She wore a caramel covering;
Her heart beats as a little one;
A jovial girl, lovingly cared for;
A mother's joy, a father's girl
Be that portion subject to trauma;
Yet still be a Holy Daughter;
A Daughter of a Holy God;
She is formidable:
She is a righteousness of a almighty God:
Selected Carmel Sister;
She wore a caramel covering which is her skin
9/17/25/
written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2025
Filmed by strangers,
a story doomed not to last.
Beauteous verse
wrapped in barbed wire—
each sonnet
a blade to the vein.
Eyes like jade—
not diamond,
but cut rock.
A granite heart.
Tar recedes
into stone.
Still, the boy covets
with hunger.
And the girl—
she has appetites too.
First love:
a pigtail yanked,
a giggle echoing through time.
Innocence dissolved
with each year gained.
But the eyes—
they never changed.
Breathe life and fire into love’s nest—
reignite the spark of youth,
peeking through years like iron curtains,
framing the fugitive selves
we left decimated.
I still see her—
not in dreams,
but in the hush between songs,
in the way a door closes softly
when no one is there.
She has appetites still.
And I—
I feed them
from a distance.
Let her starve for once.
She is your reason
To do right and be strong
To not embarrass nor shame her
So she feels secure where she belongs
Her childhood is your reason
One not to be marred
Letting your guard down
Memories become scarred
Your beautiful family is your reason
To stay focused and in control
Your highest priority
Keeping your family happy and whole
I know its not easy
You are trying so hard
Doing unbelievably well
At not dropping your guard
We who love you
Will always support and guide
You mean everything to us
We stand proudly by your side
The truth is, it is an ongoing battle
Every day, every week, every season
Just always, always remember
She …..is your reason!
She got to wake up the next day
He didn't.
She got to live her life
He didn't.
She got to have her own family
He didn't
She lied
He didn't.
She admitted to the lie -
No repercussions
He was a black boy -
He got murdered
Carolyn Bryant,
A murderer
Emmett Till,
A victim
The courts awarded her due diligence
His family fled in fear, that it'd be repeated
Leaving their home, scared they'd be targeted
Their home a ghost to a child evicted
A system built to allow racism
Charise, the sewer, made a marvelous potato bag
What will she use it for the sink asked a dish rag.
I think she’ll put potatoes in it, but this is only a guess.
Maybe she’ll put spoons in it, suggested the watercress.
They held their breath, wondering who would win the bet.
That afternoon, the bag was filled up to her neck and was set.
Potatoes! yelled the dish rag; I was right, I have won!
An argument ensued, which ruined all the fun.
Yes, she knows me, she’s known me from the start
Soulmates throughout eternity, she knows me in her heart
She knows the words my heart would say
And knows the thoughts I think each day
She sees my smile and knows its cause
And feels my love without a pause
She knows the joy that we feel
When once again we’ve topped a hill
And all the love when we embrace
When we have finished a 5K race
She knows I love her for her mind
Unique, intelligent, the creative kind
I promised a life of love and adventure
But that first kiss of her hand was the heart-melding clincher
Her body tells a story.
A story all might not know.
Her lips and voice once used as a flirtatious weapon.
Hips once used to seduce.
She used to dress to impress.
Too flirtatious for her own good.
Now her lips are used to kiss boo-boos.
Her voice used to sing lullabies.
Her body used to take care of everyone else first.
Now she dresses without a care.
Somedays she doesn't recognize herself from who she used to be.
You know how it is
It's all on you
So what's going on
What are we going through
Never trust a beggers for
Your salvation
It's foolish and unwise
In all that it's saying
So love the world
As long as you
Ain't in it
Crumbled ego's
Bruised or hurt feelings
They can't understand
What you're going through
It's a place of rediscovery
Something ancient and
Full of un a new
A waiting world needs new
Inventions
With directions
You know the inventers
Intentions
Sorted facts from foolish
Fictions
Give them a futuristic taught
With futuristic intentions
Savor through
Who's using who
That's what a people want
They're looking to you
It's real complicated
It ain't challenged or debated
What corner are you in
What are you saying
I like the part when it's
all relating
Seeking fused
Merger or marriage
It's all caught to let
The People have it
You know how it is
It's all on you
So what's going on
What are we going through
Never trust a beggers for
Your salvation
It's foolish and unwise
In all that it's saying
So love the world
As long as you
Ain't in it
Crumbled ego's
Bruised or hurt feelings
They can't understand
What you're going through
It's a place of rediscovery
Something ancient and
Full of un a new
A waiting world needs new
Inventions
With directions
You know the inventers
Intentions
Sorted facts from foolish
Fictions
Give them a futuristic taught
With futuristic intentions
Savor through
Who's using who
That's what a people want
They're looking to you
It's real complicated
It ain't challenged or debated
What corner are you in
What are you saying
I like the part when it's
all relating
Seeking fused
Merger or marriage
It's all caught to let
The People have it
maybe she has a mental illness, he suggested
I cannot discuss her with you, I told him.
She is not your cousin, you do not realize.
She has been through such trauma.
More than most have at fifteen.
She might be a scorpion,
lashing out, twisting her tail, stinging people
but she is my cousin, my scorpion.
I will defend her now and forever
for I know her other sides.
There are many.
She can be empathetic, kind and loving.
She has a tender heart.
This is why she lashes out first,
So she will not get hurt again.
It is National Happy Cat Month (September). Please consider adoption.
Cat: An incomparable companion that smoothes the bumpy road.
She looked at me with somber eyes
enchanting with her wily guise.
Hesitant love became her stance
as she wondered at her sole chance
by blinking lovely golden eyes.
Living life with abuse and lies
never knowing what love implies
cautiously observing askance,
she looked at me.
Asking only for warm allies
and love that her bearing belies
hopeful that this is no mischance
and she may enrich and enhance
my cheerless life with loving ties
she looked at me.
A young girl entered the first grade hoping to learn how to spell using ABC's
But try as she may she could never spell those long tricky words until Miss
Cartolano lent her flash cards for home. Suddenly it became easy as pie.
surely, she was not the new boss
our heads swiveled almost in unison
this woman was way too polished for this place
chic in her sophisticated oversized green hat with pink polka dots
Who wore something like that in the sixties?
Her suit was a combination of stripes and dots.
Also a big no no in the sixties.
a BIG no No.
Oh, my gosh, was she smoking a CIGAR?
Cigars are for men.
I turned my head to look at my friend.
Her mouth was hanging open like mine.
Is that a diamond earring? I wondered.
And on only one ear!
Who is this fabulous creature?
I could not wait to find out!
they did not always call her donut head
but after she became one, what else would they call her?
I have a name, she would yell at people
They laughed
Maybe it was too much her friends suggested
she refused to change it
she liked the attention
just not the laughs
This could be..."True Love"
If she only knew me, well...
It would be..."True Hate"
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