
The best that I have ever read;
I wish I’d written them instead.
The author, sadly, died before
His novel hit the selling floor.
Oh, how I wish I’d had the chance
To tell him how his rhyme enchants.
So I will spread the word around,
A fellow-rhymer, honor-bound,
That here’s a book that all MUST read,
To knock your socks off, guaranteed!
Death before dishonor, friends should be like bredren,
Dishonor before death, then let the Reeper bless 'em.
Death before dishonor, I got your back do the same,
Dishonor before death, thou who chooseth not ashamed.
Death before dishonor, no love at all for snitches,
Dishonor before death, some men in the world are b*tches.
Death before dishonor, my best friend is GOD.
Dishonor before death, I await till he takes my breath.
Death Before Dishonor