Hold your tongue
force a smile
count to ten
breathe in
than exhale.
There are times
when life is unfair
some bumpy moments
words unkind
feelings hurt
promise broken
a misplaced joke
feeling wronged
situation unjust.
So easy to blow your top
raise your hands loudly shout
scream and stomp your foot
let off steam
make a list
slap a counter
throw a chair.
But to what avail
will it solve a thing
make you look guilty
and somewhat the fool
or do you just
play it cool
agree to disagree
and go on with life
sometimes you gotta
bite your tongue
better to be nice
you just won.
They used to say when I was young
See with your eyes and always hold your tongue
Momma said' GIRL, YOU KNOW" Mercedes, you just aint right
Wrong color, wrong nose, wrong skin, too much backside, and too much height!
I thought momma was right
I grew up wishing I was white
Why is my chest so doggone big? Why are my thighs so wide?
Reminds me of the girl Pecola from Toni Morrison's "THE BLUEST EYES"
A literary genius, she is so wise
One day, I got some enterprise and traveled worldwide
I saw the ninth wonder when I saw the other side
Girls of many colors, shapes, and sizes none of them look the same
They were from other countries and Kiesha wasn't their name
One girl was from Africa and she reached out and touched my skin
She told me to deeply love myself because my ancestors were deep within
She told me to hug myself and don't beat people up so hard
And if I didn't have no one else I will always have God
Today, I saw something beautiful
A true woman I did see
As my silk hankie touches the looking glass
The woman looking back was me
Do Not Hold Your Tongue
8/14/2023
How oft’ have you been told, to not
rock the boat!
Just go along as an obedient, mute
billy goat.
Just chew on the green, fresh, cud,
Or smile always , be it in rain or in
thick mud.
This may be peachy keen for goats
you see.
But we are special, we are humanity.
When our brothers freedom and rights
are being stolen.
We must stand as one, for tis the God of
the Universe to which we are beholden!
COLD
Me sinking in cold !
Need little warmth.
Why have you been so cold ?
Hold your tongue
and let me love !
Why have you been so cold ?
My is already sold
to my amour !
Now all hope is gone .
Pretending to be bold !
But feeling cold even under Sun.
Need little warmth.
Why have you been so cold ?
My love once was untold .
But now I unfold
each page of my book of love.
Your reciprocation I do deserve.
I preserved my love in core of heart.
How can you ignore ?
How can you hurt ?
My yearnings shining as gold
Lust rippled rolled.
Emotive urge claiming dynamism,
Yet feeling I am dying !
With deep wound in heart
I am drowning down in living hell !
Growing old.
No strength left to carry load
Me sinking in cold.
Stretching my hand, please hold.
Me sinking in cold.
Need little warmth.
It has escalated into something
It cannot be seen with an naked eye
Nor it can be pointed out
Believe, it has arrived
It has formulated itself
It cannot be felt with an empty heart
Nor it can be spoken
Hold your tongue, it has arrived
It has proceeded over obstacles
It cannot be challenged
Nor it can be questioned
Knee down, it has arrived
It has accomplished a lot
It cannot be evaluated
Nor it can be accessible
Arriving, it is
No matter who you are with,
No matter what they do,
No matter where you go,
No matter what you do,
There you are.
No matter how often you cry,
No matter how often you laugh,
No matter how angry you are,
No matter how empathetic you try to be,
There you are.
No matter how much you stand by,
No matter how hard you hold your tongue,
No matter how little you help,
No matter how much you shout at people, ranting and raging,
There you are
No matter how bored you feel,
No matter how little you pursue your interests,
No matter how blah you allow yourself to be,
No matter how much you decide to punish yourself,
There you are
Shots rang out but there's no gun
Still you hurt on everyone
In your soul the sparks are good
You are not even trying
You feel the knife in your gut
You are scared of what you want
You bite your lip and hold your tongue
What are you hiding
We got tired of your charms
Tired of your false alarms
You are just a book that never turns it's page
You can stand on the edge shouting out that you are ready to change
You can say what you want
You will not jump
You are not ready to change
give me a name i do not own
only you can do it...
leaving me untitled would hurt
Interesting, it speaks.
so you can hear me?
tell me who I'm supposed to be
Enticing scenery, nothing more.
nothing more? then who are you supposed to be?
