By: Chevonna Parker Date: July/2012

Pretty Brown…..Brown Brown

I'm not the darkest and I'm not lightest,

fortunately I'm brown.

It took long but soon I found I'm pretty brown,

brown brown.

I'm on!

Layers of rough, tired, suffering.

Milk chocolate, smooth and soft skin.

Covered pores filled with

pain, love and broken promises.

Using my flaws as excuses

was the usual for me.

My big brown eyes that sparkle and glisten.

the truth of the real me.

Not knowing , I'm letting my beauty stop me.

My dirt brown hair showing the strands that

show everything from my strengths loving me

to my weaknesses hating me all the way

to my weeping split ends.

Not no more. This is me, take me or leave me.

Do you see? How I see? No one is flawless!

Spooda is a pretty brown.. Brown brown.

To Thrive

Most importantly I need

God to thrive.

To know he is there for me, to know

I can’t do anything without him.

I need

My brother to thrive

To make us understand we all we got,

To make him I’m here for him and will die

for him.

I need

Lil Wayne to thrive

To let him I love him and will marry me.

I need

Clear vision to thrive.

So I can continue going down the right path

To success.

Not getting put down and distracted.

“I am”

I am like a fly in the world

Just wondering, floating, and flying around.

Looking for food, shelter, and comfort.

Throughout it all, I might get

Smashed, stuck or simply keep going.

I am like the girl at the bar

That’s been there a little too long

But I just can’t get enough.

Can I get a refill?

I am like a river

Polluted with all the things

People are putting in my head—this and that

The chemicals of lies, the toxins of negativity.

I am like the world

Some people want to build me up

To make it better,

Some people want to tear me down.

I am like Helen Keller,

In reality I’m blind

But on the inside,

I can see.

I’m like

The girl that has been through some

And has some more to go

But I see the light

And I will go on.

Me and Books

People can take and take from me

because they can’t see me happy.

But one thing they can’t get,

is my love for reading.

I just love to read!

When I read, I really feel like I can go on

Because Sunday had people put her down

But she still came to be who she wanted to be.

When I read, I can feel what

Kaya felt when her family

Disowned her and she had to go off

And make things happen

On her own.

I can see the hurt that Zsa felt

When she constantly got beat down

But never became a victim.

I can hear the crying and the gunshots

After Gina witnessed losing her first love

And I can taste the blood after

Jamila got punched in her mouth

By her boyfriend

For asking for help

From another boy.

I can smell the piss in the hallways

Of Elite’s apartment

Being so old and raggedy.

I read because it makes me happy

when I’m sad.

I read because I dream through those books.

I read because I experience through those books.

I read because I get motivation from those books.

I read because I get hope from those book.

I read

I read…..and then I read some more

Because that’s what I love to do and no one but God

can take that away from me.

~I want my dreams to drive me to my destination with

out devastations and distractions through

disguise.