Smooth Serenade

A sweet melody invades the air,

And in in that moment you have me

captivated… willingly.

Its time for another session.

Excitement pulsates my body from within.

The song beat covers me like a perfect fit

As I take it all in.

Im ready to hear your voice,

And you deliver.

Thankfully you don’t keep me waiting long.

Your words penetrate my ears;

It’s a verbal ecstasy

As our emotions sync

And the exchange commences.

You sing to me,

As I feel for you, all of your emotions.

My heart flutters as your notes flow,

Holding in them your passion and intensity.

Taking me on a ride

As I dance and sing along.

It’s a lifetime in a moment,

And when I blink its gone.

Satisfied and exhausted,

I look forward to the next time we connect again.

While I know you’ll oblige,

I can only hope the DJ doesn’t keep me waiting.

Holiday Madness

Long checkout lines and empty shelves that echo throughout many department stores and supermarkets. These are the tale tale signs that holiday madness is upon us. What should be a whimsical and festive occasion turns into stress filled torture; scrambling to find food, gifts and parking spaces. Television that you miss during the work week and look forward to seeing gets replaced with a never ending marathon of of holiday movies and sports games. God help you if you're not fond of either. The childhood memories of magic and allure during the season have been replaced with the adult reality of decorating, cooking, shopping and time management.

As a child, you never had to worry about how holidays happened. All you knew was that on Thanksgiving day there was a buffet of food complete with a turkey waiting before you. On Christmas morning, after being good like Santa told you to be, all you had to do was run to the tree and there would be presents of all sizes before you. As adults, holidays no longer "just happen" for us anymore. We have to make them happen. And when you have to play the head chef for 15 in your kitchen or even worse, the jolly fat guy with the white beard in a red suit, holidays very quickly become overwhelming.

But before you drown in the roaring waters of holiday madness, stop. Take a moment to observe the feeling around you. That warm, fuzzy feeling when you see pictures of a Thanksgiving feast or Christmas lights around a home. Although we outgrow and grow into different roles we play during this time, that feeling never really goes away. It only gets buried under annoyance and responsibility. So this year, take a moment to feel that emotion again... because that feeling is truly what the holiday season is all about.

A Kindred Soul

I am a kindred soul
looking for a friend.
Someone to talk to
to make and share memories with.
I am deficient in companions.
My ups and downs I go through...
Alone.
As I continue to search for a friend
I admire and envy
the unbreakable bonds of others.
Is it my fate to be lonely?
To share the joys and pains of my life
with only me, myself and I?
What would become of my soul then?
As it searches, possibly in vain,
for a dear friend.

Genuine

Hello love...
The pleasure to finally meet you is all mine
As I gaze at you with love and admiration in my eyes.
I reach out to touch you
And when your hand meets mine,
it makes my decision feel right.
The choice to see you tonight.
Having been promised a great time,
you don't give me anything less.
True to your word, I like that.

Your loving embrace
makes me feel so calm.
I don't feel like a stranger in your arms,
but like a friend.
Your beautiful aura illuminates from you
like a star glowing in the night sky.
A star... that's what you are indeed.
But time has escaped me,
and our meeting is now done.
I leave a piece of my heart with you.
A token of how I adore you.
Through acclaim and adversity,
you remain the same.
True to yourself, I respect that.

I Truly Did

At this moment I realize
that I truly did love you,
but now you're gone.
I went about living
taking for granted that you'll always be there.
It wasn't until you left that I realized,
I truly did care.
I watched you face a torrential storm,
not fully aware of your fears.
Looking back at it now,
I can truly see your tears.
Despite it all you still loved me,
after I left you, forsaken.
I wish I could have a second chance,
my heart is truly aching.
I miss you old friend
you were something special
And in this moment I realize
that I truly did love you.
And I would love nothing more
than to tell you...
But now you're gone.

To My Former Crush:

I used to love you once.
You entered my dreams and fantasies,
and at one time you belonged to me.
I couldn't get enough of you.
I always had to see your face,
hear your voice or
have your picture.
You were beautiful to me
pure perfection,
my eyes blinded to your faults.
In my eyes you could do no wrong.
Once hailed as my angel,
you have now fallen from grace
as I can now see your mistakes.
My stary dreams and sunshine fantasies
exist no more.
Replaced by the undeniable reality
of your true self.
I will always want the best for you,
because your good nature does shine through your faults.
But to you, my former crush,
I no longer love you
Like I once used to.

