Just Thoughts: on love and other things

by Kimberly A. Powell

Overview

Just Thoughts...on love and other things is a collection of poetry with pieces that date back my to my college years to  my present feelings. The poems in this collection capture how I felt at that moment about that subject, person, place, or thing. I believe that if we all openly share our view about things we don't understand and really listen to one another with an open ear and heart, we will not only teach and learn tolerance but love. Which, after all is said and done, love is all we need.

I hope you really enjoy reading this collection. Thank you.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452008158
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	08/01/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	56
File size:	117 KB

Read an Excerpt

Just Thoughts

On Love And Other Things

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By Kimberly A. Powell

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2011 Kimberly A. Powell
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4520-0813-4

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Chapter One

Candy Man

Butterscotch skin
Hazelnut eyes
Licorice hair
All of these things are so sweet
But still none are comparable
To your confectionary heart
Conversations of love
Like Valentine candy
Saying the least
Means the most
Your kisses can be as sweet as an apple
Or as sour as lemons
Either way my buds are satisfied
Sugar-daddies
Lollipops or tootsie rolls
No manufactured sweets
Could ever replace my need for your
Originality


Raindrops

You came home tonight
And you went straight to sleep
I do not know if it was because of me
Maybe it was because of the rain
No metaphor, yes really the rain
It played its tune as you closed your eyes
The streaming sound of the water flowing through the gutters
The rat-a-tat-tat of drops hitting the window pane
I hope those are all the things that put you to sleep
The soft tapping of the leaves
The cool breeze
The fresh smell
These are all the things that I hope put you to sleep.


Young Love

We sit up and watch old episodes of Martin
We laugh and talk about how they don't put comedy on TV.
Like this anymore
Sippin' on tap water out of red plastic cups
The world would say we're poor but I know better
I know we are rich
He knows it too
I look into his eyes
And see my reflection
He puts on another episode of Martin
I'm sleepy
But I want to stay up to see his smile.
I want us to stay young forever
Like the characters we are watching
Tonight we will just laugh
Even comedies have a climax.


Good Times!

Bright Lights
Aromas in the air
Laughter on the streets
Good times in the city.
Neon Signs
Inviting you in
Bodies swaying to the most
Popular tunes
Good times in the city.
Beautiful Smiles
Your favorite drink
In your hand
Ah, good times, good times!


True Love

A love that's more beautiful than the stars in the sky
Even the fog in the night can't hide our shine
So real
So pure
A blessing that doesn't have to be disguised
The kind of love you can brag about
But it is so good you'd rather keep it to yourself
A love that makes you realize everything in the past is worth letting
go.


Mariah

Everything that is meant to be beautiful
Is to you
Everything that is meant to cause pain
Evokes it in you
I want you to be resilient
But I don't want you to be a stone
I want to always be here for you
But one day I will not
You have a beautiful heart
I pray you never change
The world will try to change you
Always for the worst
Don't let them win!
Let the beautiful things make you smile
And the sad things make you cry
Never give up and never become numb to this world


I Clap

I clap even though
I'm not really there
I sing even though
No one hears
I laugh when no one else
Gets the joke
I cry when no one else
Even sheds a tear
I am passionate when
Others can barely feel
I aim to inspire
When everyone else is so tired
So lethargic
To lethargic to clap
To depressed to sing
To dejected to laugh
Not enough sympathy to cry?
Not enough empathy to feel?
I inspire
I clap.


Faded Childhood

I can remember
What seems so long ago
It was only twenty.... some years ago
A short
Brown eyed
Curly head girl
Always smiling
She knew that dreams could come true
So every night she wished on a star
Every night she prayed for a shooting star
Slowly every night turned into
Some nights
Some nights turned into
Long nights
I began to see less and less
Of this little girl
I can almost remember.


Never Enough

You try to come home early
It does not matter!
It is never enough time
There is always one more mouth to feed
One more page to read
One more pillow to fluff
It doesn't matter what you do
It's never enough
One more dish to wash
One more tooth to floss
One light you have to get up and turn off
Just when you think
You are about to fall asleep
You realize you left dishes in the sink!!
So tomorrow, if needed stay late at work
Because no matter what you do
It is never enough.


