Question it all

The only way to learn about the honest truth is to challenge and question it. To question what I’ve been taught instead of simply ingesting and suppressing it. To not ignore my curiosity for the fear of someone oppressing it. To not cling to my childhood beliefs and not being afraid of confessing it.

Question religion

Question church

Question Jesus

Question Christ

Question the devil

Question sin

Question it all

Til’ I get it right

Question the Bible

Question worship

Question society

Question prayer

Question fasting

Question hell

Question heaven

Question despair

Since religion is man made

So is the building we call a church

If God’s energy lives within me

Why would I go there to sit and search?

If God created planet earth

Then I can feel connected while on a walk

Or at the beach, or in a mountain

Or with a stranger when we talk

Or while reading a book that gives me insight

Or in a car or in a bar

Yes, while drinking a martini

I know this sounds blasphemist and bizzare

But not because it really is

It’s because of what religion teaches

It’s because you’re measured by a book

And by what the preacher preaches

God will never ever judge me

But I bet along the way you’ve learned to

Worried about my shortcomings and lifestyle

You know, things that don’t concern you

Books are meant to guide you

Your heart is meant to define you

The Bible is a book of reference

Not for you to pull scriptures that blind you

You are not an upright person

By sitting in a pew each Sunday

Especially when you’re back judging people

And lying to yourself by each Monday

Now please don’t get me wrong

I do not dislike church, I swear

But just to keep it honest

Don’t lie to yourself about why you’re there

Maybe it’s to find a date

Or out of habit because you were taught

Or maybe you just like the people

Or it’s a place to escape your thoughts

You sit and pray and pray

And tithe a 10 percent fraction

You say “Jesus please take the wheel”

But what’s a passenger who sits with no action?

Well what is even the point of prayer?

If you worry and live out of fear

You leave everything up to Jesus

And let your free will disappear

All the talk about heaven and hell

I’m starting to think it was a metaphor

People talk about them so vividly

But how many have been before?

The same people want to get to heaven

But are extremely afraid of death

If you believe heaven to be so peaceful

Why are you afraid of your last breath?­­

And if Jesus died for your sins

You somehow believe you are in indebted

You think you owe him your life

I’m sure he’d tell you “Hey, don’t sweat it

Just focus on helping others

You should never feel indebted to me

You have the same exact power as I do

Do not give all of the credit to me”

Some churches and religions controls its believers

Creates division and incidentally

Causes you to think less of other religions

Because they believe a little differently

Therein lies my issue

Mi problema exacto

I’ll appear to be a non-believer

Because I’m a nonconformist who talks facts yo

I can curse and drink if I want to

And have sex before marriage

And God will still love me

But maybe YOU will disparage

And of course I can care less

Because I judge myself by my heart too

I treat others with respect

To make the world better I play my part too

And I can admit that I am smart too

And that I have amazing talent with art too

You haven’t realized you’re great yet

Because you let religion outsmart you

You give Jesus credit when things go right

And blame the devil when they are wrong

But what about YOUR thoughts and actions

Maybe you’ve contributed to good and bad all along?

I wrote this not to disrupt your faith

Because I know God comes through in the clutch

But you have to believe in and worship yourself too

Instead of using religion as a crutch

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013

Subliminal Conformity

How much does it cost to explore your own thoughts?
To find your own style or to teach what you were taught

How much does it cost to form your own opinion?
To stray away from the army of Despicable Me minions

How much does it cost to find and depict the details?
As opposed to giving the media your mind and allowing them to derail

How much does it cost to live a life hypocritical?
Not very analytical but far more political

Living a life of stagnation, being influenced by men in black tuxes
Who have power because of their assets and don't know what giving two f**ks is
And you know what sucks is... their control keeps you where 'stuck' is
Keeps in you in a mental state of emergency like a stop, drop, roll, and tuck is

The evil in this world wants you to stay subliminally conformative
To believe in what they say in order to keep you less informative

The evil in this world wants you to keep singing the blues
To be depressed every time you see something sad pop up on the news

The evil in this world wants you to believe in their critiques
To think that you are not worth it and that you are less unique

The evil in this world will always remain powerless
If you don't allow it to knock you down; world trade tower-less

Only you can control your thoughts, your attitude, your actions
Only you can control your happiness, your energy, your reactions
Only you can control what you let in, what you birth, contraction
Only you can control what adds up and what you take away, subtraction

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013

They'll Say

They'll say you don't have what it takes
They'll say you don't have the smarts
They'll say you don't have 'the look'
They'll say you don't have the heart

They'll say you don't have the talent
They'll say you don't have a plan
They'll say you don't have the grit
They'll say you won't have any fans

