By: Cedric McClester

To a desperate politician
Who’s broke
Things might go better
With Koch
They’re not just
Your average folk
And their spending
Is sometimes baroque

Why can’t they get off
Their buns?
They’re too busy
Trying to raise funds
And they’ll never be
Against guns
As long as they’re
Who the NRA runs

It’s the American people
They neglect
While they take time
To genuflect
To the lobbyists
That they respect
So their to do list
Remains unchecked

We need to publicly
Fund our elections
And get rid of
The lobbyist connections
So they’ll follow
The people’s directions
In spite of
The rich folks objections








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015,  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Yesterday, today
And tomorrow
Through finger pointing
Recriminations and sorrow
There’s little else
On which to borrow
Other than pretending
At trying to be thorough

Just who do they
Think they fool
By invoking
Congressional rule
Using oversight
As a weapon or tool
While grandstanding
And being cruel

After eleven hours
Of having been grilled
Their objectives
Still haven’t been filled
No blood on the floor
Has been spilled
‘Cos the witness
Just answered and chilled

Clearly she’s much wiser
And older
She brushed their accusations
Right off of her shoulder
As their questions
Got hotter not colder
She dug her heels in
Like a soldier




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Snitches get stitches
So nobody drops a dime
Meanwhile we're the biggest victims
Of inner city crime
It's happenin' everyday
Without reason or rhyme
Don't cha think it's high time
We change that paradigm

Snitches get stitches
That's the code of the street
But you'll be given up
Once the cops apply the heat
That Mafia example
In real life ain't complete
Cos they're the biggest snitches
That you'll ever meet

Snitches get stitches
And they probably should
If both of ‘em were down
Then it's understood
But if you see sumthin'
Happenin' in the hood
Then you need to say sumthin
Cos I know I would

Snitches get stitches
That's the code of the street
But you'll be given up
Once the cops apply the heat
That Mafia example
In real life ain't complete
Cos they're the biggest snitches
That you'll ever meet

Our mutual destruction
Is clearly assured
If the challenges we're facing
Continually get ignored
Our future salvation
Demands we're of one accord
So let's pray for the strength
As we look towards the Lord

Snitches get stitches
But ya wanna know the truth
It's high time the rest of us
Better stop being aloof
We're dying every day
The statistics are the proof
So let's raise the white flag
And declare a truce

Snitches get stitches
That's the code of the street
But you'll be given up
Once the cops apply the heat
That Mafia example
In real life ain't complete
Cos they're the biggest snitches
That you'll ever meet


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

The men and women
Who wear blue
Risk their lives
For me and you
With some exceptions
But here’s what’s true
Most do the job
They were hired to do

So if one goes down
In the line of duty
At the hands of some ****
Who shoots ‘em cruely
I can’t help but morn
I mean that truly
And I pray for their soul
So go ahead and sue me

The men and women
Who risk their lives
To serve and protect
That some despise
Deserve our respect
We should realize
What a tragedy it is
When one of ‘em dies

So for those who have
I say rest in peace
Cos one day I know
The violence will cease
Unfortunately now
It appears to increase
So I pray for those
We call the police









Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

Though some don’t like
To hear the sound
Of black people saying
Bring that flag down
For them it represents
A gone-by era
For black people
Nothing but shear terror

It celebrates
The Confederacy
And all that went on
Before, don't cha see
Like the subjugation
Of black human beings
Placed in slavery
By white Europeans

That flag is awash in the dried blood
Of African people
Who rose above
Torture and lynching
And other terrible things
Not yet mentioned
Tell me what must I do
To get your attention

Isn’t it time
That the flag was retired
Considering the ****** history
That it has inspired
How can anyone
Still take pride
In the things I’ve mentioned
That can’t be denied?












Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It wasn’t the gun
It was the bullet
And the trigger finger
It took to pull it
That resulted in
Her being dead
From a bullet
Lodged inside her head

It wasn’t the gun
It was the guy
Who caused
That young girl to die
As tears form and spill
From an eye
Loved ones and friends
Wonder why

It wasn’t the gun
You might say
If you belong to
The NRA
Or you happen to be
A gun nut
You’ll end every sentence
With but…

It wasn’t the gun
That’s to blame
But what else
Would a sane person name
When today
They are everywhere
And people shoot ‘em
Like they don’t care

















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Call it a curse
A predilection
Or a disease
My own affliction
What I need more
Than a conviction
Is understanding
Without restriction

Self-destructive
Yeah perhaps
Every vein I have
Collapsed
My whole body
Has been taxed
I’ve tried to quit
But then I lapsed

I’m not looking
For sympathy
I’m just trying
To make you see
That it affects
More than just me
Even the suburbs
Are not free

I started out
Trying to ease my pain
It was doctor prescribed
Ain’t that insane
I took those pills
‘Til that day came
And ever since
I haven’t been the same

By: Cedric McClester

Sankofa, looking back
To go forward
The past is a fact
We can’t ignore it
Nine-Eleven happened
On somebody’s watch
Because the intelligence
Was ignored or botched

Like laundry
Dirt comes out
In the rinse
Through the quandary
We’ve been safe ever since
That doesn’t erase what happened
Apparently
Someone was napping

People hate it
When I name the names
They debate it
And play mental games
So I won’t pin the tail
On the donkey
Or mask it
By being too wonky

For the sake
Of my argument
If it takes
Me having to relent
By not pointing
An accusing finger
My avoiding
Will make the thought linger



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Has it finally started dawning
That we had more than ample warning
But Condoleezza and Bush were yawning
As the attacks were clearly forming
Then the terrorists took aim
And as predicted a tragedy came
Reacting after the fact’s not the same
The question is does he bear the blame?

‘Cos the intelligence was badly botched
And it happened on his watch
As he drank his malted Scotch
Things got taken up another notch
So he tried to even out the score
By getting us into an ill advised war
That his brain-trust should have foresaw
Would be disastrous despite shock and awe

And then he decided to double down
By placing boots firmly on the ground
In Afghanistan and all around
But fighting Taliban wasn’t sound
He revealed the head of the beast
So in the Middle East there’s been no peace
And as the violence is on the increase
Looks like the war will never cease

Ask the wounded and the dead who wonder
If it wasn’t all a major blunder
‘Cos it looks like we’ve gone asunder
As we observe ISIS **** and plunder
So if Bush shouldn’t get the blame
And there comes to mind another name
Like **** Cheney who’s one in the same
Much like Satan simply has no shame











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Who determines  
What’s the proof
That’s required
To find the truth
Shouldn’t we question
Who’s the sleuth
And do they want
The answer forsooth

Or is it political
At the root
It’s apparent
If you’re astute
They’re just trying
To dilute
A reputation
Which they impute

But what’s done under
The cover of night
Will come out
In the morning’s light
It’s the truth
You know that’s right
It should be them
That we indict

Who determines
When it’s enough
All of us
Should call their bluff
Cos they’re not dealing
With no cream puff
So why should we
Tolerate their guff














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

From the mouth
Of “Uncle Ben”
Who believes the press
Wants to do him in
His words are twisted
And that’s a sin
Like Muslims need not
Apply who can

He’s come under
Relentless attack
Could that be
Because he’s black
He thinks so
As a  matter of fact
Cos he don’t act
Like he’s black

He says he’s black
And also free
To tell the truth
To you and me
So why should he
Be PC
To avoid making
An enemy

He just wants
To take the country back
From people who
Like him are black
At least that’s
How he chooses to act
Regardless of how
He’s attacked




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It’s a fact
Can’t be denied
We’re living in
A great divide
As for the dream
Somebody lied
From this reality
How can we hide

Now it’s not
About your race
But listen carefully
As I make my case
If your income level
Can’t keep pace
Soon enought
You’ll be replaced

As urban spaces
Are gentrified
And long time residents
Hands are tied
Is it unfair
I’ll let you decide
If the fairness doctine
Is being applied

Along the East
And Western coasts
We see this happening
The most
As they migrate
From the burbs and boast
Then clink their glasses
And make a toast


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

When ***** changed
From noun to verb
And it invaded
The suburbs
That’s when
The thought occurred
For us to say
My word!