A Teacher's Cry

Each day I faithfully go in
I plan according to the curriculum
I teach the curriculum
Obviously, they need more than the curriculum
It doesn't teach respect or
How to give it or earn it
One day I am not going to report
I'll just keep driving by
They will wonder where she is today.
What happened, I hope she is okay
Everyone, except the principal I'll bet
Instead the principal will say where are the emergency plans?
This is so unprofessional of her ... she better be almost dead!
I will not even have the courtesy to call
Allow someone else to come in and babysit
Regurgitate the curriculum
As they attempt to teach discipline
What do their parents teach at home?
The apple doesn't fall far form the tree
The apples can't pick up themselves
So I guess for now it's up to me
But it will not be forever
For those who do it, I'll hold them very high
I refuse to do this 'til retirement
Too many people to answer to
The parents, the children, the administrators
They all expect answers from me
I only expect paper in the copy machines
Homework turned in on time
Phone calls to be returned
Of course I never get these things
So yes, I will take a risk and move on
Because in this profession
My spirit no longer grows.


Superwoman Can't Fly

She can work two jobs
Cook three meals
She can even bargain
A hell of a deal
But
Superwoman can't fly?
She can teach the kids
Save the world
All this while dressed like
A material girl
But
Superwoman can't fly?
She can be first lady
He can call her "his rock"
She can rock the crowd
But you think
Superwoman can't fly
Maybe she can
Maybe she can't
You think its all in her mind
I think that's where it begins
Superwoman can fly.
Just Thoughts


Soul Control

I want to be a soul singer
But he stole my soul
I had been dreaming this dream
Since I was like six years old
And I had a voice
It was beautiful!
Might still be
He pressed mute
It hasn't played since

If he has the remote
That means he has control
And if he has control
I must not have a soul

Or maybe I do
I just have to steal it back
Even though I'm not a thief
I need this back

I'm not into designer bags or fancy things
Now the world thinks I am

He made me into this pop princess
I'm crying out!
But no one can here me
Over the paparazzi

Now Lady Gaga is my competition
My original mission is beginning to fade
Oh yeah I want to sing from my soul
I have a story that needs to be told
It will unfold

I've been dreaming this dream
Since I was six years old
I'm changing the channel
Snatching back the remote
Control.


Reminiscing

Remember the nights
We sat in the car
Listening to Floetry
It's getting late
Yes, it was
We didn't care
We had no other place to go
If we did
It didn't matter
No place could have made us happier
Could have had more love
Than that place
We found in each other

Remember those nights
When we held on to what
Was brand new
Underneath the stars
In a parked car
Where else would we be?
What else did we need?
I only needed your eyes
For us to melt into each other's souls
Remember?


Hey You

Tonight I sat alone
Listening to Floetry sing "Hey you"
Naturally I thought about you
I remembered when you said those two words to me
It felt like three
Now I understand you were saying goodbye to me
But you weren't sorry
You never tried to come back
Not that I would have taken you back

I've moved on but the old feelings still linger
My new love
Loves me so much
That if loving you completes me
He'll let me go
But I'll say no
Hey you.... goodbye.


My Instrument

My poetry is my instrument
I arrange these words like notes on a staff
I hope that the words will reach you
Even when you are trying not to listen
Practicing everyday
Hoping to master this craft
I can move you with strong words like bass in a stereo system
Soothe you with soft melodic words
Give you inspiration
In times of desperation
Poetry is my instrument
With it I can do anything
Without it
I'll never know


They Ask

Is she mixed?
That's what they ask each other
Are you mixed?
That's what they ask me
My reply depends on my mood
If I feel like educating them
Biracial would be the correct term, that's my response
Sometimes I play dumb
And make them break it down
Then they will ask are you black, white, or both?
Occasionally someone will say "Naw, she's Puerto Rican
Why should it matter is another reply
When I am feeling comical I say
I am American
They always think that is funny
Everyone knows that there is always something in front of
that-American
The girls can be the saddest to listen to
They let this race thing go on and on
They have to find out whatever I am because I have what
Some call that "good hair"
Personally I wouldn't call it that
When they are really trying to be funny
They just shout out "White girl"
I've always found that quite ignorant
Not as ignorant as calling me a "half-breed"
Oh well, I'll let it go
It is really not their fault
Ignorance disseminates from one generation to the next
I am just happy to be who I am
And smart enough not to worry about what you are or are not.


