Essential Elements
Through time, I’ve come to realize
That beating around the bush
Won’t ignite a flame;
So I take a timid step in the cluster of weeds
And try to extract kindling
Life is like this, too
I always find myself
Within the perimeter of my passion,
Within the area of my aspirations, but
Never submerged in the sum
Of my necessities
Then I recall the little things
That give me the most strength:
When I feel ill of the ignorance,
Nas’ Illmatic and It Was Written get
A rotation or two
Toni Morrison will tell me why eyes
Can be dangerous, toxic, when blue
Davis and Coltrane bring out their horns
And get their share of the shade, too
And the serenity of it all,
Always feels brand new
Essentially, my essentials are at
The core of my being
Laying much deeper than even the layers of sediment
Beneath my feet:
Truly, I am a geologist’s dream
But I can’t forget, I am far
From a sedate element
Earth is not otherworldly enough
To transform my spark, into a flame:
So I strike that kindling, again and again,
Until my fire is ablaze
And when it’s contained, I can walk away,
Knowing that I’ll return looking for warmth
On colder days