Inside “My Life, My World, My Truth”

As of last week, my first book of poetry, My Life, My World, My Truth has been available for purchase on Authorhouse.com. I have been dreaming of my poetry being published for years and had been editing and writing this book since early 2008. Over the last couple of years, I wasn’t sure when I would finish the book. I had made my deposit for the book to be published in late 2007, not having any idea of how much material I had to publish. The Author House representative told me not to worry because he had a writer pay for a book and come back five years later with his finished product. Thankfully, I didn’t take that long.

There were a few times when I had to stop for a few months because of work and other responibilities. Plus, some of the poems were just difficult to get through because I remember many of the emotions I was going through at the time of their creation (especially the love poems). So, it took a while to get it right and ready for the world. I finished my manuscript first draft in February and finalized the manuscript in April. Thereafter, I had to figure out my ideas for the cover art and approve the final galley. Everything went to print in mid-July.

Below is a list of the poems in the book with the original date that they were written. Some of the poems in the book were changed a lot from the original pieces. However, most of the poems are very similar to their original versions.

I. Butterscotch & Now-and-Laters

We the Poets  – pg.1 (2005)

Sun Journal – pg. 2 (2000)

Jayku (Ode to the Dance) – pg.3 (2006)

I Am Africa (I Am the Motherland) – pg.4 (2002)

Haiku – pg. 6 (2006)

Follicle – pg. 7 (2007)

Haiku – pg. 8 (2006)

NGBA (No Good Brothas Available) – pg. 9 (2007)

Haiku – pg. 11 (2006)

I am Going to Fly Today – pg. 12 (2007)

Word Life – pg. 13 (2006)

The Truth – pg. 14 (2004)

Harm/Harmless – pg. 15 (2002)

Haiku – pg. 16 (2006)

I Want to Cry Today – pg. 17 (2001)

Why? – pg. 18 (2007)

Isn’t it strange? – pg. 19 (1997)

Haiku – pg. 20 (2007)

Haiku – pg. 21 (2007)

The Tragic Negro – pg. 22 (2005) 

Haiku – pg. 23 (2006)

Moody Artist Rains – pg. 24 (2008)

Haiku  – pg. 25 (2006)

They Never Told Me…  – pg. 26 (2001)

Hazy Moon – pg. 27 (2006)

Anniversary (9/11… ’02) – pg. 28 (2002)

Playas, Pimps, and Posers – pg. 30 (2005)

It’s a Black Woman’s World – pg. 31 (1999)

Nothing Nothings – pg. 32 (2008)

I Can Fly Higher Now – pg. 33 (2001)

On Gorgeous Day – pg. 34 (2009)

Butterscotch & Now-and-Laters – pg. 35 (2005)

II. Scorpio: Love Poems and Not-So-Ordinary Love Poems

Ode to the Sister I Saw on the Train Last Week – pg. 39 (2001)

Soul Mate – pg. 40 (2004)

Beautiful One: a goodbye letter – pg. 41 (2007)

Seasons Change – pg. 42 (2007)

Haiku Raw #1 – pg. 44 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 45 (2006)

Sensual – pg. 46 (2003)

Queen – pg. 47 (1999)

Haiku (for Tupac Amaru Shakur) – pg. 48 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 49 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 50 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 51 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 52 (2006)

Trust Love  – pg. 53 (2010)

Shortly – pg. 54 (2007)

A Poem for Kendrah D. – ‘Get Familiar’ – pg. 55 (2007)

Conversations – pg. 56 (2006)

Yo’ Chocolate – pg. 57 (2009)

Renaissance Woman – pg. 58 (2008)

Haiku – pg. 59 (2006)

Sensual pt. 2 – pg. 60 (2007)

Haiku (for Kelechi) – pg. 61 (2006)

Haiku (for Kayonia) – pg. 62 (2006)

Stand in Your Truth (LaTesha’s poem) – pg. 63 (2008)

Shining Star (Jada’s poem) – pg. 64 (2008)

Haiku – pg. 65 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 66 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 67 (2006)

You Are – pg. 68 (2002)

Khrishnuku – pg. 69 (2006)

Haiku -pg. 70 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 71 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 72 (2006)

Sweet Melody – pg. 73 (2009)

Haiku Raw #2 – pg. 74 (2006)

The Other Man – pg. 75 (2005)

Haiku – pg. 76 (2006)

Haiku – pg. 77 (2006)

No More Mister Love Poem – pg. 78 (2002)

Haiku (for the single mother) – pg. 79 (2009)

A Promise to my Future Child – pg. 80 (1998)

I have a new story to tell (Sio’bhan’s poem) – pg. 81 (2008)

Haiku – pg. 82 (2007)

Scorpio – pg. 83 (2009)

III Can a Poem Kill AND Give Life [?]

Can a Poem Kill? – pg. 87 (2001)

Reality Check – pg. 88 (2003)

Haiku – pg. 92 (2006)

My Revolution Has a Cause – pg. 93 (2002)

Haiku – pg. 95 (2006)

Put on Your Glasses for ‘07 – pg. 96 (2007)

Practicality – pg. 97 (2004)

Haiku – pg. 98 (2007)

SLAVE TO REALITY – pg. 99 (2006)

Sellouts with Guns – pg. 101 (2007)

Haiku (for the “Jena 6”) – pg. 102 (2007)

What it is – pg. 103 (2001)

Don’t Wanna be Scared of Brothas – pg. 104 (2006)

Corporate Sponsored Revolutions – pg. 106 (2006)

The Realness – pg. 107 (1998)

Haiku (for Obama) – pg. 110 (2010)

Contemplate – pg. 111 (2002)

Uncle Dubya’ – pg. 112 (2007)

Stand Up – pg. 114 (2004)

Haiku – pg. 115 (2010)

On November 2008 – pg. 116 (2008)

Blasphemy – pg. 118 (2003)

Haiku  – pg. 121 (2010)

Dream – pg. 122 (2003)

Haiku – pg. 124 (2010)

Toussaint’s People – pg. 125 (2010)

Poet-economics – pg. 126 (2009)

The Last Poem – pg. 129 (2008)