Dear Marlon...

Last night when I came home, I wanted to write and dedicate a beautiful poem to you. But it appears that our encounter has left me at a loss for words. So I will improvise, and hope that you enjoy it.

Being in your line of work, I know you meet people who tell you they love you all the time and are your "biggest fans" . On your twitter page your timeline quickly fills with tweets from adoring supporters. So how can someone like me stand out and express my feelings to you?

I’ll start by saying that this event occurred during one of the most difficult times in my life. Good times for me are far and few in between right now. So I felt compelled to seize this opportunity despite my current situation. I’m happy that I did because I had a fabulous time. From the minute I saw you emerge your aura shined as bright as a star in the sky.  A star... yes that is a fitting analogy because that is truly what you are. God blessed you with a beautiful spirit and I'm blessed to have experienced it in person, if only briefly. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy night to meet me. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

Please stay just the way you are. Don't ever change. Some celebrities become hard to stomach because they're so arrogant, aloof and ungrateful. It's good to know that you and your family is not like that. Its a joy to be a fan of yours because you are open and loving. Maybe the reason why I didn't feel nervous, or turn into a fanatic is because you made the mood so calm and casual. It was like we were or could have been friends.

I love you. I love the talent you posses and the heart that sustains you. I love that you remain true to yourself and your roots no matter where fame takes you. You are a beautiful person inside and out, and I hope to meet you again someday. I can't claim to be your biggest fan, but I can say that you will have a fan for life in me.

*sigh* I still owe you a lovely poem, when words stop failing me.

Love. <3

Why Couldn't You Stay?

Tomorrow will come, but the sun will not rise.
I will dread opening my eyes
to gray skies
that arrived when you left
and will remain for the remainder of my days.
Doomed to mechanical mornings
forced to face a cold world alone
Without your warmth.
Why couldn't you stay?
Everyday I'm wandering
and wondering
Why?
 
The night will come, but no stars will shine.
I will cast my teary eyes
to a black sky
that lost its light when you left
and will surround me in darkness for the remainder of my nights.
Sentenced to nights of lonliness
The distance of your voice is torture.
Why couldn't you stay?
For the rest of my days I'll be wandering
and wondering
Why?

Eluded

So close, I can almost reach you.
I'm compelled
As you invade my thought process
Love has taken hold of me.
Sadly, you elude me again.

Inner beauty draws me near, spellbound
and hypnotized
Please know me,
Know that I love you.
I scream aloud
As you elude my words.

In the crowd, you stand out
as I fall in.
Another piece of the puzzle,
trapped within.
Desperation vs composure,
fantasy vs reality
pull at me.

I welcome the day we meet at last
A blissful moment
beginning a beautiful relationship
I feel it near, I'm so close 
I can almost reach you.
But you remain crafty, my master
of escape.
Take my heart with you,
as you elude me forevermore.

The Other Side of the Prayers

I remember when it happened to New Orleans. Seeing the water level up to the roofs of houses, people stranded in dire conditions. It easily looked like a scene out of a developing country, until I was reminded that no, this was in the United States. Then we eastcoasters spouted the number one phrase all Americans are almost programmed to say when tragedy strikes: "you are in our prayers".

Sure we know how that goes when we're hearing the story... we are American after all. But now the tables have turned. We are now the story. The east coast is now where New Orleans was in 2005: devastated by an unprecedented storm. Relief efforts have begun, and now instead of offering prayers, we are the ones being prayed for. Our fast-paced way of life has come to a screeching halt. Now we are forced to take small steps when we are accustomed to sprinting. To add insult to injury, the rest of the world hasn't stopped. 

It is a sobering and humbling reality to be on the other side of the prayers. No place is immune from destruction and loss. For most of my life I felt safe in NYC because I was convinced natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes don't occur here. Now that I've done some living, I know better. Weather knows no boundaries and when it hits you hard, all you can do is survive and rebuild. This is the task that now lies before us.

May God watch over us during this difficult time as we reconstruct our lives. Give us the strength to press on in these dark hours and continue to keep us in your love and grace. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.