Soul Dip

work bound
makin’ ‘nutha dayz pay
left glancin’, at dark brotha,
goin’ opposite my way
he gotta sway
dat slight dip, in his hip
‘aint nuthin’ wrong wid dat stride
got strength… ownin’ its smooth,
as he bobbin’ his head
to his own tune
I smile- keep on my way
gon’ to make my day
an’ at its end- headed out….
‘nutha brown brotha walkin’ bout
can’t help but smilin’
don’t matta’ whetha’ My Brotha rich, middle, or ya wanna call’m po’
dat Soul beats deep, like dah King he bon’ ta be
in His Own sway, His Own way
gotta stride, gotta dip dat study of pride,
an’ fo’ da stop-light turns
…..reflectin’
…..even young black boys, young men, Our Elders
dey send Dey Own Rhythmic Vibrations bone marrow deep,
Puttin, smiles in yo’ souls,
Givin’, yo’ eyes unheard beats,
Makin’ you bob yo’ heads an’ tap yo’ feet…
Dat Black Man’s Soul’s Dips’ got His Own beat.

5/29/12 © LeTisha.Bowie

To My Loves I Choose You

If my last breath is but a deep, soulful hum,
beginning a word & ending a delicate, solely letter;
I’ll leave its value to you, 
…its worth to the lives I birthed.

If I leave no millions, if I leave no gold, 
My goal is to leave no debt.
If only I’ll have the land I live, 
I’ll leave it… 
as a safe haven, in the event, you of mine need rest.

If my visions or words have inspired no souls while I’m here,
and it is only you, that hold its value,
If my voice…my songs don’t get an everlasting deal….
I’m O.K. knowing, it’s left in your hearts, as your Heaven, 
….places where it will flourish ever & radiate anew.

If I never buy you all that you desire…
of all that society has thrown in your faces,
You’re grateful, and for that, I know that I am already blessed!

If I can’t get you all that you want, 
know that I give you all that you need,
and try to give you some of your wishes, 
on this corrupt path placed before us.

If time or life takes a dogged twist, 
before I hug you once more or give you one last kiss…..

I’ll have antecedently given you My everlasting kisses, hugs, & love,
to carry within you now & for miles, of life with no end;
My Spirit of strength, determination & endurance in piles,
to soar all heights!

If I never publish a book or record a song,
I know that I’ve locked my voice & words, within the securest safes ever…
….to breath,
from within the breaths, of the souls of My Wombspring,
the sparkles of hope, superseding doubt in my eyes,
the sunshine, creeping through the clouds of fear….
the loves of My life,
my many reasons to fight;

I choose You, for all that have, all that I don’t, 
all that I will and all that I won’t
Because, You will!
To me....nothing else amounts.

You must always retain/ You are to always to remember!
You are worth All that You Are.
Never accept less than you deserve.
Know Your Worth!!
Loving you & Love you Eternally,
Mama

Urth Eagle Tisha
©LeTisha.Bowie 6/12/12

Magik

Some believe it to be an illusion;

an unimaginable intrusion… of the mind, if willed

I call it…unleashed power within.

magnetic attractions of negative & positive flows….

Magik is.

When it’s taken you,

…in love makin’ to…the places…

 foreign to hot steamin’ bods

Imaginenations when souls synthesize

and forms evaporate

When Her love powerlifts life’s burdens

There is none but you and me

One.

One.  Sole.

One Soul

Some say its trickery

those don’t possess the magik key

Of vaporizing your fears, caressing your worries, gent-kissing softly, whispering your pain into obliviousness, neckling you mindless of blues, into clues of nothingness, but me and you

It’s true.

Let me take you…

There.

To magik- if you dare

….let me

Wash your tired back-ache free….

If only for Our rare moments of peace

interlacing Our souls

like grandma’s soft, moist, chocolate-chip batter concoction

Together- soul matter

soul and mind are all that matter

In the midst of our imperial hearts interfusion

we’ll make soul love magik

making lies truths

nonbelievers into apprehenders

My beloved…some call it phantasy

If so, I say come ride with me

Let me show you what I hold

Come into my ancient bejeweled within

Come inside my matrix magik fold

I’ll take you places dreams dream of

into and out of worlds of Our erotism

Flying eagles- We

On Our Own alchemy

Sensitivemotional and delicate touches

transforming into only “One”Self

Head over hill thrills, authoring spirit shivers, belly thrillers, and toe ticklers

All “One” can do is dissolve into realness

And we’re giddy kids soul dripping, like popsicles on a blistering summer day

Anxiety barely containing us ‘til “again”

And we know the truth

Phantasy magik is not

Or is it, as we?

