I'm not Drunk...I'm Tipsy

strip me
of all inhibition
I give you permission
to derail me
frail me
will be strong enough
for you to lean on
to break up
to hold

call me
into submission
in any position
you can think of
speak of
dream of
dreams never so sweet
I think...

laughter, tears
you burn
my chest
you bring out my worst
you are the best
I think...

strip me
I'm not Drunk
I'm Tipsy
I think...

© Tia Clarke 2009

Why Keep Rags

1.
ripping at the seams
like a poorly constructed dress
needle and thread
nor seamstress
can keep us together

we're done

2.
stick a knife in us
burnt to a crisp
charred remains of dedication
we no longer have
the strength to love each other

too weak to stand
the sight of you
makes me ill
to think this love is over
good luck, no luck
no four leaf clover
could help

3.
our cards have been dealt
joker
left me
after you poke her
I lost the game
sucker

Loved too much
you

I pity her
"I do"
to a man
who don't
who won't
who can't
love her like the start of a new day

appreciate her
like sunbeams
on the face of a prisoner

4.
locked in your love

for decades
clinging to me
like meat
to the bones of the dead
buzzards pick
you're tricked

you Prick
splinter in my finger
small
big enough to hurt
yet
want us mended
pretended
to be what I needed

conceited

5.
concede defeat
at the end of all you can eat
buffet closed
done weighing my pros
you're a con

I'm conscious now

© Tia Clarke 2009

First Draft

i detest love
what a mess i've become
because of loving
how weak
weakened by emotions
guiding my movements
bitter lovers
sweet love
end it
before it ends me
like this first draft
this love
will be forgotten

We lose loved ones
But their love lives
Within us
Binding
Remaining souls
To live
in love

©Tia L. Clarke 2009

Polls Now Open

Addressed constantly
by politicians
who undress us
Detest us
do anything to
Defy us
Deny us
freedom of speech
if it’s against them
just men
making
Super human promises
Dismissed
after elected
neglected
Youngsters infected
PLP!
FNM!
too young to vote
but look at them
followers of Christie and Ingraham
at ten
Cause my mom is
my dad is
born this
rallied together
crowd filled with mirth
brain dead
from birth
they know
no better
Trained to keep quiet
government knows best
but the country’s
still a mess
Take a chance
think...

Then Speak
Then Vote

(editted from my Project Speak)
©Tia L. Clarke 2009

Fabric Softner

cotton panties
entangled in satin sheets

leather stilettos
lodged in cracks of wooden floors

silk blouse
slung over a Lasko fan

gold earring
missing one of its kind

pink scarf
binds us together

blue boxer briefs
set him free

brown belt
looped through more than pants

buttons missing shirts
heels missing shoes
out turned pockets
change scattered on the floor
laundry

the morning before

©Tia Clarke 2009

With or Without Sex

Close enough
to taste your sweat
breathe in your breath
inflate my lungs
arch my back
when you
crack your neck
Drink
I thrist for you
I dance
to the pain in your heart
pump my blood
with your thoughts of life
open your eyes
so I can see
watch
while you
enter me

intimacy

© Tia Clarke 2009

Play Ground

I
want
to

Be near you
bodies close
sweet sensation of your
kiss

Bliss
Fully imagine
the warmth of your

Touch
me
here

Yes right there
finger tips
glide down erect nipples
skin infected with
goose pimples

I
want
to

Be near you
rib to rib
cage me in
your monkey bar
arms

Slurred
speech
just as you

Touch me
tease me
tongues
play on jungle gyms
of saliva

I
want
to

Be brave enough
to be
your play ground.

© Tia Clarke 2009

nes-cheat-fe (nescafe)

They told me
Entering that competition was a pure set up
Tia...you're too dark
too short and too fat
Apparently I didn't understand that
And for 30 minutes under a bright light
Under the scrutiny of judges
On a hot night
I learned
That despite what people say
I can not be a model
Smiling and Bubbly can go to hell
I knew all too well
Odds were stacked against me
But
With sincerity
I can say
Maybe I didn't deserve to win
But I will throw it out there
Neither did the girl that did....

Farewell

Quickly
you settled
under my skin
deep with in
me
no time to think
and I didn't

Silly
little me
big heart
knew this would happen
from the start
swiftly it did

Soon as
it begun
I must bid
you
farewell

Pinocchio

Bear with me
while
I bare myself
splinters
and all

See him?
the guy in these poems
in my eyes
in my heart
my heart string
my Gepetto

I love this guy
in these poems

Does he love me?
I wonder...
How much longer,
do I let him
toy with me?
can't he see,
I can never lie to him?

