Revolution

This is something I originally wrote and posted for the Blog Poetry Slam on Black Woman Lost and Found, NaturallyAlise's spot... but I liked it so I reposted it here.  I know... Lazy azz, copy n paste post.  You'll live!  I'm working on some stuff.  It's just been nuts around here lately!


The topic was Revolution.  I played with the concept.  Kinda thinking about how so many times, revolutions end up bringing you back to where you started from.  Make you question what you were rebelling against, or turning away from... If you like, leave your own take on the topic in the comments!

Revolutions around a center point, 
constant turnings, and flight. 
Planets running elipses, 
trying to escape gravity 
before being pulled back into line. 

That's what it's all about, you know. 

The movement of the planets, 
revolutions around a sun, 
repeating the attempts 
to move out of an orbit, 
escape the current path, 
reaching the apogee 
running out of energy 
and being pulled back in 

to orbit. 

The universe is a disciplinarian, 
and says stay in your lane. 
Revolution sounds real good, 
but in the end, 
it all comes back around, 
and the path is the same.

NaturallyAlise... is 11 years, 1 day younger than me...

...which means, of course, today is the 10th Anniversary of her 21st BornDay!!

So everyone go check out her blog and drop a few lines of poetry in the comments!!  In the meantime, check out her latest poem.  You can find Alise here and here!

getting stung

Anger buzzes in my head and belly

like a hive of disturbed bees.

I see the disparity of effort

and you getting more out of this than me.

For now, I still care enough to meddle

and stir up those bees 

by pointing out the inequity.

You don't have to worry yet that I will leave.

I'm still invested, still connected, 

still trying to prove that I matter.

I'm still protecting comb and honey and Queen,

with this anger buzzing inside of me.

Angry bees swarming to make a stand, here I am.

Buzzing and diving in my zig zag flight

to get your attention, make you hear me

Flying and buzzing until I tire.

My protest continues, attempts to protect,

attempts just to be heard and seen.

Exhausted, I can no longer fly, only buzz my wings.

My last stand, my final warning.

I want so much to continue,

I struggle against the futility

Too weary, my wings grow still and silent.

And yet, I know you fail to see.

The danger is not in the buzzing,

the anger is a sign of life.

The buzzing is only your warning.

Occurring only when the anger starts.

Fear that moment of silence.

The silence portends decision.

Dread the moment when the air goes flat.

What follows is resignation.

While I still care enough to buzz

to protect my hive and home

there is time to avoid the silence.

Damage can be undone.

But that silence of decision,

it's the harbinger of finality.

Because it means I don't care anymore.

Pushed past anger to apathy.

Then the hive is silent and empty.

No sweetness left in its chambers.

The swarm has taken the Queen and gone.

Leaving only the shell of the comb.