Stalked all their life
Stained by a crime not committed
A permanent mark on black skin
A reminder how we will never fit in
Labelled as criminals
Despite being exonerated
Probation was for those in need of reformation
Not those who already good behaviour
But any chance to stereotype
The oppressors will take their chance
To keep the invisible chains of oppression are locked in and secured
A way to surveil those who now walk in the light
Constant checkups, now a normal routine
Having to ensure their record is squeaky clean
Being suffocated by the fear
Of breathing wrong
They'll do anything to keep us behind bars
Freedom they promised, yet freedom we haven't received
Being watched doesn't equate to being free
Especially when we still hang from the trees of your critique
You can't claim slavery ended when we are still slaves to your constant surveillance
Not when incarceration is used as a way to keep us hidden
Not when we live a life of normalcy
Yet are still followed
By the law that claims to help
Yet shoots us as soon as we open our mouth
You can't claim it ended when we live under the power
Of the white man
We all saw it
We all heard it
We all read it
And smelled it.
Meanwhile Deedeepee is rotting in jail
For probably having committed a similar crime
Some do the crime and others don’t do the time
Similarly, some go to Heaven and others go to Hell.
The world smelled it
The world read it
The world heard it
And we saw it.
Some people are above the law
Some people are found to have no fault
Somewhere, God needs to tight the bolt
So all can hear the unwonted song of the crow.
No jail time, no fine and no probation
However, we all felt the humiliation
For God’s sake, an Honorable Christian like Jimmy
Would have never been in such a gnarly quandary.
We all smelled it
We all read it
We all heard it
And the world saw it.
No further explanation
We wonder if justice was done
No further condemnation
History is always fair, just and fun.
The world heart it
The world read it
The world saw it
And we smelled it.
Copyright © January 2025, Hébert Logerie, All rights reserved
Hébert Logerie is the author of several books of poetry.
Lord, I know your love,
but show me Your justice.
I know the day will come
when probation is done,
and everyone will see
their eternal destiny
justice meted out in judgment reality...
I know, I know that day will come
But...what about now, Lord?
What about now?
What about the mothers who mourn
for their children war has torn
from their breast
What about now, Lord?
What about now?
What about the young ones who wail
along the bomb strewn trail
of a orphaned future
What about now, Lord?
What about now?
What about the homeless who sigh
while their politicians lie
about shelter and supplies,
and no know wonders why
What about now, Lord?
What about now?
What about the genocide's dead,
and all the senseless bloodshed?
What about the survivors, unfed
reduced to begging for bread
living lives laced with dread
their heartaches left unsaid
Lord, I know of your love,
but show me your justice
before my faith fails,
and every doubt assails
before this evil prevails...
Step....step into the fray
Please...do not delay
Show, show Your justice...
TODAY!
Eileen Manassian
Taking on an odd challenge - committed
Ideal forms, fired in keenest kiln
Trespass pages torn out, inmate omitted
Anguish arms, firm steely shield
Tigers eye eclipse rolls out a rosy moon
Rising icy on closed encyclopaedia
Thick black book unlocks fabled fortune
Weighty trust instilled immediately
Figure of founding, supportive substance
Dad proud serves duty’s obligation
Blind mice sheltered held to his sentence
Prickly wife handed down probation
Gifted a ginger ring fingers, grand future
Lady Luck spun an oily halo roulette
Leather bound night bite slim smile Luna
New moon on red her high fate met
17th December
Sentence ended
Dirty martinis and Cuban cigars
Fishnet stockings on hookers Playing my guitar.
Long days at the beach
Women without wedding rings
Making a list of my favorite things
Sex before Breakfast
Out running the cops
A judge that grants bail
Then getting bailed out.
Books by Sandra Cisneros
And Renaissance Art,
All of these things have a special place in my heart
But when the bars close
And I'm still sober
My dealer doesn't answer the phone
I think on these things
To keep from getting pissed off
And I express how I feel
in a poem.
Rock n' Roll music and classic cars
Rockford Files reruns
Deep cuts that leave scars
My probation officer not making me drop
Dive bars bad girls and musty bookshops
A day at Wrigley
Watching the Cubs
Cool Tucson mornings
And falling in love
The sound of my children's laughter
and the first day of spring
What an exceptional life I've had to be part of all these things.
But when I'm hungover
And I've got warrants
Or when my car breaks down
I think about all of my favorite things
And haul my butt out of town
JSB
I am Universal Created
I am wind from the,
north south east and west
I spring forth newly spraying winter summer autumn
I'm heading toward,
Heavenly places
In the direction of my creator
Through my trial test and probation
I am a faithful servant's
Reward doubled twice
I am Universal Creation
In this world but not of the world
I am of the Four Winds seasons and direction
Unity Oneness of purpose of trial Law and Order
I am universally created
As I able also to speak life like my Father
I am Universal Creation 4444
Always
3/30/23
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr 2o23 (c)
To forgive seems hard to man
For the hurting sake seems so electrifying
To those that live in the town
Correction will make them align
The bastard amidst thy clan
May tease your patience of what love assigns
And sometimes gets you frown
The one once thought the best you can consign
Hearty bluntness and poignant sadness span
In rage with the beautiful orientation of thine
Staging a probation of dilemma arid plan
Forever together for peace to dine
By heart, you are made whole
With grace, you free the bound
Of blessings, you cure your soul
That your heart wears not beyond
TERMINATION
I never imagined that I’d be back at school
Retired from work, yet I’m no longer a kid
But all modern media has caught me out
That flicking and tapping makes me pout
For all the wrong reasons I’m off the grid
Some youths think a dumb phone is cool
I signed up for an evening new media class
You’d think there would be many like me
But the tutor could still be in her late teens
Pupils all young, one old, no in-betweens
But at least this course is offered for free
Although my techie competence is a farce
It’s start of the term in early September
I’m sticking out here like a sore thumb
I guess for these kids it is extra curricular
I want to learn to send texts in particular
And all this tech makes me look so dumb
But hope some of this stuff I will remember
You see I come from an older generation
Binary code and the odd punched card
Giant mainframes and spinning tapes
Regular backups, so nothing escapes
But which way to swipe for me is hard
Until that bright day I’m on probation
Should I or shouldd I not ?
