GRAFFITI BOMBER

GRAFFITI BOMBER
A Poem by Rene Velez

They say most people are defined
by the choices they make in life
and a little common sense should help
telling the difference between right and wrong.
But my writes are far from the
thoughts of the common man.
My hands are guided by the wrongs
of the modern man and so I spin it in a new light.

I rode the subway late one night and noticed
a pigeon, probably hungry looking for a bite.
Which made me smile. Because I was amused
that something trapped underground could actually
take flight. It's in the small things I find the greatest wisdom.
I am moved by the boldness and vision of women like
Shirley Chisholm.

With every step I take I leave my trail
of poetic pages. Left with the resin stains
of medicinal sages. Chasing American wages
instead of my dreams, untouched like a child's
plate of greens. And so to be honest at times it sparks
my militant behavior as I fight the fact
that the cards are not stacked in my favor.

Yet I survive because I adapt. Safe consolidated
thoughts inside my baseball cap. Writing my lines to be
left to the mercy of time. The art of rhyme
is my life of crime. Except on the night
of tradition. My old school addiction.

Night of the mad vigilante graffiti bomber,
tagging the names of friends in their memory
and honor.
Spray paints the artful dodger,
For every poet owns a martyr.

© 2011 Rene Velez

Reviews

[emmajoy]

Love the way this dances 'on the page', moves to music and yet teaches a lesson of how to be, how to see and how to learn. The pigeon example got to me, something trapped out of its place yet existing, makes on think how we humans deal with such situations .. or do we?!

Your last seven lines are musically majestic!

[Zeitgeist Manifesto]

It's sad to think about all of the issues we have today that should have been resolved at least 30 years ago. You opened your mind with honesty here.
You collected thoughts that are difficult to express with ease.

[Aidz]

Education aint the be all n end all, take it from me ;) says he is undereducated but wise enough to play the game

We learn n grow from life, not education, nor work, that categorises us into easy to place boxes, easy for the "man: to deal with rather than true free spirirts that see n feel and can talk for themselves. endeth the rant

[Coyote Poetry]

I like the thoughts in the poem. Easy to look back and see failure. Hard to see the good and the success we have done in our life. I like the examples in the poem. We will make many choices in a life. We must hope we have made the right one's. Thank you for a excellent poem.
Coyote

[brenda]

wow a new point of view very inspirational poem :)