Labels!
they call us poor white folks
'white trash'....
they call poor black folks
'niggers'....
they call poor Hispanic folks
all kinds of names,
'illegal' being the worst!
labels...
people who have too much
at the expense of the rest of us...
well insulated ignorance...
hatreds, that begin with hatred
of the self!
we're not labels!
we're just folks....
breathing, working, dreaming,
trying, doing the best we can....
we deserve the dignity
of being treated as human beings....
labels... hell no!
i'm not your boy, not your slave,
not your inferior...
i am human!
treat me as such!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Folks Are Just Folks!
black folks just like white folks,
gotta eat, sleep, need somewhere
to stay, need a job...
just want to be treated like people,
equal in every way....
and my Hispanic neighbors,
hard working, working together,
(we could learn from that!)
taking care of families...
human beings with human needs,
just like us....
Asians, Native Americans...
all just the same....
all of us just people....
want to be treated that way!
folks are just folks!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Poor Folks Town
The work is hard and the hours are long
The money aint much but we get along
Were rich in things can give
That cant be bought with a dollar bill
So, come on down
Have a look around
Rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no money but were rich in love
Thats one thing that weve got a-plenty of
So come on down have a look around
At rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no carpets on the floor
Weve got wall to wall love
Who could ask for more
We got no big fine things to show
Just a place to watch our children grow
We got no big fine fancy car to drive
And no fancy clothes to keep in style
What weve got were payin on
But its mostly love that were livin on
So, come on down
Have a look around
Rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no money but were rich in love
Thats one thing that weve got a-plenty of
So come on down have a look around
At rich folks livin in a poor folks town
Weve got a little simple church nearby
And the promise of a mansion in the sky
A heart of gold a million dollar smile
And a one way ticket to paradise
So, come on down
Have a look around
Rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no money but were rich in love
Thats one thing that weve got a-plenty of
So come on down have a look around
At rich folks livin in a poor folks town
So, come on down
Have a look around
Rich folks livin in a poor folks town
We got no money but were rich in love
Thats one thing that weve got a-plenty of
So come on down have a look around
At rich folks livin in a poor folks town
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
From A Racist Point Of View
If I was a white man,
My intelligence...
Would not be considered arrogant.
Nor would I be noticed flaunting my pride.
Or be thought of as a novelty!
But because I am black.
And factually identified with a liking of it.
I am thought to be a fool.
Because I have multiple experiences.
And most folks who like their perspectives kept,
From a racist point of view...
Think all black folks they call niggers are fools.
With a proudness to display their ignorant redneck status.
And being called a cracker they love.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
What It Is They Do
Some folks enjoy doing things.
While other folks 'are' what they enjoy doing!
Some folks enjoy cooking.
And then there are cooks.
Some folks enjoy singing.
And then there are those who sing.
Some folks enjoy writing.
I know I do,
And I've been told I am a writer.
Some folks have no problem,
Producing what they do.
And others will say they don't have the time.
Although they waste it telling folks,
What it is they do...
And yet nothing of that,
Ever gets done!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Niggers
You look at me and ask yourself
Who am I?
What am I?
What have I to do?
I`m an African American, Black, nothing more
Why do I have to pay for my ancestors breaking that barrier,
For them proving your race,
That they didn't need your 'expertise',
they didn't need your education
Nor did they need your approval
To be what we all are today.
You look at me
You think,
My America is full of these 'niggers'
Who made your America
Full of trash
Full of ignorance
Full of cirme
We will never be white
Yet you forget that once America put up such a fight
With these non-whites,
Theses 'niggers'
These folks full of color,
And who do you think won?
Look around you.
What do you see,
Nothing but minorities all around
All about
Be careful for soon you will be slapped in the face when you see that you are now working for these'niggers'....
poem by Kendra Sanders
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Followed with a Hollowed Faith
I am who I am!
A proud and determined man.
And glad I am not limited to labels.
Call me anything you wish.
I am one of those folks,
Grateful to have life to breathe.
