Category: Poetry

Categories
Poetry Topic

Urban Renewal on Display

Gentrification

Urban Renewal on Display

Urban renewal on display
Brick and Mortar decay
Shiny material erected
Up, up and away

Brick and mortar are sturdy
Capable of withstanding 
Winds, hurricanes and the dirty
All except, rebranding

Shiny material being built up
Adjacent to brick foundations
Once thriving now obscure
Real estate moguls on the come-up

Concrete jungles disappearing
New structures and engineering
Urban renewal on display
Scores of people and their lives astray

Working people, families now dispersed
Throughout the city, worries mount
On deaf ears their cries fall, unrehearsed
The times this has happened; too many to count

Real estate moguls, investors and the like
Padding their pockets and feeling delight
Meanwhile everyday people are being discarded
Like old shoes when they should be safeguarded

The same people running the ship
Keeping the business afloat
While you sit back on your yacht or big boat
So, who is displaying true stewardship?

Image credit: Joshua Kettle on Unsplash

Urban Renewal on Display was written in response to the picture prompt by Sadje for What Do You See?

http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/09/25/what-do-you-see-205-september-25-2023/

Categories
Poetry Topic

Before Spilling the Tea, Uplift Me

Before Spilling the Tea, Uplift Me

Spilling the tea requires no skill
It's just gossip at its best
Before you take me on this downward hill
Let me kick back and rest

The tea is a slippery slope
I can drink it black, herbal or with milk
After it goes down my throat, I'm able to cope
With the trolls and their ilk

Tea is supposed to relax and soothe
Use it to uplift the spirit and drown out the ugly
It's not meant to browbeat and bruise
Sip, sit back, kick up the heels and get snugly

Before spilling the tea, uplift me

---O'Nika McGill---

Image credit: Joni Ludlow on Unsplash

Before Spilling the Tea, Uplift Me is written in response to Sadje’s prompt.

http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/09/18/what-do-you-see-204-september-18-2023/: Before Spilling the Tea, Uplift Me
Categories
Poetry Self Awareness Topic Words of Wisdom

The Door is Open. Why Don’t You Come?

The Door is Open. Why Don’t You Come?

Sunday; a day of rest
Come dressed in your Sunday best
The doors of the church are open
Walking through the door, appreciation of token

Monday, starts the work week
Get your body and mind in gear
Walk through the door smiling
Awaiting life lessons are near

Tuesday, one workday down
Come to yoga class or meditation
The exercise will release any trepidation
about the upcoming week ahead

Wednesday, mid-week is here
Unload your cares on me
Free your body and mind
Come and talk it out

Thursday, one day away from the weekend
Tidy up any closet clutter
Bag up those old clothes
Take them to the donation center

Friday, well what else is there to say
The weekend has arrived
Come over for cocktails
We can talk and just vibe

Saturday. Thought you would never show up
Come in, take a minute to reflect
Spiritual, work, body and mental health
Aspects of cleansing and socialization 

Just remember, the door is open.
Why don't you come?


The door is open. Why don't you come was first published on Inspire By O'Nika and written in response to Sadje's prompt.  https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/08/14/what-do-you-see-199-august-14-2023/

Image credit; Simon Berger @ Unsplash

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Compassion

Image by Goran Horvat from Pixabay

COMPASSION

Compassion

outweighs

malice

plus

A

simple

smile

infuses

our

nation

Categories
Poetry Topic

Snapshots Out in the Pasture

Credit: Kaboompics @ pexels

Snapshots Out in the Pasture

Photographic shots of life, just lying in the pasture. Life’s moments just abandoned and left for the taking. Who would do this? Who would leave those captured beautiful moments. These are the events of life that are one of a kind, never to be duplicated.

Baby pictures, pictures of grandma. Captured moments at the beach or the park. Candid shots just doing nothing. Pictures of you in your best outfit. Vacation pictures.

Milestones captured of your first car, first house. Pictures of those sweet moments with your man or woman. Graduation day, that proud moment of holding your degree.

You can call this the basket of memory lane. A basket that is priceless. When you look at the images captured you know why you saved all of them. What the photos meant to you and how you felt at that moment. Nostalgia, no? Perhaps. But how can you stroll down memory lane, when the snapshots are left out in the pasture?

Snapshots that contain a lifetime of memories. Of childhood dreams, triumphs and disappointments. Moments that made you laugh and cry. Proud moments and times of regret.

Think back on your life. Now, would you leave your snapshots out in the pasture? Of course not! Reclaim your best and worst accomplishments and own every single one of them. After all, they are your snapshots.

.

Snapshots Out in the Pasture was written in response to Sadje’s prompt:

What do you see # 191- June 19, 2023

Categories
Poetry Topic

You Think You Have Problems

Image credit: Grin on Unsplash

You Think You Have Problems

Look at me with this bag on my hip
This is some kind of a trip
What kind of dog has to wear such a thing
This kind of attention is not what I want to bring

The bag has the nerve to read, grin
Wearing this is much to my chagrin
My human likes to play tricks
Meanwhile, all I want is to throw bricks

When they come my way with something weird
Their wayward thoughts I try to steer
Away from the clothes and people gear
I’m a dog, rules to which you must adhere

No fanny packs, no tutus, I just want to play fetch
Instead, they take my picture, makes me just retch
No more pictures please, no more pictures



Written in response to Sadje's prompt, What Do You See #187
http://What do you see # 187- May 22, 2023

Categories
Poetry Topic

Have I Told You Lately?

Image credit; Alisa Dyson @ Pixaby

Have I Told You Lately?

You are my mom, tried and true
You cheer me up, when I am blue
When I need a hug, you are there
I can turn to you, when it’s too much to bear

You take me to the park
I can see the dogs play and bark
You make me laugh and smile
You wear motherhood with much style

Thank you for being my mother
Your role, invaluable, like no other
Have I told you lately?
You are loved by me, greatly

---O'Nika McGill---

Have I Told You Lately? is written in response to prompt by Sadje, http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/05/15/what-do-you-see-186-may-15-2023-mothers-day/

Have I Told You Lately? first appeared on Inspire By O’Nika.

Categories
Poetry Topic

Pleasure Furlough


Image by Melk Hagelslag from Pixabay

Deep breaths well needed
Respite from a busy life
Take in sights and sounds

—O’Nika McGill—

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Show Your Hand, Raise It High

Show Your Hand, Raise It High

Show your hand, raise it high
Shyness has no place, let your aura shine
Block the naysayers, they will try to deny
The gold band protection, just like an alibi

Show your hand, raise it high
Let your positivity glow
Inspire people and make them smile
Where it comes from, they will never know

Show your hand, raise it high
When people feel like they can't
They look to you, see that it is possible
Doubt in their minds, start to recant

If the gold band gives you courage to muster
Your inner thoughts that make you fluster
Show your hand, raise it high
Gold band speaks for itself, no need to specify

--O'Nika McGill--

Written in response to Sadje’s prompt, What Do You See #179

http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/03/27/what-do-you-see-179-march-27-2024/

Image Credit: Axel Ruffini @ Unsplash

Show Your Hand, Raise It High appeared first on Inspirebyonika.com on April 1, 2023

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Grow Your Mental

Image by Beate from Pixabay
Listen to Grow Your Mental Recital
Growing your mental
Opens minds; developmental
Love and consciousness are life’s syllabus
The syllabus which teaches us

Leading with eyes only
Robs the soul and results to lonely
Lonely, pretentious and superficial
Love and meaning are most beneficial

Ask yourself when you look in the mirror
Do I manifest what I am seeking?
Searching hard for the answer brings you nearer
Realizing that arrogance, pride and conceit are what you are reeking

Maturity and mental growth
Brings us closer to an oath
That tells us life is about much more
Fulfillment, gratification and enrichment are in store

Exit the false prophecy
Visualize the hypocrisy
Newfound treasures appear before your eyes
Things unseen before suddenly materialize 

Wow, what a surprise!




