When Beating Hearts Meet

After the rain, comes the Sun

Cloudless sky, Birds singing

The scent of fresh flowers in the air

And then, as if I deserved such a gift

There you were....

Standing in the mist

Shining brighter than any Star

Our eyes met

And at once we were one.

Joining together in unsurpassed Love

We gave each other

The one thing no one else could share

Or take away

Far away and yet so close

Music played

And then I realized

It was our Hearts beating

In a rhythm that could never be explained

Or repeated......

Home of the Free and the Brave....

I fight every day
In this land
My home
This U. S. of A.

Fight, fight, fight,
That's all I've known
Fight, fight, fight,
That's all I've done
Since day one.

Fightin' from the womb
To gain my freedom
Fightin', fightin,
To Walk my way

I fight every day
In this land
My home
This U. S. of A.

I defend my right
To live in this life
I defend my right
To love in this life
I defend my right
To prosper in this life

Honesty is the best policy
Scout's honor.
But a lie is what is needed
To defend this land
This home
My U. S. of A.

"Don't ask, don't tell."
How ludicrous is that...???

"ARE YOU GAY?"
"YES SIR, I AM! SIR."

How simple is that..
The Sky didn't fall
And the World didn't end
And the Earth continues to spin.

If I'm in the trenches
With my brother in arms,
If I'm bleeding from where
God only knows.

If a limb is missing
While we were in Iraq,
My thoughts to bed him
Would be kinda "whack."

If bullets are flying
Across my head.
If blood is flowing
Because of lead,
Then "don't ask, don't tell"
Won't really matter much
'Cause dead is dead,

No ifs, and's or but's.

Workin' Man Blues

Here I sit waiting for the one
Who can help fill my pockets
To fulfill my dreams
To be independent
From the needs of this material World.

Giving of myself
That special part of my being
To someone unknown
Ah yes, this will bring a friend to the door.

Shy, scared, "God let it be fast."
Embarrassed, "do I need cash that bad?"

What makes a person pay?
What makes a person accept payment?.....for such a priceless gift.
...."one never knows, do one...."

Everyone needs a little
It' not a dirty thing....sigh,
Just business as usual.

The Playlist

As I walked thru the door
With a glimmer and flair
A night of relaxation
A night of repair.

The silence was thick
The quiet so sweet
So I slipped off my shoes
And a "sigh" made it complete.

I was home
And ready for some music.

The mood was for writing
And my tools were at hand

Paper and Pen
A need and a must
A tall glass of water,
"Ooo, Jack Daniels!"
Hmm, "DON'T TOUCH!"

Candles were lit
Thoughts prepared
As vanilla scented thru the warm cozy air.

A choice to be made
between one and another
As Cantor would say,
"oh James, please, not the other.."

The "other" refers to ALL but me
A problem I've had for long actually

Decisions to be made
A choice between the two.

One will inspire me
And One will "boo-hoo"

A good cry is needed
Every now and then
But both these CD's
Can lead to that end

With one, in It's music
He appears to me
Sitting, Laughing, oh so casually.

The "Other", its songs
Are sad in truth
And that's why I'll go boo-hoo-hoo

So, here's my dilemma
Of which I hope you see

Do I play the one for him?
Or the One for me??
....sad as it may be.

truth of the matter

living a life
in the dawn of madness.
living with dignity
surrounded by fear
silence equated with Death.

Robin had Cancer
it was all over the news
the treatment, the struggle
thoughts of the inevitable
support in boatloads.

Young Blood, just got a call
he's got a new roommate
HIV has taken up space

can't tell Mama, "she gonna cry."
can't tell Papa, "he'd rather die."
so he keeps silent..
in hopes it will go away.....

he's gonna wake up soon
right?
he's gonna wake up soon........

my name is.....

cargo ships cold
rags cover my body
feet bare
lost and hungry
alone
alone
rocks
rocks for roads
smooth winding paths
colors
flashing lights
shaking
scared
no where to turn
no one I know...
must never forget who I am

The Proof is in the Puddin'

Do I believe in GOD?

Of Course I believe in GOD.