Shoud I tell you or should I not trust thr words ?
Should I convey you through my eyes or should I peep into your sight ?
Should I should wait or too much patience will age our glisten ?
Shd I post you that fragrance I smelled when you were close or you will feel it stolen ?
Should I maintain silence or should I volume my heart"s rhythm ?
Should I write you all I have for you or you have enough to not to read mum ?
Should I gift you my existence or my exit makes you feel my presence ?
Should I apply or wait for your reply without raising any of my probation ?
Should I or I should not try to reach you and preach you to conceive my love's proposition ?
Should I or should I not is not only a question but your answer is only the option for my resolution !
- kalashri
Ponder over the purpose of creation.
Ponder over the earth's rotation.
Ponder over the moon's probation.
Ponder over the sun's radiation.
Ponder over the sky and salvation.
Ponder over the trees and temptation.
Ponder over the peace and desolation.
Ponder over the thoughts in subjugation.
Ponder over the dreams in aggregration.
Ponder over the world as a station.
Ponder over the life as navigation.
Ponder over the death as ablation.
Ponder over the grave as mitigation.
Ponder over the purpose of creation.
Ponder.............
Pinewood school park Is where I used to run and have fun in.
Been stomping that concrete since a young in.
Mom high off an eight ball, Im in my feelings bug gin
Under the bridge by the creek is where you used to find my graffiti art in.
Moved to Maryland from Florida just to be faced with the same situation.
Thinking that Ma would have stayed still she was on seven years of Parole And a few months probation.
Ma couldn’t maintain her promise on staying clean.
That was a waste of my childhood dream.
Learned young that I was on my own to build my own family, Create my own team.
So, If I am willing to devote my all.
I secure my security when I say, “I got you til I fall”.
SHE'S NO BASIC CHICK
SHE'S THE REAL DEAL
SHE KEEPS ME ON MY TOES
SHE SAY I DRIVE HER CRAZY THAT'S THE REASON SHE OUT OF CONTROL
F LOVE SHE'S MY DRUG
I'M ADDICTED TO HER
SHE ALWAYS ON HER BIKINI
LIKE IT'S SUMMER TIME
ALL I SEE IS HER BROWN SKIN LIKE I'M COLOUR BLIND
MY LIPS ARE ALWAYS TOUCHING HER'S
HANDS ALWAYS ON HER CURVES
I WORK HARD ON HER LIKE A SLAVE
WE GO SO HARD AND WE GO SLOW MOTION
SHE'S MY MOTIVATION
SHE STILL SAY I'M ON PROBATION
SHE SO SWEET AND CARING
SO LET'S MAKE CLEAR I'M NOT SHARING
Lenny the lizard went to court due to his misdemeanor.
He was given 2 days in the cell awaiting trial.
On the trial day he went before the judge.
Your honor, I plead guilty to my charges but I
asked you to go easy with my penalty.
‘Why should I favor you’ asked the judge.
Lenny replied, I can’t keep my mouth shut.
and the judge said, ‘you won’t get anywhere today unless you do’
‘you will get 5 days and then probation’
‘now what do you say about that’?
the lizard open his mouth and struck out his tongue
‘you’ll never learn, now you’ll get have 5 more days’!
Hold on. Stop a second before you do the deed.
I have to have a mouse house, and I have to have a steed.
I have to feel important, and I have to be called Minnie.
There are other rules, in case this is not plenty.
You must build the house to my exact specifications.
Our house will be open six months a year to all my relations.
You will be on probation from the first minute I say "I do".
We can have some freedom in dating, but this does not include you.
The pink and purple house must have shutters with cut out hearts.
If Mickey comes along, I can guarantee a heartache in all your parts.
My heart is pledged to Disney - his pretty cartoons and his songs.
Where are you going? I have not given you a list of all your wrongs.
Shock horror, my alarm clock failed,
twas six AM on a Monday morning
this summers day was just dawning,
my shift started at six, going to be late
on probation now wondering my fate,
quickly washed and dressed, in car
only half hour drive so not too far,
luckily traffic was sparse quite desolate
scenarios running through my mind so late,
arrived to find car park deserted just empty
It’s usually half full of cars, at least about twenty,
ran across the foot bridge as fast as I could
boss will have my guts for garters, my blood,
reached machine for clocking in, total shock
thought I was seeing things looking at the clock,
unbelievable twas only quarter past one A M
never used that darn clock again, I did condemn,
will never forget that Monday for as long as I live
certainly a day I never want to ever relive.
8/2/2018
Monday’s poetry contest.
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