The caged bird

You spread your wings too far apart and flew too close to the sun.

You looked for other ways to live life and saw none.

Now you sit isolated and all alone. All you have is memories and visions of home.

You lie awake restless and wondering when you'll see this place again.

You want desperately for someone to open your cage so that you may flee, to spread your wings again and to be free. Fear not , your day is coming soon.

Take heart to all the lessons you learned in your cage so that when your freedom comes you may bloom.

For freedom is but a state of mind. A cage is just a room.

I dedicate this poem To My father, and all other prisoners and parolees in the U.S penal system.

The worst part is already over brotha's and sista's.

Keep ya head up. All you have to do now is live righteously and you can't fail.

 copy right 3/12/12 HLH

The art of me

Today I’m off to a fresh start.
I’m leaving tomorrow behind and working on my futures art.
I’m dipping my brush and pushing my pen.
I’m not worried about past blotches nor blunders.
I’m not concentrating on the clocks’ ticking thunder.
I’m creating.
I’m just flowing not debating.
No hang-ups or frowns.
No new cases of the get me downs.
What am I making you ask?
I’ll tell you when I know.
Right now. I'm just enjoying the task.

copyright 11/23/10 HLH

Resolve

I paid my dues and earned my place.

I poured salt in my wounds and used blood to wash my face.

I iced my veins to freeze out all taunts

I muffled the sound of my needs and trampled the growth sprits of my wants and desire's

I forged myself in pain's fire

In hopes of reaching and transcending beyond triumph's spire.

Here I stand.

Rolled in ash.

Dipped in fire.

Sharpened to perfection and ready to smite all of life's liars.

Balanced

Keen

Razor sharp.

Impassive.

New foresight and highly evolved.

I'm now cold and calculating.

Free flowing yet impassive.

Impossible to solve.

I've achieved oneness.

I have found a new resolve.

copyright 10/27/10 HLH

Why sista?

Why do you roll your eyes and neck when you speak?/

Why are you worried what another female has on her feet?

Why do sneer or have your face knotted tight?

Why do you have your hands clinched in balls and ready to fight?

Why do you punish your tiny male version of me?

Why can't you let what lays lie and what is be?
why sista?

Why?

Why are you so damn angry?

copyright 10/20/10 HLH

Why Brotha?

Why brotha do you swear so much?/

Why brotha are you quick to anger and even quicker to mistrust?/

Why do speak to your tender flower like a whore?
Why do you think openly expressing your emotions are gay?/

How come when your burden down with problems you turn to the bottle instread of pray?/

Why brotha do you blame the white man for all your short comings in life?/

Why do feel you must kill another to earn your stripes?/

Why is it that you have the craving to sleep with any woman you can find; yet are not truly content until you have bedded mine?/

Why educated brotha do you call me a thug?/

Why older brotha won't you show your younger brotha love?/

Why brotha are you so brazen, so arrogant, so bold?

Why brotha do you lack a zest for life?

Why brotha are you so damn cold?

copyright 10/20/10 HLH