And grateful to be able to express,
A sharing of gifts...
With others to exchange to leave.
People who find time,
To restrict their origin with ethnic traces...
Without appreciating themselves,
Or whomever they debase.
Seek excuses to offend and discriminate...
And do so to incriminate with a satiation,
Those hypocrisies followed with a hollowed faith.
And they call themselves 'believers'!
But of what? Jealousy, deceit and hate?
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Anybody who runs for president in this country and comes out as strong as the Democrats were about helping the poor folks and black folks is not going to win.
quote by Charles Evers
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Labels are for filing. Labels are for clothing. Labels are not for people.
quote by Martina Navratilova
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
What is Poverty?
What does poverty really entail?
How bad does it have to get?
For some a bad economy
Is poverty from where they sit
But if you look back to hard times
During the early years
It’s not having a home to live in
The hopelessness can bring tears
The Great Depression had it all
No jobs and no place to dwell
Barely enough to eat or nothing at all
These folks went through hell
Thread bare was the term for clothing
Dirt poor was a phrase as well
Looking at black and white pictures
Oh yes, you can surely tell
It’s a time when we hope God
Is able to see
That folks need His help because
They have slipped into poverty!
poem by Marilyn Lott
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Every Day People
Sometimes I'm right then I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my songs
A butcher, a banker, Jack Irons on drums
Makes no difference what group I'm in
I am everyday people
Then it's the blue ones who can't accept
The green ones for living with
The black ones tryin' to be a skinny one
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and scooby dooby dooby
Ooh sha sha
We gotta live together
I am no better and neither are you
We're all the same whatever we do
You love me you hate me
You know me and then
Still can't figure out the scene I'm in
I am everyday people
Then it's the new man
That doesn't like the short man
For being such a rich one
That will not help the poor one
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on scooby dooby dooby
Ooh sha sha
We got to live together
There is a yellow one that won't
Accept the black one
That won't accept the red one
That won't accept the white one
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and
Scooby dooby dooby
Ooh sha sha
I am everyday people
song performed by by Pearl Jam
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
When I Discovered My Given Name
When I discovered my given name 'is' Lawrence...
(Named after my father.
Who on 'his' birth certificate says Lawrence 'A'.
And I'm suppose to be a junior with no 'A' attached.
Go figure!)
...and not 'Larry' as I am still called by family members,
And very close friends.
People who 'knew' me became upset,
When I began calling myself 'Lawrence'.
Saying I thought I was better than the others.
And that I was not 'real' OR down-to-Earth!
'Does this sound a bit crazed?
I wanted to call myself by my 'real' name...
And folks who didn't have my name,
Became upset!
Pure insanity...
Isn't it? '
There's more...
But my parents did not name me Larry.
They named me Lawrence.
And my father everyone called Lawrence...
Decided he was going to be called 'Larry'.
I'm not going to say he was a jealous man.
That's a different story!
And I decided to become as REAL as possible!
Even adopting an African name, Suhuba...
Of the Yoruban language.
Meaning 'laurel' or of the Sun.
And 'that' made some folks furious.
Family members became outraged...
Because I sought 'identity'.
And I was accused of wanting to be 'white'.
These are the same folks who call for unity of all kinds!
But they don't know 'who' they are to unify.
And 'why' or for what!
That's how ignorant some environments,
And the people can be!
Divided into segments of conditioned realities.
God bless 'em!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Labels
i seem to hate labels,
that defind who i am,
you can't hide from them,
they only seem to defind you,
most of my life,
labels became a pain in the butt,
being different,
from the time i was little,
can you understand?
what it is like to be a kid,
who is different?
other kids don't understand,
why you are the way you are,
it's hard to explain,
most of the time you feel alone,
nobody want to have an open mind,
it like i'm not from here,
people seem to like you,
for all of the wrong reasons,
hard to tell who your true friends are,
because nobody want to be an out cast,
we so stuck on labels that defind who we are,
but, ever though that not all we are,
we feed it power to take over our minds,
it hard to change,
what you believe is true,
yeah the world uses labels,
why else do we feel over powered?
but, what else can we do?
besides change the way we think,
easier said than done,
when ever since you were little,
labels just became who you are,
how do you break a habit,
you want nothing to do with?
because every single day,
there seem to be a new label,
that defind who i am.
poem by Mona Martinez
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Katie Mae
Well you know katie mae is a good girl
Folks say she dont run around at night
I made a mistake and she dont run around at night
Yes, you can bet your last dollar katie mae will treat you right.
