Socrates

Eight years out now


And stayin tame


Stayin low


Kilt a man over a woman


Kilt her next


Dese hands, dese crushin hands


Den came twenty-seven years


Indiana guest


Locked in my cell


Locked in my head


Locked in my heart and hope.


Don't neva rock the Man


Don't neva speak out


But crack a black man


Sometime for respect


Or for an orderly house


Dass allright.


My little quiet place


Poor, puny and peeling


But mine.


And I collects things


From evywhere.


Also cans and bottles for refunds.


Brought a boy here


For a break and a bite


He so close to dem gangs


And death


Watts here is a smolderin fire


Hate and hypocrisy.


He been comin long.


First sight was him


Killin my chicken out back


Didn't know no different


And he come to know


I was OK with dat.


I was a man of murder


Lookin straight and quiet now


Missin a wife and kids


Missin they laughter


And purpose.


Coupla friends meet


With me at the Book Store


Talkin bout everything


Sizing up our ways and arguin.


Old Lady at the counter


Lets us come


And smiles extra hard


When her Man arrive


Gentle stooped ovah


They saints to me


And friends lettin me speak.


Lettin me come.


New job is a blessin


Packin and deliverin groceries


Fine old folks


Smilin, sayin “thank you”.


A wage, a walk and a way.


I hung on applyin


Til they said “yes”


And I woik hard an strong


Kids around me shapin up


Curious about dis ole man.


But so many


Messin with girls, guns and drugs


Would they see


What I seen.


Who knows?


Mebbe I'm heppin a lilbit?


Sleepin comes better, easier


Even with dem fights and fires outside.


An some o my dreams


Turnin bright.




(Images inspired by excellent book Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Mosley. And the memorable character Socrates Fortlow.)

Ordered this book,thank you. Sounds interesting.