A Collection of Spoken Word, Social Justice Poems
The elephant in the room, the darkest taboo, the forbidden fruit. Oh child of God, Unforgiving Church. Mortal, deadly sins. Countless, stupid venal sins. Weak confessions, genuflections, stations crossing. Holy water, body blood, thorny crown... all alone.
Primal, beastly urges. Looming monster shadows. Only fear is living. Haunting secrets lying near me. Mother Mary, please forgive me. Darkness, darkness take my eyes, make me blind. Running, running don’t deny, shameful, reckless your desire.
Pillow wet with terror tears. Stained sheets, flushed cheeks. Hail Mary full of Grace. Beg for mercy from this place.
Bless me Father for I have sinned, again and again. Atavistic ritual to begin. Pounding heart, silent fear, perforated glass, God is near. Pale light, bourbon-breathing. Darkest secrets now are living. Truth forgiving.
Pious moments, bended knees, free me if you please. Cold stone cleansing, innocence returning. Head is cowered, the just are right. Take me back to the lust of night.
Only knowing that’s for certain, it was witnessed and replayed, every day, on high-def channel Heaven. Watch me, watch me... 24-7.
A holocaust of billions with no hate. Not-quite-never-will-be-human seeking just to mate, to over-populate. Swimming, swimming with all their might, exploding into night.
Oh fragile earth. There is no birth. Darkness, darkness take my hand. Release me now, I’ve come, the promised land.
Stained Sheets
Oh say can you see that dude on his knees
Shaking his boots – what the fuck – turn up da juice.
Oh say can you see, in the dawn’s eerie light,
The killing coursing your veins, black blood,
Running in slum town drains.
Die motherfucker! The whole world’s watching, killing, killing, killing. All of them botching.
Home of the Brave – die motherfucker into your grave!
You wanna be free, stop clenching your teeth, shaking your knees.
200 years, countless mommy tears. Frying, gassing, tarring, roping and firing squad. Doing Jesus work, a nation under god. What the fuck you say – under whose god? Like the Good Book say – eye for an eye, like that washes it away.
32 years strapping you down, 14 hundred brothers & sisters down. 32 years hitting you up, god bless America, there’s no letting up.
Die motherfucker it’s getting late, you sorry now this dying day? Maybe you thinking it’s all a mistake. Sorry my man you in the Buckeye state.
Die motherfucker! Stop clenching your teeth, stop shaking your feet. You done lost the Lottery.
Maybe you wishing, blinking your eye, this ain’t no fucking way to die. 50 thousand volts, could be a mistake. Bad-ass America making you pay.
Die motherfucker in the Land of the Free. Stop clenching your teeth, watching you pee. Counting your blessings, it ain’t no syringe. Fuck’s your problem, we taking our revenge.
Die motherfucker, stop blinking your eye. This ain’t right, god’s only child. Twisting your corpse in the winds of fate; fever pitch on TV screens.
Cruel & Unusual is fucking mean!
Snuffing your life, it’s getting too late.
Die motherfucker, thou shall not hate.
JJ White
Toronto, ON
July 25, 2014
Berry bushes, harvest time. Resplendent garden, viewed on high. Verdant, pungent strong, boasting budding green, waiting to be seen. Circle, circle and again. Eight times, seven, maybe ten. Thunder blades, deafening.
Circle of love, bright autumn day. Somewhere along the way...
Too much, too little, it doesn’t matter now, anyway. Big idea, eyes of blue an ocean wide, hair on fire, look inside. Labour of love, love is labour. Remind me love, who’s the savior?
Radio chatter, from so far away nothing matters. One more time circle around. Softly touch copter down. Marching soldiers, coming round.
Temperature is rising, you are crying. Tears of fears. Keep surviving. I’m not here, I’m never near; life is flying.
Walk around this corner in your yard, if you please, officer in charge. Feel the breeze, open eyes and you will see, the truth has landed, a big ordeal. Sorry ma’am, there’s no appeal.
Be on your guard! Search the yard! Slice them down to early death! Oh, hallowed ground, a heart-breaking wretch.
Pastures green, sky still blue, insides scream. Return to heaven weird machine; flee this dreadful dream. Thunder blades of copter rage; shake my fist, you glide away.