Sole. Souls in Love

One. Magik in Love

Love Magik

© LeTisha.Bowie 5/31/2012

Cesspit

Full

Thoughts like pillow stuffing, pushed in my head,

reminders, notes, appointments I’m fed

Worries fit in wherever they can,

even, when there is nowhere… they are where they land

Fear of forgetting or lacking-  finances or time,

doubts of not giving enough of me, drowning Me out

Overwhelming this Determined Soul once & once again;

Hopes, dreams, wonders holding fast in my gut,

but can’t get out of this calamitous hole…

Rut.

from my gut….reflections of light seep through the darkening pit,

& each new burden, simultaneously fill My illuminations

…regurgitating this problem as it presents..

Life feeds me issues anew,

haven’t rid the sour taste prior, laying my palette

With no more tears,

I look over past years,

thinking all My choices were made, as best, as errors were corrected,

Yet I remain in society’s cesspit- a disposal of forgotten mess….

movements that are just acts of automated motions,

Only carefully thought, when involving my babies,

the reflections of hope, resembling light, remaining of My lone Self

Tired & Still,

I refuse to feel sorry for MySelf- for Me,

I know Who lies within the Depths unseen.

I “Must” continue on, in this surrounding, political shit!

Rousing & Inspiring My babies “To Be!”  “To Be!”

“To Be! Despite it all.  Fight from the beginning, Fight through it all….

Fight through the falls!  But “Be” Despite All Odds!!”

Angry, Aggravated, Pissed- Yes.

….at the Soul-Sucking Leeches,

exhausting the very survival of livelihood, of the working wo&man;

but Sorry for Me- No.

Never wanted to be rich,

Never have….

See-the rich are as miserable as broke- ones ain’t never had,

but the comfort of Contentment, Peace, Of Joy,

Of Smiles, of Yesses, and Sures,

 instead of no, not now, not this time, not this time,

not this time,

& maybe next time,

until, maybe they’ve forgotten- I hope…

but, in My heart remains the couldn’ts, Mama don’t have, didn’t haves,

Wish I could haves, wish I could…

No matter how much I work, no matter what I try to do….

I wanna say, “What’s the use?”…Work…this “life”

Fuck it all!!  At least I can spend quality time with them!!

….make My dreams Memories, Millions of feet tall….

Reality.

Knowing….I have food to supply…Medications to buy,

School to instill, so on & so on…

I keep on going

In mechanical hell…

listening to the “get it together” stories of how somebody got it worse

& how somebody had it this way, when they were a child

Well ya know, I’m sorry you had it like that

& I’m grateful for healthy children…Thank My Master every chance I get!! ” I do!!”

but this is a new day & time

It should be better;  damn it it aint!!!!

I’m thankful for My struggles as a child,

because of them “I have the memories of strength to go on”

But, I will not use it for an excuse not to want or expect more!

……& I go on praying the love channeled between my children & I will contain My sanity,

…..& I pray I’m sane long enough to see, they’ve heard & followed Ma’s words to go “up” hill

from their 1^st steps out, fighting like hell to stay at the top….

 “ If you should fall…. fight on the ground, come up fighting, but Don’t stop!” 

Once you’re on the bottom, in the middle even,….

It’s like a shoe’s heel over your head to keep you there…

In the Cesspit.

“You Be!”

5/23/12 © LeTisha.Bowie

Beneath the Keloids

Beneath the Keloids

The artistic eyes see within….

“Thick brown beautiful thang,”

into thickness created around a heart of oak,

into a soul of keloids;

Touching one….

Carrying the pain of its

“Could haves, would haves, should haves,”

… Listening to Her…

Sing the same melodies of Her grandmother…

and embracing another keloid beneath,

Underneath it lays the pain of touches,

which should have never been-

from an uncle, who should have been, a model of men in Her life;

this scar… one overlapping itself, holds much.

and seeing more scars, beneath those keloids…

of touches and demands,

from a cousin, who should have been a playmate, cousin, a friend, but

Who were his models?

and scars….scars within….of…

boyfriends of Her Mama….bastard men, who should have known better,

And, yet, had no fathers to teach them!!

