Incubus

Deeply personal
Do I dare share with others
Demons in my head

A beautiful morn
gives way to anxiety
not a cause in sight

The Song of Right and Wrong

Venom or support
Their words impact me wholly
Intentions unknown

I'm shot down in pain
The sting last forever more
Wounded; a slow death

Encouraging words
lift my spirits high, I soar
on gossamer wings

My dream: a sapling
needs to be nurtured to grow
tended carefully

Oh thank you my dear
you bring my heart such delight
on many levels

The Proctors

Hadn't given them
nary a thought in ages
Tales from my childhood

Our urban legend:
light-skinned, blue-eyed
married kith and kin

Comfort in Food

One
Weigh and pay for eggs
sausage, scrapple and home fries
Morning comfort food

Two
The tea's temp: just right
For today's chilly morning
Comfort in a cup

Taking Care of Myself

I will not allow
myself to be drawn into
those old bad habits

The flirting, caring
wanting women, half my age
It's just not healthy

FOI*

*Fruit of Islam

Why don't you ask me
Instead of seeking answers
From those that don't know

Why does it matter
My beliefs, values, or God
Christian, Muslim, Jew

What do you infer?
By my dress, manners, affect
That I'm not like you?

As Colin Powell said
Aren't we all Americans
Isn't that the thing?

"Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That's not America. Is there something wrong with a seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion that he is a Muslim and might have an association with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.

I feel particularly strong about this because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay, was of a mother at Arlington Cemetery and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone, and it gave his awards - Purple Heart, Bronze Star - showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death, he was 20 years old. And then at the very top of the head stone, it didn't have a Christian cross. It didn't have a Star of David. It has a crescent and star of the Islamic faith.

And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan. And he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was fourteen years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he could serve his country and he gave his life."

Jewelry

Thanks Dan

It's been ages since
Anybody has given me
jewelry or baubles

My style - eclectic
Not many understand that
But Dan got it right

A beaded bracelet
in my colors, classic clasp
Can't wait to wear it

BGHC (cont'd)

To get it straight, right
It took me half an hour
Sigh. Now I'll be late.

Life Functions

Only now am I
aware that my period
is seven days late

I'm convinced that the
irregularity has
more to do with meat

Winter months are filled
with comfort foods laden with
beef fed on hormones

Antibiotics,
or endocrine disruptors
confuse the body

Happy Hour

Why do salt, water
and ice chill the wine faster
than ice cubes alone?

I Love You

“I love you,” he says
I know he really means it
What do I do now?

Often unspoken
Things stir a panic inside
This time it’s what’s said

Intense confusion
When did this unexpected
Love make its debut?

What does this love mean?
Emotional baggage clouds
My heart and his words

I accept them both --
His words and the sentiment --
With difficulty

Why so troubled by
An emotion I never
Wished to inspire?

I think because it’s
Spoken, sans expectation,
That’s scaring me most

How do I respond?
How do I reciprocate?
To this newfound love?

18 Months After Surgery

Oh Gawd! My foot hurts
With each step a searing pain
Up entire leg

On the other side
Hip - responding to missteps
Has its own complaints

At night the stillness
Gives way to phantom pains, aches
Camphor and menthol

BGHC (cont'd)

Black girl's hair saga
Continues into new year
Oh! I feel pretty

But is this too much --
Flat iron, that will not burn
Curlers with end wraps

Is this too much time
Spent on a social construct?
My mid-life crisis?

Matchmaker

Refrain:
Two people, strangers
All they need is an intro
That's my cue to act

He:
A policy wonk
A geek in so many ways
Deep seriousness

She:
Serious yet fun
A nerd of a different kind
Alive with pleasure

Refrain:
Can this date be saved
He makes no effort at all
To participate

He:
Hmpf! Never again
He doesn't need help from me
He needs Toastmasters

She:
She shines in the dark
Able to negotiate
Unfamiliar lands

Refrain:
My first attempt at
Playing Cupid, Matchmaker
Won't be repeated

Lace

A short text message
An impromptu rendezvous
Lesbians await

Danger Will Robinson. Danger.

The robot isn't
Only one who needs control
Over the surround

The younger sibling
Claims power denied in youth
With intent to harm

Pilgrimage

The road to Mecca
Is not guided by intent
But struggles, angst, pain

Appearances Often Lie

Tighten up they say
Taunt skin, eyes and other things
Behold: "real" beauty

Seen from miles away
You exude a confidence
Which reveals much more

Tacos

Pork carnitas with
lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream
Oh what joy is lunch

Prayer to an Archangel

The patron saint of blind people; bodily ills; eye problems; happy meetings; insanity; lovers; mental illness; nightmares; sick people; travelers; young people

