My Memory Lane. . .

This was the first version of "I Will Survive" that I heard. Now, don't laugh too hard. Obviously, I've learned that this was not the original version. But, it's the version that made me run for my pen and paper to write down each empowering word. I must have worn that poor VHS tape out.

As I listen to it 22 years later, it's still the best version that I've heard. Allow me to take you on a walk down my memory lane. Here's Gladys Knight's version of "I Will Survive".

Arte y Pico Award

Thank you Marvalus for recognizing my blog with this award. Out of all the other blogs you could have chosen, you selected mine. With me being as new as I am to blogging and not really knowing what I'm doing, it really touches me to be recognized by someone as thought-provoking as yourself.



For those of you less familiar with the "Arte y Pico" award, you must know that it comes with a few rules. These rules are listed below:

=========================================================

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2. Each awardee has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4. Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award: http://arteypico.blogspot.com/
5. Display these rule

=========================================================

In adherence to the first rule, I would like to pass this award onto the following bloggers:

1. Black Women Vote - This is truly a blog with a purpose. I am always inspired and enlightened by its contents.
2. Sojourner's Place - Bringing the education and awareness, this blog keeps me on my toes and in the books.
3. Wise Girl - The title of this blog says it all. It is full of wisdom and challenges others to think.
4. Character Corner - This is the bloggers' haven of havens; a place I go to be inspired, refreshed and encouraged.
5. Natasha's World - The owner of this blog allows us into her world via her artwork, life experiences and observations. She is the one that encouraged me to blog and faithfully guards the box that I've recently stepped out of.
   

Video Pick of the Week

While at work last week, we took a break from the day-to-day and went to a Harambee celebration that was being hosted in our cafeteria area. During this event, a young beautiful lady (in her late teens) graced us with a glorious praise dance to Yolanda Adam's song "Be Blessed". The song and her dance moved me almost to tears (I was at work-let's be real, I had to keep it together). But, it truly moved me; it was so timely. Anyhow, I'd like to share this song with you. Below is a video of Yolanda Adams belting her song. Meditate on the words and be blessed.

Ain't I A Woman?

With all that has been going on in the media, this title has been ringing in my ears for the past few weeks. I've seen it in a poetry book that I've been reading, it was mentioned in an article I wrote about on Michelle Obama Watch and I discovered a profound YouTube video that I feel highlights many of our issues today. Therefore, I am including both the video and the speech that Sojourner Truth delivered in 1851.

Ain't I a Woman?
by Sojourner Truth - 1851

"Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say."

Michelle Obama Suicide Watch

I recently posted an article on Michelle Obama Watch about a blog titled "Michelle Obama Suicide Watch". As a result, a crusade to shut this site down has begun. In my attempts to help get the word out, I am posting my report here as well. Please visit this site and flag it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


There is a blog titled "Michelle Obama Suicide Watch" that is listening to every word that Michelle Obama speaks.It compares her purported views of America to that of Hell. The author's method is to list quotes from Michelle and define them with one-line labels such as "Motherhood in Hell", "Michelle Identifies Her Demons", and "Michelle's Inferno". This blog's mission can be summed up with one of its own quotes:

"UPDATES FROM HELL

We've been monitoring Michelle's progress since we debuted, and we'll keep posting until she either escapes her Inferno, loses her battle with her demons, or shuts the Hell up"

(Source)

The blogs that have acknowledge/announced "Michelle Obama Suicide Watch" found its contents to be "hilarious" and commends the author for his/her efforts. When those commenting (most of which elect to remain anonymous) on this blog are not "lmao" and "rofl", they can be found concurring with its sentiments or throwing racially flavored sarcasms such as:

"Mee-shell ma bell has said I’m disabled by depression and will kill my self. I bees disabled and must be given SSD ’cause I can’t work." (Source)

Is Michelle simply staying true to her reputation of being "real" or is the disrobing of the country's "flaws" more than it can currently handle? Perhaps, if a little more sugar were added to her words they would be a little easier to digest. You be the judge.

