Letter to the Author: Rodney Coates at coatesrd@muohio.edu
Last Night's Dream
Ms Lady, Darling dear,
wonder of my time,
let me whisper in your ear
of now and then,
then and now,
when you were
a friend and more.
Lady of my dreams,
woman of my soul,
girl, the girl's got skills,
yes, my heart sings.
Not that we are falling
in love, for love
is falling into us.
Not that we are making
love, for love is
making us.
Secret storms, silent
words spoken through souls
spiritually baptized in fire,
purified through tears,
made fresh through love
again.
Breathing each other's
breath, tasting each other's
kiss, hearing each other's
melodies played along the
strings of our heart.
Sun rising, images of you
linger on, as last night's
dream fades into the
day.
Expectations
I don't expect you
to be there every-time I call,
but it's nice when you are.
I don't expect you
to understand all of my thoughts,
but it's wonderful that you can.
I don't expect for you
to satisfy all of my needs,
but it's exhilarating when you do.
I don't expect you
to be anything that you're not,
but it's fantastic that you are you.
Male Enhancement
Forget about viagara,
try getting a job, taking out the trash,
or just putting down the toilet seat sometime.
Forget about erectile dysfunction,
try being a daddy to your children, a father to
someone else's, or just responsible on
a consistent basis.
Forget about impotence,
and try to be concerned, involved, or just
plain there when all hell breaks loose, and
the water pipes need fixing.
Forget about cialis,
try listening, waiting, caring for someone
except yourself, forgiving, and not being
right all the time.
Forget about the little blue pill
the little green drink, the little
white rock - for your manhood is dependent
upon your willingness to be a man, your ability
to stand up and be counted, and your desire
to take responsibility.
Ignore this, and all the pills, booze,
or drugs will not bring back your manhood,
and you will continue to be dysfunctional.
Do this and your mate will cheer you on to the finish line,
will encourage you to score, will desire to see you succeed,
and will be there when the night grows cold.
Whispering Sweet Nothings in Your Ear
Longing to see
walk, just to be in the same space
as you
Longing to watch
hear, just know that you
are near
Longing to catch
a glimpse of your smile,
see your eyes shine as
you begin to laugh
feel the energy as
you begin to sigh
But all I can do
is whisper
sweet nothings into
your ear, hoping
they touch the well
of your soul
stir up the waters
in your spring
and listen to
you say my name.
So tell me, what you be -- a tail light or a head light---
In preparation of February that month of Blackness
Knock, Knock who there?
Revolution-
Revolution who
The revolution that's gotta be.
Somebody, snatchin, snatchin everything they can
By any legitimate means necessary to succeed
Talking bout a revolution, revolution, revolution
Intellectual, scientific, acquisition, economic,
spiritual, cracking that knowledge filled
Revolution…talking bout that revolution
Why you think the kkk be so silent
Talking bout that revolution
They be silent cause somebody…somebody doing they's work, yea
Somebody doing deys work
Talking bout a revolution…we needs a revolution.
Say brother man, sister woman who you be
Do you be a tail light or a head light?
Is folks checking out your butt or your mind?
Is it your ass wagging or your thoughts shaking that's got dem looking
Making those babies-just my babies daddy...just another hoe on the show
Was it you doing the down low, no brother man tell me it just ain't so
Making those grades, making those plans, keeping it real, for sho
Feeling your self, objectification of self, selling your self one rock at a time
Taking care of business, fo if you don't somebody else will take care of it
for you
Take, pack it and sell you your own stuff come morning...some morning.
Is it something you done, or something you should have done, or something that
You just forgot to do...or intended to do,
Tell me brotha …sistha...which kinda light you be...a tail or a head light...
Tell me, the dif between a gangster and a ganstah
A player and a playa, and a nigger and a niggah?
Ole man ole woman, sitting by the side of the road, he be checkin it all out
She be knowing what it's all about...they be saying
Let's see ones for real and de other's Memorex, just some Playtex caught up
in the mix.
Signifying monkey, talking loud and saying nothing, see de gangster has a
crew,
organization, institutional, organic and formal links within they community
both here and they's motherland, they be building cathedrals, protecting
the hood,
opening businesses and the like, but the ganstah only has self, ambition, and little more den dat.
De player has the game, the fame, and the show
De playa has the lame, de shame and de blow
You see the nigger pissed off the mass
While the niggah wants to be the massah.
Hm …do you hear me kno...knock, knock...who there
Reality, hit me back on the 4-1-1
Time for a change, for the revolution, the revolution, the revolution
Goin come...goin have to come, where you be when it's here for sure.
Are you forever looking back, or are you looking forward?
So tell me, what you be -- a tail light or a head light?
Are you some misbegotten fantasy, or the future reality?
Talking bout a revolution, a revolution, bout a revolution
Of your mind.
(Copyright 2004 - All Rights Reserved by Rodney Coates)
Additional poetry by Rodney Coates can be found at:
gw.cas.muohio.edu/umoja/www.ulbobo.com/umoja