The Kid

The Kid

        Many call baseball, the American past time, a game that many love to watch.  When I think of baseball, I think of the great players of my generation such as Ken Griffey, Jr.  To me  Ken Griffey, Jr. was the greatest all around baseball player of my generation.

When watching Junior, I saw so many amazing plays from him in the out field or at bat that showed how gifted he really was.  He was the most complete player in his prime than any other player in my generation. When it came to hitting, fielding, and to base running Junior, was the most complete package.  He hit an amazing 630 home runs while bating a life- time average of 284.  He played 22 seasons and was a 13 time all star.  His play in the outfield was awesome as well.  Junior. was a tremendous center fielder.  As a great center fielder, Juinor won 10 straight gold gloves award.  Although Junior was excellent with the glove he was mostly known as home run hitter.  Junior.  hit  2,781 base hits with 1,836 rbi’s, which further demonstrates his expertise.

Some of the great stats that Junior, complied in his career was to hit 8 home runs in 8 consecutive games.  This record he shares with Don Mattingly, and Dale Long.  Junior played for the Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, and the Chicago White Sox.  His career began with the Mariners in 1989 as a matter of fact in his first home game with Seattle he hit a home run at his first at bat.  Junior,. would play the game of baseball from 1989 until 2010. As a player Junior, earned the nick- name “The Kid” because of his career began at such a young age. Junior made history as the second youngest player to ever start in a major league all star game.  Despite a career full of injuries he left a legacy of greatness that only the games’ greatest could follow.

Although Junior. was a great baseball player, many would say that playing baseball was in his genes. His father Ken Griffey, Sr. had a stellar career as a baseball player himself with the Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, while completing his career with his Seattle Mariners. As a matter of fact the father and son duo made history together by hitting back to back homers in the same game. 

  

With the successful career of his father, Junior had tremendous pressure to live up to.  At one while the pressure became so intense that Junior, tried to commit suicide. Life was then difficult for Junior, as he tried to come out of his father’s shadow.  As a great baseball player, playing behind his dad was very difficult. Even with a suicide attempt and all the pressures of life, could not stop the greatness of “The Kid” on the diamond.

As Griffey, Jr. completed his career, his battle with injuries would take their toll on his ability to play the game of baseball.  He gave so much to the game of baseball, with so much enthusiasm and pride,  Ken Griffey, jr. to me is the greatest all around player of my generation

On Thursday April 21

On Thursday April 21 2016 @ 2 P.M. at the Adelia M. Russell Library I will have a book signing and a poetry reading.  This event will feature my new book Verses Of Pain and Love.  I thank all who have supported my blog over the years and I also thank all who supported me throughout my career thank you God bless.

A First Poet

A First Poet

            African American Lit in many ways has had a lot of first.  Many debated who the first African American poet was that had their work published.   Stated as a fact in the encyclopedia, Phillis Wheatley was the first African American woman to have her poetry published.  Since Wheatley was a slave the origins of her birth are unknown.  To estimate the time about when she was born would be roughly about 1753 and the time of her death was in December 1784.  Wheatley was captured and brought to America in 1761.  At a young age she was purchased by a wealthy family from the Boston Massachusetts area.  The Wheatley family encouraged Phillis Wheatley to write and learn to read. Phillis Wheatley was named Phillis because of the slave ship that brought her to America was named Phillis.  Although it was not known at this time despite the hand that was dealt to Wheatley she used it to build a great legacy.

As Wheatley grew into her life as a slave, she became interested in becoming educated.  As a matter of fact she began her process of learning by being tutored by her master’s daughter Mary Wheatley.  By the time Phillis Wheatley became a preteen she was studying Greek and Latin.  It was through her master’s encouragement that helped Wheatley transcend into a poet.  She studied the works of Alexander Pope, John Milton, and Virgil.  It was these authors that influenced Wheatley to write poetry.

            When it came to the style and structure of Wheatley’s poetry she used a formula that consisted of three elements.  These elements were Christian beliefs, Classicism, and Solar worship.  With these elements plus life experiences Wheatley was very capable of creating potent poetry.  It would be her focus on religious and moral themes that was the main ideas from which her work was created.

            In her work Wheatley expressed herself so well to the point that many thought that she stole her poetry and ideas from someone else.  With many thinking that she did not write her work she was put on trial to see if indeed she was the author of her work.  In 1772 Wheatley had to prove her poetic skills before a court of law.  In this case Wheatley proved to be the author leaving many in shock .It’s a shame that many did not believe a West African female slave could write poetry.  This would make Wheatley the first African American female to have a book published.

Wheatley’s book called Poems On Various Subjects, Religious And Moral was published in England in 1773.  With the success of her book she traveled to England and was invited into George Washington’s home after she wrote a poem about Washington.  The poem was called “To His Excellency George Washington ”  It was poems such as these that brought Wheatley not only fame but her freedom from slavery.  In 1778 Wheatley was freed from all forms of slavery.  She even married a man named John Peters who was a free black man in the grocery business.  Sadly by the year of 1784 Wheatley’s husband was imprisoned for debt.  So Wheatley’s effort to support herself was to become a maid.  The same year Wheatley died in December, she was only 31 years of age.