A Message to My Father

I'd like to take this moment to wish my father a Happy Father's Day:

I could have NEVER wished for a better daddy than you. I thank God for selecting you for me. I am extremely proud of who you are and what you represent.

Thank you for all of the love, wisdom, encouragement, compliments, discipline and let's not forget patience that you have given me. If I am able to give my children at least half of what you have blessed me with, I know they will be ok.

Thank you for showing me how a man is supposed to love and honor a woman by how you loved and honored mama. Thank you for working as hard as you did to support me and my brother and making sure we had all that we needed and wanted (in most cases - I'm still looking for that Barbie washer and dryer - just teasing).

You were and still are a true role model. You instilled in us the value of maintaining and protecting our integrity. You taught us how to work for what we wanted and to never give up. LOL-you even taught me many medical techniques (that I forced you to learn on the spot) through your frequent need to bandage me up. I always had to learn the hard way.

Thank you for the waffle dinners when mama was out and the numerous tickle fights. Thank you for putting the fear of God in the boyfriends I brought home (leaving your gun on the table may have been a bit much *winks*). I wasn't very thankful at the time, but having my own daughter to raise, I see the value in it.

I love you daddy and will ALWAYS cherish you. You deserve nothing but the best and a life full of happiness.

With a very sincere heart,

Daddy's Little Girl

Video Pick of the Week

Ok! It took some doing, but I finally found my video pick of the week. I have known which videos I wanted to feature for awhile. The problem was finding them. I would have posted this sooner; but in my search for the video I ran across a site that plays FULL episodes of Fame. Soooo, naturally I had to watch one...well, ok...I watched 2 episodes.

Anyhow, this week, I am to highlighting the amazing Debbie Allen. This woman is an inspiration. Growing up, I loved the strength and determination that she seemed to represent. My favorite story would be when my parents were telling me that I could do ANYTHING I set my mind to. They used her (amongst a few others) as an example. They told me that Debbie Allen was told she would never make it as a dancer because her legs were too short. She could have made a decision to quit right then and there. But, she disregarded the standards that were set for dancers, she shook off what others thought and set her own standards while chasing down her dreams. Gotta LOVE that.

Unfortunately, the MAIN video that I wanted to share is not available to be embedded on this page. But, I can not help but share it with you anyway. Debbie is gorgeous in this video and she simply flows. Her dancing is inspiring-the mark of a true dancer. The link to this video is:

Debbie Allen in FAME (Dancing with Cocoa)

Be sure to check it out. In the meantime, here's a little taste of the classy, sassy Debbie Allen doing her thing. . .

Michelle Obama Watch Blog

If you look around, you will probably notice (as most others have) that it seems to be open season on Michelle Obama. There has been much debate on whether or not she should be "fair game". Well, according to the media's comments/labels, inappropriate "art" exhibits, and liberal bloggers I'm guessing they have decided that she is.

Gina of the blog "What About Our Daughters" has created a blog to keep watch of Michelle Obama news (the good, the bad and the ugly) and bring awareness to the situation. She has issued an open invitation to others to maintain this blog. I have volunteered to be one of its contributors.

Be sure to visit Michelle Obama Watch often to stay updated on the situation and let it be known that this will not be accepted.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information regarding Michelle Obama news mentioned here and to learn more about the Michelle Obama Watch blog or how to participate, visit What About Our Daughters.

Until next time. . .

Connecting the Dots #1

I can remember the days of my youth when it did not take much to entertain me. My mother would come home from work and surprise me with a new book of puzzles to satisfy my inquisitive mind. Unlike many things from those days, these puzzle-books have not changed much. They still contain, the color by numbers, the basic word-finds, crosswords and my personal favorite (at that time) the dot-to-dots. I use to enjoy watching my paper transition from a page full of scattered dots into a nicely organized picture. .

When I look out at the world today, I see many things much like an unsolved dot-to-dot puzzle. There are so many people living lives disconnected from one another. Each person appears to represent a single dot on a page that each dot must coexist on. People have adopted and embraced the motto "it's a dog eat dog world". The thought process is that one does not affect the other and that each is self-sufficient.