They'll say you don't have the technique
They'll say that you are not unique
They'll say that you need to perfect your craft
Just tell them to kiss the other cheek

Tell them to save their one-off critique
Well...don't respond rudely or misspeak
But who are "they" to determine your greatness?
You can't rate a masterpiece from a sneak peek


An expert was once a beginner
A saint was once a sinner
There is more to you than they can see
A bag full of groceries becomes a dinner

A loser can become a winner
If they are not afraid to fail
Build a door for an opportunity
Start your boat and adjust your sails
Then set your boat out to sail
Navigate carefully but not like a snail
Nurture your mind, body, and soul
You can't win a marathon if you are frail

All of the reviewers, naysayers, and critics
Are just people too
And they will depict, ridicule, and judge you
Because that's just what people do

But just know they are probably scared
Of all of the talent that you display
So much so, so much so that
They try to discourage you or wish it away

We were all destined to be great
But we all just have to believe it
Whatever we put our mind to
Brings the truth that we can achieve it


Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013

Don't Judge

Don't judge a book by its cover
Don't judge a person by their looks
Don't judge a dog by its bark
Don't judge a captain by its hook
Don't judge a beauty by its beast
Look for the beauty in the beast
Don't judge an apple by its tree
Don't judge God by the Priest
Don't judge a sandwich by the bread
Don't judge education by a degree
Do not judge someone's opinion
Just because you don't agree
Don't judge a house by its shutters
Don't judge a car by its rims
Don't judge coffee by its mug
Don't judge a chapter if you skim
Don't judge a judge by their gavel
Don't judge a fairy by their wand
Don't judge a lesson by the teacher
Don't judge a crime by its bond
Don't judge a person by their personality
Don't judge a personality because it's quirky
Don't judge an ocean because of its waves
Don't judge the water if it is murky
Don't judge a gift if you didn't bestow it
Do not judge this poem because I denoted
That you should never ever judge
And don't judge me because I wrote it
Don't judge grass if it is not green
Don't judge someone if they are mean
Don't judge, Don't judge
Unless the finger you point with is clean

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013

I Have a Dream...

I have a dream like Dr. Martin Luther King

That we can rise above adversity and let freedom ring

I have a dream that we can create generational wealth

And care less about buying sneakers and more about our health

I have a dream that we chose to lift each other up

To lift each other up, to lift each other up

To lift each other up, to lift each other up

Because if we act like crabs in a barrel none of us will make it if one gets stuck

I have a dream that we stop using the ‘white man’ as an excuse

And work on educating ourselves to sharpen all of our point of views

I have a dream that we stop creating baby mamas

No more broken homes, this will save us so much drama

I have a dream that we raise more respectful sons

Who decide on picking up a book instead of picking up a gun

I have a dream that our sons know that they are Kings

They already have their crown they just have to go and spread their wings

I have a dream that we raise more respectful daughters

Who learn how to swim but more importantly how to tread water

I have a dream that our daughters know that they are Queens

They just have to do what they say, and then say what they mean

I have a dream that we understand that chivalry is not dead

If Kings do not nurture their Queens how will either get ahead?

I have a dream that we put the value back in sex

Developing a bond with one person without thinking about who is next

I have a dream that we can stop with the competition

Because there is no real benefit and it only adds to the friction and attrition

I have a dream that we can empower our youth

By preaching the works of Dr. Martin, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth

And Rosa Parks, and Nat Turner, and Langston Hughes and Malcolm X

And Maya Angelou, Booker T Washington, Marcus Garvey is who is next

And Thurgood Marshall and Duke Ellington, Jackie Robinson and Barack Obama

Colin Powell, Jessie Jackson, Bill Cosby, Oprah, comma

Althea Gibson, Condelezza Rice, James Baldwin, Nat King Cole

Madame CJ Walker, Stevie Wonder, and Hank Aaron who swung for the poles

Ray Charles, George Washington Carver, Ella Fitzgerald, and Spike Lee

Sidney Portier, Iyanla Vanzant, Danny Glover, and Whoopi

I apologize in advance for all of the names that I missed

I just simply wanted to make a point so everyone could feel my gist

If all of those people fought for us just remember when the road gets dark

If all of them stand behind us, who in front can pull us apart

If all of those people fought for us just remember when the road gets dark

If all of them stand behind us, who in front can pull us apart

I have a dream, the same one from over four scores ago

And I do understand that we may have more scores and scores to go

I have a dream that we can help each other out

So that when it rains and it rains we aren’t affected by a drought

I have a dream that we will never stop dreaming

That we never stop fighting and that we never stop gleaming

I have a dream like Dr. Martin Luther King

That we can rise above adversity and let freedom ring

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013