Insomnia

I can't sleep,
Even though I feel tired,
My eyes are as heavy as bricks,
My mind is as full as it could possibly get,
I'm so tired but when I lie down nothing happens,
They label me an insomniac,
In other words a non-sleeping maniac,
I try to clear my mind,
Drift off and count sheep,
But all I can think of are the crazy things that could happen
To me,
The unthinkable things that have happened in the world
Today,
The suicide bombings, the plane crashes, the murders, the
Rapes, the accidents, the conspiracies,
How can anyone sleep?
I wish I could just to escape to another world,
Sleep can only be truly appreciated by the insomniac.


Career

Stay here, they say
This is the job for you
It's secure
It pays
There is a need for you
I must leave, I say
This isn't the job for me
It is not secure
It does not pay enough
Someone needs this more than me

What about your future?
What about your plans and goals?
But I have always known
I am an artist
I am a dreamer
This is who I need to be!


Tardy

I'll get there when I do
That's all there is to it
No, I do not have bad work ethics
Yes I do care about being on time
I just know that I'll get there when I do.

No amount of authority you have can change that
It does not matter what time I go to bed
Or what time I wake up
I'll get there when I do.

In the mean time
You can stop sitting here feeding me your lies
Telling me that you care
That you understand
You care alright
You care about the numbers
As they all do
Just Thoughts
23
You do not care about my child
You do not care about my commute
You do not care about my health
Not that you should
But stop lying to me
Because I am being honest with you
I will get there when I do.


Dejected

My mind drifts back to you,
Rejection
The thought that comes
Sadness is the emotion that follows,

Sometimes he makes me feel so complete,
Other times,
I'm scared. Not for me,
But for him,

I question if I love him,
As much as he loves me,
I never question his love,
I never question your rejection,

I hope he never reads this poem,
It will break his heart,
When he reads that you are you and he is he,
I'll smile when he comes home,
This feeling will pass.


Explanation

I just needed to contact you....
Why?
Don't question me
You owe me
Promises, days, years
You slowly put cracks in my heart
I didn't know you were setting me up for the big break
I know it doesn't make sense to you
Since I moved on first
I had to move on
You didn't even come after me
Everyone knows if he really loves her
He goes after her
You never came after me
So now I just want to know
Why?
Why the lies?
Why lead me on?
And I just want to know
How is it that I moved on?
So have you
But deep down, way in the bottom of my heart
On the ocean floor
You are still here.


Bathwater

You want to drink my bathwater?
Are you sure?
What about when the lather is gone?
The soft scent of the rose petals have faded,
The scent of a hard days work has taken over,
Will you still want to drink my bathwater?
What about when the water is no longer crystal clear?
The ring forms around the tub, will doubt kick in?
When the temperature changes from hot to lukewarm to cold
Will you still want to drink my bathwater?


One Day Pass

I just want to do something
Different today
Put my toes in a lake
Not a man made pool
Smell food on the grill
Not from the drive thru window
Ride my bike on a dirt road
No worries about cars
No red lights
These things may sound like an anomaly
But once they were the norm.


A Peaceful Night

Beyond heavens insight, elsewhere perhaps
The cross floats for life
Fire seems to last
All coldness stops for once
Tonight heaven has found true peace


Past

Why does the past have to stay a memory?
I wish I could close my eyes,
And you could come right back to me,
I can almost feel your touch,
Just imagining you is almost too much,
Almost as if you gave me life,
If you ever felt my pulse-
You would know,
My heart beats to the melody-
Of the notes you once played.