Well some folks say she must be a cadillac
But I say she got to be a t-model ford
Yes she got the shape all right, but she cant carry no heavy load.
And she walks this life
Her daddy got oil wells in his backyard
Every time she got to working that woman she never has to work too hard.
I say bye-bye poor katie mae
These are the last words I got to say
Cause if I dont meet you tomorrow
Ill get you early in the next day.
song performed by by Grateful Dead
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Some folks rail against other folks, because other folks have what some folks would be glad of.
quote by Henry Fielding
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Alms For The Poor. Alms For The Poor
'Alms for the poor.
Alms for the poor.'
Is this a new gimmick their using?
Isn't it a bit early to be dressed,
Like characters from a Charles Dickens' novel?
It's not even Halloween yet.
And those folks are dressed is if prepared,
To sing Christmas Carols.
~Well...
I'm not one to be cynical about these things.
Or quick to express a saccharine sentmentalism...
For those I see appearing in Victorian costumes,
This early in the season.
But I will say this...
Whoever advised them to come to this side of the 'hood',
Dressed like that...
Begging? Or whatever that is they are doing,
Has got to be the best salesman 'ever'.
Or...?
Consider this observation,
Those folks are pushing something discovered better than crack.
And they've come to the 'hood'...
To test this new taste of Christmas in October.
To get folks hooked and as high as possible,
To care less what holiday season is near.~
LOL
~Don't laugh.
I remember when 'arms for the poor' meant a soliciting.
Those folks have buckets in their hands,
Painted with pumpkin faces on them.
With their arms stretched out.
Offering samples of whatever is in them.
And...
Dressed in Victorian costumes.
At this time of the night in the inner city?
That doesn't make you suspicious? ~
Comeon.
What's so unusual about it?
They've come to display their charitable natures.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
These times
And soon the vaults were empty
of the stuff we call money
as many lost sleep at night
in a dream of deep fright
Horrific story after story was told
by folks we know, and in the news
by folks starting careers so new
by folks growing tired and old
Then came a call so bold
carried by The Voice of old
to be learned from our Earth
in these times of dearth
Listen to the call my friends:
water for life
water for all
water for survival
water for food
water for stability
water for equality
One by one, people began to listen
of a new change rising on the horizon
But for some the call was lost
in hearts of heartless greed
who care not of water in time of need
And so the banks remained empty
of the stuff we call money
and many lost sleep at night
in a waking dream filled with fright
poem by William Waterway
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
These Times
And soon the vaults were empty
of the stuff we call money
as many lost sleep at night
in a dream of deep fright
Horrific story after story was told
by folks we know, and in the news
by folks starting careers so new
by folks growing tired and old
Then came a call so bold
carried by The Voice of old
to be learned from our Earth
in these times of dearth
Listen to the call my friends:
water for life
water for all
water for survival
water for food
water for economic stability
water in the name of equality
One by one, people began to listen
of a new change rising on the horizon
But for some the call was lost
in hearts of heartless greed
who care not of water in time of need
And so the banks remained empty
of the stuff we call money
and many lost sleep at night
in a waking dream of deep fright
poem by William E. Marks
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Everyday People
(sly stone)
Originally performed by sly and the family stone. jeff performed it live at beilefeld, germany on july 12 1995.
