Poetic Selections 

pieces from works by Amber Whitted

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Time

from Things I've Been Meaning To Say

Tick…
Moving on, marching on without consent.
Tock…
Mercilessly leaving all to wonder where it went.
Tick…
Without pause for the cause of any soul.
Tock…
Reminding all Who is truly in control.
Tick…
Understanding nothing, pausing for no one’s gain.
Tock…
Bringer of life and healer of all pain.
Tick…
Creator of memories so life and love go on.
Tock…
Tick…
Tock…
Tick…
Tock…

…Gone.

We Be (Sometimes)

From Perfectly Imperfect

We be loud sometimes.
Vocals over tight beats.
Loud colors.
Loud streets.
Sirens signaling somber soliloquies
that you don’t be hearing.
We still be loud
sometimes.
 
We be extra sometimes.
Big bragging.
Tongue wagging.
Story swapping to stay
the most envied one in the room.
They don’t always be true,
‘cuz we be extra
sometimes.
 
We be scared sometimes.
Masking fears and tears.
Full of pride,
we keep it inside.
Maybe if we weren’t targets,
we could show our heart a bit.
We just be scared
sometimes.
 
Truth be told,
the world be unprepared
for what we really be.
We be beautiful.
We be wise.
We be innovative.
But in their eyes,
stereotypes be
too good to let go.
 
And we?
We be trendsetting
and keeping our greatness
on the low.
When you ain’t looking,
we be letting it show.
But we know you be seeing
sometimes.

Photo: Janet Takayama Photography

A Recipe For Pound Cake

From When She Speaks

You said that I hooked you
with my sweetness. 
It was Mama’s tradition
passed down to me. 
She said,
“Sweeten it with soul,
sift it with spirit,
then again for good measure
from the heart. 
Add your wisdom slowly,
keeping it warm for consistency,
then blend it with skill and experience. 
Make it special with your sass. 
Purify it with a prayer. 
Line your pan with passion
and fill it with care. 
Be patient as the fire
turns it into what it should be,
and be vigilant so that you
time it perfectly.” 
So shortcuts weren’t an option,
at least not for me. 
Homemade in the kitchen –
thick and sweet. 
Maybe you were right. 
I hooked you with my sweetness. 
It was Mama’s tradition
passed down to me. 
But to tell the truth,
I wouldn’t have done it differently.

Photo: David "8:54 pm" Jarecki

At The Core of It All

From L.O.V.E.: Lessons On Virtually Everything

Search for what is real.
Reach high and reach low.
Beg, borrow and steal
for something to feel
while trying to grow.

Deny the truth.
Perplex what's not.
Acting uncouth.
Muddle the plot.

Time reveals
facts that show
karma's view:

Always
has been
​
you.

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