Terrible. You see, I am atoning for my sins.
oh? you sound fine to me
Hold your tongue. Your lack of understanding is clear.
everyone shows you they care though
Rest assured, they're simply being polite.
save it, you don'tknow anything
have you stopped to listen?
everything you do is good
show you to yourself
rest easy, for you are loved
Ere my pain engulfed me...a single word left me moved?
as you leave me, hear my plight-
Love brought us together, no? So let US go forth, and write.
Shout it out! Unmute yourself. Don’t stand in silence.
Make a stand. Tell them all. Make Him known,
Whisper it. Share with someone. Give him your reliance.
Drop your fears! Answer the call, you are not alone.
Give them the news. Reach to those you know.
Tell it to the poor, the rich. Tell the inbetween.
Make him known in the high and the low
Don’t be discouraged, don't let the world separate you and he unseen.
Give it to the powerful, give it to the weak,
Give it to the bold, give it to the shy,
Keep it close and send it far to those who seek.
Let it soar, send it to the ends of the earth, make it fly.
Don’t hold your tongue, tell it to all.
Let the ignorant know the news.
Spread the word! Do not stall.
Tell the Gentiles, Tell the Jews.
In the morning tell some, in the night tell the rest.
Whether you tell many or few.
Make him known to the worst or the best.
All are valued and wanted, he knows you.
Make the unknown, known.
Make the unseen, seen.
He can make the imperfect, perfect.
He will heal the unhealable.
Make his love and light
Known.
Hold your tongue from fiery thoughts
Not everything needs telling as it ought
For truth can sometimes be unkind
Stripping bare the bad things you’d find
You see some truths need not be said
For the hate that will be bred.
© Paul Warren Poetry
Did yesterday pass without your smile,
Nor a kind word did you speak?
Did you list all your troubles inside your mind,
And harbor them there for a week?
Did you frown on a child or a neighbor next door,
Who cheerfully acknowledged 'Good Day?'
Or did you bite your lip to hold your tongue,
When you couldn't have things your way?
Well that was Yesterday and with its passing,
You can relax and begin once more
For today is the day, the past,
Has flown out your Welcome door!
So smile today and plan tomorrow,
To smile on all todays,
For 'tis youth which flees with a horrid frown,
But remains with a smile, Always!
MIDNIGHT ROMANCE
Crimson Sun on cerulean sky
Twilight fades and flees on ash of roses
Flocks of egret form garland, while they fly.
Romance starts in poetry, prose closes..
Charcoal night haply flooded by Moon light
‘Hold your tongue and let me love’ to whisper.
Hearts of dreamy couple danced in delight.
Tree entwined by passionate creeper.
Dark dense patches lying on Ivory Moon!
Smooth porcelain with sable illusion!
Ardent hearts struck by hard sexy harpoon.
Bliss of heavenly joy on Unison.
Fire of passion with mesmerizing smoke,
sweet dream of Midnight Romance to evoke.
10/18/17
'Your Best Sonnet October 1 to December 31'Contest by John Hamilton
Will you be my love?
Together we`ll build a nest of dove.
We`ll have couple of kids
And bring up them all the days and nights.
I will be yours you will be mine
We will wander together and dine.
From hills to valleys and bines to fines.
We`ll cross black hole and the forbidden lines.
Oh! My lady, silently come.
Let surrounding be deaf and dumb.
Stand frontward and hold your tongue.
Let the critic keep mum.
We sit in the sun, and steal glances
I catch my tongue before it utters 'I love you'
You look away, and I gaze at your lips
Holding my tongue still
And you look back, my turn to look away
Do you hold your tongue as I do?
For a moment, a minute, an hour, nothing else matters
Quiet moments shared, contented, tranquil
It's as if we should be
A fly on the wall,
overhearing a parent
chastise their teenage child
Shut up, when you hear me
laying down the law
No back talking ...
keep it quiet, yo
Don't wanna hear no squawking
When the riot act is being read,
silence must prevail I'm afraid
Don't wanna hear a peep ...
hold your tongue, yo
Say nothing, unless I say speak
Zip your mouth
Give me the sign:
two fingers running across your lips
Nod your head
north to south
Written words I don't mind
But be careful, you're only getting this one tip ---
When I'm righting your wrong,
keep your mouth zipped
No verbal pardon forthcoming this time,
so zip your mouth ...
unless you're willing to confess to your crime
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