Made of wood
would he
love me
enough
to make me
a real girl
cause I have a real heart
I know

his blood pumps it
sometimes
his feet stomps it
thank heavens
the rest of me
is made of wood

©Tia L. Clarke 2009

It Is Mine

I will not cry for you:
these eyes belong to me
though
my heart longs for you
I will not cry

I will not lose sleep for you:
this mind belongs to me
though
my body is restless for you
I will not lose sleep

I will keep my sanity
Though I am crazy over you
I will remain sane

Or at least try to...

©Tia L. Clarke 2009

Shift In Momentum

You
switch on me
my tears were dry
before I cried them
why men
so senseless?

bitch on me
clap on clap off
quickly
swiftly
worried about
my hormones
but is your
period on today?

after the chase
change of pace
forget I'm beautiful
remember
your an ass
shameless
you hurt me
I'm making you
my past

you're not backwards
you're upside down
you have nuts for a head
and act like a clown

I
switch
tired
of being treated
like I'm your bitch

©Tia L. Clarke 2009

Jerk Chicken

inspired by R.A.M

bitter
sweet
tasty treat
thick savory
slab of meat

spicy
attack
brings tears
to my eyes
how can I love
what makes me
cry

slide
from
side to side
saucy
secrets
hid inside
you

chicken
yellow bellied
afraid
that I love you
too much
warmth
from your touch
to my lips

fatty
to my hips
fills me
but you
can not
sustain me
warp me
too heavy
for my heart

hurt me
pain
in my chest
must be
a clog
in the artery
can not
digest you
confess you
make me
a mess

name
never
so fitting
for a human
you are purely
a jerk
a chicken

and I love you

©Tia L. Clarke 2009
(I was just really hurting)

Still

Words escape me
Nothing to say,
Breaks me

Passion
never used to
be this way

It flowed
from
the thick
of my tongue
to the tip
of my finger

But now
Writing is just
A stranger

©Tia L. Clarke 2009

Conch Sells

By: Tia L. Clarke

©Tia L. Clarke 2009

Write or Die

They call him wimp
cause he writes

They call him pimp
cause he fights

Bury the pimp on Saturday
But that wimp's
going home tonight

©Tia L. Clarke 2009

Pharoah

Critical
Pivotal
Sat by you
So calm
In the presence
Of a
King
Power
you possess
I’m a mess
Intrigued
By you

Smile
Shines
Melts me
Lick me up
Scoop me
Like rum raisin
In your cup

Body
Rippled like
The waves
In your hair
You must
Have built
Those pyramids
By yourself

Fought
Many battles
All won
I can not
Will not
Let you lose
I refuse
I give you me
My mind
My body

Egypt
Does not
Deserve you
Come on
Let me
Serve you

Pharoah

©Tia L. Clarke 2009

reputation
all you have

worth
more to you
than just
telling me the truth

worth
more to you
than just doing
what you'll say you'll do

not there because you want to be
just because you promised me
and can't mess up
your reputation

reputation
solicitation
of the real
or unreal
feelings for me
can't disappoint me
for yourself

but I love me
believe
since your reputation is all you have

I can leave

©Tia L. Clarke 2008

I Spy

Photographer: Tia L. Clarke

Insufficient

Almost good
isn't good enough
no one says, oh remember her, her poem was almost accepted into the journal.

And when you push
but you don't push through
there are no medals won, you lose, no matter how hard you pushed.

People say it isn't about winning
sometimes it's just about finishing
but I could finish a million poems, and if none are read, finishing didn't matter.

I'm just not good enough
Insufficient

...Just thinking

Peeking Out

Photographer: Tia L. Clarke

Writer's Delight

for Donnielle ~that Mackey friend of mine~

don't stifle
just grow
let it flow
like tears
kiss cheeks
trickle words
onto pages
blank ones
can't speak

tell the color
of rage
love
hope
trust

Trust you

"everything I write is shitty"
pity won't do
you can only
do you

writers write
cause it's a need
feed on it
fill up
put on a few pounds
haven't written in days
malnourished now

Project Speak

Addressed constantly
by politicians
who undress us
Detest us
do anything to
Defy us
Deny us
freedom of speech
if it’s against them
just men
making
Super human promises
Dismissed
after elected
neglected
Youngsters infected
PLP! FNM!
too young to vote
but look at them
followers of Christie and Ingraham
at ten
Cause my mom is
my dad is
born this
rallied together
crowd filled with mirth
brain dead
from birth
they know
no better

Trained to keep quiet
government knows best
but I look around
and the country’s
still a mess
Take a chance
think...
politicians
prey on the weak
so I’m invested
in Project Speak

©Tia L. Clarke 2008

Church Top

Photographer: Tia L. Clarke