The thickness that’s beyond the skin’s visual resonates,

in eyes as such,

from within the scars built up,

like blocks, only never knocked down- still standing,

as a wars defense mechanisms, against the enemies to come.

…She sees, as the line of men to come….

…no man, with better intentions, than the one prior.

So She’s still standing,

with much,

with them.

They having no stronger mentality, than the men that surpassed the others in Her life.

Trying to break Her Spirit, yet somehow,

She still Stands.

“Thicker, brown, beautiful…

Still….

She Stands.

One Day by One Day.

With Heart, intact,

Loves, Desires, Hopes, Words within….Infinite…

because, She knows the Humanity, Power, Livelihood, Hope and All

that, She holds dear, was also taken years ago, from Our Men.

Then,

instead of ReBuilding…They were freed, into mental slavery, like mad, wild-

tearing down and they held on to what was close- Their “own”,

But, we weren’t to own-

But to share, join, love with, build with You…. Wo”men”-

Forgetting without “Womb”man- they would not exist.

Having lost and forgotten all love and honor for Her…

Seeing when looking into His eyes, My Brother

When looking into Her eyes, My Sister

I see in my dreams that are Ours

It is not always me there…..

“I know that our “Could’ve, Would’ve, Should’ves,”

are intertwined with the desires of structured family …stability, 

It is for these loves… the cost is many lost dreams, which can be reality.

…that I stand

…. that I write what I see

….what my spirit speaks

from within…..”

….Both have come from me,

Wo“Man”…. Wo “Men”

I stand.

Knowing the healing beneath all of Our scars….

all of the keloids that will ever exist…..

I dream and have visions of

© Copyright LeTisha.Bowie 4/29/12

A Moment Counter, to Let Him Know

My Mother's Love

My Mother’s Love

She
Taught, as She thoroughly,
Cleaned dishes…
Spotless
we would be,
not in brand name shoes & clothes, in
Hand-made &
by hand, She made &
Molded
us to be, the Women we are…
Stong,
as She, still holding on to Her dreams, as
we
Grow into Ours
daily- She would
discipline our rights &
wrongs, not
allowing disrespect or back-
talking- to us day in and day out…”Girls should
present themselves from the inside, not the out.”….”You
respect your Elders- even those, that aren’t biologically so.” -
“They were- They are- Yours”….They’re
Mine- Treasures I’m holding within my heart, as I’m
Teaching My womb-spring the same
Ancient love,….
old as time- the love of “your” lives…
…..the love of “your” life, is to be
Treasured, like the delved up, stolen gold, of our home’s origination…..
Africa…… taken, as we, yet, never forgotten….for it’s buried…..
Deep within, like the
knowledge Mama
dedicated us, when we were mere youngin’s,
Rebelling,
Fighting back,
for what we thought, then, were the dreams & loves, of our own young hearts, being
Held captive…. &, now, We
hold on to it, like the Ol’ South’s crawfish…. to the
memories of Her every word,
Swallowing the instructed, mature fruit, which have, now, ripened in our minds, from
Dr. Mama, verses Dr. PhD, for those ancient remedies have become consciously understood…..
Accepting the lack of some things, unaffordable, back then, having no matter now,
for the gain of mental & internal riches irreplaceable, today….
Appreciation of the hand-knitted ornaments Mama made, and
pop-corn, strung garland on the tree, we all made together, for…..
we know what life’s struggle is, as….
we are living it…..and Mama still Stands as Our guide…….
Taking value, the dusting of window-
Seals the respect of new visitors, that arrive, with
visions, of the products of a
Strong Mama, who
gave all of Her, so that We could
Be the Women She wanted us to Be……

The Love of My Mother…My Mama will never…can never be forgotten, for, those young thoughts of rebellion have been replaced with what, I, a mother, today, know, was & is The Love of a Child.

Copyright ©LeTisha. Bowie 4/21/12

Our Shades of Black

Our Many Shades of Black" Lessons learned.... Dedicated to my Twin Sisters, & all of My Brothers & Sisters Granny 'Nora had a subliminal hatred for shades- she had a set of black grands' & a set of whites, which were the lighter shades, she raved; Grandma Clara's hatred for shades was so strong- she wished they were invisible..... emotions so durable, they caused divisions made, …between, her and the "Joy", of a grand-daughter's love, she so desperately craved; ….the birthing’s & deliverances of self-hatred & confusion, ingested by our babes, who ate of knowledge, before knowing they'd been fed, ...devouring words & worlds of Our Precious Elders, like fresh ripe plum, from "Big Mama's" plum tree… anticipating the ripening…. ....& breaking the flesh of the fruit of their wisdom; Their innermost knowing… that: Black we are- "All" ....and in "All" of Our families, we are: Light-skinned, yellow- bones, Red-bones, black, blue-black, Jet-black, dirty- red & copper-toned.... Cocoas & browns & almost whites.... .....name callings of many, and many by Our very own..... ....the pain, of the souls, of the left behind, …of the chosen, has & is obvious & obviously carried for lifetimes; ……in the shades of the songs, of Black Spirits…. Yet We are “One.” My mind recalls: An innocent child spoke, “I’m the light one, you’re the dark one,” and How could she have known? for she had been fed from supposedly wise ones…. …..the ones who chose the lighter shades, over the darker, yet, we are all black….we are all “one” Recalling Her sibling: An also, innocent child, who was the dark scorned, as she cradles that day, like it was her limb birthed….. …..& Grandma, who wished color, was non-existent…..One who preached, “You’re no better than your next brother or sister!” “Who do you think you are?” …..& Granny, who wrote letters, questioning the darkness of the color, of one’s own grand-child’s child… Scalding hot!!!…showers of confusion…. & mental slavery begins… in the minds of our children, who soon realize, they live(d) in a time, when…. you are better, the lighter you are…. the better you will be treat-ed, the brighter your skin…..the more quality you are of a being….. Children wishing for light-skinned babies, before they know the locus of their own beings!!! And so the downfall of our heritage goes! For the fear!! Of judgment! & the same pain of our ancestors! Fear of enduring & sharing their unshed tears, our babies hold fast, to what seems like the truth of endurance- And so ….the patterns of subconscious, negative, spiraling downward, into pits of depression goes on….. The brainwashing began, before we knew what it was…. birthed into young spirits, with the contractions of our Elders own sufferings, as subconscious mental protections….. …..they thought,….. As a means, to blend, with whom they thought were the “civilized ones” “Good-haired” “To birth lighter-skinned babies,” Maybe they wouldn’t suffer so much hatred. ….thinking back & remembering of those days & I know that I’m not alone…. ….my heart feels the division, caused among our bloodline, for causes that aren’t even our own….. I believe “They All” and “They Both,” wanted to protect us, but it was in ways of their very own; ….the ways they’d also been taught…….My Grandparents……Our Grandparents… It’s the venom of “our” own pain, fear, experiences & racism….. …with it came loss & still comes with loss ….that we adapt, fit in, and deal with it, no matter what the cost is … …losing the love of those that should be closest, at the start of a child’s lesson, that should never have been taught……. ….the expense has been & still is: “Our” Spirits, “Our” Smiles, “Our” Songs, and most of all “Our Love of Self!!” …..the cost is more expensive than any purchase…. Because venom is deadly!!! And for the most….. we vaccinate with “acceptance” (of what shouldn’t be accepted!!) It’s like treating a migraine, with a pneumonia medication- It doesn’t work!!! It’s like taking a placebo, to treat diabetes, and expecting your sugar to be regulated!!! You are pacified, not filled or cured and slowly die inside!!! We vaccinate, with accommodation, and “blending in” vs “standing in” …lovin’ Self in “Your Own Skin” & standing!!!- Just you!!!! Blending in….with the “Fly” external presentation….appearing so wonderful… “Blending” …carcass…. Dying within from the pain of the desire for freedom….the desire to just be ….wondering of the “Joy” to free yourself, of the internal bondage of Self- hatred!! ….freedom from the bondage of low self-esteem, which “we,” so many, still refuse to claim!!!! It is!!! When you believe changing who you are, to be pleas…ing…. ….for someone who could give a damn about your heart- About Your Soul…. About “You”!!!! And Internally, your dying daily… How would they know? Do you love yourself enough to search within You? To find the things that make You do what You do? I’d been told by my Grandma to, “Leave the past, in the past!!!!” But!! I’d have never known why she shed those tears at night…. if I would have just accepted it!!! and leave it!!!.....leave my people starving for themselves!!!!, ….Without a clue how to truly love Self!!! If I had just left it!!!! I never would have known why my mama cried at night, and why sometimes she still does!!!! If….If I would have left it…Just left the past in the past!!!!! If…I would have just left things alone….left them the way they were…the way they are….!!!! I never would have known why my daddy cried & drank himself sick, almost every day of his living life!!!! …………….If I had just left it!! I can’t!! My heart won’t let me, if I try!!! I am a seeker!!! A seeker of truth!!! It’s because, I love me, and It is because I love you!!! …that I can never just accept what I’ve lived through!!..... …which is nothing!! Compared to what Our Elders survived and died for!!! It’s because My Soul won’t lie still and digest, that accepting!!!, that the shades of our colors!!!... ….that the many shades that lie within Our Blackness, are divisions!!! I regurgitate the notion!!! ….that these forced wedges within & throughout us…that it is Our only way! It is not!!! It is not!!! And I refuse to accept the suggestions that “It’s just the way it is.” Well the way it is, don’t fly well in my wind!!! I’m here My Loves, to send you a message: ….that we are shades of many, hair textures of plenty and the diversity within our blackness, is what makes us unique, a one-of-a-kind, and Blessed people. There is no need to change for the likes of any others- Change for the love of You!!! Know Your history, so that You will know, that there’s more than enough reason to Love You!!! You & Me- We were created in the Glory of the Eyes of a Creator/tress, who makes no error….creating uniqueness in every single detail & shade, with pleasure!!!! I love Our Many Shades of Black, and without them, what color would the world be? Colorless. I said, without Our Many Shades, what color would the world be My Twin Sisters, My Brothers & Sisters!!? Without Natural, without kinky……there would be no curly…..there would be no wavy No. Without “You as created”…..What would this world be? It takes us all, to make this grand variety!! Straight. Colorless. You better look inside, ….let’s teach Our Children there’s nothing to hide!! There’s no reason, not to know where it all began, … otherwise, How can you heal & mend Your broken hearts? How can you teach, if you haven’t been taught? Love Yourself!!! Know Yourself!! Our Many Shades of Black are Beautiful!!!!! © LeTisha.Bowie 4/15/2012

Mental Slavery II.... The Black People's Path of Survival

©LeTisha.Bowie 3/25/25

Two Thousand Twelve “We are Free?”

Two Thousand Twelve “We are Free?” Two Thousand Twelve, “We are Free?” Is that free to be who you say we should be? & then is that free? Freedictionary.com…..I didn’t have to pay for this definition or site…it was free…… Free: enjoying personal rights or liberty as a person who is not in slavery. Two thousand twelve, We are a Black people, “We are free” With the death of another of our brothers- I find the vision hard to believe; The history we’ve been taught tells a story- “Equality for all”, The definition I must have missed; We’ve lived to see another of our innocents fall, to the gunshot of “they” not all; My helium heart is full capacity……Can’t hold in the pain, As the resurrections- the truths of souls, have begun to flow, …..the speed & currents of a broken dam, It’s a tornado in my brain, spiraling down to the tips of my toes; We’ve known for years, that our painful journey never ended, As time progresses, Spirits reveal themselves…..confirming division was never truly mended; The death of young Trayvon Martin has stirred emotions…..new world-wide tensions, We’d like to lay here- heads covered, thinking these gasoline hearts are a thing of the past, But the blood running from the depths of my being is like fire, screaming- “It’s time to step up and stand up!” Fuck kissing ass! Unspoken pain, unshed tears, The voices of black cries for hundreds of years ……has to take a mic!…..has to take a stand! ……has to come together…. to become One Soul of Our Mother Land The un-inherited self-destruction we’ve taken on….. that is not yours! It’s not your own! Give it back…let it go! Look within ….it’s time to show----- ………. the world that We are human….. We are free…. We are One……. Trayvon are we…… No longer will we be stepping stones, We stand…. Stand together……For freedom is Ours to own; It’s not a gift, it’s a right, To walk in day, as well as night, To live and die, for the rights of Our Black Lives It’s time you see, like you….. We are free. ©LeTisha.Bowie 3/24/12