Well, I beg to differ.

The truth of the matter is that my world affects your world just as much as yours affects mine. We are all intertwined and ultimately need one another in order to successfully move into and create a more positive outcome for ourselves and our youth. The current state of our community is full of examples. You don't have to travel far to examine the evidence. Just read through a few of the blogs that are available out here in cyber world. They are full of articles that recap the injustices that play out day to day. I've seen videos of a man being hit by a car as witnesses stood by to watch as if they were viewing a scene from a movie. Headlines are filled with women being raped, beaten and murdered and children are killing other children. This list could easily go on and on. Our future seems to grow more and more dim.

When I originally started this post, I intended to touch on multiple ways of “connecting the dots”. As I progressed, I realized that this topic was way to vast to squeeze into a single post. So, I’ve decided to break it down into a series.

Let’s begin, by instigating some action, shall we? How do we connect the dots? First we must acknowledge that something is wrong and be willing to do more than talk about it. I would like to suggest that we (myself included) get more involved.

Dot #1: Our Youth

There are little girls/teens/women (both young and old) in need of guidance. They need to be taught to see past the images that are being force-fed to them by TV and music. They need to be taught to love and respect themselves. They need to learn their true value so that they will not allow anyone or anything to treat them less than they are worth. Their self-esteem is in desperate need of healing. They need to learn to dream for what they may now deem as unreachable. Sometimes, all it takes is the consistent sound of "you are beautiful", "you can do it", or "you are worth it". They need to be inspired, empowered and educated. If we don't start reaching out to our girls, we are going to have a world full of women teaching their children the same self-destructing behaviors and values that nobody took the time to unteach them.

We need to shed our self-titled team jerseys and join together to form a new team that will support, teach and heal one another. Let's reduce the amount of time we spend competing against and judging each other. Nobody is perfect. But we are all qualified to teach somebody something. Because none of us are without faults, mistakes and lessons that can be passed down and used to redirect a young mind.

One day we will look to these girls to guide the future that we will still exist in. If we do not take a moment out of our life to strengthen them and teach them to unite, what would that future look like? A house divided can not stand. We have enough to deal with then to be forced to worry about “friendly fire”. We are the backbone of our community. So, we need to learn to stand together and be strong enough to help bring it together. And when our backs grow old and tired, we need to have a group of strong, willing, educated young women that are prepared to step in to take our places. Let’s show our girls something different.

As we focus on the condition of our young women, let us not neglect to consider our young men. During a time that single-mothers are prominent in the world. Little boys are in desperate need of mentors. And I must say that there is a major shortage. I am a single mother. I have both a boy and a girl. My son will be entering into the teens this year. I am not naive to the fact that there is only so much I can teach my son about being a man. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that I can not teach him about what a man is and what it takes to be a “real” one. But, although I may face and deal with some of the same situations he will face and deal with, I deal with them as a woman. I can’t address his issues from the male perspective that he will view things from. This is where a male role model would be ideal. Thankfully, his father is now in the picture and is doing all he can to be there for him. But that was not always the case and not everyone is that fortunate.

Approximately, 4 years ago, I placed my son into a mentoring program. When asked, I informed the coordinator that I wanted a black man to mentor my son. Now, don't take that the wrong way. But, I wanted someone that could relate more to the life and issues that my son would face. To my dismay, I was informed that there would be a THREE YEAR waiting list. In TWO YEARS, my son was matched. The problem is, that our-boys-need-help-right-now. They can not continue to wait 2 and 3 years for someone to step up to the plate and take an interest. They need someone other than a band of women teaching them how to be accountable and responsible for their actions. They need to learn how to respect and appreciate women. They need someone to combat their definition of “cool” and show them that they can get more. They, too, need to hear “that image is not you or what you stand for”, “you CAN do it” and “you deserve more”. We need to teach our boys how to get out of their own way and strive for the excellence that is theirs to claim. We need to show them how to stop collecting trash and start collecting things that add value to their lives—things like a great education, “real”, self-respecting, strong women, and a life’s purpose. They need to learn to be the leaders and protectors of the community. If we fail to do this, what would our future look like? How easy will it be to control the fate of our community?

