POET’S CORNER
Mothers: Our Heroes Eternal
Copyright 1994, by Juanita Bratcher
The extent of a mother’s love
Can never be measured by pound
It is unconditional love
Like steel and so profound
She’s protective of her children
To the point of denying herself
She is a woman of distinction
In a class all by herself
She is a mystery woman to some
And a passing stranger to others
But to me and all my siblings
She is our own beloving mother
Her strengths are so unlimited
Her convictions as bold as the night
She is a principled person with fortitude
Armed with courage, grace and foresight
She is a God-fearing woman
Who makes mountains of sacrifices too
She’s there when no one else is
Nurturing her children to see them through
She’s inspiring and uplifting
And her morals always forthright
She keeps the family together
Even when things don’t seem so right
She fights many a battle for her family
Sometimes painful and overbearing
But she handles them with eloquence
Trusting, devotion and insurmountable caring
Her healing powers are oh, so gentle
She can soothe away your tears and fears
There are no limitations for mothers
They hold the key to their children’s cheers
She places them in protective custody
Helps them push their future dreams
She knows how to make them feel special
And motivates them, it always seems
She’s spiritual, uplifting, and diplomatic too
She’s endurable like iron, co-leader of the crew
She’s positive and honest, forgiving of you
She gives moral support from a mother’s view
She’s exhausted, steering her children from obstacles in life
Making sure that they don’t perish
In a world filled with strife
She’s ready to catch them, hold them up when they fall
She feels her powerful love can conquer all
She’s a teacher, psychiatrist, anything you want her to be
She can motivate, encourage, redirect you to see
She’s prepared to take on the rough road ahead
She’s a companion and caretaker, when all’s done and said
There are fond memories of moms
And the many moments shared
Her children know who they are
Simply because mommy cared
This poem was created and dedicated to my mother, Tommie Sean Forte, in 1994, and appeared in my book, “I Cry for a People: In Their Struggle for Justice & Equality.”
Live and Love Life
Copyright © 2006, by Juanita Bratcher
If you live it, why not enjoy it?
Live and enjoy life to the living end
Enjoy the beauty, taste the flavor
Inhale the fresh air coming within
Take in the silken skies, hovering over the ocean blue
Dance in concert with the moon and stars
Uncover the mysteries of life anew
Have a passion for life
Ignite positive energy abound
Carry the torch of goodwill and charity
Try to turn some negatives around
Life without living is like a cast away ball
Void of air and easy to fall
If you live it, why not claim it?
Know that living belongs to all
I Cry For A People
Copyright © 1994, by Juanita Bratcher
I cry for a people
For generations to come
There are superficial obstacles
You must overcome
There are challenges ahead of you
You must tackle them head-on
So stand tall for your convictions
And keep your mind strong
Your struggles are many
Your burdens are too
But brave them with gusto
And rise up anew
I cry for a people
For generations to come
They’re tears of joy
Because victory will come
There’s a reservoir of resources
That need to be tapped
But watch out for roadblocks
Lest ye be forever trapped
Use your time very wisely
Try to conquer all
And no matter the consequence
Always stand tall
Keep climbing the mountains
Anchor your own dreams of hope
Never abandon the struggle
And know how to cope
Perseverance can remove doubt
As you pursue your dreams
Avoid the perils of destruction
And work together as a team
Wrap your arms around your children
For they’re a precious lot
Teach them love and respect
What to do, and what not
Stand tall for what you believe in
No matter how tired or worn
And cherish your beginnings
Lest they be twisted and torn
Keep up the protest spirit
If that will bring gains
Don’t listen to pessimists
Who stall progress and restrain
You must have the foresight
And wisdom to see
That change will not come
If you don’t shake the tree
You’re warriors and survivors
You have the tools to effect change
But you must use those tools skillfully
And not use them in vain
I cry for a people
For generations to come
They are tears of joy
Because victory will come
Life Is A Jigsaw Puzzle
Copyright (c) 2003, by Juanita Bratcher
Life is a jigsaw puzzle
