The Inward Outlook
THE INWARD OUTLOOK - A POEM BY KAMAL KENDRICKS
WRITTEN 07.22.12AD
PHASE I
I have big dreams with standards set high
The same-old same-old, with me, won’t fly
I live in a country whose president looks just like me
Don’t know who he’s working for yet, but we’ll see
I thirst for knowledge in the past, future, and present
The potential shines within me, very luminescent
I’m learning that my goals come with a heavy cost
Whether necessary or unnecessary, they soon won’t get lost
But wait - land of the free? & I can’t be what I wanna be? All because of money?
Ain’t that funny.
PHASE II
Born on the cusp, I feel a lot of things
The mix of emotions can be very interesting
One minute I’m driven on a high of happiness,
The next minute I flow in negative emptiness
But wait - you’re a man, you can’t cry
Standin’ in the corner, why you shy?
One can’t know positivity without negativity
It’d be a crime to fight the energy flow within me.
PHASE III
Born into a cycle of religion,
I never understood the concept of division
Until I realized the amount of actions stemming from hate,
And concluded that this should not be our fate.
Our spirits come first, our bodies next
That’s even stated within the religious texts
We all want the same thing; we all want to be loved
That’s a sacred teaching coming from up above
A person is a person whether they’re a Christian,
Jew, atheist, or even a Muslim
Think about that the next time you discriminate
We need to evolve, let’s wipe a clean slate.
Racism still present in a subtle state
Races ostracizing their own kind at an alarming rate
Evil on the rise, and it’s taking control
Those in power want to steal our soul
Trying to keep the children from knowing themselves,
Creating stereotypes to keep them off the bookshelves
You have to realize that there’s more to race
Than your skin, your demeanor, the makeup on your face
Because if you think race is just a color, then you’re blind
Your ethnicity is your state of mind
The oppressor will always be far behind
Your answers are within you, you will find
But only if you’re willing to look within
Free thought is not a sin
Thoughts have the power to manifest
Train them to reflect your absolute best
Do what you love and love what you feel
Your heart is the portal to all that is real
Take the time to admire the silence
Your conscience will guide you to your destiny hence
The vibe you feel when you express yourself
Don’t ever let someone put you on a shelf
It sounds so simple, just make the negativity cease
Love yourself, and you’ll remain in peace.
-Kendricks
