by Laurie Lyle
These roads the earth version of hell
Every time I venture out, I sin myself so well
If I survive, must go find a church
Hang on to the rope and pull
Ring the cherry-picking bell
STEPCHILD
Do not abuse me because I am stepchild
I do the work of the other children
While they run, roam free, and are wild
I get a paddling on my backside
Every time I take even a neighborhood ride
Cannot make any mistakes every time I slip, I slide
I am getting docile, losing my pride
I stand alone, never anyone by my side
I sigh, grieve every time, every day
Every step of the abusive, humiliating way
I remember my other parent never tried
Pointing fingers in small circles and wide
Remembering the many times
I slipped away, withdraw to my favorite place
There among the stray cats and dogs I hide
Talking to them, scratch their heads,
Rub their weathered, crusted hide
It was from them I regained my pride
They had nothing yet they stuck by each other
Side by side, a strong reckoning force
Taking and doing what they needed to survive
RASTA MAN
The Rasta man took a big long drag
From the big head lighted joint in his hand
Seeds popped and sparkles flew
He breathes deeply as he said
“Yes, man, mi a carry out jahjah plan”
And blows a thick cloud of aromatic smoke into the air
Then passes the joint to his brethren
A sacrament they always share
This yah herb was first found
At the tomb of King Solomon
And he was the wisest man, no true?
You must understand, my brother
There is something about this weed
It is from the only tree of knowledge
I and I meditate, I see and know things
As a member of the twelve tribes
I man must spread the word, and by my actions
I display my obedience to the most high
So the people will come to respect the
Lord of lords and the king of kings
Mighty ruler of the tribe of Judah
I must enlighten and get them to understand
How to be dedicated and strong with traits of a lion
We will all move one day to the land of Zion
It is all part of jahjah plan
To settle over there on our own land
PRISONER
Back and forth I go
As I pace the small enclosure of my six-by-six cell
My thoughts go back to memories
And things I know so well
I never planned on being here,
This is not the kind of place
I wanted to dwell
Drawing on the walls
Portrait of the girl with a beautiful name Dell
My heart swells and throbs every time
I remember her captivating smile, her smell
Intoxicating, delirious, and stupid
She had me under her spell
And then that night, home unexpectedly
I walked in, did not ring the bell, then stood still
Because there in my house,
In my bed in my silk pajamas with my wife,
Was the one named Bill
They lay there, wanting to run
Could not conjure up the will
Lightning fried my brains
Thunder rolled around in my head
My heart stood still; I died so many times,
Standing there for a moment, I lost the will
Then my sanity went, I moved in for the kill
It was terrible, so much blood did spill
Then I stood there lost
The raging thirst of my anger I did fill
Forevermore I have evened that score
Now even in death I love her more
Should not have gone and be with Bill
They took me away that day
Now all I can do is pray
Those memories they haunt me still today
I should have walked away
But God knows I did not have the power or the will
Now I pay the ultimate price
For Dell and the one named Bill
YOU KNOW
Pushing me close to the edge
Any farther and I’ll tip over.
With me things are bad, and I know that you know
You would not believe how much you and your knowledge
The thought of knowing that you know
Upsets me, makes me feel bad
Lost everything I had, including my old bag of bones.
The meat melted off, really looked bad
In these lean times we have had.
You could feel the vibration as she rattled on
out of my life.
Don’t you know that I know?
That you think that I am also mad?
It is because of this rush of red liquid going to my head
Pulverizing my brain
Do you really think I am insane?
I still know my name
This world that we live in,
Too much people doing everything wrong
Everyone against each other
So many enemies, too much foes
And you know blessings on me you need to bestow
I have given all that I have
Shared my love and tender care
I tried to be focused, forget my plight
Keep my ambitions in sight
Wanted to build my confidence and self-esteem,
you know
Needed to prepare so I could control my share
To be a professional, an expert at what I do,
you know
I had to be prosperous and successful
that I know
I wanted so much to be contented, satisfied
Everything about me, good and bad, you know
You know it all, so why didn’t you know?
To tell me before it all went dreadfully wrong
And everything came falling, crashing down?
LADIES OF THE NIGHT
Short skirts ending at the rump
Yes, right there where there is a bump
Long earrings hanging from pierced ear
Prancing around with confidence and flair
There’s pimps flashy and sedate with a
Swagger lilt and gait as they wait
The ladies, mesh stockings, long boots
Bouncing gait as she meanders
Who dare we bare don’t just
Stand there, look and stare
There are plenty of pleasure, plenty of ware
For those who will pay the fare
Those who will always others to compare
Offering services wide and vary
Do not care about those who stare
Have respect for the oldest profession
Indulge, and you may get fresh or a little bit rare
To the johns they deserve all the special care
They love especially that which they crave
Very special attributes tender loving care
They are the stand-i
n when
Not all is right in the home front
Going out to get a breath of fresh air
Hitch a ride, filly or mare
Bounce along bareback with no care
Might be a bomb exploded there
Little pieces of you scattered everywhere
You mow their field, leave it bare
After all, they deserve so much care
You, the low-down trick and terrible john
Caused her to take off running; none remain,
no, not one
HOUSEWIVES
Laborious, boring, time-consuming, tedious job
Washing, cleaning, cooking, leaning on the mop
Noisy snotty-nosed children running all about
Oh! Want to make one jump, scream, and shout
He is off to work, and I am having a terrible bout
Gone are the days of the faithful milkman
And the dapper insurance salesperson
They always had a plan; stir up dust or maybe some sand
They made the housewives’ lives much more bearable than planned
Were a much-needed and sought-after necessity,
yes, that man!
