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

Thank You Dr. Maya Angelou

I've learned that...
    The caged bird doesn't sing because its lungs are strong
    The caged bird simply sings because it has a song
    To sing to the world in an attempt to make peace
    And still it rises to watch its freedom increase

I've learned that...
    Women are phenomenal, yes we are!
    You may not know our battles but you can see the scars
    It's the fire in our eyes, and the flash of our teeth
    The swing in our waist, and the joy in our feet
    We are phenomenal! We are phenomenal! Yes we are!

I've learned that...
    Sticks and stones may break our bones
    And that nobody, but nobody can make it out here alone
    Not the rich or the poor or the person signing the blues
    Because all God's children need traveling shoes

I've learned that...
    It's perfectly okay to speak what's on my mind
    And when I follow my heart the stars will align

I've learned that...
    If I don't like something then I have the latitude
    To either make a change or change my attitude
 
I've learned that...
    Life is not measured by what we do or what we say
    Life is measured by the moments that take our breath away

I've learned that...
    Even the person that has a memory made of steel
    Will forget what you said but never how you made them feel

I've learned that...
    I can give into the temptation of all the men that crave me
    Or crave God's love and follow the path that he has paved me

You see...
    I have more work to do - I need to climb more stairways
    But wanted to pay my respect and send you a poem through the airwaves

I want to thank you Dr. Maya Angelou for just being you
And because of all your sacrifices I am phenomenal too!


Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013

Faith 101

When I was a little kid
I would pray for ice cream sundaes
Now when I pray
I call it I scream Sundays

I scream my praises up
He sends blessings down
I send mistakes on up
He sends the lessons down

Life can get really messy
But I am not here to mess around
When negativity creeps on up
I just turn that mess around

Sometimes I laugh and say
"God you are really something else,
And I just want to thank you
Before I ask for something else"

I dedicate my life to him
And we never walked to an altar
But if my love is true
He will always be my Rock of Gibraltar

Nothing could destroy our love
No one could destroy our bond
Nothing could destroy my faith
And I don't need a magic wand

For things to work out in my favor
And I don't ask for many favors
But because he has been my savior
Then I will walk in God's favor

His love is all the love I need
Everyone else's love is great
But he is the only one I turn to
When life gets tough and I need an escape

My faith will never expire
Because I believe in faith, faithfully
And I put my faith in God
Because he has always put his faith in me

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013

I am free. I am me.

I can breathe. I can feel. I am free. I am me.

I can laugh. I can cry but I am free because I am me.

I can hurt but I can fly because I am free. I am me.

I can fall down but get back up because I am free. I am me.

I am not perfect. I am flawed but I am free because I am me.

I make mistakes - lots of them but I am free. I am me.

I am not a prisoner of who you want me to be because I am free. I am me.

I can jump and be afraid but I am free. I am me.

I can feel lonely but I am not alone. I am free. I am me.

I am unchained from my past. I am free. I am free.

I know a lot. I don't know it all but I am free. I am me.

I have scars and bumps and bruises but I am free because I am me.

I can now look ahead with clarity because I am free. I am me.

I can be open. I can be vulnerable because I am free. I am me.

I can move any hurdle or mountain because I am free. I am me.

Would you agree that you can see that I am free because I am me?

I do not care because I am here because I am free. I am me!


Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013

Maybe, Just Maybe

People come into our lives
Always for a reason
Maybe just for a lifetime
Maybe just for a season

Maybe just for some heartache
Maybe just for some tears
Maybe just for a second
Maybe just for some years

Maybe just for our safety
Maybe just for a lesson
Maybe for us to learn
Maybe just for a blessing

Maybe just for a downer
Maybe just for an upper
Maybe for a quick dinner
Maybe for the last supper

Maybe for an ah-ha moment
Maybe to come full circle
Maybe for family matters
Maybe just for Urkel

Maybe to weather storms
Maybe for outer layers to shed
Maybe to appreciate the now
Maybe for our journey ahead

Maybe for us to teach
Maybe just for a laugh
Maybe our cup is half empty
Maybe to fill us like a carafe

Maybe we are lonely 
Maybe we need a friend
Maybe, just maybe
For our life's ingredients to blend

Maybe for some fright
Maybe just for a thrill
Maybe we'll figure it out
Maybe we never will

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2013.

