A PEN for TWO

Far above rubies, far above trinkets, Far above trophies in Golden Cabinets; Far above riches, wealth and fame, Is the possession of a good name. Far above rubies, important than riches, Is a name known for unbroken promises. Far above silver and a boatload of gold, Is a name of which good tales are told. Far above rubies and sprawling lands, Is a name with marks across time's sands. Better to have than the brightest of blings, A name of which a pure heart sings. Far above diamonds and the brightest emerald; A name which pleasant smiles herald. Above awards, rewards, medals on a vest; A name known for virtue and for being honest. A good name not only makes you worthy of mention, It also paves way for the next generation. In addition to the rubies and honor it would give, There's also the heartprints that you would leave. Indeed! Far above rubies, above trinkets, Far above trophies in Golden Cabinets; Far above riches, wealth and fame, Is the possession of a good name! ©T.F.C.

Life is a chain of existence; a chain that makes it possible for you to influence a man in Toronto while you never leave Béyerúkà. Don't be surprised at the length your arrow of deeds can go, it can be farther than you can imagine. The friend you influenced will influence another friend, the friend will influence his cousin, then the cousin will happen to be the blessing someone has been expecting in North Korea. But what happens if you don't do?  The chain will rust when there is no flow of energy, while an infected fluid will shorten longevity of the chain resulting in more chaos to handle. Not only are you sustaining the chain of life by showing a little kindness, or by being a good influence, but you're also preparing a spare eye for yourself, for the time you will need it. The chain needs a good energy flow to sustain life. If it breaks, you will definitely partake of the sour wine that the gourd will produce. Before you ignore the kid at Adámásingbà because you are go...

Life is crazy And unpredictable. It pushes you to the ground, Kicks you while you're still down, Hits you and makes you stumble while you try to stand. Life can be so messy; You don't get what you deserve, Even while you strive so hard. It beats you all over, until it's almost game over. Things are going to change you, But you get to choose which ones. Listen to your heart, follow your dreams. Don't allow life or anyone tell you what you're capable of! Bend the rules, go beyond your limits! Laugh at everything, enjoy everything minute of it. Live everyday like it's your last! Love all, but trust none 'cause life can still get back at you. Never lose faith in yourself, believe so hard that you can make it! Take those risks and press onward. Challenge everything, settle only for the best! Yeah, life is a gift, so cherish every moment, And never allow it beat you to the ground. © Israel

If I were not there, To love him and hold him dear, To be with him, to make a pair; Lonely he'd be in his lair. With no one, his pains to share, And his home, no one to care; His meals, no one to prepare, And his seed alone won't make an heir. And at nights, when he has nightmares, For his days weren't like in a fair; There'd be no one to rub his hair, To hold him and calm his fears. Not anyone to wipe his tears, And he'd scream aloud to the air; That life alone is not so fair. And he'd pray and wish that I was there. I am a lover, a partner, a confidant. I am a cook, cleaner, a pacifier. I am a friend, a wife, a mother. I am a woman! ~Daisy.

For a long time, I'd thought myself invisible, For a long time, I built a wall, so invincible; For a long time, I stared at life, so unpredictable, For a long time, I'd wondered what I was doing here, so unreasonable. Today, for the first time in a long time, life means more. Today, life means there are people who care. Today, life means that even though we stray, There would always be people at the core, waiting to hear. And even if there won't be people every other day, Knowing and being able to remember today, takes the pain away. Knowing at some point, people reached out in love; That would have my heart forever warm and wove. Maybe other days aren't so good, But for days like this, I'll live good. I'll live good so I'll hear the tale of the people with whom I stood; The tale of the people I impacted, not with goods but with good. Today, I'll walk through these tunnels, For today shines the light for me to see beyond these hurdles. Today assures me o...

 Shall I compare life to a dark tunnel? Life though might be longer, even more dark. Though some do have lights in that dark tunnel, Others stumble along without a spark. Deadened eyes, clueless hearts and feet like lead, Old and young stooped beneath the weight of pain! Bleak future, thirsty past and now no bread, Some had it all at first, then lost all gain. But as a tunnel with light at its end, So is life, with the future a beacon. Smiling, we move towards what we intend, With Hope for better times as our weapon. We'll trudge on till the end, we'll see the light; For our hopes held high shall bring us delight! ©T.F.C.

