This was the first poem I ever allowed anyone to read, submitted to a poetry contest. To my surprise, it won second place in Community Pride Magazine 1995.

Deep in a hidden place of my mind

A little child resides

Alone and fatherless

Lost in a world that’s dark and cries

Little boy afraid to live

Afraid to die

Dwells in a little corner of my mind

“Cry baby, cry

Mama’s goin’ wipe those tears away

As always

You fatherless child

Come rock in Mama’s arms

Grow to be a man

I’ll take care of you

As always

You fatherless boy”

In the world

A child in a man’s mind

Don’t know how to live

Just waitin’ to die

“Cry baby, cry

You fatherless child”

Deep in a little corner of my mind

In a Little Corner of My Mind

Brazen skin of autumn’s hue

Burnt by time, moistened by dew

Laboring hot, singing spirituals sway

Raisin head slaves docked at the bay

Planted deep in soil of toil

Seedlings sprout as life uncoil

Strengthened by tears of autumn’s rain

Harvest of grapes plump with pain

Pressed against white washed stone

Oozes liquid of life with crimson tone

Offering cups of sacrificed foes

The communion wine...blood overflows

More are thrown on fields of thorns

Hot sun beat upon them till weary-- worn

My skin is dark like winter's night

Black African--Son of Kings

Black American--son of slaves

Who with songs of spiritual sway

Cry tears of moist dew--day by day

Their beds lie among rotted leaves

Nurturing their children of sundry hue

Upon this soil of hardship and toil

In the land of Autumn

Lies the fallen leaves of

Mother Africa