WORD UP! Wednesday: August 10, 2011

This was a spoken word piece composed at a poetry workshop back in February 2011. The prompt was to create an inspirational poem for women with a recipe list in it. (opening line from India Arie's "A Beautiful Day")

Life is a journey. Not a destination. A long road taking wit

And dedication. Me a woman

In a world where the only thing that I am worth involves my curves and charisma

To get me ahead, hasten my steps a few paces

On this road to life where I see eager faces whispering lies in my ears

Trying to offer me fears

Lord give me a deaf ear but an open eye

To see the difference between a truth and a lie.

Give me the wisdom, the strength, the courage, the nerve

To do what is, but yet, is not expected of me.

I know who I am 

But in a way I do not

Make it so that my works do not spoil 

Or rot into a deep abysmal pot that’s becoming of this world

Where it’s like the only place for us ladies, us females and girls

Is to lay at the edge of a man

Or hang a the edge of controversy.

I want to use my cookbook, the goodbook

I’ll improvise like the chefs do, the women and men that create and design

A masterpiece, a sweetness, a meal of proportions

A work of contortion of the mind 

Because you have never seen a spread as rare as I.

1 cup diligence, prepared fresh, 1 cup serenity

Made at best, 1 cup optimism, prepared with haste

2 cups love mixed with 1 half cup grace

Pinch of laughter to get by, tablespoon sanity and let it fry

Teaspoon each of focus and ration, mixed with a cup or so of passion.

With the fruits of the spirit and the proteins of experience, the sweetness

of success and the grains of time

All the people come from afar to see what’s cookin

What to add to my own, how I prepare it and let it 

Marinate and saturate. Just concentrate on this

I don’t live to turn heads or drill sense into

Into this senseless wooden fence with my incense

But as I commence on this dish I’m nor hungry, nor full

But filled to capacity with potential

I know of my ingredients and more importantly I know where to get them

And even more so I know of my contaminants, those that displease my senses

I taste the sweet pleasure of life and mix it all up and serve

Life is an open recipe, not an award-winning dish.

~L~