Blow apart all that’s sane. A beautiful day, etched in pain. This storybook, it’s child’s play. Fade away to another day. Thanks, is all one can say.
Grant me one last wish, not a farewell kiss or disappointed marital bliss. Take your leave, copter down, silent chopper, this sacred ground. Your work is done, was it fun? A splendid victory you have won! Save the children of this land, your 13 evil plants in hand.
Afternoon of September 22, 2014
Toronto, Ontario
Thievery Love
Big as an ocean I used to say
Closing their eyelids, end of the day.
Sweet tides, their eyes so full of love.
On their way now, dancing, crying, making love,
Nothing left to say.
Take me to a place I’ve never been
Pools of blue love rise again.
Night is dawn, love makes no sense
When it’s gone.
Crack open the door, inside your heart.
Love – one side dark.
Look inside, stripped naked, yet unseen.
Love is there – nasty, mean.
Their sweet eyes, pools of love, asking me why.
Cool and blue, magic of night.
Soft, sweet, tender me slight.
Love – one side light.
Teach me love, make me see.
Your eyes are sweet tides, pools so full of love
Take me love, I am free.
August 17, 2014
Toronto, Ontario
The collapse of time into itself, memories of life watching from the shelf. I urge myself to rise again, chilling bones, across a Concord marsh, forces rushing in.
On the other side, a sleepless night meets the dawn, battle lines quickly drawn. Up close batons shine, fresh leather troops in polished boots; acrid powder stains the sky. Liberty is cordoned off, freedom left behind.
My father’s words haunt my mind – a poem from another time. “Listen my children and you shall hear . . . of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.” Freedom came alive in April 1775, down the road from here. Two centuries done & gone, standing there below the hill, bits of freedom died, against our will, in April 1975.
Many years have passed, things have changed, way too much stays the same. My heart is crushed a thousand times, truth be told by comrades growing old. On our backs so lightly we did hold the hope of youth, neither cynicism nor despair were in the air.
Friends of late asked of me to join the fray and I’m truly sad to say, I hardly even recognize or tolerate the country of my birth gone so far awry. The choice is mine alone to make, not waste my time with so much hate.
I take a knee, my country tis of thee. Make us great again and free. Salute the flag, I’d rather gag.
So don’t be asking me no more to fight this losing war, or understand the madness set upon these shores. Rising up sounds just fine, against the pricks who lack a spine. I’ve no more left to give, no more tears to shed for all the future dead.
Orlando, Vegas . . . one each day. I know the ones to blame. Only fools still pray.
Close my eyes, slam the doors, I can’t escape the littered corpses on the floor. Name your place in every state, lock and load your unknown hate. Darkness, darkness take me down, hell is raging all around. Dial back your double-speak, slowly turn your other cheek.
Wrap your arms 'round my waist. Hold my hand darling dear, release to me all your fears. Whisper softly to my ear, dream for me on your way. No, stay with me, it's not your time to fade away.
JJ White
October 12, 2017
Gunning Me Down
Gunning me down, full force throttle
Making my streets into your battle
Iraqi sands, I’m raising my hands.
Flash BANG! Grenades, tactical teams
Poor cop soldiers, your war machine.
Gunning me down in your riot gear
Me just thinking, Trayvon’s here.
Making my streets, history page
Fucking injustice, I’m outraged!
Flash BANG! Grenades, tactical teams
Poor boy soldier, a killing machine.
There’s fury in Missouri, Orlando is burning.
Pigs in suits, got no excuse, taking the loot.
M16 ‘tween your eyes, how many more gonna die.
Walking the streets, blown away, day
After day, there is no reason.
America! Stop the bleeding!
America! We’re all grieving!
Flash BANG! Grenades, tactical teams
Drug war madness, you know I’ve seen.
Where do find your Christian hate,
Repent your mistake before it’s too late.
Walking the streets, queer like me
Wake up! We’re not the enemy.
Not your enemy, shameful litany.
Soulless, empty . . . bigotry.
Gunning us down, it’s obscenity.
JJ White
Toronto Aug 16, 2014
Greenfield MA April 2018