Self-Owned
Remember
the day
you became entitled
to yourself
No debts to pay
no last charade
the circle closed
— indwelt
(Dreamsleep: May, 2025)
Reflection
Do we just recall
a memory
Or its cause
and its effect
Is consciousness
a chain of links
To front load
— or dissect
(Dreamsleep: May, 2025)
Beatitude
The deeper you question
the more you constrain
God’s true existence
to never explain
Loosen your grip
on what holds you back
Surrender to glory
— Divinity’s tack
(1st Book of Prayers: May, 2025)
The Only Thing
Winning is always
undefeated
Score
to tell the tale
The victory plum
is zero sum
With glory
— to regale
(The New Room: May, 2025)
All Is Now
Unplugging tomorrow
recharging today
Conscripting the moment
— inside which we pray
(1st Book of Prayers: May, 2025)
Categories:
unplugging, poetry,
Form: Rhyme
During the Deacon Preachin' Weekend
the deacon recommended unplugging
going offline to avoid screen addiction
no games, not texts, no emails, nothing
disconnecting, in order to connect --
to more important priorities in life :)
without distractions or attachments
easing the mind, the eyes, the hands
a self-imposed, spontaneous Zen Mode
not the whole entire day, perhaps, but
so we can do something else worthwhile
--if it becomes necessary, to be present
to our thoughts, studies, others, prayer?
Categories:
unplugging, happiness, internet, introspection, mentor,
Form: Free verse
There’s digital this
And digital that
But most is too much
For me to grab at
I thank the Almighty
That as far as I know
No one can grow
Digital coffee.
But this thought
Of digital drink
Makes the real mind
Pause and think
I’ll pass on that scheme
And I would never
Buy their new clever
Gigabyte ice cream
Gigabyte ice cream
Of course is a thing
A microscopic
Dippin Dots’ offspring
But what is the point
To ingest that stuff
I’m unplugging my life
Coz enough is enough
Categories:
unplugging, computer, food,
Form: Rhyme
Opulence can't acquire it,
Not even a fragment of its entirety,
A priceless gem,
The sun's light doesn’t aid its radiance.
Unplugging from it,
Makes the soul a junkyard,
Like playing with the wrong card,
The mess can’t be excused.
Its light filters through,
Its bearer sees the hidden path,
Twilight becomes a book,
The eyes are not scared to look.
It’s a silver lining that comes with age,
It apparels the sage,
It’s a priceless gift,
Wisdom paddles the soul away from rift.
May 12, 2023.
Pick-A-Title, Vol 36 - Poetry Contest,
Edward Ibe.
Categories:
unplugging, inspirational, wisdom,
Form: Free verse
Our grandson is six.
It is August the eight.
He asks “When will your tree die?”
Yes, I keep my Christmas tree up year round.
We use it as a night light.
I think he means the lights.
I can kill them now I say, unplugging them.
No, he says. The tree. When will the tree die?
His mother figures it out before I can.
It is not a real tree, she tells him. It is a fake tree.
He looks at me as if I have crucified Jesus myself.
I had frankly forgotten some people still put up a real Christmas tree.
Categories:
unplugging, tree,
Form: Free verse
The bottle was found upon the shore,
looking forlorn and green with a cork,
it wasn't impressive except that a
note was folded inside ready to be
read by the beachcomber with delight.
Seagulls encircled the event as if they
knew what the discovery was all about,
eyeing the lone man unplugging the
bottle made them more curious as he
went about with much dramatic bravo.
Placing the bottle upside down and tapping
the bottom made the yellowed note fall out,
carefully unfolding it with large veiny hands,
he read each word written in delicate and
flowery cursive as if done by a woman.
'Jonathan Dearest as I am writing this letter,
my ship is out to sea taking on water and
soon will be sinking with many on board,
including me because there are not enough
lifeboats on the Titanic...'