Grow Your Mental first appeared on Inspire By O'Nika, March 22, 2023

Categories
Poetry Topic

This Is the Life

This Is the Life

You know you have it good
When you are in the neighborhood
Being toted around town
Puppy pads not touching down

Taking in the sights
With much joy and delight
Watching everyone on their feet
Walking to the tune of life's beat

From a place of comfort, I watch
Relishing in this life  
Letting the bunions breathe
I can take a reprieve

Sitting in my carrying tote
Feeling the breeze on my furry coat
Enjoying the beautiful scenery 
The lush trees, flowers and greenery

This is the life, this is the life

Written in response to Sadje’s prompt, http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/03/06/what-do-you-see-176-6th-march-2023/

Image credit: Dex Ezekiel/Unsplash

This is the life was published first on Inspirebyonika.com on March 10, 2023

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Mixed Bag of Trash

Mixed Bag of Trash

I can only read so much
Of this BS and such and such
Who in their right mind
This info is so maligned

Where are the hopeful stories
Of animal rescues and watching lories
Of good-will and cheer
Of not crime and fear

Stories about curing cancer
Slashing grocery prices like a lancer
Restoring faith in the system
Less about being a robbery victim

Thieves need to get a job
Stop stealing and being a slob
People work hard for their money
This is not the land of milk and honey

What about affordable housing and gas
Less homelessness, are these things of the past
Where are the stories to make you smile
Laugh inside and not bring up the bile

Bile that makes you want to gag
Reading news about this mixed bag
Report on something better
About successes and the go-getters

Maybe then I can read this thing
See a story that makes me want to sing
And not want to set the pages ablaze
Watching the ashes blow away in a haze

Written in response to Sadje's prompt, what to you see #174

What do you see # 174- Feb 20, 2023


Mixed Bag of Trash was first published on Inspirebyonika.com on February 25, 2023
Categories
Diversity Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Unity

Unity
Unity is peace, Unity is the umbrella
Being united means coming together
Together for whatever comes our way
Differences, views and opinions

The issues will come our way almost every day
Unity will be the saving grace
Grace keeps our sanity together in every way

Grace begets compassion and understanding
Compassion for what is different than us
Understanding for things we don’t know
In our hearts grace and unity will overflow

Equality, acceptance, hope and love
Is what a sense of unity does
For communities both below and above

We may look different on the outside
But we all have blood running through our veins
Let not those things make us collide
When we have grace, love remains

Unity not division, lets love take over
What we thought we knew about one another
Take the time to speak 
Speak to that sister or brother

Resist the urge that breeds
Hatred, violence and racial bias
We may not always agree
Unity is what frees

Black history month and year long
Promote unity not the same sad song
Songs of brutality, racism and wrongs
Unity pushes everyone along

---O'Nika McGill---

Unity was first published on Inspire By O'Nika 
Feb 5, 2023

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Interjection

Image credit Cottonbro studios at Pexels

Interjection

Excuse me, may I interject
Let me put things into retrospect
I am a human, animate
Between two sculptures, laminate

Laminate, sculptures void of life
Stone-faced, emotionless
Let me inject some feelings
Sadness, indifference, or joy will suffice  

Sadness has its place of reflection
The level of sadness depends on the inflection
Inflection in the voice of the owner
The owner who claims it

Indifference can go either way
You either care or you don't
Feelings have a way to sway
Even the most stone-faced and emotionless

Joy is what turns it all around
What makes a smile out of a frown
Let your joy astound
Inject joy and peace will abound

--O'Nika McGill--

Written in response to Sadje’s prompt, #168 WDYS

Interjection was first published on Inspirebyonika.com on Jan 15, 2023

Categories
Poetry Topic Words of Wisdom

Lost Memories of Yesteryear

Lost Memories of Yesteryear

Open me, open me
What is inside
The suspense is killing me
Taking me on a wild ride

A new pair of shoes
A new dress
My mind is wandering
Let me take a guess

Open me, open me
But please don't shake
The sound may give it away
What has taken a long time to make

A photo album 
put together nicely
Fond memories of yesteryear
Nothing too pricey

Open me, open me
If you get lonely or sad
Just look at the pictures
You will be glad you had

Memories of yesteryear
what a joy to see
lost in the back of my mind
What a delight to finally find

Written in response to Sadje’s prompt #166 WDYS

Image credit: Monstera at Pexels