In 'Walk With Me' the author invites you to embark on the journey of her life as seen through her eyes. In this book you will bear witness to trials and tribulations, love found, lost, and dreamt of. As well as an undying faith, hope, and inspiration while life presents obstacles as par for the course. This compilation of poetry is the first of what Ms. Vance hopes to be many published works to come. . . . sit back, relax, and enjoy the stroll . . .

Walk with Me

By Unique

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 Unique
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-9346-4

Contents

Dedication......................................vThank you.......................................viiA Brief Introduction ...........................3Who I Am .......................................4Expect the Unexpected ..........................5My inspiration .................................7My Children ....................................8Cruisin'........................................9Happy Mother's Day .............................10Dear Mommy:.....................................11Mommy ..........................................12Searching ......................................13I Need .........................................14Beyond .........................................15Being Eraced ...................................17Prisoner of War ................................19Happiness ......................................20Forbidden Fruits................................21Charmed ........................................22Paradise .......................................23Regaining Focus ................................24So Deep ........................................26Him ............................................27Think about it .................................29Swirling .......................................30Solo ...........................................31Get Over It?....................................32Keeping On .....................................34Tender Kisses ..................................35Love ...........................................36When Will It Stop...............................41Alone ..........................................43Reflection/noitcelfeR...........................44Suddenly Single Mother .........................45A work in progress .............................46Fading .........................................48The Day After ..................................49Sometimes ......................................50Seperation Anxiety .............................51Reality ........................................52Dejavue???......................................53Clueless .......................................54Flooded ........................................55Don't want .....................................56Tell Me I'm Dreaming............................58Times Lost .....................................59Footsteps ......................................60Why?............................................61Skeletons ......................................62So Gone ........................................63Promise ........................................67Hopeful ........................................68Thank You ......................................69I ..............................................71Dreamer ........................................72Perfect Season .................................73A New Day.......................................76One Wish........................................78Issuez .........................................80Are you ........................................82Chocolate Dreams ...............................84It's Time.......................................85Humbled.........................................86Nature .........................................88

Chapter One

Take A Walk With Me ... ~I left the door open, pull up a chair ... let's get better acquainted~ A Brief Introduction ... Identify me as a "Word Tailor" One who pieces together remnants of fragments That don't usually belong ... Using my tongue as the thread that sews these pieces together Through the needle from which my words flow ... Who I Am ... What I be? I be ... big, brown, beautiful with locs of blonde I be ... daughter, mother, sister, friend, confidante, and lover It be ... a beautiful reflection in the mirror that I see Now though this may not be your impression I'm speaking on what's reflecting back at me ... I be ... one who endures this struggle called life I be ... absorbing the vibe from the intensity of the poetic love that surrounds me I be ... expressing myself through the words that I speak ... Refuse to succumb to be futile and weak For I be.. one who exudes a strength not to be contained or dictated by any who feel they reign supreme over me ... Willing to go above and beyond just to get my point across Strong- willed, determined, loving, giving, nurturing, forthright, intelligent, not to be mistaken for anything less ... I be ... one who stands alone ... I be both mommy and daddy And wear both labels gladly For I be all that I am ... That which makes me ... me Expect the Unexpected ... Expect me to surrender not No matter how intense your attack Expect me to come blow for blow if there's a wall pressed up against my back Cause we've traveled a road too long and hard And we as a people have come too damn far For you or anyone like you to think you can easily take my dignity away See I possess brains as well as brawn So in an attempt to wage war with me Realize I come fully armed Packing the strength from my ancestors of long ago And brazen with experience of this present day world See you might wrongfully mistake my kindness for weakness Now when I come at you I come with a book under my arm, a pen in my hand and you don't know what in my purse All I know is in the midst of your long-winded, narrow-minded, politically incorrect views you failed to think first So while you blasted out you came this close to getting blasted on As I calmly advise you to quit before you get too far gone ... Now I was always taught to fight back and it's just not in my character to tolerate too much So expect me to show my true colors once you give my buttons that final push And expect me to disregard any detours along that road of giving you what you've been asking for Because you gave me the okay to commence to ass-kicking once you came through those double doors See you expected me to behave as a docile female You expected me to take your shit and not raise hell You expected so much less from me than that which I was willing to give Because you expected me not to use the intelligence that I was blessed with So as you nurse your wounds Expect no remorse from me just like that which my people have never seen As we've always been expected to grin and bear it But we continue to chant and cheer while you expect us to have broken spirits See perseverance flows deep down through to my ancestry So I feel you should expect the unexpected ... when you expect to get the better of me ...