Categories:
unplugging, farewell,
Form: Narrative
Guarded and closed off, that's what he knows best
It just takes a noise to peak his interest
Don't bother to knock, 'cause he won't letcha in
Caution encloses the world he lives in
Four cats are his passion he keeps them well fed
But fear sends them running back under the bed
He's gone beyond trusting, I'll never know why
He's jumpy and nervous, alertness on high
Drawing the curtains, unplugging the phone
He's almost certain he's never alone
Peering out windows from behind the chair
'Cause he never knows what's lurking out there
He sees his newspaper out on the walk
Won't open the door or unlatch the lock
In this wary obsession, he can't help but feel
a need to distinguish the false from the real.
Categories:
unplugging, dark, fear, trust,
Form: Ballad
The mischievous things you often did,
like taking the salt shaker and loosening the lid
It was only a matter of time before you got it good
so you had to get away with as much as you could
Pulling the sheets from the bed and making a tent
Swinging on the curtains until the rod bent
Blaming your sister for writing on the wall
though she couldn't spell yet and was only a foot tall
Unplugging the alarm clock so you could miss school
Overflowing the tub to make a swimming pool
Did you ever show out in the grocery store
then when you got home run and lock the door
You'd either get caught or someone would snitch
Then your legs would get it...that's right the switch!!
Categories:
unplugging, children, growing up, parents,
Form: Couplet
I smoke another of my cigars,
unplugging wires from the phone
Tonight is different from the last,
sitting on my front porch alone.
My dog licks my dangling hand,
the one that she used to hold.
I look at all those scattered stars,
how they burn out in the cold.
A note was left by my guitar,
attached to the middle string.
The photo album near the door,
and there upon it was her ring.
Not a whisper now for miles,
only creaking of a loosened plank.
I pour myself another whiskey,
which I spilled more than I drank.
All the tears wont bring her back,
she really is now gone for good.
Another man she said loved her,
and that was all I understood.
She took off into the distance,
and I could hear her laugh.
Packing away all of her things,
that tore my heart in half.
So I must also pack my bags,
in suitcases full of broken lies.
Two journeys with a final end,
beneath these unforgiving skies.
Categories:
unplugging,
Form: I do not know?
I remember me and my cousins
running on the hot paved streets
Of Chicago
In mid summer
to the candy lady
to buy
a .25 cent frozen cup
Grandmama in the kitchen
wiping sweat off her forehead
as she prepares our favorite
Pork Chops, fried corn,
and collards
with white corn bread balls in them
Out front jumping double dutch
with the longest extention cords we could find
without getting into trouble
for unplugging something
Daddy in the bathroom mirror
again
spraying care free in his jeri curl
always trying to look his best
Block parties were so fun
with the fire hydrant shooting water
free prizes, games food
and fun
all on one block
Penny candy, porkrinds with hotsauce
pickles, pop, now n later's, icecream
Man we had it all
Sweet childhood memories
I will always recall
Categories:
unplugging, black-african amer
Form: Free verse
Before the future and after the past
We have found each other’s souls at last
In the beat of a heart I was able to see
The rest of my life belonged to thee
When our eyes met it wasn’t a glance
Locked together in a forbidden trance
For we had each given up on love
And being forgiven by Lord above
We were forever lost and on the run
Burying our pain by having our fun
Children scattered from here to there
As we stayed so high we didn’t care
We each knew when you come down
You lose your mask and face the clown
And that was something we couldn’t do
Until the day you met me and I met you
Unplugging the phone we locked the doors
I told you my sins and you told me yours
The people in our life just couldn’t believe
We found in each other the strength to leave
To change our fate was quite the chore
But there was noting we each wanted more
My children love you and yours love me
Because we have melted into one family
I wrote this poem because I want you to know
You beat with my heart and live in my soul
You have always been way more than my lover
You’re the friend I found who is like no other
Categories:
unplugging, family, friendship, girlfriend-boyfriend, life,
Form: Couplet