2 Poems by TC Boyd (aka RisN): "I think I can" and "Life's Hard Knocks"
Hello! Thrilled to have another contribution to the 2017 Community Poetry Blog. This time, we are fortunate to have two poems from TC Boyd (aka RisN): "I think I Can" and "Life's hard knocks." Enjoy and keep those submissions coming--you still have two weeks before they close. Thanks!
"I think I can"
I think I can
I think I can
I think I can
No
Wait
I can't
I'll fail
Why try
It won't work
I can't do it...
Can these chains
Of doubt
Enslaving my mind
Be broken...
Can I truly be free
Free From these...
Terrible tormenting tyrants
Telling tall tales
Proclaiming passive proclamations
Pertaining to poor performance
That I haven't
Even done yet
...You see
This entrapment
Of the mind
Is like walking through
Wet cement
See I meant
To go for this goal
See I meant
To accomplish
This task...
But I'm stuck
In this complacent
Can't play for cents
Mentality...
That I can't do it
So I won't
That I can't make it
So I don't
Why try
No
I will not get into the game
I will not
Pick up The ball
I will not
Take a chance...
Fear grips a soul
Tighter than pliers
Grips bolts and nuts
Therefore,
You think it's nuts
To even try...
Why try
So instead
You sit
Watching the game of life
Pass you by
Looking from the side lines
When you're meant
To be on the field...
In the game...
In the play...
In the moment...
Making a difference...
For the team...
So what's the verdict
Mr. Judge...
A life unfulfilled
A purpose not attained
A dream differed
Gives you a life sentence
Of way more
Pain and regret
Than the fear
That you allow
To hold
You back from taking a chance...
From pursuing your dreams...
From fulfilling your vision..
From living your life's call...
So what will you do...
Sit back in the recliner
Reclining until it's time
For you to close your eyes
And permanently recline
In your final reclining position..
Or will you...
Rise to the occasion...
And say okay son...
I'm about to do this..
Just do it
Like Nikes Swoosh
Getting off your caboose
Moving fast in those shoes
The Flash
Has nothing on you...
Zipping past your limitations
Racing beyond expectations
Speeding beyond your reservations
Putting fear on a hiatus
Yes this is your new stasis...
Fear doesn't run you
Anymore
You've made the transition
From inside the box living
To outside the box vision
Yes
It's time
To run rapidly, reaching, ripe and ready, realities,
Waiting for you to take hold,
And see,
You can really make it...
Now when you look back-
Like Lots wife,
You won't find a
Pillar of salt
Filled with shattered dreams
And un-realized potential
No
You'll see accomplishments, actually accomplished,
Because you took a chance...
And in the future
Your success will be
Just a reminder
of the chance
You took
The fear you banned
The vision you planned
And now finally you understand..
What you accomplished...
All started with...
I think I can
"Life's hard knocks"
Life's
full of hard knocks,
that beat you
to the point
of breaking...
like a player
on the field
injured
on a hard tackle...
but
a lot of these injuries from life
don't get nursed
back to health.
We just get told
to move on,
keep going,
without ever getting
the help we need...
And sometimes
we wonder why
the youth have a hard time
caring about school?
I mean
after-all,
life teaches
some of the realist lessons
that school never will...
And we're
just trying to understand
which teacher
is more important.
And yet
we still have...
Students
taking the time to take tests
that take them to their transition
in life/
Their like soldiers
on a mission-
to find out
what their missing-
searching for themselves
like a miner
searches for gold/
Hoping their hearts
can find peace
instead of their hands
holding a piece/
Because life...
It can be hard sometimes...
these neighborhoods
can be tougher
than calloused hands
and matted hair,
with bullets flying
through the air,
mom and dad
never their,
no friendship festivals
in the hood
because life
ain't uh
fair/
But
who cares...
everybody could careless,
while we
carry,
our
cares/
So in class
they sit,
with a blank stare,
gazing
into the abyss,
lost
in a maze
of this amazingly
confusing
situation
called life/
Then school
becomes a bore,
while greedy
pig like
problems begin to soar,
through their minds
as they sit
in the chair
of judgement,
staring
at the jury board,
while the judge
called teacher
speaks of their fate/
The judge
then states...
we have a test tomorrow...
Test tomorrow?...
Life is a test,
kids constantly tested,
with tragedies,
taking their whole totality
into terrible torment/
Home life
having way more problems to solve than school...
or school
having bullies
who think their cool,
I'm hurt inside
so I break the rules...
wish I could,
take the weight
of these chains
and let them fall,
drowning them
in a never ending pool...
of forgetfulness/
Maybe
if I could forget
the pain I feel,
then I might care
a little more
about school,
then my emotions
won't take me over/
Maybe
my anger,
frustration
and sadness
won't be mountain sized boulders,
Maybe then
I can stay focused
and remove these
boa-constricting
problems
from choking my neck...
And finally
Knock this Golliath sized
chip off my shoulder/
Maybe then
I'll feel hopeful,
maybe then
I'll believe in myself,
maybe then
I'll work hard,
maybe then
I'll be respectful,
maybe then
I'll believe
I can accomplish anything...
maybe then,
maybe then,
maybe then....
will I stand tall,
walking
across that stage,
with my head
held higher than Pluto,
eyes shining brighter
than the Moon,
heart racing faster
than the Earth
around the Sun,
nothing
in outer space
will be as beautiful
as my face,
on that day...
I'll stand proud,
I'll stand firm,
I'll stand tall!
As I take
my place
amoungst the stars,
who have accomplished
the task of graduating
not just school,
but
a graduate
of this phase
of the gruelingly
rough
sport
of life!
With the door of hope
in my heart
standing firm...
The door of optimism
in my mind
wide open,
The door of knowing
that hard work
brings success
is as strong as ever!
While The revolving door
that tells me
my life
has purpose
will never stop turning,
never stop opening,
never fall off the hinges
and will never crumble nor break!
No....
My heart...
and soul...
is my home
and I am
a strong door
called hope!!
And this door
will stand!!
Regardless
of all
the beatings
of life's
hard knocks!...