She didn’t reach his standard
Too brash, too immature
He wouldn’t dare to risk it
But still, he wasn’t sure
Although there was attraction
But it was very much controlled
Until he gained the stature
That made him sure and bold
So, that’s when he decided
To reveal and to express
The feelings he had always felt
But dared not to confess
Because there was so much at stake
He was careful about his standing
His status played a major part
And he could be quite demanding
So, when he did the great reveal
He also had a plan
He would make sure she understood
He was that special man
And even though she hadn’t changed
He sure had changed a lot
The man he now had come to be
Would now execute his plot
He’d hold her to his standard
With rules and with decrees
And force her to respect his place
While ignoring all her pleas.
Wendy Nipas
STATUS QUO
You be my only
You be my only, you be my only one
You are my only love
I am encouraging
Holding your heart, in my spirit
You, only one for me can’t you see it
Ever so nourishing
You complete me
You make me whole
Bringing me fresh ideas
The way things are
Status quo
Existing state of affairs
it’s you your love that’s so rare
So, so sweetly you care
You are my only love
Sent by God, above
My only love this you should know
Status Quo
You complete me
You make me whole
Bringing me fresh ideas
The way things are
Status quo
Presently it is condition good
You are in my mind, soul and heart
You’re giving me a brand-new start
You are mine, my heart, that part
The way things are right now
Existing state of affairs we are
Covenanted engaging
Keeping things exactly as they are
There’ll be no making changes
You are always, only mine,
My heart, my soul
existing state of affairs
it’s you your love that’s so rare
So, so sweetly you care
You are my only love
Sent by God, above
My only love this you should know
Status Quo
8/18/26
by James Edward Lee Sr.2026©
To wait
is to drown
slowly
with a hope
one day
you will rise
only to witness
the time passing by,
getting closer to the bottom.
Here, struggle
is no longer needed;
surrender is easier.
To let go of heavier dreams
and embrace
the defeat.
Not to give up,
but to land the feet
to bounce back better
with an air of a new kind
created during the halt.
A pause to refill
and restart
what was unfinished
with a slight twist
that‘ll make
the whole difference.
This social status brings me to my knees, as I sense a divide, a widening disease.
The upper class, devoid of any pride, spreads their lies and hide behind the media while
others silently bide.
They try to appease, ignoring the pleas of those in need, lost in the social freeze.
A creed that breeds, like a newly sprouted seed, fostering division, where hatred's the creed.
While they preach to the masses, those dealt a cruel fate, social structures thrive, but their
hearts are sedate.
This creed only nourishes greed at the top, while so many struggle, just trying to stop.
Hurl the applecart
of crimson corruption
deep into a vortex
that whirs remorseless
and grinds to carbon
the bellowing chaos
spewed by mortals
voracious for victims.
Dread not the tremors
and tumult of wraiths
clamoring with poison fangs
to devour the light.
Our bodies were celebrities, before we knew fame
Privacy was a luxury, stolen from our innocence,
Our curves measured, scrutinised by envy,
Scales became friends without the empathy,
Put under a microscope, our bodies criticised for growing,
A black girls body, becomes front page news -
The buzzword they religiously used, ‘fast’ as if it were choice
Shamed for being curvy, yet paying for our shape to be replicated,
They instil hate, to make us shrink -
Just for them to showcase the bodies they claim to ‘hate’
Stealing credit, and robbing the spotlight
The aim of their game, was to install shame -
To feel better, for not being naturally shaped
Paper reviews and media highlights,
No protection, just unwanted exposure,
Contracts signed without our permission,
To showcase our bodies, like we are caged animals
Turned into a circus, to point and laugh at,
To hide the fact, that they wish they were black,
Their skin green, with the envy of our blackness -
Projecting hate in disguise of jealousy,
Trapped in a state of constant sadness,
For not living up to an image they worked hard to perfect
Our bodies, were just caught in the crossfires of their anger
lovely cozy nest
smooth winding makes smooth swinging
natural status
In silent drumbeats of depression
throbs a fractal life of no "visualization".
dandelions fluffing in howling winds
fight with Halloween "hallucinations".
behind the dusk of a sealed doorway lies
a vast empty space of no sun-showers...
