Poem – Page 2 – Toni's Room

Mothers of Black Sons and all who support in solidarity are welcome to join us as we stand together United against racial injustice, police brutality and inner city violence. We need your collective voice, wisdom and support to effect change. Please come out Sunday, October 16th at 12noon. We will march from Broad and Cecil B Moore Avenue to 1401 JFK Boulevard, Philadelphia. In addition to being a poet, I am the mother of a young black male. I am honored to be on the program and will recite this piece as well as my poem “Born of Warriors” written after the #PhiladoCastille murder.

MOBS can be contacted via email at : millionmomsphilly@gmail.com. Please also donate as little or as much as you can to MOBS Go Fund Me which will help cover the cost of permits and travel to our state and US capitols. Gathering as one unit is an essential part of the healing process. I hope you come.

~Toni #loveistheanswer

Not One

Not mine, son
Not mine

Not my son
Not my brother, nephew, uncle or current lover
Not my neighbor cousin or future husband

Not mine, not hers
Not anybody’s
Son

I am not saying “no more”
I am saying “not one”

We with the millions of ancestors behind us
Forge a force you will feel into centuries

Your gated communities will not be safe
Your land will not be prosperous
Your wealth will not sustain you
Your privilege will not save you

We are millions today plus millions from centuries before us
We are far more than your eyes can see

We gather together
Seen and unseen
When mothers pray
The heavens come forth to listen

So rest assured and be forewarned
There will be a price for your descendants to pay
If you ever look at our sons in a disrespectful way

We, collectively are not playing with you today

No more
Not one
Not
One
Son

I am so excited..in a little over a month I will be presenting my first poetry CD to a room full of friends, family and fans and I can’t wait to share this moment with everyone! It has been quit an experience from the first recording to working with a Producer, registering the tracks for potential royalties and copyrite, deciding on the cover art and planning the release party. I’m exhausted just thinking about it! I’m so thankful for all who have contributed to this project through my Go Fund Me account because none of this would have happened without their generous support. Thank you! I am humbled by all of the family and friends who have encouraged, advised and supported me and I hope that you will not be disappointed. It will also be my golden born day celebration so I have so much planned for the night; live music by Moka Soul, special invited poets, Visual Artist Terrill Johnson, of course my own performance and a DJ to close out the party. The evening will be hosted by the poet Sim Ply Sherri and I promise you will have lots of fun. Wine and beer will be available for sale and there will be a private VIP reception. All of this will take place in the main Gallery of the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, PA (see flyer for address). Some out of town guests plan to stay at either the Loews Hotel or the Marriott Hotel in Center City Philadelphia so that they can enjoy the city before and after the party. You don’t want to miss this fun! I hope to see you there! #loveistheanswer!

New year and I’m ready to release the pain
No more capturing old Polaroid type snapshots of hurt inside the tear- stained crevices in my heart.
The things you said, the regrets and the unspoken daggers thrown at all parts of my body have bruised me enough.
My heart has hardened and I’ve been trying every chemical, oil and homeopathic medicine that I could find
To massage in with fingers worn and paper-thin from
So much kneading
Because I keep needing the love to make its way in
Trying to force myself to love again
Daring them all to penetrate the walls of plaque hardened around my heart
No longer will I leave my canals open and vulnerable with sun drenched thighs
Yearning to be touched from within
Because this fight I will win.
I am worthy of a life free of fear
And I deserve to have someone I trust to pull me near
Whisper “I love you” sensual and sincerely in my ear
And not cringe from disbelief

Because it’s a new year
And I’m ready

So goodbye fear

It’s a little dark but Kim Pinder-Gardner is sounding fabulous as always and it’s the first time I performed one of my poems without reading from the paper so I am so proud! It was truly a magical night for me and I can’t wait to do it again. This was performed at the R Lounge in Wilmington, Delaware on April 4, 2013 for Richard Tucker with the Universal Koncept.

Tag: Poem

Not One (New original poetry by Toni Love)

Celebrate My First Poetry CD Release and Birthday, August 22nd!

Happy No Fear , original poetry

Watch “Phyllis Hyman’s “Meet Me on the Moon” performed by Kim Pinder-Gardner with poem by Toni Love.” on YouTube