Blink Again by Lucy Rodrigues

BLINK AGAIN by Lucy Rodrigues in response to blink

Blink again
And I see the promises made long ago
Kept
By those that meant something special
To me
Creating a beautiful aura of
Love

Blink again
And the memories return
To show me that there’s still
Someone there to hold dear
And never let go

Blink again
And I see novas shining, twinkling, spinning
Brilliantly for all to see
And become part of

Blink again
And I see future Martin Luther King Jrs and Maya Anjalou’s becoming
Ambassadors of peace
To unite the nations

Blink again
And I see healed hearts and souls
That were abused and misused
Forgiving and being forgiven

Blink again
And I see opportunities that knock
And the door opened to who dares to knock

Blink again
And I see shades of colors representing all nations
Singing, dancing, laughing, talking, PRAISING
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

Blink again
And I see the peace makers uniting
In their red berets, marching the ghetto streets
Everywhere, to keep some kind of civilization
Amongst those that want and need peace

Blink again
And I see pastors from local churches
Marching in step to help community leaders
To keep hope alive for our youth
For they are our future

Blink again
And I see our beautiful young women
Growing much too fast, wanting to be adults
Not knowing what lies ahead
Not being prepared

Blink again
And I see young men searching for something
What, I haven’t been able to figure it out yet
Tatooes aren’t the answer, piercings either

Blink again
And I see time turned back to jeans that fit
Shirts that don’t fall to the knees
Skirts and blouses that leave something to the imagination

Blink again
And I see families dining together
Watching TV, going to the movies
Playing family style games

Blink again
And I see a new beginning
Of understanding each other
Respect, love, commitment and loyalty

Blink again
And I see you and I working together
To bring what I see into fruition

Blink again
And I see no more AIDS, Hepatitis
Healthy bodies living together with
Respect for one another

Blink again
And I see young and old working together
To achieve promises that were made
Long ago come together

Blink again
And I see what you mean
Where you are coming from
Where your heart is
Where your hurt is
Where your LOVE is

Blink again
And I see colors of LOVE, HOPE AND CHARITY

LET IT BEGIN WITH US

Blink

I blink
and I see
broken promises
creating a dense fog over my city
a collection of the dreams
given up by the
tired, overworked
underpaid masses

I blink
and I see
future stars
dimming their internal lights
that shine from the inside
giving fellowship to
city lights; late nights
and the over packed dime
drinking; drugging
sounds like freestyling
countless dreams washed
with the bed sheets
they’re climbing in
birthing a rootless seed
wondering why they fall so easily
never understanding
darkness is what they were
birthed from

I blink
and I see
youth
mislead
mistreated
misunderstood
social beheading
opportunity knocks
can’t be heard
mummified corpses exist
wrapped in linens
made of black history pages
ripped from the books
black on black crime
can not exist in their minds
if they don’t know black
ignorance fills vessels
organs; pipe
speak chords
to a hip-hop beat

I blink
and I see
corporations, marketers
outfitting; supplying
military uniforms
to the street soldiers
willing to wear the shit
they see advertised in the videos
I’ll start from the top
work my way to the toes
oversized baseball cap
check
doo rag
check
throwback t
check
white t that doubles as a skirt
check
big ass fake watch
check
jeans 3 sizes too large
check
airforces
check
add up all of the checks
you get none
in the outcome
corporations get all of that shit
checks
cash
credit
ebt
then we getting shot over
cases of mistaken identity
buckshot shells
coming from these dudes
using our bodies
like walking billboards
we aint getting any money for it

I blink
and I see
no role models
for our future
think about it
in 10yrs
that 15yr old
right there
in front of you
will be doing our taxes
cooking our food
driving our trains and airplanes
running businesses
marathons
government
providing the cure for racism, cancer and homelessness
or they could fill up
our graves
memories
and penitentiaries
crossroads
emerge from the darkness
age provides guidance
through experience
youth will try both sides

I blink
and I see
my future walking on
dirty streets
where the sidewalk meets the Boulevard
Dudley Station
packet transactions
go off in front of me
like a brick of firecrackers
copper topped roofs
oxidized through the years
covers the masses
as they congregate for their holy commune
commute to the lord
now standing at the gates of eternal life
marching two by two
herding their spirits into boats
almost existing on an island
so many seagulls about
ocean breeze replaced by T bus exhaust
police sirens
ambulance
primal
screams
all that does not
belong to me

I blink
and I see
myself crying for a city
that now belongs to me