Been to the London Stock Exchange
opened in 1571 by Elizabeth the Queen
and what's more saw the New York Big Board
the world's largest stock market ever seen
but when I took a trip to Paris
had no clue as to what to do
altho' I was educated in French
(parlez-vous?)
I believe brokers did so to discommode
as when yelling buying or selling
they communicated in Bourse code
The greed of the white man knows no bound
It transcends life, it transcends death
Their eyes gleam with profit
Their mouths salivate at another black death
Prices heightened on a casket
Won't be too long till another black body fills it
Money earned from this purchase
Used to pay their rent
If there is anything left they'll use it to pay for their children's education
They don't see us as human
But they do see us as a money making scheme
They target us and then
Up the prices of our funerals
Their own system to monetize our deaths
Acting is their forte
When they look in our eyes and lie to our faces
Sending condolences our way
But inside brimming with happiness
Not an ounce of sympathy
Not a fibre of empathy
Just pre dug graves and unnecessary funeral bills
To them we are products ready to be exchanged
We see them popping up on random streets
in a neighbourly outreach kind of way.
We don't know who to thank
since no one steps up to claim the credit
but it's the community as a whole
who benefits in many wondrous ways.
The suburbs are delighted to champion
these ecofriendly gifts of sharing ~
not only charming but welcomed pointers that
goodwill and kindness are alive and well.
AP: 2nd place 2025
While the sun was slipping away
You left me
With a gifted moment
A moment that lessened fears
Yet hastened tears
A moment that spoke to me
Yet set you free
A moment that caressed my heart
Yet put apart
A moment that fostered giving
Yet nurtured living
A moment that clarified a decision
Yet cleared my vision
While the sun was slipping away
You left me
With a gifted moment
One day, a trout approached a fly,
and, giving her a hungry eye,
said, "I just came to take a look",
but I must tell you, with a sigh,
that, sadly, some fishes baldly lie,
and this one caught a treble hook.
I planned futures with you,
but your happiness came first.
When anger calls, you shut off
I must stay composed,
must communicate,
must hold it all together.
Smile. Talk nice.
The bare minimum is not enough.
Imagine giving your life
to someone who would build with you,
then leave when joy runs dry.
Words once meant something.
Vows weren’t meant to break.
I could climb mountains,
cross oceans,
fly the world
still, not enough.
So take this version of me:
hollow, nonchalant, unsubscribed.
If attention is currency,
I will devalue myself
crash the market.
Just how many babies
Are swapped at birth
With a look alike other
That other being
Some demon or some
Illegal Alien exchange program
Being covertly done
Right under our very noses
In broad daylight
In maternity wards worldwide
I should know
Being born with bi-fid thumbs
And six toes on each foot
Yet, it has to be my sister
She's wicked smart
Perhaps, too smart for her own good
And she has a big head
She’s got to be one
Of course, what’s a little culture shock too
Beings' stranger in a Strangeland
After walking the long long walk
Can’t even talk the strange talk
Seeking asylum from oppression
Seeking the land of Liberty
Feel free to wear their worn-out sandals
They’ll gladly trade for your Michael Jorden Nikes
Then again, maybe the exchange comes later
Some babysitter’s smuggling ring
Except she promises to turn your little rascal
Into an angel, for real
Still criminal but God ordained
Two angry crows
Perched high in a tree
Covered in snow
Dancing the breeze
Broken branches sway
And decrepit leaves
Fall
A moment in time
Without resolve
Leaning in to see
A quarrel of greed
A nut, perhaps a seed
Stolen in need
Three angry crows
Perched high in a tree
I glanced for a moment
Laughed
And walked away
Reaching the house
The arguing fades
Perhaps, a meeting of the minds
But, who's to say
Good exchange
Headache to headache
She got his cell phone
He got the other beautiful girl
They'll probably working out
The negotiations and normal talking.
FAIR EXCHANGE
Truth for a truth, it’s fair exchange
Cashless transactions may seem strange
In the open air, and no booth
It’s fair exchange, truth for a truth
Not quite barter, even trading
In unknown waters you’re wading
Not taught in your Alma Mater
Even trading, not quite barter
Just swapping stuff, no currency
The practice is getting stronger
Parties think trust may be enough
No currency, just swapping stuff
No counterfeit when there’s no vice
Syllables never had a price
Even wordcount has none of it
When there’s no vice, no counterfeit
Sleepless nights are currency
exchanged for nightmares
Too ominous to sleep through
Melding with sunset’s fading light
Before the day turned into night
Magnetism rose, heightened delight
I drew in God’s grace, byte by byte
The happenstance was simply this
From head to toe, I felt pure bliss
Caress of Divine Mother’s kiss
Rapture leaving nothing amiss
Void of polarity exchange
Oft gives birth to soul stirrings strange
Enhancing vibrational range
Signalling it’s time for a change
Lamp of love’s lit in cave of heart
Feel therein bliss ignition start
Looking across the room our eyes make contact
A stunning lady it’s time to react
I leave my chair to walk across the room
As I draw closer the air fills with sweet perfume
The band on stage begins to play
A dance with her would surely make my day
Out of her chair, she springs and motions to the floor
Our bodies in sync with the music leaves me wanting more
We continue dancing wishing this night would never end
My heart tells me I have found more than just a friend
The evening concludes with a gentle hug and a kiss
An exchange of phone numbers this can’t miss
Tempting to look to tomorrow
In an attempt to control the future
To thwart the tension in our bones
That we carry about the unknown
Less capacity in the here and now
Since leaning ahead leaves behind
The ability for us to fully embrace
What is right in front of our face
Alternative routes are available
Instead of solving the next step
Try taking a step back to today
Anchoring ourselves in a new way
May not know where we are going
But know how we will get there
By being fully present to allow
Joy in the moments that matter most… right now
your output
to the universe
comes back to you
like a "Return to Sender" mail.
if you treat people
with utmost respect and dignity,
they'll reciprocate;
treasure in, treasure out.
the same can be said
of maltreatment,
it's always repaid in kind;
garbage in, garbage out.
it's a fair trade,
every time.
in this cruel, savage world,
sprinkle in a handful of tenderness.
one is infinitely better off
trading meanness
with kindness.
it's much easier being...
a good human being.
it's far from expensive;
buy into it, it costs
less than a penny!
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