When My Daddy Died

Poems by Ank Justice SteadySpear

I will never forget that day it was a sad, sad day
When my daddy died oh it was a sad old time
When my daddy died my Mama cried
Oh my Mama cried I saw the tears flow from her eyes
Oh my Mama cried because my daddy died
No one saw the signs daddy was healthy
Then suddenly he just died oh my Mama cried

Mama- she was a strong old lady
She had her pride our education was her drive
None of her children would steal or go blind
She would whip our behinds
Go to school always be on time
She said son you must always be kind
Life is hard but you got to be gentle with a smile

We saw some rough times after my daddy died
I can still remember- oh my Mama cried
When my daddy died- sometimes not much to eat
There were growls of stomachs on the sheets
Oh it was a sad old time Mama almost went blind
The bills kept coming so Mama worked three jobs
So everything could be fine- it was a sad old time

Within the stress Mama showed her best
But the tolls had a final test now laying here in her pretty dress
Six years after my daddy died my Mama said goodbye
Now her son has become a man with wisdom he shall be strong
As I say my final goodbye I remember to give a gentle smile
She knows her children will do fine they'll do nothing less
Mama was a woman of greatness she never worried about other's silliness

When my daddy died my Mama cried
Together at last they'll be fine.

* * * * *

Police Brutality

It's not a fantasy it¹s very much a reality
Be afraid- be very afraid of police brutality
In every era of humanity these demons harm many innocents of society
For the wealthy in prosperity they protect and serve
From stone to gun they are following immoral codes of hired mercenaries
Everywhere under the sun there is no hiding no where to run
In human daughters and sons there is great power in union as well as their guns

As a little boy I felt police brutality, I saw one shot a man down
Then told me to run, my father in financial difficulties extended his brutality
A police stabbed me with a gun, whipped me with a cane then lied about it the next day
For hissing his teeth a sixteen-year old boy never got up off the street
Brooklyn New York I saw the body of a friend 21 shots most in the back police did that
When a police say you must I give no second chance to trust?
In court I will contest the law to show you have gone too far

Police brutality and evil doctors of humanity insured by cooperating fatality
The companies of crazed mentality causing great pain and suffering
My internal is crying I am slowly dying my screams have been muted
The constitutions of men's laws are polluted so my anguish is fluted
One day justice will be my token I hope my back will not be broken
Standing firm is hard especially with blows to head, ribs and feet
Doctors care not to treat while the insurance companies cleaning their teeth

A crooked cop not checking the facts, the statement of witness on the spot
Who do I seek payment for their attacks and breach of contracts
My health is deteriorating I am having many spasms & stiffness of the side
I no longer can sit comfortable in relax or walk without breath of gaps
I am so poor I ponder if the next time I will get up from the floor
The pains are sharp when they attack it's like a knife in my side and back
I know I will not live too long for my wife and daughter I will be strong
Deep breathing to redirect the pains controlling the flowing of blood through my veins

Holland's police brutality my wife and I experienced in the Netherlands this reality
On the third day of the eleventh month, year two thousand & one
I was happy he did not shoot me where I stand because I am a full-black man.

= = = = =

I am an American/Jamaican poet living in Holland with his wife Diana and child Ama. I am also a Master Student of Museology (Museum Administrations). I have done many poetry exhibitions in many parts of the World such as China, Japan Hong Kong, Belgrade, UK, USA, ... etc. One of my dreams is establishing an international art centre one day as to heal humanity with the Arts. Currently, I have been working on 18 spoken word singles to be release by the end of spring 2004. These singes are "MAD" Music Accompany Dialect. Most of the singles I am about to release where taken from the poetry book titled Ankh Chi Tao. It's one of my new work in progress but you the readers can view the illustrations as well as the first 20 sample poems at this web link http://www.iota.tv/the_scribe/poetry/chitao.html

Ank Justice SteadySpear: AnkSteady@iota.tv 
©Ank J. SteadySpear Artist@Large Poetic MC, The Scribe, http://www.iota.tv