Imagine

Imagine how it would feel not to be free
To live as a slave without hope of being free

Imagine not being able to say what you wanted to say.
To have to do whatever someone else told you to do day after day

How would it feel to live within someone else's boundaries,
Forced to live a vision you could not see.

If you had to keep your emotions locked inside,
Would you be able to live with pride?

If your life was censored by another man
Would you still have a purpose and a plan?

If  you were told not to dream,
Would you still believe in the impossible dream?

We complain about things as they may be,
But we never had to live that history.

Every freedom we have today was paid for with a price.
That price was someone else's life.

All I ask is that you consider the sacrifice.
Consider the price

There is a gift that is ours to claim
If we fail to claim it, no one else is the blame.

We can dream
Our wildest dreams,

Soar as high
As we're willing to fly

To forfeit that opportunity
Is to deny our right to be free.

Never forgot those who died that we might be free
Never stop thanking them for that opportunity

It is because of them we can live the dream
Never forget what that means.

copyright 2008 by P. Newman-Harris

So What

As school begins again, please keep in mind that the opportunity to learn is one that we should appreciate and treasure. 

When you go to school, put forth your best effort.  Knowledge is the key to success.   It's a gift of every child in this nation.   All you have to do is unwrap the gift.  If you do so, you will have no regrets.  It is by far one of the greatest gift you'll ever receive. 

So What

copyright 2009 by P. Newman-Harris

So what if it ain’t cool

Stay in school

So what if you say no to gangs

It ain’t no thang

You produce your own act

What someone else thinks, has nothing to do with that.

There will always be nay-sayers

And player haters

Telling you that you ain’t ghetto enough

You ain’t black enough

You ain’t, you ain’t

That will always be the complaint.

No matter what you do, it won’t be right

Just continue to keep your goals in sight.

Being black

Doesn’t mean you have to stay back

Nobody can tell you who you ought to be

Live like you are free

Stand tall

That’s all

Do your best

Forget about the rest.

Accentuate the positive

Eliminate the negative

That applies to people too

You don’t need people who hinder you.

Don’t let anyone steal your dignity

Don’t give them that opportunity

Embrace originality

And individuality

Don't be afraid to explore

There are many open doors

If doors close in your face,

Feel no disgrace

Knock and keep knocking

Nothing is gained by stopping

You are in the driver’s seat

Never surrender to defeat

Be the student your teacher loves to teach

Don’t be the one no one can reach

Throwing away your mind is a disgrace

It is a slap in the face

To those who never had a chance to learn

And to those who sacrificed so that right could be earned

So what if it ain’t cool

Stay in school.

9/11 Tribute-- The Message

            

I heard a message so clear

It was like God had placed his lips to my ear

Why is it so hard for us to comprehend

The messages that have burned in the heart men?

Diana said, "We can make the world a better place.

If we reach out and touch somebody’s hand."

Touch anybody’s hand

Michael’s message in Man in the Mirror

Couldn’t have been any clearer.

You have to start with yourself

Before you can love someone else.
Songwriters have made plea after plea
Hoping we'd have an epiphany.

People all over the world

Sang “We are the World...

“We can make the world a better place just you and me,”

And still we didn’t see.

We don’t need an "a ha moment"

To understand why these messages were sent.
In spite of our accomplishments
And accolades
Our successes pale and fade.
If we never learn to live peacefully,

We can discount every effort made.
Yes, we've explored the depths of the sea

Made the seemingly impossible come to be

Soared into outer space.
If we never resolve the issue of race,
The only thing we should feel is disgrace

When a lack of trust

Still remains between us

What good is it to have intelligence of mind

And remain blind?

How many more years will go by before we realize

What is right before our eyes?

As I pen these words,

I’m only repeating what I heard.

These words are not mine.

God simply wants me to let you know, we’re running out of time.

 copyright 2011 by P. Newman-Harris

What time is it?

