stoic forehead tense
deep in thought
is he young
hunted for profit
of ego not
money or safety
we talk of
Daniel in den
lions retreat bites
the Lord spoke
now a smile
of some hope
Racism
Werdin Alley Ocean

oceans here underneath these alleyways so full of germs
Rollins bullies words of rage from throat to pavement
oceans of sounds around the block
in protest negotiations but more resounding the beating of her poisoned heart
oceans of trash needles and shit half eaten Whoppers for the pigeons to pick
and we shells buried in this sea of pretentious misery
her phone his jokes her looks his power
gun shells soul shells hard shells
city hall the giant clam no pearl
no grace no center
oceans we wade floating with no direction
SHAME ON THE LA CITY COUNCIL THREE YOU DO NOT REPRESENT ME
piggy bank broken haiku
hot lava numbness
sifting sins of our fathers
ain’t got coins to pay
fair question haiku
how
soon
please
will
the
Mattering
return
what
has
been
usurped
from
him

all is possible

love knows no color
trees more tender than man’s heart
let’s open our minds
the brave his horse and an AJ brick building

ok class
for today’s lesson
look in the mirror
and praise your spirit
in math class figure out how many smiles it takes to get you through the day
in philosophy ask not where did our giants go wrong but how can we usher their wisdom to the promised land and have them witness you building their home
in logic it goes without saying fight for your right to think for yourself otherwise no one will ever be free
in ethics and religion agree to disagree knowing that there is no perfection in humanity
and in politics the new world order is to be debated and cut open so tell me what you really see can AI really be the savior that they say it is
and when you’ve reached your elective class use art to create the hate and pain away
and after all your work is done class will be dismissed
so run out to the playing field and level it out with love and lots of elbow grease

thinking of the world from work

for the people
to the left or right
you’re not really on our side
on our knees never
shameful irony
after a long afternoon nap on USC’s lawn i lift my arms toward the heaven in crucified form there’s hair in the grass and my skateboard is gone i sit there still wondering what happened to me was i just walking and then crashed to sleep or was i doing something i’d later regret people my age future doctors lawyers business men grounds keepers maintenance crews walked slowly on by talking about this or that getting up i fell down twice no one looked a second time maybe it was the grass stains on my shirt makeup runny laces untied LA Kings jersey hair in a nest from my left eye i catch the PD stares i smile a dainty coy like smile and they ride their bikes toward the black guy who’s finely dressed reading the medical text book