Take a look up, see the Moon?
...half Moon, bright and glowing...
That's GOD's loving eye watching us.

Feel that breeze, cool and light.
That's GOD surrounding us....

Feel the Earth, firm and steady.
That's GOD supporting us, holding us up.

So keep your rhetoric...hate and such....
I'm living proof of GOD and HIS Love and so is my Life.
xoxo

...to the DMV...ugh!

....I have put this off for way to long. Time to face the music. I have to turn in my NY State Drivers License....:( Ya'll have no idea of the BS I went through in 2006 to get that license....911 was stll fresh, you needed Valid ID to use a bathroom...(not really but...u get the point)..but NOW, in order to be considered for a PA Lottery Commercial...they wanna know if you're a resident......which makes sense to some degree, but where's the "equal consideration" in the Audition process...(stop trying to start shit James...just stop)

Lullaby for Lanae

child child, where do you go?
child child, what do you know?
child child, will ya take a stand?
child child, will you hold my hand?
child child, will you look and see?
never knowing what's to be,
seeing stars shine high and bright,
laughing, loving, day and night.

Flashbacks of a Fool

A mirror and a flourescent light
Are all I need to see the Truth.
The Eyes tell it all.

I am a slave to myself.
Running and Hiding.

It' raining right now, hard.
All I want to do, is run outside, stand in the middle of the street,
And spin, spin, spin...so dizzy.

Gone is Self Hatred
Gone is Dis-gust
Gone is Dis-ease

Loneliness was a friend of mine...
Gone for someone else.

For the last couple of months I've been "letting go." Letting go of old pictures, memories. Things that have no real bearing in my life. When I released those memories, trashing most, passing on a few, a weight was lifted. I felt a little taller. It made me realize that I was holding on to these "things" for the sake of "holding onto". If that makes any sense. Truth be said, the true memories are already ingrained in my head. And I can "memory recall" for any moment in my life....so the material substances, truly have no place in this New Life of mine.
That's what it is all about...not keeping and storing and salvaging all these THINGS. I think of Jesus sometimes when I'm feeling gluttonous and in that "I need", "I want", mood. WWJD? Funny, I thought that was some "catchy" hip phrase being used to impress. That's the cynic in me.....smdh. ha.

Original Art Work by James Tolbert III

Brown Skin, a VideoPoem. Written and Performed by James Tolbert III

Brown Skin

by James Tolbert III

Brown Skin, Oh my Brown Skin

You brought me to Huey

You made me think of Malcolm

You define intelligence

You epitomize blackness.

Eager I was to be a part,

Wakened you did this lonely heart,

Violins play with each letter of your name

In your presence I feel no shame.

Years of Self Hatred, Self Inficted,

Society dictates, We conform to the best o our abilities,

Living positively in a negative World,

Being Positive in an ignorant World.

I can only define who I am,

I can only be who I am,

I chose to live,

Live life fully, uninhibited with such Joy,

Laughing, playing...

My Dreams are not Infected,

I stand my ground.

I make or break the shots,

Nothing can bring me down.

I hold within me the Secrets of Success.

As I sit and Ponder,

I look out and see trees talking,

Their soothing language lends harmony to the birds.

I jogged to the center of this great expanse,

Timidly I knelt down.

There was a beautiful Red Rose beginning to bloom.

My Spirit re-newed,

I reluctantly trudged back the way I came,

With the happiness of a giddy child,

I jumped and skipped and began to fly.

My Feet were running in the air,

Then I thought....

I never loved since last I loved you,

It's been years since last I saw you,

It seems like ages since last I held you,

And yet the scent of you still lingers.

Sometimes it's the smallest thing

That brings me back to you,

Trips I don't mind making

It's to you that I travel to...

If I were to go away tomorrow

I could walk with my head held high,

Knowing that I loved,

Knowing I was loved.

We had some moments that seemed so hard,

We had some moments that seemed so right.

I close my eyes,

Feel your warmth,

Taste your lips,

Hear your heartbeat, and know,

You were real and not a Dream.....

Ah had't a Dre'm!

Part of a series of monologues....
A man reflects on a dream from the night before...