Angel Raphael
Rain your blessing down on me
In times of trouble

Morning Commute

Red and black embrace
The rush hour traveler
with Levin earrings

A State of Disrepair

Oh my Gawd! That long?!
Rhonda Eason. Tears ago
You bet I'm horny

Yes, I'm celibate
Not for a lack of trying
All outside my reach

A bitter-sweet fruit
It's the only thing that sucks
On such lonely nights

Station Advisory

Seven minutes ‘til
Next train enters the station
Time is standing still

Seven now eighteen
We are crowding the platform
With restless pacing

Thanks for your patience
Let Metro handle your stress
Hollow messages

M!m M!m Good

Egg salad tonight
With a sip of Chardonnay
Lacking in substance

What I really want?
Grilled cheese on buttered Wonder
And tomato soup

The New Bento Box

Sesame soba
With peanut butter and soy
Cilantro garnish

What protein to add?
Tofu or turkey? Vegs too --
broccoli, carrots

Next? Aloo Gobi
Cauliflower, potatoes
Tumeric, ginger

Kaniktshaq Moritlkatsio Atsuniartoq

Anijo

De-ice or shovel?
It doesn't matter which is first
It is here to stay

Isn't that crazy?

I remember names
Of those few who catch my ire
The others, their hearts

I know I know you
But where and how I forget
Yet, you touched my core

BGHC

(Black Girl’s Hair Channel)

I’m fascinated
In awe, mouth slack, eyes wide, fixed
At the things they do

No longer do I want
Golden, flaxen straighten locks
Me? Kinky! Curly!

Two strand twist crown me
A laurel wreath of honour
A new exemplar

I want lots of curls
Small, yet strong, to move with ease
Thin, to frame my face

But no chemicals!
And no products except oil
Olive and flax seed

Wonderful new world
Black women with their hair like mine
Except for the gray

Wait! I love my gray
But it’s oh so difficult
Straying every way

Right now I yield to
Snoods, headbands, combs and scrunchies
And lots of pomade

Upon the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States

Pillsbury biscuits
Eight per can, one per serving
Good with grape jelly

Scrapple, scrambled eggs
Bananas with sliced melon
Complete the repast

A mimosa toast
New frontiers, new beginnings
Celebrate the day

Chilly Winter Nights

Reduce stock by half
To intensify flavors
Simmer three hours

Then check the progress
Falling off the bone? More time
Pour a glass of wine

Another 2 hours
Glasses fog, for a moment
Such comfort: steam, scents

Start the polenta
Prep the sprouts, pour another dram
Dinner within sight

Senses come alive
Eyes, ears, nose and tongue tingle
Anticipating

An exquisite meal
This must be what they call bliss
Or else umami

A Special Phan

I
One
Her youth fogs my sight
Stirring forgotten places
I'm moist, dewy, damp

Two
A door is opening
Revealing calla lilies
Needing attention

Three
Please end this madness
Stop mocking me with her youth
One score and seven




II
She has touched my heart
Charming to look at, with eyes
as soft as honey

The Evening Commute

He bumps into me
No words, no apologies
Hardly a beat missed

Wind: From SE at 17 mph

Summer's memory
Brings forth stinging flood of tears
No match for Ice Queen

I spurn her advances
Cold, aloof lover's embrace
There's not much warmth here

Identity and Protection

Agnostic's hijab
Wrapped tight against wintry kiss
Such customs comfort

Techno-Geek | DTV Conversion

For Rich

One
Calm, as pond water
I contemplate the problem
A red wire needed

Two
Now for the TV
She shouldn't watch it so much
Why no Channel 5?

Three
The antenna brings
Crisp, crystal clear pictures now
The box? Still no 5.

Four
It's been four hours
The Namaste cake calls me
Distractions beckon

Bad Nauheim*

One
Stays awake at night
Little things to torment her
Pondering, scheming

Two
FOI, Maddow
Grammar, male brothels, Prop 8
Will wrinkle her brow

Three
Oh what fun it is
To see her struggle to grasp
a new paradigm

Four
Cultural context
My ass! This -- white male privilege --
Today's world order

Five
He laughs, she struggles
to make sense of the changes
Worry away at

Six
What's a girl to do
Face the music, dance all night
Denounce his power




(*A world-famous resort, noted for its salt springs, which are used to treat heart and nerve diseases.)

Solstice Surprise

Alone in the grass
January foreigner
Round, orange, winter squash

JAG | On her birthday

One
Anger, hurt, sadness
Heartache bought about by love
Who will take first move?

Two
This must be payback
Nuns, escorting you to the nurse
Who better? Not me

Three
Your hurt, years later
Still wounded? Time for revenge
My hurt, here and now

Four
How do we repair?
Being sisters is not enough
How do I forgive?

The Ethiopian

One
Sweater. A book. Pop
Strewn amongst blue plastic bags
What happened to him?

Two
Gone like dusty snow
Will he return tomorrow?
Or, absorbed, no trace.

Three
Scattered here, a life
Remnants: the parts that remain
A ghost, haunting me

Four
A man bearing… what?
Bible remains. Faith gone too?
What else is missing?