The Love Disappearing Act

You are not here anymore.

Our kisses are melted snow on my window

Your fingers are empty poles with the flags takes down
Your neck is a half finished hotel overlooking the sea in Malta
Your toes are the pebbles kicked away by children
Your chest is still a lion's, just a retired one
Your spine is a falling headstand after just 4 seconds
Your kindness is still tact in the crease of your elbow

But, your hug is a broken umbrella

Your love is a tiring hike, I am still willing to climb
Your legs are an emergency exit in a blazing fire
Your tongue is still the sky scattered among the stars

I still look for it at night

Your shoulders are flowery shopping bags for life
Your stomach is an untouched, silent golden bay
Your skin is my crumpled silk pyjamas
Your lips are London office workers on the tube at 8am
Your mind is two fast trains crashing together
Your voice is the silence between leaves of a wise grand tree

You are not here anymore.

Maya Angelou: The Now Free Bird

I am walking around the house trying to make my body do something to give my mind time to catch up with the fact that Maya Angelou has passed away. 

It has been 25 minutes since I found out on Facebook and reposted quotes on Twitter and expressed my grief but somehow that does not seem enough for such a magnificent woman. 

I should be in bed but I don't think I can sleep now so I am going to talk about Maya like we were on a first name basis with each other. The amount of times I cradled her book, 'I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings', to sleep it is like we were. 

Maya the woman who was the flamboyant fashionable scarf across many modern women's shoulders, also had the ability to keep you warm under the musings of truth from the soul, with a dash of inspiration and a wicked smile. 

The full essence of a woman. 

All of the above, but defined by none.

The most powerful impact upon me that she had was the way she spoke about serious issues like child molestation in a powerfully poetic way that leaves your heart in her hands forever, so you can then use your hands to rub away the dirt. 

 Larger than her writing though was her purpose. Her purpose to enlighten, uplift and inspire was achieved every day in her life throughout many continents of the world. The whole world is mourning this woman because her light was so bright, she had a little bit left for us all to share. 

Her impact regarding female empowerment is immeasurable. How many young girls and women picked up a pen because of her? I know I did. 

The perception of Maya by the world is like the perception of an oak tree to a freed bird. 

Whenever I thought about the probability of getting winkles on my face, my mind would switch like a bright light to Maya. I would start thinking according to standard of Maya...

Older = more grace

Older = more eloquence

Older = more creativity

Older = more influence
Older = more beauty

It is better to be older she would have me believe. Then, I would carry that smile of hers and struct my stuff like my young age didn't matter.

She will be the woman who will always be on my mind and her influence will be at the end of my pen. So, I will leave you now with my favourite poem of all time, 'Still I Rise' by the great Maya Angelou. 

You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may tread me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you? 

Why are you beset with gloom? 

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken? 

Bowed head and lowered eyes? 

Shoulders falling down like teardrops.

Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you? 

Don't you take it awful hard

'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you? 

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs? 

Out of the huts of history's shame

I rise

Up from a past that's rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.  

So I say goodnight. 

Who Inspires You???

It is great to be a woman. Just saying. #Gratitude

10 Reasons Why I Am Grateful Today

We keep skipping over the important, little details of life like a scratched, same old routine record. We find it so easy to delight in what went wrong with our day. 

Today is different, I am share the reasons why I have an attitude for gratitude today…

1. My room when I wake up is perfectly heated for my physiological body. I am like a modern day Goldilocks with an afro, not too hot, not too cold.

2.I have an abundance of clothes to wear of different styles, so much so that I can catch up to a new “me” every day.

3. Food flows into my cupboards and then into my stomach, without much resistance.

4. I don’t have to walk hours for water, or for anything else for that matter except for self-inflicted exercise which I sometimes don’t mind self-inflicting upon myself.

5. I have instant access to pretty much any news story worldwide or the video of Solange kicking JayZ (…that’s when this access starts to get less desirable)!

6. I have very pretty bedsheets with birds and flowers on them. That makes me insanely happy.

7. I have found love a few times in my lifetime and I can look back on those moments and glow like a firefly near a switched on bulb.

8. My friends are seriously good for me like the foundations of the world’s biggest Whole Foods (I think that is in Bowery, New York).

9. Communication is so easy, I don’t have to use the payphone, fumble with change or use pigeon post (yes, there was such an historical thing).

10. I have the ability to smile every second of every day and right now I am listening to Gabrielle ’Sunshine’ so I am definitely using my abilities wisely.

What are you grateful for today? Do your own list and see how much happier it makes you.