Then when he gets home,
She was tolerable, adorable, and not miserable
There was love in abundance, a smoldering fire
in her soul
As she smiles coyly at him, guilty pleasure untold
Every time she gets a chance, if he looked closely
He would have seen mischief in her countenance
And the smoke in her eyes
Someone kept her happy maybe just for a while
It sure does change her style
Now all the drama is gone, the tables turned rapidly
While he looked away
As the women get more outgoing and entrepreneurial
They developed inflated ambitions and will
As they learn new skills
To tackle the corporate ladder
She leaves behind the man named Will
He is standing at home, there in an apron and leaning on the mop
Wondering who pulled a fast one
Which gap does he now fill?
So he stands there looking silly
Bewildered, looking still
Harry Belafonte knew that… Right!
The woman is smarter,
Smarter than the man in every way
TAXI MAN
Every time you call, I come along
If you’re feeling down, I will sing you a song
Up the road, down the road, we just bounce along
Nice people with them I cannot go wrong
Look how you just sprawl off in the rear
No care, you sit there composed and stare
While I, man, just ram it in a gear and steer
With my fancy horns always a blare
As I navigate the city streets with diligent care
Look how the pedestrians look and stare
Maybe they grudge you for all your dignified flair
Deep in my heart I say a prayer, God bless
Eyes on my meter, and you pay your fare
Uptown in style, and I come out and give you a smile
It is people like you I want in my cab all year
It is you and your generous tip
That keeps me off government welfare
CHILD OF GOD
Do you kneel, clasp your hands, close your eyes, and pray?
Do you know, understand, and acknowledge the Ten Commandments
Are you acquainted and know who Jesus Christ is?
The tribulations he had, the sacrifices he made, the way he bled
In other words, do you know about his sacrificial death and resurrection?
Based on these principles, have you cultivated
High moral ethics and character with values of a disciple?
Do you impart this knowledge to your siblings and peers?
Is your life free of clutter, litter, and unusual noise?
Do you embrace calmness, blessed peace, and silence?
As you meditate on those special date with him
Do you participate in songs of praise and words of prayer?
Do you believe that the world will endure forever?
That it will uphold the upright and righteous?
Do you believe that ghosts, ghouls, goblins, genies, and demons
Are superstitions, or are they figment of the imagination?
Knowing about God and the way he works, believing in him
Will make you rich of soul, responsible in life, gentle yet strong
You now look at the world with an unobstructed view
With joy in the heart, call upon his hallowed name
You are a member of the fold, a blessed child of God.
LOST
Hidden passages in my soul
Gateway to my world of reflections
Where I hide away from all the misery and cold
There all my dreams and fantasies unfold
My wishes and aspirations are getting old
Broken pieces of my heart and soul they sold
Hidden in a hole that they mold
It was found and that they did stole
I could have should have stopped them
They took it all everything whole
I trembled like a coward was not bold
On the black market it was sold
Hit twice in the same delicate place in my poor little life
Have been through so much sorrow tribulation and strife
Lost so much even my nice solstice wife
CASCADES
Like an easy flowing river
That cascades, serenades, and thrills
It is the feeling going through my thoughts tugging at my will
To be with you, this old ticker going against my will
Churning out love and it hurts,
Wish I could stop the pain, just take a pill
Memories of the glory days unfold
You are the only one left in my world
Destiny pulling at the fiber of my being,
Unwilling feelings making me sick
Like an easy flowing river, soothing and calm
From the shore there is no harm
Beneath its surface, it hides secrets
In its dark mysterious depth
It hangs on to them and holds them there
Forever in a hidden, private place
I sit here sedate, searching my soul
Conjuring private thoughts within my head
I will never find your secrets,
That much is said, you will be here a long time
Until the river freezes over!
You will not be laid out, not be dead!
Do not want to be back with you after all you do
Love is ungrateful and so unkind
It is pulling me in the wrong direction
Even though I am braced against a rock
It will eventually get me, it only takes time
Because it is tugging, pulling me toward you still
MAN OF THE CLOTH
Why should we follow you?
If we can only do as you say but not as you do
You are the revered leader of a congregation
Man of the cloth with the collar at the back
Who oversees a whole parish and therein flock
We sit in this house, a holy place as you say grace
You are living high,
you have gotten all the fat along with the hog
Parishioners they brought the last chicken, all they got
Just so they can watch you grow fat and drink from that vat
We sit here diligently listening to you from the pews
Then we hear you are there on the news
It just cannot be right, not the man standing here in plain sight
If it is bad for us, it should be bad for you
You need to take your words and pull it apart
You are missing something, maybe a small part
Why follow you if we cannot do as you do?
Review it if you are smart, retrace your steps
Open your heart, come back from where you start
You try to make us whole in every part
When we get to heaven, be there too, my brother
First we implore you pray, get rid of all this sin.
Enough bells in heaven and when they ring
Do not cause a ruckus, a commotion, or a din.
WHY HE CRIES
One tear here, one tear there
So him cry a so him swear
Tears now streaming like waterfall
And it’s running everywhere
Chorus
No luck at work
No luck in dealing
No luck with love
Poor boy, poor boy
Poor little crying George
Crying more every time
He remembers the girl Marge
Him cry over this, him cry over that
Just a cry, cry, cry
Poor crying George
Lying there, sweating on his favorite mat
When will he ever come back?
Chorus
I am afar and yet I hear the hollering
It’s him that is calling
What can I do, how do I help
Poor boy, Poor boy, poor crying George
SMALL THINGS
Stop tickling me with your tiny, small thing
I hear you all the time
Do not tickle me with your little, small thing