Much is to be said about the legacy of Phillis Wheatley.  As a young girl she was stolen away from her homeland.  As a child she was cut off from her roots due to the fact of evil practices of slavery.  Throughout her life she made the best of it.  Wheatley was given lemons in life so she made lemonade. With her pain she expressed poetry from her tears.  To be forced to live in a land unknown to be bought, sold and owned is a sick way of life for anyone to live.  Although despite these things this lady showed the world that she was special and through her soul she gave birth to the idea of African Americans being writers.

Choices

Choices

  

King had dream.

Obama was squeaky clean.

Malcolm said by any means.

Huey P,

had an army.

Back to Africa was Marcus Garvey.

Langston Hughes wrote

Stokeley Spoke.

Rosa Parks

gave the Spark

Harritet Tubman

lead us out of the dark.

Joe Louis was the people’s champ.

W.E.B. Dubois was en lighten like a lamp.

Ben Carson had gifted hands.

Ida B. Wells took a brave stand.

Fredrick Douglass,

 said knowledge is power.

And so be it,

the African American experience is power

and we have yet to see our finest hour.

A Future without the Rebel Flag

A Future without the Rebel Flag

For over 400 years, racism has plagued America.  From slavery to modern times racism has troubled our nation in many ways.  The feeling, attitude, or belief that one race is better than another is a very perverse way for anyone to think.  When it comes to racism there are iconic symbols in American history.  The rebel flag in its many different variations’ has a toxic reputation of racism.  It’s the rebel flag and its many different forms that must be removed from all states’ capitol buildings.

            The rebel flag itself has flown for many years during and after the civil war.  Regardless of the after effects of the civil war the rebel flag to me is a device of evil.  Now I do know that in those days of the civil war only rich men owned slaves.  In those days a man who was considered a planter was automatically freed of duty having to fight in the civil war.  A planter was a man who was able to afford 20 slaves or more.  With this being stated The Civil War was a rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight.  It’s information like this that prolongs racism in many different ways.  For example, since a poor white man had to fight in The Civil War and a rich white man was entitled not too, this showcased the divisions within society in those times.  So a poor white man had to use slavery to subject himself higher than a slave.  So the poor white man had to convince himself that he was better than a slave just because he was white.  I also have reason to believe that in order to keep the balance of power at hand the rich white man feed the same lie to the poor white man.  With this unjust diabolical method he used this to keep his stronghold on both the slave and the poor white man.  As I know these dangerous fallacies still continue to provoke racial tension in many different ways.  Many rich whites and poor whites still feel wrongfully entitled to everything.  A former slave to become a free man is not supposed to have anything.  It was these systematic lies that made the situation of racism even more problematic in those times and now.  As a result the rebel flag continues to be an iconic symbol of racism and crazy ignorant bigotry.

            With the divisions of races and the evil process of slavery I believe the rebel flag is used to preach racial segregation.  Many whites say that to remove the rebel flag would not change anything.  Their argument is that you can’t change history.  With this I strongly disagree because history you can’t change but at the same time with proper education you can change how people think.  For example many whites have said to me “We don’t treat yall like that anymore so you can’t say we are racist.”  With this I say the damage that was done way back then cannot be changed also.  To expand on my point is the physical, emotional, and spiritual damage that was done back then still affects blacks today.  The racism endured by the black race has damaged the overall psyche of all blacks young and old.  So by taking down the rebel flag for me is not about trying to change history but it is about trying to repair or rehabilitate the black psyche.

            If the rebel flag is removed from all state capitols it can change the perspectives of younger people and generations to come.  As the rebel flag continues to fly it only promotes racism.  The racism that is produced by the rebel flag is evil in all forms that destroys the unity of our nation.  The belief of one race is better than the other is a sick and twisted way of thinking. It is very dangerous and explosive to races all over the world and America.  The confederate flag must come down to preserve and protect the future of all American citizens. America is a divided nation which must find unity to survive.  One way I believe to do so is to remove the rebel flag of all state capitols.  The idea of you can’t change history must be revamped to we can’t change history but we can change the future that the present brings on.  By starting with the youth being the future we can reeducate them to build a better tomorrow.  So to remove the rebel flag from our state capitols is a must for America’s future.

Holiday Rhyme

Holiday Rhyme

Oh, with great cheer,

the holiday season is here,

so let us be thankful we are still here.

take time out and light a candle

For the problems we cannot handle.

Let his praise ring,

Joy to the King,

Pray for all the Tiny Tims,

Sing a  hymn,

Teach your kids the real reason,

and the meaning for the season.

Why Can Anyone Get A Gun

Author: Runas C. Powers, III

November 3, 2015

Why Can Anyone Get a Gun?

Anyone can get a gun

Mental

or not mental

still guns are detrimental

killing people.

Like anything else

they can be used

and abused

by those who have a short fuse.

Yet gun control

is an issue that we must defuse.

So many are confused

and sick

causing many to die so quick.

Regardless of religion, age, or race

guns erase

and don’t discriminate.

A bullet has but one name

Anybody, anywhere , and at anytime

and that’s pain

to see someone slain.

Rather innocent

or guilty

guns leave many lives filthy.

When someone dies

a mother cries

and death we eternalize.

While it is the same for the predator

who takes life

in the form of murder.

Now although every man

and woman

who owns guns will

purposely unjustly kill

yet the ways of the world are so sick

twisted and ill.

While others are labeled crazy

because they take a pill

still if we can’t

get control

of the gun control issue

then many more will die due to

the misuse of a gun.

So if you use a gun

please use it with responsibility and care

in other words guns are making America

more of a living nightmare.