I need a spaceship
to take me to a place I have never been
many lightyears away to another planet.
Where timeline untangles and "dream" floats
treading "whimsy" paths by moonlight.
Where crystalline castles of "imagination"
build chimeras over craterous depths.
Where a wandering soul can escape
into "reverie" flights of a wishful heart.
Where in pure beauty of the still night
dazzles a chest of rubies in onyx eyes.
Coding messages in long forgotten songs
through rows of roses, Will I get my Mozart?
In foams of a sea, only sorrow and suffering,
Will my status quo change to a happy ending?
We live in shadows of uncertainty,
and the brightness of certainty... so badly
We have unlearned the world, and now
we are flooded
in true deceptions that
swear lies
as if they were the pure truth..
but they are truly
our bad reality, naked and raw...
our indefectible
involution...!
Because I'd been good for a very long while,
my parents decided to buy me a crocodile.
Then all the kids on the block
thought I really did rock.
Till two weeks later,
another kid’s parents decided to buy him an alligator!
Shoot! And now some kid’s braggin’
his parents are gonna buy him a Komodo dragon.
Oh, my God! This is way over the top!
Will this neighborhood competition never stop?
Je je ke mar raha hun,
Mar mar ke je raha hun,
Dil ka haal ye hai, bas
Jise zehar pi raha hun.
Khud se hi bair hai ab,
Duniya se kya gila hai,
Jashn-e-gham manata
Aansu mein pi raha hun.
Uljhnein meri saheli,
Aansu mere saathi hai,
Pal pal bikhar ke janid,
Apni zindagi ji raha hun.
Traveling far, far away from home
Leaving family and friends to roam
Did not expect changes it would bring
To a life feeling apathy’s sting
Had much pity from which to borrow
Saw no bright future into tomorrows
Never thought to make goals or form dreams
Caught in a trap of daily routines
Knew nothing beyond my locale
Blind to the avenues I had
Just going along with old pals
Digging cars, music, and gals
Trying to hide distress was not smart
Shielding the anxiousness in my heart
I feigned joy but was acting a part
No one knew the deep sigh in my heart
Then one day to my utter delight
When out of the dark came a light
Circumstance and good fortune teamed
With opportunity to redeem
From plateau low to mountain heights
Life beyond the status quo plights
Came like a shot from a crossbow
Hitting with a decisive blow
Now have traveled from shore to shore
Lived in six states, flown over more
Earned three degrees along the way
Proud of my military days
In streets of struggle, where poverty reigns
A youthful cry, with futures in chains
Limited options, and resources scarce
Leads to desperation, and a troubled stance
Low-income homes, with stress and strife
Parental struggles, and a child's lost life
Unmet needs, and unfulfilled dreams
Fuel the fire, of juvenile schemes
Education's key, but doors are locked
Opportunities scarce, and futures blocked
Jobless parents, with no way to provide
Leave children vulnerable to the streets' tide
Neighborhoods plagued, by crime and fear
Youthful energy, misdirected here
Gangs and violence, a deadly allure
A false sense of belonging, in a world obscure
Socio-economic chains, that bind and sway
Influence choices, in a troubled way
Delinquency rises, as hopes decay
A cycle of strife, in a world gone gray
Break the chains, and lift the veil
Provide opportunities, and education's sail
Empower families, and communities too
To give youth a chance, to make a brighter hue.
Life Beyond the Status Quo
Traveling far, far away from home,
Leaving family and friends to roam,
Did not expect changes it would bring,
To a life feeling apathy’s sting.
Had much pity from which to borrow,
Saw no bright future in tomorrows,
Never thought to make goals or form dreams,
Caught in a trap of MUNDANE routines.
Thought hiding my distress very smart,
Shielding the anxiousness in my heart,
I feigned joy but was acting a part,
No one knew the pain was so distraught.
Then one day to my utter surprise,
When out of the blue an answer came,
Circumstances and good fortune teamed,
With opportunity to redeem.
From plateau dim to mountain glow,
To life beyond the status quo,
Like an arrow shot from a taunt crossbow,
Hitting the target with precise blow.
STATUS-
Unwavering, I move yet I’m not moving, I stand yet I’m horizontal laying down
6/5/24
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2024©
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