Three Drops In A Pot: From Dark To Light

From dark to light “Three Drops In A Pot.”  A three-part Latino perspective poetically portraying the negative, positive and possible outcomes of a two-sided coin called ghetto-hood.

While trivialized, the growing undertones concerning youth, community gentrification, and faith are tense. Its deeper issues are difficult to facilitate without immediate confrontations.

But drops are falling into life’s pot and its flavor for future is seeping through the cracks. Still happening, a young journey prone to deviate and rebel in a community besieged by disguised acts of genocide, indiscriminate and hot. Can a drop of faith quench the current thirst for hate and anarchy? Can residents; old and new find compromise? Can the growing trend of violence and vulgarity in youth art, speech, and rap be altered? Can views be sensitized to broaden and foster opportunities where all can mutually vent frustrations and opinions? Can poetry facilitate such forum and discussion?

Intended for teen and adult interaction, this skit fashioned collection of poems tries to portray a stepping into, passing through, and surpassing from a world drenched in sex, drugs, violence, betrayal, contradiction, and alienation to a place of exploration, discovery, and alternate solutions.

Stemming from experiences as a teacher, counselor, advocate and adventure guide; a perspective for parents, teachers, social workers and elected officials to consider and share. For the Historic Migrant Melting Pot boiling and about to pop:

A Cry! “Pete’s Who am I - Wanna Be or River Red”

A Place! “A Ghost Town, Besieged by Dark Blank Silhouettes and them said Wretched”

A Prayer! “For Home and some still saying Give Me Light Not Hype”

Poet, activist, environmentalist, entrepreneur, and advocate: A long line of hats that started in 1955, where born, the only boy of three in a family that rode the early migrant waves from green pastured Lares, Puerto Rico to the concrete city streets of Brooklyn, New York; cultural alienation, regardless of native language, music, customs and food. Papa passed by 10; mama kept the Jesus faith and single-handedly raised us straight. Passage rights were mandatory rituals that felt like social shock treatments. Outright rebellious teen years traded college cap and gown for USMC greens and a gun, the first of many shattered dreams.

From now felled WTC corporate windows, a tear filled father stares at a neighborhood filling with hate, fear and despair; a heart felt care and desire to change career begins. Odd jobs, studies, and volunteer work prevail: Crisis Counselor, Outreach Worker, Teacher and Adventure Guide; another shattered dream and temporary exit plan made.

Named “Lobo Guaraguao – Wolf Hawk” by the NYC Taino Organization, a dream: As railroaded times of Indians and buffalos, native urbanites in plight, driven from jobs and homes by escalating techno waves; a realization, a crash course in technology and a computer/network tech brings technology to community centers, businesses and families alike until found, the cleansing joy and power of paper and pen. For truth lit hearts, minds and eyes - these thought provoking perspectives and “Casa De Che”: To

Share cultural, social and political information and events
Provide technical resources, training and assistance
Curve negative rap toward poetic alternatives
Foster literacy

DROP  ONE
Growing Up
From a running to a place whispered long ago, not ones own
From a thought – an escape, a thorn to the heart and brain born
A distant echo shadows the present sunny warm safe ocean song
As the crystal sandy shores mirror the concrete and asphalt, home

Like waves the memories – family and friends, places and things – conviction sinks in
Win/Won - Through moans and groans - Growing up once more begins
Sins made - Their course run, passed, and turned – Overcome
The young often rebound and sometimes return to reclaim, home

DROP  TWO
Besieged

So many for so long – for land – spilled, spent and poured
Space above, below, around and beyond – Horded, manipulated, discarded
All therein – numbered, slated, segregated and baited
One from the womb - One to the ground - Both evicted – Both transported

Recycled

People, places and things – Dollars exchanged
Tempers flared – Issues staged – Some rage engaged
Rules made, upheld and broken – By popular need and trend - abruptly changed
Alienation - Disassociation – Compensation
An overindulging nation – underlined desperation

DROP THREE
God Speaks

Is it real, is there a point
Does He/She/It exist
Is there reason to struggle, speak or feel
Can come to soothe – A redemption song
From above - through the dark of hypes - A light

Where then suddenly everything once more means --
Where then suddenly everyone once more means --
Life – Humanity – Soul
Alive – Fixed – Restored
Who Lords?

The Pot

Melting! Not like the wicked witch in Oz
But Melting! Black, White, Red, Yellow, Olives and Brown
Young and old, short and tall, weak and strong, fat and thin – and them
Melting and Melted! Feelings once open and warm
Love and joy, sorrow and pain, life and death – all un the same but proclaimed
Melted! The humane – The sane – Tell me what remains
Monetary gain – vain fame –everyone paid –of each other everyone afraid
See --
Everyone pays lest we save.
The melting pot
Where the new - the real - us made or way laid
The melting pot
Where the new – the real - us made or way laid
Everyone pays lest we save.
The melting pot
Rich and Poor –Middle Too – Reclaimed and Saved
Drops made One -- In the Pot
Drops made One -- In One Pot
One Drop -- One Pot
Life and Pot
Boilings –Purifying – Cooking – Feeding
Stop
It’s All About Life’s Pot