Give Me The Rites (& other poems)

by QnIrie

When you’re right, you’re right, at least in your own eyes.
But when I write sometimes, there’s no rhyme or reason.
We have rites when it comes right down to it.
It’s my prerogative.
I write, he writes, she writes, they write, for the love of writing.
It is a right to express how you feel or not, in your chosen way.
Thoughts, and words, and tunes dancing in my womb.
My head, my soul, my eyes closed, I can’t help but sway.
I am feeling rhythm. Hmmm….
The beat is coming alive in me.
Fast-er, loud-er, it is right here in me.
Beat. Beat. Thump. Beat! Clap. Yeahhhh.
Tick. Stomp, clap. Tap. Snap. Yeah!
I hear nothing else. Me and these bee-eats are one.
Flow, and flow, and flowing,
like run—ni-ng stre–ams,
with Bends, and dips. I splash!
And a tune slowly begins to rise up in me. I hummm…. between the melody,
and all is right with the world. Ahhhh…. So peaceful.
Moments, I don’t care to share.
And as quick as it comes, it is gone.
Oh man! Maybe I should have paused.
Took time to write it down.
It’s all worth it though.
It’s a good feeling, I wouldn’t trade.
Well, maybe if it’s really mine, I can evoke it again.
Invoke it, like it’s my rites.
And tap back into that goo-ood, drift-away feel-ing…
If it’s in me, it’s mine to keep.
Right?

Waiting

I’m sooo excited! And I just can’t hide it –
Wow! I am so relieved in this moment.
I didn’t really contemplate what this victory, this historic moment would feel like.
It is not a pre-meditated act.
Part of me is numb. Part of me is screaming.
Oh my God!
And yet another part of me is holding my head
with eyes wide, mouth open pulling my hair a little to confirm that this all really happening.
It happened!
It’s happening. It’s real!
My Mother 85 and my children and grandchildren and me!
We are all here to see.
We have a black woman V.P.
I thought I was excited when Biden chose Harris as a running-mate.
But they are in and I am absolutely elated!
But I’m still a little numb.
I don’t think I really have taken a deep breath yet. It’s like I still need to heat it more.
I need it to sink deeper. This better be real!
No-body got time for jokes like that.
No, no mind. Line up!
This is Right! This is real! This is true!
It’s about time!
I haven’t felt like we had a president since Obama.
I never could bring myself to even acknowledge
‘45’ just a number
Hold a place (card) in the seat of office
But not holding the office (up).
My God! Whoa!
And when I got the news this morning, I was in virtual class with young scholars I work with.
And got to share such a historic moment with them

Eye View

Out of body, eyes open or shut
The lightest, easy, free, fluttering spirit images
on beds of cotton like fluffs and puffs that disappear in blinks of view.
And nobody falling or bothered.
Just seeming to glide through, and under, and over,
Wow. Large and small transparent,
but light blueish looking wings gently fluttering but barely moving
If stillness had a sound, this would be it!
I don’t know if I’m living, or gone,
but this right here,
in this moment feels right.
At least for now, I don’t want to be anywhere else,
or see, or hear, or even feel a need to speak.
Am I? I am? I don’t know.
But creator being image I think I see – if this is – that is you
You are more beauty personified than my mind’s eye could have dared to imagine.
Glorious does not even come Close to describing you!
There are not words created. Words not given to even come close.
My mind is blown!
So, I don’t even know if I am, or dreaming.
So, for now I’m content with just basking in this indescribable. Period.
It’s no more to say. I don’t want to waste time thinking,
and miss a vision,
a moment.
I’m wishing I had eyes on every side to take it all in.
I’m so full! I can’t even contain it all.
I need to make a deposit to release and make room for more.
Can’t even imagine a pocket or bag big enough to ascertain.
I think I’m floating too.
This is deeper than slow motion.
Not even a camera at the highest grade, in the slowest stage could capture it.
or maybe not even the fastest.
It’s just all un-imageable, at least to me.
There’s been no book or story tale to accomplish the telling of this.
Do I have the vocab to express it?
I sure hope to get the chance to try….