My inspiration ... What greater love can a mother have for her child And who is the judge of such To see a smile on their face at the end of the day or simply long for their touch ... To work and slave as you mold and raise One can only pray the product turns out right But the one who's paved the uncharted way is the one to whom every day I pray ... For I know I'm not receiving more than I can bear So why does sometimes it seem like there's too much weight there My heart hangs heavy with love and sorrow At times not knowing how I'll make it through the morrow Without causing the ones I love the most to hurt; to fear But keeping them safe as well as near Dreams and ambitions Bars set high Seeking more in life so they'll know they have limits beyond the sky Hopes and dreams ... so much to me they mean I'd give my last breath in exchange for theirs And unless you've been there you can't understand the tears Of hope of joy of pain and strain Of good and bad And memories past ... My Children ... My children are A reflection of the best part of me Proof that God exists My reasons for living What makes me never want to stop giving My inspiration My anchors The rocks that keep me grounded My prayers answered Unconditional love defined Beautiful Handsome Nature's best Heaven sent Intelligent, creative, talented My best work My focus Proof that God loves me My responsibility God's grace handed to me ... Cruisin' I'm talking about taking a trip Down this road called stability In the physical, spiritual and emotional state of being I don't want to drive alone Don't want to be the only adult in the car I want company, companionship, a partner to share with In my tomorrows I want hands held That old familiar warmth that melts my heart That way when arms fold around me exuding love I wanna feel that electricity That kick starts my motor and commands a reaction I want to fit in the groove of things Like that piece to the puzzle we thought was lost But was found once we became I wanna sing songs of happy with you leading the band because we're so in tune I want the Calgon that takes me away to allow me to do the same To massage nasal passages with soothing scents Have baths with bubbles waiting at the end of long hard days Accompanied by candles dimly lighting the path to your relaxation And when waters turn cold I'd be there with towels warm And oils ready to massage it all away ... Looking to take a test drive, just need a co- pilot ...

Happy Mother's Day ... Following tradition you have birthed nations Future generations While showing strength with amazing grace Doing what you had to do Never taking a day off no matter how much one was owed to you You picked up the slack where a father was lacked All the while with a smile on your face And if ever there was a time when difficulty reigned I never saw a trace As you faced adversity with such ease The biggest hero ever known to me You taught me how to stand tall with poise and dignity Beautiful woman strong and sweet Everything I strive to be One day is not enough to represent the lives you've touched So now I'm taking time out to say I want to wish you a Happy Mother's Day Dear Mommy: You are the star that I look to in the northern sky that guides me You are the inspiration that lets me know that all things are possible When you have a little faith You have set forth a path for me to follow That I only pray I can fulfill to the best of my ability You have raised me Single handed with one hand tied behind your back While juggling five other kids along side of me You have raised me to stand on my own two and fend for myself To utilize the backbone given to me And when it seemed my balance would fail me You doubled as my vertebrae and made me stand up tall Made me dig deep down and apply the wherewithal you knew was within me I want to thank you for being how you've been Doing what you've done For being there For still being here For being my mother ... Mommy ... I'm still waiting for someone to wake me To shake me and tell me this was all a bad dream For all the tensions that existed to be washed away And smiles to again reign supreme I want this to have been a bad joke For me not to be standing here For us to see you riding with your top down And your hat cocked to the side But the harsh reality of it all is that we don't control the hands of time We had no idea that we would have no more tomorrows To hope of better days But one thing I pray that you know always Is that I love you No matter what some may believe You are my mother now and forever And I shall love you through all eternity Searching ... Searching for some ... Peace of mind For that place in time when all seems sublime And peace can be mine If only for one moment in time Searching for that place in time When peace can be mine And all that glitters won't have to be gold But the glitter the glow you see Will be my soul at peace The oneness within me ... And I'm searching high and low With every breeze that blows With every seed that's sown Into the fertile soil that springs forth life I will continue to seek until I find what it is I'm searching for Roadblocks seem nonstop when you're traveling that road Towards consciousness ... My thirst for true knowledge, wisdom and understanding Resembles one as if I were stranded in the desert longing for a drink It's so overwhelming so commanding I long to quench my thirst for knowledge, wisdom and understanding to better know myself ...

