ALL POEMS OF SHANIKA LOWE

Poetry Series
shanika lowe
- poems -
2
a life worth living
a small child sits upon her stoop
gazing upon the goings on of the block
thinking about what she wants to be
when she grows up
you see all she sees around her are
dealers, addicts, and young mothers
so what do you tell a child who sees no other
option in life
come on lets get realistic
the system has already branded her
to be just another statistic
a young mother with a drug dealing
baby daddy who stole her innocence
by buying a piece of her from her addict
of a mother
she only knows the hustle
of the street and the constant beat
of her newborns heart
and the cycle continues
so what do you tell a child who sees
nothing but this in her life
you tell her to be strong
and look past all of this
look forward to a bright future
cause she is just that
the future
the future of this world
its time to break the cycle
give or kids something to live for
give them something more than just life
give them the knowledge of living
living a life worth dying for
cause if we don't
what will they have to live for
shanika lowe
3
a love
i want a love
i want a love that makes me want no other
a love that makes me want
an older brother
to protect me from the hurt
i will feel if he ever leaves
i want a love
that makes me want to breathe
a love that has my body in knots
from the hellafied sex he is giving me
i want a love
when our bodies come together
we fit like a glove
tell me where
tell me how
tell me when will i find a love like that
shanika lowe
4
better half
if i had you
there would be
no half you would be
my whole
mind body and soul
for i would love
you for the things
you do and the
things your going to do
for me and you
taking time to be a gentle
man while being a gentlemen
you can trust in me that
this love comes with
a 100% guarantee
shanika lowe
5
broken
broken bones
broken hearts
broken spirits
the cries of the lonely and helpless
seems no one can hear it
wondering why help is never in sight
from the rise of the sun
to the darkest of night
leaning on each other for comfort
water rising
lives fading
cant get in her path
if you do youll feel her wrath
shes torn apart families
seperated lovers
and forsaken all others
broken bones
broken hearts
broken spirits
they knew it was coming
they saw it coming
never said a word
now its come and gone
and hes still singing that sad song
no matter how you twist the lyrics
you were still wrong
shanika lowe
6
dying to shine
on the backs of babies
you bring the bling
into popular society
on the backs of babies
you fit your grill
to shine like no other
did you know they were taken
from their mother
so you could have the best of the best
did you ever consider the
ring you put on her finger
was two away from the
trigger that was pulled on
the children
who try an escape the slave labor
forced upon them
cause you wanted to keep up
with the trend
how much did it cost you
how much did you spend
alot you say
well lets look at it this way
your diamond filled grill-$10,000
your girls engagement ring-$20,000
the day kids are treated like kids
in Sierra Leon-PRICELESS
now how much will you pay
if it was your seed
forced to bleed
for the princess cut earring
your wearing today
shanika lowe
7
extinct
black man
black man
where have you gone
i miss you so much
you've been away too long
black man
black man
why cant you see
the ties that bind
are between you and me
black man
black man
don't you understand
you need to blame yourself
instead of the white man
black man
black man
i need your loving hand
to turn our male children into strong men
black man
black man
stand strong and stand tall
because if you don't
there will be none left at all
shanika lowe
8
lets get away
i can see it
you and me
feeling the warm breeze
as we begin to
teaseour
taste buds
with the new flavors
of life
im relaxing only
cause your asking
me to
but only if you knew
how bad i want
to treat you
to a trip of my own
that has you on
a journey of ups
and downs and
ups and downs
there will be no one
but you and i
as we go deeper
you go deeper
into thought
and i know what your thinking
the wine is
not the only thing
you'll be drinking
shanika lowe
9
look into my eyes
look into my eyes
and see what you can
see the love and faith
i have in this man
the way he brings light into
my life and into my world
see the joy and pleasure
no one can measure
the amount of ecstasy
no number can number
he takes me places i could've
only imagined in my mind
my soul mate has found me
and will be with me til the end of time
look into my eyes
and you might see my heart
look into my eyes
and you might see
the moment he came into my life
the moment i became his wife
you see my eyes hold the
key to my soul and
before him
they were cold
now they are warm and inviting
but i answer only one RSVP
the one from my husband to me
shanika lowe
10
loud silent voices
somebody
anybody
my voice cant be heard
going through the motions
but cant create the words
dont know what it is
cant figure it out
i didnt ask to be made
but i want my chance to be seen
a chance to be heard
i didnt ask to be made
i want a chance
a chance to live
to breath
to become more then just a seed
something more than just a night of drinks and weed
let me live
let me live
please help me
somebody
anybody
dont let her go through with it
dont let the thoughts in her mind go into motion
please dont have this abortion
somebody
anybody help me
shanika lowe
11
man worries
the way life was
is something life
should never be
verbally and physically
abusing me
you broke me down
down to my knees
you put your hands on me
in front of my seeds
but im finally free
free to be me
free from the endless struggle
i had to endure
at the hands of someone
i thought loved me
scared to leave
cause of what you said youd do to me
afraid at times to come home
cause of how you treated me
but now im gone
and never coming back
me and the kids
are living a worry free life
i have moved on
and found a new wife
who loves me for me
and not the punching bag
you wanted me to be
i was called a punk and all that junk
because mama taught me respect
respect my wife and she will respect you
never put your hands on a woman
thats what everyone said
well who do you turn to
when its the woman putting fists to your head.