Pictures-Pictures

One thousand words.....
But who is really listening?
Proof,
But what are you proving?
Scenes,
Images,
Depictions of a moment paused forever in time,
Or depictions of what you want,
Or what you had,
Virtually locked into a world,
But see,
I do not have to fantasize,
Imagine,
Wish,
Or cry,

I have something that is stronger than pride,
Something that I don't have to show,
Advertise,
Prove,
Or lock in time,
Something,
Someone,
I am experiencing,
Lovely,
Learning from,
Growing with,
Happily,
Carefree,
Lovely,
Yes it is lovely!


Past Love

Seducing my soft body
Silky, delicious taste of my love
Desire found in dreams
Our crumbled memories.


Should I say I love you?

My heart stops temporarily,
I gaze into your eyes,
You pull me closer to you,
I realize why I am alive,
We should really take our time,
Everyday you are on my mind,
My lips are quivering,
As you touch me I am shivering,
Could this be love?
This feeling that I am feeling,
My voice fades away,
I want to say I love,
I know it is a little too soon,
So I will just wait for you to say,
How I make you feel.


Off Guard

I didn't expect you to capture this heart of mine,
I didn't know you were going to be such a special part of my life,
But you are and I am so afraid,
I am so scared to get to close because one day you may be gone,
I have been holding back for so long,
But lately this love is becoming to strong,
To intense for me to bear,
When you touch me I feel the power or your love,
Flowing through your veins,
It overwhelms me, consumes me,
I am falling to deep,
This love is to intense for me to bear,
Making my emotions run wild,
Your love brings tears to my eyes
All the simple, unconditional things you do,
Makes it hard to imagine life without you,
I really tried not to become attached,
I fear losing you,
My tears fall and you look into my eyes,
Instantly reading my mind,
Whispering that you will never leave my side,
I really didn't expect you to give your heart to me,
I didn't expect to be such a special part of your life,
And I didn't expect you to capture this heart of mine.


A Man's Worth

I never really knew a man's worth,
I never knew one person could heal so much hurt,
I was so blinded by stereotypes of what "all men are like,"
I am so glad you took the time to stay in my life,
My father was the first to decide to go on his way,
So I assumed no other man would stay,
I never knew the value of man as a father or friend,
But because of you I now know the value of a strong man,
I never knew you could be my support, strength, backbone, spine and
maybe even the reason why I am alive,
You are my lover, provider, shoulder, and friend,
My pulse, my tears, tears of joy, tears of pride,
The reason that I can stand beside you with my head held high,
The reason that I will never leave your side,
Your love, your energy, your serenity, your peace, your struggles, your
patience, your mentality, your sexuality
Even the way you look at me,
This list could go on,
There is so much more that I have not named.
But because of you I now know the worth of a strong man.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Just Thoughts by Kimberly A. Powell Copyright © 2011 by Kimberly A. Powell. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Candy Man....................1
Raindrops....................2
Young Love....................3
Good Times!....................4
True Love....................5
Mariah....................6
I Clap....................7
Faded Childhood....................8
Never Enough....................9
A Teacher's Cry....................10
Superwoman Can't Fly....................12
Soul Control....................13
Reminiscing....................15
Hey You....................16
My Instrument....................17
They Ask....................18
Insomnia....................20
Career....................21
Tardy....................22
Dejected....................24
Explanation....................25
Bathwater....................26
One Day Pass....................27
A Peaceful Night....................28
Past....................29
Pictures-Pictures....................30
Past Love....................32
Should I say I love you?....................33
Off Guard....................34
A Man's Worth....................35
So Much....................36
Time Told Me....................37
Second Chance....................38
Emptiness....................39
No Cell Phone....................40
If I Were Cinderella....................41
Dots....................42
Sunny Effect....................43
Pretty Feet....................44
Some Nights You Make Me Feel Loved....................45
A Couple in Love....................46
Getting There....................47