I Need ... I just need some time To breathe Take it easy Blow the whistle Press pause Just because I need some time ... To think Reflect Plan Anticipate Acknowledge Decide ... Do I wanna walk in the rain and accept Instead of place the blame Allow the steady beat of the water To wash away my pain I just need some time ... To stand in the mirror Until my vision gets clearer And I can no longer hear The voices circling in my head Offering me advice under the guise Of their self proclaimed degrees ... I need for them to die down Quiet the loud sounds of confusion Sift through the pollution Breathe fresh air amidst blue skies I just need some time For me ... Beyond ... I am So far beyond That which used to matter to me So far ahead In this place where I am happy Life brings obstacles Tried and true But to be free Of certain negativities Allows me to come through Victoriously I am so far beyond The box in which I used to reside No more chains or bonds No longer a need to hide Attempting to please People Those who don't matter I have now closed that chapter And am engaged in the penning Of the latest saga featuring ... Those who truly matter Standing strong and tall No longer afraid to fall Because the backstabbing Connivers who once claimed To have my back Are on the sidelines ... Wondering why or how No worries it's too late now You'll never get it Only that which u deserve Because 360 degrees Just as sure as the air That we breathe It goes full circle KARMA BABY ... Yet I am so far beyond Caring anymore I can now say I am So happy being me Living life the way It's supposed to be Stress and hater free ... 2 fingaz peace.

Being Eraced ... History is doomed to repeat itself when it's shown blatant disregard Some attempt to forget where they come from and simply acknowledge where they are While sitting in a place when to get a fair chance you still have to work twice as hard Overcome the hurdles stacked against you and break through bars Not looking for sympathy or a pat on my back, an amen sister, or a Scooby snack Simply acknowledging the situation as it stands that ... Ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away In fact ignorance is the breeding ground for which infections prey Self pride not pity, self-respect and dignity There was once a man who had a dream But who says it can't be a reality? That we're to accept things as they appear to be Instead of standing united like our people used to See ... It really wasn't that long ago When we lived in a land run by a man named Jim Crow When armed guards stood outside as our children walked by Just to obtain an education All in the name of Integration Now they stand beside metal detectors as they walk by In a desperate attempt to help keep our children alive Why is it so easy for our people to forget? To be so ready to an empty apology accept? To turn against one another and now stand armed against your brother? Ignorance is contagious ... Clouds judgment, lacks intelligence, breeds prejudice Ignorance lacks peripheral vision, allows blinders to be strategically placed While we as a once united people become eraced From this society that we for so long fought to be a part of All in the name of equality To progress one must address their current state of being In this world ever changing I know what they see when they look at me They know what they're doing when a so-called harmless prank or joke Causes the spirits of my ancestors to be invoked from deep down inside of me Reliving that pain as a rope hung from a tree tightening around their necks while left dangling And living now in modern times I dare not forget the sacrifice Of those on whose backs I stand as I walk throughout this fertile land A world in which we have finally become free But not until we break the bonds of captivity You have to stand up for something as we're expected to do nothing Things like change laws and acknowledge hate crimes It all starts one day at a time ... It takes one person, one choice, there was a man who once had a dream and I still hear his voice... Prisoner of War ... Engaged in a war plagued with never ending battles From the beginning to the end of my time Those to come and the many before us Batten down under the hatches Chained up amidst our mothers, brothers, sisters, lovers, children, friends In their hate ridden shackles Unable to fight back due to heavy restraints Though in this time they may not be visible to your eye The haunting phantoms of those iron chains still weigh heavy on my spirit I don't know how you take it but I refuse to grin and bear it Trudging up this seemingly steep hill day after day Seems like I'm standing still ... knee deep in a downpressed society But I keep my guns up and stand my position in this war that was unjustly waged against us By being all that I can ... as they say Success is the best revenge...............

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Walk with Meby Unique Copyright © 2010 by Unique. Excerpted by permission.
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