I hope the words will be enough, And that the rain will wash my tears off. I hope that today brings the change, And that my heart sees beyond short range. I hope that my bruises heal, the scars fade, And I don't ever settle for low grade. I hope that my thirst is quenched for drink and love, And that my eyes only look to God above. I hope that I'm not blinded by the sun's harsh light, And I can rest peacefully with the stars at night. I hope that my battle cry keeps the foes away, And that the Lord listens as I kneel and pray. I hope that tomorrow brings new promises, And that joy finally shines through my brown irises. © Khrystalz

One of the precious gifts a man can receive from God is the gift of an Instructor(s) or a Corrector(s). It is not enough to be equipped with sufficient knowledge, neither is success all about your vision and strength. The space of a corrector can not be occupied by books. Beyond your readings, far above your consistency, your success has to do with the relationships you have. Having someone you answer to, someone who can look into your eyes and tell you the opposite truth of the hailing you are getting from others, a person(s) that can flog you with the rod of true words is a relationship you can not afford to do without. It is okay to take charge of your decisions, actions, after all, you are the master of your boat. But it is wisdom not to depend solely on your knowledge or your ability to think right, because your strength can fail at times. You should get corections and advice from people, regardless of your abundant wisdom. There should be a personality or an entity you see throug...

Look at me all aggressive. Ma 'n' Pa's words were abusive. Nice convos, I can't hold up. That's the way I was brought up. Look at me cowering. In fear, I'm shivering. Any slight noise, I'm tensed up. That's the way I was brought up. Look at me all quiet. Being bullied, my daily diet. For myself, I can't stand up. That's the way I was brought up. Look at me all alone. Having friends, a no-go zone. Only to myself, I raise my cup. That's the way I was brought up. Build me well while I'm still young, With love and sweet words from your tongue. Chastise me when I do wrong, But not with "whips" so long. Treat me not how you were treated. Treat me with the love you wanted, And the attention you needed. These things you should do instead, And nothing will be complicated. ~ Daisy.

One moment, I felt your warmth; The next, I felt your wrath. One moment, your arms are around me; The next, I'm in the box you left me. I have no way to wonder, What I did that caused you to wander. So instead I cry, in hopes that you'll remember The feel of me in your arms while I'm yet tender. I can't see but I can hear The sound of your feet, though bare, As you leave and turn onto your rear.  I cry louder in hopes that you'll hear.  Little as I am, I know they've fallen on deaf ears. I know you've left and you're not coming back; But I don't end my cries because of what I now lack. I cry in hopes that someone delivers me from wrack,  But my throat hurts as I scream loud into the dark.  My ears pick up voices; for a moment, I hope it's you.  But as they get closer, I know it's not true. Still I intensify my wails, so the voices can find me; So the voices can bring me back to you. I feel myself waft through the air, The cold breeze blowing ...

IN WAR, IN LOVE (2) I write of children raised by guns, With absent fathers and motherly puns. I write with heaviness of heart, With sorrow and with my lips cracked. I write of homes turned battleground, Of lush forests turned desert land. I write of huts hit by missiles, Of danger, woe and countless turnstiles. I write of pictures whose colours bleed, Of oath sworn men reciting the creed. I write of letters sent across miles, Of the writer's scars festered by lice. I write of men with innocence at nil, Of numerous bullets fired at no one's will. I write of men dead and some living, Of the countless chances we get in breathing. I write of the love we often decry, Of the times we hurt ourselves and lie. I write of life's struggles and cares, Of the heart, love, and its many tears. © Khrystalz

WALK AWAY Lie! I can still hear you lying, Telling me I made you stop flying. Lie! I can still hear you lying, Pointing fingers, and leaving me crying. Leave! You've begged to be left alone, Now I need to learn to cope on mine own. Leave! You've begged to be alone, You're the last person I want to condone. Walk! Just walk away, It's been done before anyway. Walk! Just walk away, I've run out of things to say. Run! You can run again, I've gotten used to the pain. Run! You can run again, There's nothing else to gain. Fade! Just like our fading memories, I need to burn you out of me like calories. Fade! Just like our fading memories, I'm loving ice cream and leaving celeries. © Khrystalz