Rodney's Rambling's

  Freedom Declaration in Recognition of Juneteenth   Neither by decree nor propriety Bigotry disguised as piety. Redundancies replicated in policies Misaligned priorities that continually decree’s That freedom is not free.   Enslaved, forced labor, marginalized, and criminalized. Sanctioned, penalized, justifiably excluded Repaired, reformed, redeemed, yet rarely remembered Dependently assigned, arrogantly maligned, strategically designed To recognize that freedom is not free.   Well damn, it is not you but we that declare it It is not your task but our right to be free. Neither your views nor your realities determine How justice will apply to me because you see I am free by my destiny and my struggles.   Born free, live free, earned freedom From the walk of ancestors to the blessings of God From the blood of saints to the death of martyrs Liberty, justice, and equality -we decree Free at last, Free at last – we declare -   we are and for

  Words can be shallow, stuff can be discorded Passion can be faked, and love can be misguided Moments can be confusing, and events filled with promise But through it all, change is always constant. Promises can be forgotten, commitments lost in transition Hope dashed against the semblance of remembrance Lies draped in callous attempts at sincerity But when the time comes, all falls away. And so, without fanfare or the glare of deceit I stand beside you, not to control or to consume but to enjoy this moment, this now, this  - question without any answers because tomorrow is not promised.

Trapped between the righteous and the indignant Ignored, crying out in pain and disaster Bombs, bullets, death and tears prevail as the choir sings -Oh happy day. Broken bodies and distorted futures Shouts of protests drowned in cries for revenge Silent disdain for those who have no voice Lost in the madness of retribution. You killed my mother for killing your father Your grandfather raped my sister, I stole your brother They kidnapped my uncle, I murdered your cousin as the choir sings - Another lost year. A baby's arm, a mother's leg, a father weeps A bomb explodes, a body torn, a life destroyed A crowd assembles, a nation sheds a tear Another day, another year, another lost opportunity. Decades of revenge, blood, tears and sadness Draped in the clouds of forgetfulness Denied the possibility of forgiveness Death in the midst of expedience.  Cycles of revenge and retribution Circles of death and disaster Convoluted plans of destruction Critical reflections of nothingness. Hop

 Our past should be our guide not our prison, our failures help us understand our limitations not our weaknesses, our mistakes should teach us wisdom not be a constant source of shame...we rise up, we fight strong, we walk by faith, with our heads held high...no condemnation...just redemption... Never get so caught up in you now that your forget your then...when you learned the real meaning of life...when you understood the real purpose for your being... Walking in faith and wisdom...you became more than an overcomer, you became victorious..even as many were counting you out...you rose up from the ashes of past failures...you began to fly like an eagle..you ran and did not get tired.. As you realize that you have made it through another day..another challenge..another victory......you know it's another one of those  And with that newfound wisdom..you began to chart a new path...a new day was about to dawn in your life... But some sit-  angry, bitter,  and frustrated with their life