Let’s rebuild that “village” that it took to raise our kids….literally. Get with the parents of your children’s friends and form your own “village”. Develop a circle of parents in your neighborhood and at the schools and empower them to respectfully hold the children of that group accountable. Allow them to redirect and teach them. As a young mother, I foolishly had the motto: “If someone has a problem with my child, they need to let ME know and I’LL deal with it”. To an extent, I still feel this way. But, my son quickly taught me the true value of having a “village”. I became EXHAUSTED with the back and forth trips to the school and daycares. My mother passed away when my son was 2 years of age. So, my village was a village of one. I quickly began to rethink my “brilliant” theory. I say this part to say, that there is no shame in knowing when you need help, there is no shame in seeking it and there is definitely none in accepting it. Don’t let pride get in the way of progress.

I know what some of you are thinking..."What about the parents? They should be handling this!" But, my question is this: "If parents are just as lost as the children, what is to be done?" Who will reach out to them?

We may not be able to reach everyone. We may not be able to completely change our world. But, we certainly can make a decision to work to make it better. Let’s commit to work towards connecting the dots so that the picture of our future can be more appealing than our current scattered state. We CAN do it; but only if we WILL.

Battlefield Challenge:

* Expose a child to a new experience. Show him/her something that will force them to look outside of their box.

Bonus Challenge:

* Do something nice for a stranger for no reason at all.

Share your experience here. I'd love to hear about them.

A Movement Has Begun. . .

If have you read my previous post and corresponding comments for "Now What?", then you know that a time has come for us to become more involved in the world we live in. It is time for us to start sticking our noses and two cents (or more) into the doors of political offices. Shecodes of the "Black Women Vote" has acted on the comments posted on her blog and took the initiative to get things going and flowing.

Black women are coming together in a group that she created in Facebook. This group is named "Black Women's Political Exchange". If you don't have a Facebook account, be sure to sign-up for your free account and join this growing group of strong, determined women who will no longer sit still and just accept what is handed to them, their families and their communities. This is a group created not just for discussion, but for a group of women ready to take action.

The following information is taken directly from the "Black Women's Political Exchange" group description that was written by Shecodes (Arlene Fenton):

=================================================================================

What do black women want? What do black girls need?

Doesn't it seem that everyone except black women and girls are being asked to weigh in concerning our collective image, our social value, and our economic power?

It's time for us to speak up for ourselves! Let's combine our skills, voices, votes, and economic power to make America a better place for ourselves and our children.

Goals:
1. Family Integrity. We want healthy, supportive environments in our homes. We want a national climate that is conducive to producing mutually satisfying, loving and equal family dynamics for any black woman who desires to marry and raise a family. We want a plethora of marital options. We want a national climate that is supportive of black women who elect to remain single or childless.

2. Media Integrity. We want to be represented truthfully in media. We want to be the final arbiters of what is an 'accurate' depiction of the average black American woman. We want to be able to own and control our own media outlets.

3. Financial Integrity. We want to be financially empowered to control our own destinies. We want to exercise our full rights as American citizens to create and manage wealth for ourselves and our families.

4. Educational Integrity. We want educational opportunities that will make our children and ourselves intensely competitive in the world's markets. We want fair and balanced educational treatment of our children, and we want to have the final say on what is taught to our children about the black experience in America.

5. Safety. We want freedom from ALL violence. We want to exercise our right to express ourselves, improve ourselves, and BE ourselves without the threat of violent retribution by anyone. We want to be safe in our neighborhoods, in our homes, and on our jobs. Our safety will never be on the negotiating table for any strategy that will be employed by anyone, including that of the black community.