shanika lowe
12
Set Sail
can you feel my heart beat
can you see my knees get weak
as we stand here in this sensual embrace
i look at your face
and i want to inhale your exhale
let you hold me in your arms
as we set sail
on this lovers voyage
your touch gives me the courage
i need to go all the way down
to your soul
you fill up this hole
where my heart once sat
your kisses bring out the heat
from within and
i like it like that
your strong arms give me strength
to maintain all the pleasure
your manhood contains
as i try to refrain from being
what i am best
i see your advances as a test
a test to see if i can make it
all the way before imploding on impact
its not working
cause your working that spot
you know the one
cant control my hands
there roaming
and honing in on the target at hand
I've found it and i love this treasure
as i stroke it to the perfect measure
of length you feel
your knees get weak
and your lips part as to speak
but no words can be released
just whispers of pleasure
we call them moans
you see the roles being reversed
as you try to take control
I'm ready and willing to let you in
on my secret if you think you
can take it
moving slowly towards the point
of no return and you know i wont fake it
now this is where the magic starts
but unfortunately this is where my poem ends
and your imagination begins
shanika lowe
13
stained and tainted
look at yourself
your hands are stained and tainted
by this beautiful picture you think you've painted
your selling your soul for a piece
of this so called american pie
while you get rich children and babies die
die of starvation or
simply lack of appreciation
because you wanted to be a baller
selling dope to the very next caller
not caring whether she has enough to feed
her son or daughter
your hands
your mind
your soul all stained and tainted by the dope money
used to get you into this new life
away from the heat to keep you on the street
in the end your gonna ask god
why doesn't have mercy on you
then all those years will flash before your eyes
the screams
the cries
the lives you've taken
wondering why is it your baking in hell
not figuring out it was the dope you chose to sell
shanika lowe
14
sweet lady
not only am i a sweet lady
i am a sweetdiva
i will accept your love
and expect nothing
less then for you to
fill my heart body and
soul with all the passion
your emotions can hold
keeping my soul heated
cause its been so cold
the way you came into
my life was so bold
so dont ever go anywhere
i want you to have and to
hold til we get old
shanika lowe
15
take me back
take me back in time
to a time when kids were kids
and you would get your ass beat if
you were in grown folks biz
take me back in time
to a time when love and happiness
was just a song
and not a thing i wished for
take me back in time
to a time when the end of the school year
was all i longed for
take me back in time
to a time when what to wear on the first day of school
was my only worry
take me back in time
to a time when i was lying on the floor
watching thunder cats and in no hurry
now as i sit and watch my kids
grow out of being kids
wondering if I've taught them all they
need to know to grow as beautiful black women
you see this time is different now
kids are growing up too fast
learning how to shake they ass
before they can read write or count
you see this time is different now
kids are growing up too fast
cant shoot for the stars
but can shoot an AK
its time
time to take back our kids
not just for me or you but for them
its time to take back our kids
and teach them
its time to take back our kids
and reach their minds
cause like momma always said
you never know where your going
unless you know where you've been
so its time to take back our kids
not just for you
not just for me
but for them and their survival
let them know who they are
and where they come from
let them know they come from
king and queens
let them know they are royalty
take me back in time
to a time when
parents showed their loyalty
16
shanika lowe
17
unwanted love
unwanted love
memories flash before my eyes
as the tears fall and i look
to the skies for any kind of sign
that this did not happen to me
i lay in a fetal position
resting on the hopes and wishes
for another day
needing all the courage i can summon
because daddy's little girl reluctantly
became daddy's little woman
he violated me
taking something that was so precious
if mama ever found out it would kill her
he said if i told he would do just that
kill her
i can still hear the grunts and groans
like a mad man out of control
having the face of joy and regret
thats a look ill never forget
i want him dead because he just killed me
killed whats inside me
leaving nothing but distrust and distain
for the future suitors who may come my way
why did he do it
i dont know i did nothing
for him to want me in that way
im just a baby as mama would say
but god will help me through this
and guess what
he will deal with daddy on judgement day
shanika lowe