Sometimes Im right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group Im in
I am everyday people, yeah yeah
There is a blue one who cant accept the green one
For living with a fat one trying to be a skinny one
And different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and scooby dooby doo-bee
Oh sha sha - we got to live together
I am no better and neither are you
We are the same whatever we do
You love me you hate me you know me and then
You cant figure out the bag lm in
I am everyday people, yeah yeah
There is a long hair that doesnt like the short hair
For bein such a rich one that will not help the poor one
And different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and scooby dooby doo-bee
Oh sha sha-we got to live together
There is a yellow one that wont accept the black one
That wont accept the red one that wont accept the white one
And different strokes for different folks
Oh sha sha-
I am everyday people.
song performed by by Jeff Buckley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Month Of Re-Enforcing Stereotypes Has Arrived
The month of re-enforcing stereotypes has arrived.
With a naming of a few who broke away from them,
To remind others they too have the same potential...
If they embraced discipline, devotion and a work ethic.
It's the month of re-enforcing stereotypes.
And folks who have waited to use the words 'niggers'
'coons', 'jungle bunnies' and other degrading references...
Depicting people of color,
Can do so to say they are celebrating bondage.
Since...
Isn't that the purpose?
To keep people reminded of their slave mentalities.
OR like some folks like to address their 'connections' as...
Keeping themselves down to Earth.
And...
With much assistance,
What a good job people have done...
To prove a legacy of ignorance can have its visual benefits,
For all who are determined to keep stereotypes alive.
Note:
Are these images subtle? Not anymore. In fact depictions of
ignorance 'are celebrated where I live in Hartford, Connecticut.
And thought to be 'cute' by those totally absent of identity.
When a picture from Kemble's Coons (Authored by Edward Windsor Kemble)
shows a coon with a naked black child sitting high in a tree,
eating on an ear of corn, and I know this reflects the mindset of the people...
this picture released and shown to begin celebrating Black History Month,
can be upsetting. ESPECIALLY when there is no acknowledgement, whatsoever,
of Jimmy Brown who was the first Black President of The Hartford Board of Education.
AND those who are 'celebrating' those deeds of black folks in this 'town'...
Have no idea who he is.
'Is 'this' poetry? Is 'this' a slice of life? Yes, it is. A poetic flowing of an intention! '
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Tootin' Or a Hootin
You gotta be 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
And pretend with everyone,
You know He's there!
You gotta be 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
And treat other folks like you don't care!
They call themselves names of faith.
Especially after church service,
Chirping and tasting sold homemade
Baked cakes.
They leave this place
With gossip on their tongues...
Trying to convince themselves,
And anyone else...
With a few scriptures known,
They are the 'chosen ones'
God has condoned!
But...
You gotta be 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
And pretend with others,
You know He's there!
You gotta be 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
And treat other folks like you don't care!
Communities everywhere are falling apart.
People looking for police...
And others to help them stop
Their nonsense blindly rise
As they watch with eyes as this increases to the sky!
No one gives a 'tootin hoot or holla' about their lives!
All they want are hand outs!
And someone to point out to criticize!
But...
You gotta be 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
And pretend with everyone,
You know God's there!
You gotta be 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
And treat other folks like you don't care!
These people ain't 'real...
To claim God in their hearts!
It ain't a thing they feel.
If they did...
Everything done,
Would have more appeal!
These folks ain't real...
To feel God in their hearts!
IF they did with truth faith...
They wouldn't be a 'tootin or a hootin 'bout
A crumbling world...
That's falling all a part!
These folks ain't real...
With a feeling of God in their hearts!
That's why no satisfaction ever comes,
And the weeping for them starts!
You gotta be 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
And pretend with everyone,
You know He's there!
You got to get up and get 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
Then treat other people like you don't care!
These people claim without no shame...
They know He's everywhere!
They call themselves names of faith.
Especially after church service,
Chirping and tasting sold homemade
Baked cakes.
They leave this place
With gossip on their tongues...
Trying to convince themselves,
And anyone else...
With a few scriptures known,
They are the 'chosen ones'
God has condoned!
You gotta be 'real'
To know God in your heart!
You can't steal Him through prayer...
And assume He's always there for you,
While you do what you dare!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!