6. Health. We want to be physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy and whole. We want to create the the tools and pathways for our total health, without undue resistance from any source. We want a national and local environment that is conducive to maintaining our established physical, mental, and emotional health.
====================================================================================

Follow this link to Facebook and create your profile to join this group:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php

In addition to my regular posts, I will be sure to provide updates on this group's events, plans, discussions, etc. Stay tuned. . .

Now What?

Barack has clinched the Democratic nominee. Hillary Clinton has FINALLY conceded. Now what? Do we all just wait for our turn at the polls and blindly select our choice for president? Or do we actually take this opportunity to hold each candidate's feet to the coals and make them actually TALK about something.

To many elections have passed where we allowed well-written speeches and entertaining (and sometimes disturbing) mud-slinging matches to determine our vote. When is the last time a presidential candidate felt the pressure to provide DIRECT answers to questions and concerns that were issued from the community. Other than the universal gas issue, when is the last time you heard a presidential candidate speak, in detail, about how he/she will address YOUR concerns. Have you ever watched debates and press conferences and wondered where in the world the questions were coming from. It seems as though they put a collection of news headlines in a hat and pull them out at random. Now, we all know that not all of our issues are highlighted in the news. I want to know what the candidate plans to do for me and my family. I don't want their "high-level" views. I want them to get down to ground level and make it CLEAR what they plan to do and what they represent. You (the candidates) are asking for my vote. Now, tell me why you should have it.

I'm a single mother with two kids to raise, feed and protect in a world that seems to profit, thrive and turn a blind eye to violence and corruption. Sure, I can teach my children the "right" way to live. I can shield them from becoming desensitized by monitoring what they watch and hear. I can even teach them to live by the golden rules. But, eventually, they have to step out into the real world that the government encourages us to view through rose-colored glasses. Doing this almost feels like raising victims in the world today. Something has got to give and I feel like it is my responsibility to make sure that that "something" is not me.

This election is the perfect opportunity to make a shift in power. The people sitting in office are there to represent US. They are suppose to represent our ideas and needs and then work together to bring them into fruition. There was a time when the government was held accountable for what they did and said. The Civil Rights Movement is a perfect example of this. But today, it seems we have learned to be complacent and adapt to whatever situations they create. We don't seem to question much anymore. We watch the news to learn of the new living standards that have been set for us. Then we go to work and complain about it and go home to make whatever adjustments we need to make to try and survive in it.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired. We need to take our control back. We do have power and that power is not limited to just our vote. It just starts there. There are more new voters on the scene than ever before. There's a whole new group of voices standing in line at the polls. Don't waste your presence there. Make them EARN-YOUR-VOTE. Make them say to the world what they will do for you. This way, you can call the world to the stand as your witness.

So, yes, I am going to take some time to really identify and pinpoint what my issues are as a single-mother, a black woman, and human-being. I will do my research and look for ways to get involved and get those issues out there. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, I recommend you do the same.

Video Pick of the Week

Many of you have heard the song sung MANY ways (the truth be told, I could do without some of the versions I HAVE heard). You've seen it imitated on TV sitcoms. You've probably even seen her life story played out by the ever beautiful Ms. Angela Bassett. BUT, if you have NOT seen what inspired all of these events, then you can not JUSTLY say you know what's going on. So, let me enlighten you:



I love good music and dancing just like the next person, but it is my opinion that today's entertainers wouldn't be able to hold a candle to that! They didn't need all of those voice enhancing tools. They didn't need any cars and bling to take the stage. No videos are playing in the backdrop. No fire and explosions were needed to entertain a sold-out stadium. All they brought on stage with them were their instruments, a few dance moves and their own NATURAL talent. Don't believe me? Ok. Here's a little more for you...look out Beyonce! :)



Good Lord, I could go ALL DAY on THIS one! Ok! Ok! ONE more...



The Defense Rests.

Money Matters Part 2

Wow! The introduction and first chapter of the battlefield's current book selection, "Girl, Get Your Money Straight!" is deep. The author, Glinda Bridgforth, presents a very compelling case that financial problems are intertwined with our own emotional problems. Now, this may not be news to any of you; but it was very intriguing to me. I mean, it's not rocket science or anything; but sometimes it's the simple things that are hardest to see and figure out.