It’s not always fun and games
Life is full of surprises
And nothing ever remains the same
Life can test your courage
It can test your inner strength to endure
It can test your mental psyche
Life is a challenge for sure
Life is an exciting adventure
It can be a bumpy and rocky ride
But life is what you make of it
You don’t need a how-to guide
Life has many dimensions
Too enormous to even count
But life should always have purpose
Void of any amount
Life can be enlightening
Indeed it can be challenging, too
It can be a roaring opportunity
But that depends on you
But never throw in the towel
Because things don’t go your way
Just ride the tides of patience
And keep focused on your dreams each and every day
Love Poems
The Newness Of Your Love
By Juanita Bratcher
Copyright © November 25, 2002
The newness of your love gives me a renewed spirit to love again
To passionately hold someone again, for the first time in a long time
The newness of you in my mind, my spirit, my soul
Has found a meaningful place in my heart
One that’s enlightening and precious to me for a reason now that I don’t quite understand
Yet, it’s there, and quite compelling
The newness of this love, so distant, yet gradually coming together in many ways
Like a rose garden in bloom or new growth from seeds planted
One that has not been tested or tried; yet will not be denied
Through this newness, we’re given a chance at love, with hope eternal that it will evolve into something that’s wonderfully joyous for both of us
For that newness between us is like a fluorescent light flickering away in the night, longing for maturity and stability
That newness speaks loud without voice, and it roars without the presence of strong winds
It exists in a vacuum of uncertainty, as it searches for its mere existence
So silent, so sound, so profound
That even the quietness of day, of night, can feel its presence
Budding love, so wonderfully challenging
In an attempt to learn each other, to know each other better
To sort out the essence of this happenstance upon us, which has already survived our precarious evaluations
And now that we have each other’s attention, what will we do to keep it?
There’s that haunting instinct that this new love we’re weaving together shall remain
No doubt, it will remain in our hearts until we see fit to cast it aside or relinquish it
When I Say I Love You
By Juanita Bratcher
Copyright 2001
When I say I love you
I’m putting my heart and soul in your hands
Because I trust you, and I believe in you
And I feel that you understand my needs and desires, too
When I say I love you
It means that I want to share my innermost thoughts and dreams with you
My feelings, my passions so mired
That you will nurture my dreams and my hopes along with me
And that I can nurture yours along with you, too
That you’ll be a willing partner to share in my tomorrows
That you’ll be my trusted friend, lover and caretaker
When I say I love you
When I say I love you from the bottom of my heart, and from the depths of my soul
It confirms that I care about you and want to be with you forever
That I want you to trust me, and believe in me
For there is no greater love than my love for you
And hopefully, that strong bond between us, and that strong belief we have in each other
Will be that first step in finding that inner peace between us
When I say I love you
The power of those words overwhelms me
Because I’m asking you to be there for me, emotionally and spiritually
To share in my good times as well as my bad times
To know me and my successes, my failures, my likes and dislikes
To know my strengths, my weaknesses, my outlook on life, and your role in it
When I say I love you
I want you by my side in my most private times and share intimate moments with me
And know that I truly love you, need you and want you
When I say I love you
It seems as if the heavens open up and wish us well
And for that, I’m truly grateful
Happiness Is A Personal Thing
Copyright (c) 2004, by Juanita Bratcher
I’m responsible for my own happiness
I’m responsible for my daily care
I’m the one who calls the shots for me
No other human being would ever dare
My life is filled with inspiring anecdotes
I make note of them each day
Anything that ensures my happiness
Brings a ray of sunshine and hope my way
Nevertheless, I am a realist
I know that the sun won’t shine every day
So, I allow for the rain that will fall
Realizing that eternal happiness is not a sure thing, in any way