Fatherless Parenting

To Father (from Mother of Child)

This wasn’t in my wildest dreams

Raising our child all alone

Playing both mommy and daddy

Paying this mortgage on my own

How could you sleep at night?

Knowing that your child needs you?

Knowing that they need food?

Knowing that they need shoes?

Knowing that it takes two to tango

You’re just repeating what your dad did

He ran in and out of your life for years

You never understood as you were a kid

But now that you are a grown adult

I thought you’d never act this way

Doing the same exact thing he did

You hit rewind and pressed replay

You weren’t cut out to be a parent

I wish back then it was apparent

But it’s true, you live and you learn

You can continue to be transparent

Because we will make it without you

You are the one who’s missing out

You were trying to get back at me

But me is not who it’s about

To Father (from Child)

Since I have talked to you last

It’s been forever and some days

I prayed for you all the time

Hoping that one day you’d change your ways

What is it that I did wrong?

I went to school and got straight A’s

I took care of mom when you were gone

All I ever wanted was some praise

All I ever wanted was your love

All I ever wanted was a father

All I ever needed was for you to be there

But now, please don’t bother

Because I’ve made it this far without you

There is no doubt I still have a void

You were supposed to be a role model

And you have no idea what you destroyed

You have destroyed my self-esteem

You have destroyed so much more

But I have regained my control

So destroy me, you will no more

The damage has already been done

And I made it through as a result

But no matter how old that I get

Remember I’m the child, you’re the adult

To Mother and Child (from Father)

I’m so taken aback by these words

I did the best that I could

Well, with what I had

I think you both misunderstood

See I was raised by a single mother

My dad left me when I was young

He would promise to come and get me

So his words is where I clung

He was never a role model to me

Where was I supposed to learn?

I never wanted to be like him
Where did I make the wrong turn?

The truth is that I was scared

So I ran because it was painless

I never wanted it to be like this

I wish that I could make your pain less

But please use me as a teacher

I have taught you to be strong

I have taught you to overcome

I can’t admit that I was wrong

You both may think I’m a coward

But I am still a man with pride

If you are ever feeling down

Read Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise

Because life will throw you lemons

Making lemonade is up to you

Whether you forgive me is the same

That is totally up to you too

To All (from Me)

Single mom and fatherless child

Consider it a blessing in disguise

Because you can learn from every time

That your eyes and heart cries

You both should forgive him

I’m glad that you wrote these letters

I want you to know that he was right

If he knew how, he would have done better

Just know that it’s not your fault

His absenteeism has to do with him

Making lemonade is still your choice

You can sink or you can swim

To the father that is missing out

Still I Rise is a great poem

But how can you go through life

When you have a child and do not know them?

Having no father is not an excuse

But what it does is help to explain

Why you stepped out on your child

And then went and did the same

As an adult you had a choice

Repeat history or be a man

Because a real man raises his child

And every addition to his clan

Please let this be a lesson to all

While no child asks to be born

Whenever “life happens” you have a choice

Either learn and forgive or be scorned

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2012.

Success...

You should dress for success

Put on your suit and your tie

Or your heels and your skirt

Then reach for the sky

That’s all we have to do, right?

Put on our best attire?

Then up and up we go

Until the day that we retire

We all wish it was that easy

But success is something else

We can aim for the stars

But can’t do it by ourselves

We need someone to push us

We may not like to be pushed but

Without a little push and shove

Then push comes to shove, then what?

You should stop right here

Before you can continue to read through

You have to define what success means

While standing on your own two

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When you are done reflecting

You can follow your own dreams

Just know that as much as you climb

Success is not what it seems

If you think it’s just about you

Success encompasses a lot more

How many people have you inspired?

Or helped pull up from the floor?

How much money you acquire

Really doesn’t mean a thing

If instead of being selfless

You’d rather go and buy some bling

Surround yourself with the right people

Keep your inner circle tight

Because if one snake exists

There will be a venomous bite

Go ahead and impact the world

That would be magnificent

In getting and gaining you become successful

But only in serving do you become significant

Unless otherwise noted, All content © Brittney Pressley, 2012