In the first chapter, Glinda suggests that the first step to getting your money straight is by making peace with your money. The way we handle money usually tells a story about our emotional state. When I relate her ideas to my personal life, I find a lot of truth in what she is saying. How many times have you been frustrated with a situation and tried to treat it with a good dose of shopping? There have been many times that I've been frustrated with my financial situation. It felt confining and made me feel as though I was being denied things that I wanted. My remedy? Shopping!! "I'll show YOU who's in charge!" I thought as I piled unneeded products into my basket. Oh, I felt a great sense of FREEDOM as I walked out of the store with my bags in hand. I felt even BETTER as I unpacked. Then reality hit. And I found myself even more annoyed and frustrated than I was before I went on my "Freedom" escapade.

There are also some that throw money at other people's problems because it satisfies their emotional need to be "important" to others (or a particular someone). "Codependency" is the term used in this book.

Glinda guides you through her own personal life and experiences not only to proclaim her credibility but to also let us know that we are not alone. The first assignment she gives in her book is to write a letter to money and then write your money's response. I found this to be very interesting and thought, "what the hell, I'll give it a try". So, at the risk of being too transparent, I share my letters below. Maybe you can relate...

Dear Money,

I have always viewed you as a necessity to live successfully and comfortably. I have put the weight of my existence on you. My relationship with you has been the barometer of my success. Yet, you seem to be absent in the times I need you most and barely give me just enough of you. Chasing you is tiring, frustrating and at times depressing.

Money's Response:

I have made several attempts to be there for you. When I try to be there in your times of need, you cast me away on worthless things. I'd much rather be used to lift heavy burdens from your shoulders. But you take me for granted and act as if I will always be around. I won't stay in a place that does not value me.

After writing these, I realized that having money is EXACTLY like having a relationship. So, I agree, so far, with this book. The first step to repairing my financial situation is repairing my financial relationship. Per Gilda, doing this would require determining what type of relationship you have with your money and why you have that relationship.

What are your thoughts? Are you bold enough to try this exercise?

To join the book club in this reading, get your copy of "Girl, Get Your Money Straight.

How Do You Love a Black Woman

I have read several blogs discussing "sexualizing American girls".
Although I will eventually address this topic, I could not articulate or report the situation any better than these two blogs already have:

What Tami Said

and

What About Our Daughters

At a time when the image and identity of black women are being tainted, attacked and misconstrued, I would like to post one of my favorite poems written by Patrick H. Porter Jr. It is entitled "How Do You Love a Black Women". He wrote this poem years ago. It contains a word and a message that I think many males and females will find refreshing. Thank you Patrick for sharing your gift with those on the battlefield.

Enjoy. . .



How Do you Love A Black Woman

How do you love a Black Woman

You love her with all you have inside

Never neglecting her emotions

To protect your own foolish pride

You love her with your heart

You love her with your soul

How do you love a Black Woman

You love her till the days old

For she’s like a rose

Blowing softly in the wind

Soft, smooth, and gentle to the touch

And full of mystery within

When you kiss her lips

Kiss deeper to her heart, her soul

And tell her constantly

Your love for her will grow neither tired, nor old

Like a rain drop

No Black Woman is exactly the same

Like the rain that woman

Brings to life many of things

The nectar of the rain

Feeds the young plants that have sprung

As the Breast of a Black Woman

Provides life, and nectar to the kings, and queens to come

For she is a queen

Our queen, to rule by our side

For without our child-bearing queen

Our black kingdom would surely die

As strong as a raging river

As beautiful, and majestic as a waterfall

With feelings as deep, and mysterious as an ocean

Our Black Women remain true to us all

How do you love a Black Woman

You love her body, you love her mind

But most importantly

You love her one piece at a time

By: Patrick H. Porter Jr. ©

To read more of Patrick's poems, follow this link to obtain your copy of his book of poetry titled Spirit and Emotions