9/11 Tribute (cont'd)

Wherever we were, whatever we were doing, we will always remember

 That day in September.

If there was a collective lesson to be learned by this great nation

It is that regardless of race or place,

Color or station,

When it comes to pain,

We are all the same.

There wasn't a dry eye.

We all cried.

As a nation, we mourned the loss of our fellow countrymen.

In that moment in time, there were no barriers to transcend

We were all just men.

9/11 Tribute (continued) Remember, We Must

Looking back on that fateful day, 9/11/2001,

It is still hard to believe what was done

It’s like a nightmare without end.

Just reading the facts about that day made it all begin again

In every way,

It was an ordinary day

On the East Coast, the workday was in full swing.

On the West Coast we were still trying to get into full swing.

People got dressed and left their loved ones not knowing then

That some would never be seen again

Husbands, wives, fathers, daughters, or sons, gone

Relatives, co-workers or friends gone,

The World Trade Center, gone,

The Pentagon, gone

In an heroic effort that left the White House standing,

All aboard flight 93, gone.

In total, 2,973 souls, gone

It is a difficult place to revisit,

But revisit we must

Remember, we must

As much as we would like to forget,

9/11 is forever written on the pages of history

The facts of that day will always be.

As Americans, we can look that day in the face

And feel no disgrace.

As a nation, we came through

We did what we had to do

So, to you and you and you,

I say thank you.                                     

The work will never be through

We still have things we must do

It is our duty and our call to continue the fight

For all that is right.

On that one day in 2001, we stood collectively as a nation, undivided

Providing whatever needed to be provided.

Pain has a way of making us all the same.

We suffered the attack on our country, together.

We mourned the loss of our fellow countrymen, together.

On this 9/11, together, we must stand with pride

For the families of everyone that died

To the 2973

Souls that now soar high and free,

As flags all over the nation on 9/11 begin to fly

We shall lift our eyes to the sky,

Click our heels and raise our hands in salute,

Giving honor where honor is due,

Because, as Americans, this is what we must do.

copyright  2009  by P. Newman-Harris

Love (continued)

Loving a woman is so simple.  Why does it become so complex?
See what you think.

                  Loving a Woman

It doesn’t take a lot to sweep a woman off her feet.

When love is sweet, she will feel complete.

All she needs is a little bit of your time

You don’t have to fill her with wine to make her feel sublime

It’s the little things you do

That will make her stay in love with you

She has to know you care

You’ve got to compliment her hair

Tell her she looks nice in whatever she wears

Call her just to say I love you

Like you used to do before you said I do

She’s got to feel the romance

Take her out to dance

Hold her hand

The wise man knows it is her love he must win

Again and again

If he remembers to make love to her heart

She’ll never ever part.

Whether she’s your sweetheart or your wife,

She’s got to feel she’s foremost in your life

A woman needs to know that she is the light of your life

That for her, you’ll make any sacrifice.

In order for her love to remain strong

She’s got to know that your love is hers alone.

With that confidence,

She will love you without pretense

Thank her for the joy she brings

Make her feel like in her you have found a good thing

If you do these things, you’ll never have to wonder if her love is true.

She will always tell you.

If you love her right,

The light of love will burn bright

In her eyes

Until the day she dies.

copyright 2010 by P. Newman-Harris

When God Gave Me You (copyright 2008)

All my dreams came true

When God gave me you.

I didn’t know how much I had missed

Until heaven granted my wish

And gave me this special gift.

I prayed that God would send the right one.

Now, the day has finally come

God opened the door,

And sent me what I have been waiting for.

This day was meant to be.

We have fulfilled our destiny.

Such joy cannot be expressed.

With you there is no emptiness.

I didn’t think my wish would come true.

Until I found you

My treasure,

Beyond measure.

I didn’t know how much I had missed

Until heaven granted my wish

And gave me the gift

Of all gifts.

For a life-time to come,

You will be the only one

All my dreams came true

When God gave me you.

 copyright by P. Newman-Harris