I’ll make my own happiness
I’ll stir up the joy in my life
And when I’m feeling down
I’ll never solve my problems with a frown
I want to enjoy the people I love
Do the things that I love to do
I want to appreciate the small things in life
Those that sometime comes out of the blue
But I’ll never give up on that smile
That’s one of the things that make my day
It paints a picture of happiness
And energizes my life in a positive way
I Am What You See
By Juanita Bratcher
Copyright (c) 2003
I am what you see
I am the true me
No artificial moves or putting on airs here
No misconceptions near
I am me
No need to be anyone else
That’s the way I’ll always be
No add-ons
No make believe
Won’t deceive
Cause I’m true to what I believe
I am me
The cover is off for all to see
No disguise here, I’m very wise
No hidden agenda
No suspicious ties
No fakes here
No secrets blowin’ in the wind
Just plain old straight talk
And an attitude in tuned to win
I don’t talk trash
Got no time to bash
And when all’s said and done
Life for me is a bowl of fun
I am what I am
What I want to be
And that’s to be me
No artificial body language here
No misconceptions near
I am me
And that’s the way it will always be
No add-ons
No make believes
Don’t deceive
And true to what I believe
The Joys of Friendship
By Juanita Bratcher
Copyright © October 2003
Day by day I’m drawn closer to you in friendship
A bonding friendship; one of giving, one of fair play
Not one that diminishes or takes away
But a friendship that grows day by day
One that generates feelings of ease, of comfort
Yet, calls into play one’s most gullible shortcomings as human beings
A friendship that’s speckled in confidence, faith and support
Providing balance to imbalance
Soaked in comforting spirits of understanding
A friendship, not without faults
Yet, ignites and lights up life with exuberance and joy
A friendship of sheer natural instinct and intellect
Spiced with a delightful sense of humor
A friendship that takes on new meaning as life unfolds
Always providing a barrel of laughter, a bucket of smiles
Buried within that extraordinary, unwavering sense of humor
Bringing tons of unforgettable advice and solace
That friendship has strengthened and enabled me to take on the obstacles in life
Fully confident of back up, should I fall
The joys of friendship, that warm smile on your face, when needed
A helping hand to work things out when things go wrong
Knowing that you’re here for me
That friendship you give carries me along
This poem appeared in an anthology, The Best Poems & Poets of 2003, and in Sound of Poetry, a three-CD album collection of 33 favorite poems by the International Library of Poetry.
Silent Love Hurts
By Juanita Bratcher
Copyright
There’s that silent love wandering inside of me
Waiting for its presence to be known
It’s been lingering there for the longest of time
And over a period of time it has grown
It’s that silent love, buried beneath layers of false pride
Lurking behind thicken walls, begging to be justified
Silent love, with no outlet in sight to flow through
So I sit around and daydream, imagine things out of the blue
Silent love, treading the shadows of uncertainty
Hampering my desire to love
My heart is filled with emptiness
And only one person can give it a shove
Silent love, locked up inside of me, where others will never see
Ferociously screaming, demanding to be set free
Silent love, rushing through the depths of my soul
Tapping at my heart, under control, yet so daringly bold
Silent love, in bondage, makes me daydream every day
True love, these unnerving desires just won’t go away
Silent love, so faint my heart keeps skipping beats
But it’ll all come together when our minds and souls shall meet
Freedom Is Everyone’s Right
By Juanita Bratcher
Copyright 12/15/03
No matter how hard the struggle
No matter how long the fight
Never give up on efforts
To make sure freedom is everyone’s right
Sometimes the battle may seem quite laden
And at times may seem off-cue
But hold on to determination and perseverance
Those are the things that will see you through
Cherishing the Memories
By Juanita Bratcher
Copyright 2009
They’re memories I dare to depart from
They’re habits I’ve learned to resist
They’re proud moments I’ll cherish forever
My passion for life is never at risk
There are dreams I’ve fully accomplished
Those results are clearly defined
I have no intentions of resting on my laurels
Because life continues on without rewinds
