WE SHALL ALL BE REMEMBERED!

As I stood by Johnny's graveside,
His mother crying and sobbing, standing by my side,
I couldn't hold back my tears, for Johnny was a true friend,
He was born and raised by a single mother,
The son of an absentee father,
Lived with a dream and a vision,
That one day he would change his generation-that was Johnny's mission,

But now he was gone; a young boy he was, just 16 years old,
But he lived a life worthy of rememberance though he wasn't old,
But as I thought about the fact that Johnny was never a celebrity,
He was never on T.V, wasn't popular, but had a friendly personality,
I realized that Johnny would always be remembered,
For the short but impactful live he lived,

Then it struck me,
That we shall all be remembered-this is meant to be,
Whether you lived a short life or long life,
A peaceful life or a troubled life,
Whether you were born poor, or not,
White, black, rich or not,
Known, or unknown, famous or not,
We shall all be rememnbered,

If not by the world, by our neighborhood,
Our family, friends or fellows in the hood,
Johnny was young, he lived a short but unforgettable life,
Not for the troubles he caused, the people he shot,
The girls he dated, the hearts he broke, or the people he fought,
But for the lives he changed, the faces he helped put a smile on,
The families he helped, the people he served, and the victories he won,

But what shall you be remebered for,
What shall be your story when you are cried for,
What shall be your legacy when you pass away,
What shall you be remembered for when you sail away,
Good or bad, rich or poor, white or black,
We shall all be remembered,
But the question is: What shall you be remembered for?

THE REASON II

That the broken hearts, the abandoned projects,
The twisted lives, the shattered dreams and the rejects,
Would receive a message of love,
Love so true and real, love from above,
That they would smile again,
Laugh again, rejoice again, hope again and be born again,
This is the Reason for which I write,

It's the reason for which I sing,
It's the reason for which I let these words ring,
Through the airwaves, the sound waves, and the internet,
That the drowning soul would be saved by the savior's net,
That they would come into the place that God has called them to be,
The enslaved, the addicts, and the bound may be free,
It's the Reason that I live,
It's the Reason for which I wake-up each day,
Go on my knees and pray,
That He who has called me,
Will equip me, for the assignment He has for me,

Not a million dollars,
Not a fancy ride; a Bentley, a Porsche or something better,
Not a mansion, not the flash,
Not the endorsements, the deals, the cash,
The media attention,
The celebrity status, the recognition,
Not the crowd screaming my name,
Not the fortune, or the fame,

But the smile of a helpless child,
Who is given a good food and safe water,
The testimonies of the down-trodden, who are made better,
The dreams that are fulfilled,
The hopes that are restored,
The destinies that are built,
The lives that are changed,
By the things that God does through me,
It is for this that I live,
It is for this that I give,
It is for this that I write,
It is for this that I sing, shining the light,
It is the Reason that I'm who I am.

THE REASON

From the western part of Africa,
Son of an African mother,
Son of an African father,
Son of the king of kings,
I've been saved by the blood, reborn as a prince,
Had my mindset renewed, had my vision corrected, ever since,

Born with a dream,
That one day I will shine like a beam,
Conceived with a message,
That would usher in a new age,
Entrusted with a mandate,
From my birthdate,

A mandate it is to bring hope to the hopeless,
Joy to the sad, the reckless and restless,
To point them to the giver of ife,
The son of the most high, who gave His life,
The second person in the God head,
He's the word made flesh, the same as the head,
This is the reaon for which I live,

That a dying soul would receive a message of hope,
That the restless spirit would receive a word of peace to cope,
That the hurting, the abused, the hated, the dejected,
The messed-up, the wasted, the abandoned and the rejected,
Would have a bridge of hope-a reason to live again,
A reason to arise from their mess, their crushed souls, and live again,
That they would mount on wings like the eagle to soar again,
Inspite of how many times they have failed,
This is The Reason for which I was called...

HATS OFF: MEMORIAL DAY POEM

There I was on the train heading for my destination,
So many thoughts running through my mind, my meditation,
At exactly 6 pm, I got to my stop-Fort Washington,
A driving distance from DC, Washington,

As I looked around,
Looked up and then to the ground,
I was reminded that years ago, in New York, here in United States,
Some brave men fought to make this great country the United States,

It was the battle of Fort Washington,
The year was November 16, 1776, our Commander was General George Washington,
About 2,900 troops of ours fought against 8,000 British and German troops,
As I refelcted on these, I was moved and challenged by the bravery of our troops,

So on this special day as I stare on the American flag,
I am reminded of the Star Spangled Banner, our flag,
I am reminded of the battle of Fort McHenry, oh that battle,
I am reminded of the struggle that gave birth to those famous words, oh the struggle,
"Oh say, can you see, by the dawns early light..."
It was a battle to remember, it was for the combatants a painful plight,
As they fought at the Fort to defend the Fort- the Defense of the Fort,

So on this special day, I say Hats Off,
To all those who gave their blood and sweat that we may be free,
I say Hats Off,
To the likes of General Washington, who gave it all that we might be,
One nation under God, the land of the free and the home of the brave,
Hats Off to those amateur soldiers who risked it all, they bled and gave,
Their lives for the freedom of our great nation,
Each time I reminisce on the bravery of those soldiers, I'm filled with inspiration,

Hats off to the likes of Genral Lafayette,
Who inspite of injury organized a successful retreat,
Hats off to the great Revolutionaries,
Who brought about the Great Revolution,
That led to the Great Declaration,
Of our independence and successful secession,
Hats off to all those who fought in the struggle,
That made our victory and freedom possible,
Hats of to all; black, white, native American, slaves, bond, free,
Who gave it all up that generations yet unborn may be free,
For time immemorial their bravery will remain alive in the chronicles of time,
Within the annals of events their stories wil remain through time,
And through the pages of legacy and the books of legacy they shall remain unforgotten,
So in allegiance, honor and respect, I say, Hats Off.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY