Exclusive Ink

Author: CMS

  • BLACK STRIPE, WHITE STRIPE

    by ISIAH

    Forced to read literature about things unknown,
    like racism and segregation, to open my blind eyes to things I needed to know,
    learning about Malcolm and Martin fighting interracial crime
    like apartheid or the dark side or similar slavery in its prime,
    my view widened with knowledge of past problems explained in depth.
    Black culture grew as each page got flipped,
    and when people of different races said racist phrases I’d flip.
    I didn’t wanna know just one side because I’m racially mixed,
    so when I looked in the mirror I didn’t see a hypocrite.
    I’d read the wrongdoings of both sides in the ethical war,
    like the Black Panthers or KKK hunting for sport.
    I was oblivious to the treacherous ways of the past.
    But now I know the past and I live in the past’s future.
    No more judging—white doesn’t mean preppy, black doesn’t mean stupid.
    After I read that book, I know
    ignorance judges by the color of the blanket around the bones,
    and since I know I have black stripes and white stripes,
    you don’t have to be the same color as me to be my family or friend.

  • INSURGENTS

    by ERIC

    Life is the soul necessity and war is the gauntlet that
    Pillages these privileges,
    Witnessing,
    Through the eyes of those that sacrifice the lives of others like Leviticus,
    Through severe hemorrhaging
    Of the hearts of citizens,
    Profusely dripping of innocence
    or misunderstanding, and is commemorated and the future remembers it.
    Legitimate
    Reasons of why there is a middle eastern toddler in a sun dress underneath her tricycle quivering
    snatched away from adulthood from a stray this can’t illustrated and you can’t picture it.
    Innocent lives lost from the bickering.
    Ricocheting sentiments
    Don’t seem to reach the roofs or walls,
    no remorse for the bullet wounds in jaws.
    Spoon feed the generations the statement violence doesn’t resurrect anger it just soothes then calms.
    Then expect the eastern hemisphere, just move along, conclude with a open palm
    that clutches no white flag to fluctuate a strong way to validate surrender.
    They retaliate with their members,
    one side could cannon peace while hope is still a slimmer with a bow and quiver,
    an arrow dipped in love to replace a bullet will forever be the strongest victor.

  • I CAN SEE THROUGH YOU

    by CURTIS

    I may not have the blessing of sight like most people do.
    But when it comes to personality, I can see through all of you.
    You think that I’m helpless because I don’t have one of my senses.
    I lost one of my senses, not my common sense.
    It’s funny that I’m the blind one but I can see through your games,
    Secretly putting me down with ignorant subliminal message acting as if I’m not going to find out.
    I’m BLIND not deaf. I can hear the discrimination in your voice.
    I’m BLIND not handicap. There’s nothing wrong with my body.
    Sometimes I’d glad I can’t see,
    That way I con’t be able to see if your faces are as ugly and repulsive as your attitudes are.
    I may not be able to drive.
    But my other abilities allow me to perform magnificent
    techniques that you’ve never even witnessed before and drive
    you into a highway of curiosity and envy.
    I’m no Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder
    But my level of cleverness will make you wonder.
    I guess what I’m trying to say is…
    We’re all equal, so don’t treat me as less than
    you would want somebody to treat you.
    I can’t see you.
    You can see me.
    But I can see through you.

  • BLISSFUL MOMENT

    by KEITH

    He hears the echoes of laugher vibrating in his ear,
    Smelling the flavor of scolding hot lava chips dipping through its dense rich sun cheese sauce,
    Touching the counters, grabbing me like a glue stick,
    Feeling the icy temperature paralyze the individual skin cells in my hand as if fire touches an arctic pool.
    He dances with melodious structure in one with the house shaking base of the beat,
    Carpet fibers tickling the nerves of his feet causing the sweat to thicken in his brow as toothpaste from its tube.
    Only color would create a more blissful moment.

  • SENSES

    by DAVID V.

    To lose a sense is like to lose something very important in your life.
    You won’t get it back or you won’t ever live the same.
    Losing that sense will make you stronger and weaker at the same time.
    You will not ever do the things you did,
    you will have to get over the idea of every doing the things you did with that sense.
    It doesn’t matter what you lost: feeling, taste, smelling, seeing or hearing.