OBEDIENCE TO POETRY (2.0)
SMASHWORDS EDITION
Copyright 2010 Jeffrey V. Perry
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to Agusto Mendez, a spiritual friend and long-time buddy.
Thanks to the others who continually put up with what good, I have to offer.
Thanks again, Elwood “Gene” Edwards for your help!
And I thank The Almighty for life.
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO EVERYONE!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
There got to be one
Top of the world
Do not give up on us
Ghost
In-sane
Lose to love
Obedience
On dad’s birthday
Our truth
Prepared
Shy
The mix
The youth’s truth
To the finish
Verse-crimination
Words
A penance for a slave
The one without skin
Inflation (the musical)
Thy friend
A dog named “vick”
A better place
Organic
Do not let one go
Jazz player (for lucky)
Street book festival
Let one count!
Disappointments
Why did she leave?
The death of love
The three wind sonnets
What I know (Part 1& 2)
Conscience
New love
Schizophrenic species
Thunder in the lion’s roar
Please!
Out of the shadows
The unborn
I cannot talk to you
Rivers and streams
Soul sacrifice
Bless haiti people
The big bang theory of creation
My soul music
Biographical Information
THE INTRODUCTION
UNDERSTANDING “OBEDIENCE”
Poetry is a voice that must be heard. It is a cry from all our spirits for civility. When the spirit wants to speak, it will not be denied, as it is within each one of us. However, when our spirit needs to be heard, it is not just that simple, because we have a spirit that is free to choose to listen or not listen. It is what we understand as “our will.” We always protect this freedom to be who we are, and we remain obedient always to its every beckon and call.
However, obedience to our will or to what we perceive as right can be a hard task for us. Obedience is our choice to listen to ourselves no matter what others might say is true. Nevertheless, God’s love, our passion for his will directs us in so choosing. The union of our spirit with God is what guides us, even protects us, in maintaining and sustaining our obedience.
Obedience to Poetry (2.0) is a collection of new poetry. Its theme focuses on the subject of obedience to the spirit, and thus, many of the poems, in essence are spiritual in nature.
The word for the year is diversity. Learn to love and understand each other.
THERE GOT TO BE ONE
There got to be one
Jesus is the one
In the Son
There is a presence
Here in everyone
Shown as the love
As just one
Just as there is but one love
Come from above
To let us know
He shows in everyone
No man is without
From no places about
Within them in any group
His love will stand out
There got to be one
Jesus is the one
Love that is true
How without our doubts
Love will show through
There is a price
That we each pay
Love shown in each heart
It offers us the Way
So there has to be love
To shine through all doubt
Facing all lies told
It will show out in paramount
All mountains point to our sky
Our peace down in the valley
All hearts can tell why
No matter what the tally
(He is at peace)
Since there is at least one
Jesus in the one
In all the races
In all places
Even in different faces
No matter what the case is
There got to be that one
That connects us all
To mountaintops
That point to the Sun
He is that One
There is always an exception to our rule
Whether it be keen or fool
Wonders never ever cease
Be we man or beast
For God will find His way
For us to listen to Him
Inside us a friend
What say us?
One Love, in Jesus we will trust!
ON TOP OF THE WORLD
The epicenter of the modern world
Where all roads would meet
All ideas must congregate
Whether for play or show
Every mind goes there
Meet you at 42nd St., Times Square
Hands down, in the Big Town
If you are to ever make a sound
Where all share and care
You must get there
42nd St, Times Square
I had my run
Had some fun
Whether to take in a movie
Or near where
My first work there
In a coffee shop
Across from
Where is, now, called Bryant Park
At thirteen with my working papers
In hand, now to be a man
Mom’s friend knew the boss
With the working papers toss
Five bucks a day, if you are able
I was a busboy (slash) dishwasher (slash) runner
I said I had my run
And so much fun
Out at a movie
Once the week was done
For a young man
With my girl in hand
I had made it to
Then, my promised land
On top of the world
Though just down the street
From CUNY Graduate Center
Had an uncle there I’d meet
With my delivery bags of coffee in hand
I walked above its street
Only fear for those who would see me
Busting my butt, bussing, dishes and tables
Like Danny, his name, a schoolmate at Tech
He had put out his neck
To become a messenger, on the next block
But, sometimes working is not for show
But for shows where I could go
A young man pretending I am there
Near 42nd St, Times Square
It is sometimes who you know
And the ones who really care
For the movies where we would go
There was this one story, while working
That I will never forget
It still bothers my heart still
An African customer
Before I knew any Africans
Who tipped a nickel a pop?
We walked about ten blocks
With a cup of soup at our busiest time
It was as if you had won the lottery
All the while, you lost your last dime
On his last nerve, the drunk named Danny
He also claimed that he graduated from Tech
Just stirring up ‘toil and trouble’
Would get even with the African with the heart of gold
But when I got the call, it rattled my soul
So, I added my recipe
That landed me back on the street for a week
But, ‘your boy’ the boss decided to keep
So, whether in a movie or in your real life,
Look not to gain the world
Look just to change it
Take what you hate