Much to
Our despair
Now that
The problem’s here
It’s becoming
Crystal clear
We have reason
To fear

It’s not just them
It’s us
The police
Could come to bust
So we’re convinced
We must
Change our focus
And ******

Our children need
Our hugs
We’ve lost the war
On drugs
It’s no longer
Just them thugs
And perhaps
That’s what most bugs














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015,  All rights reserved.

By:  Cedric McClester

I’m a *******
That’s what people say
A love child
You fathered anyway
Though you never gave me
The time of day
I guess you were hoping
That I’d simply go away

I’ve gone through changes
That much of it’s true
There’s not a drug that I didn’t do
Tryna find an answer (a small clue)
Of why there has been
No contact from you

You could say
I was angry and confused
Or simply that
I must have had the blues
Which might explain
The choices that I choose
Because of the contact
That you’ve refused

I’ve gone through changes
That much of it’s true
There’s not a drug that I didn’t do
Tryna find an answer (a small clue)
Of why there has been
No contact from you

I realize the places I’ve gone wrong
There’s so much pain contained
That I've carried all along
Ya see your silence proved to be too strong
For me to accept or to just go along

If you thought about me
Once or twice
A simple phone call
Would have been  nice
But you were much too busy
To make that sacrifice
Though you weren’t concerned
When you rolled the dice

I’ve gone through changes
That much of it’s true
There’s not a drug that I didn’t do
Tryna find an answer (a small clue)
Of why there has been
No contact from you

I’m a *******
That’s what people say
A love child
You fathered anyway
Though you never gave me
The time of day
I guess you were hoping
That I’d simply go away

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Some question the pathology
Of embracing Scientology
But they make no apology
For their man made theology
Do you know the chronology
Have you read the anthology
That reveals the cosmology
Or studied their psychology

When you lose sight of everything
That you hold near and dear
And your mind’s a blank slate
And there’s nothing that you fear
And all of life’s mysteries
Are no longer there
Then you’ve reached the mental state
That's called going clear

In order for you to find
How all the planets align
You must lose your reactive mind
By going clear you’ll be inclined
To put uncertainty behind
The way that it has been defined
Though people will still malign
The Scientology paradigm

When you lose sight of everything
That you hold near and dear
And your mind’s a blank slate
And there’s nothing that you fear
And all of life’s mysteries
Are no longer there
Then you’ve reached the mental state
That's called going clear

People tend to fear the unknown
Like things inside the Twilight Zone
Though exponentially it’s grown
Glass house people still throw stones

The ideas that they mirror
Couldn’t be more clearer
Than the things that they hold dearer
Like currency to the bearer
Or members going clearer
Than Thetans causing terror
Though truth is clear from error

When you lose sight of everything
That you hold near and dear
And your mind’s a blank slate
And there’s nothing that you fear
And all of life’s mysteries
Are no longer there
Then you’ve reached the mental state
That's called going clear

Some question the pathology
Of embracing Scientology
But they make no apology
For their man made theology
Do you know the chronology
Have you read the anthology
That reveals the cosmology
Or studied their psychology





Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Thanks for never giving up on me
You always kept your cool
Even when it was plain to see
I was acting like a fool
You’re the one who believed in me
When there was no one else
And your encouragement was the key
To making me believe in myself

Thanks for all your time and energy
And everything that you invest in me
Thanks for your words of encouragement
Especially when my head is bent

How can I ever thank you enough
For all you do and have done
For being there when it gets rough
I’m just so proud to be your son
At times you even were my crutch
That’s what everybody said
They even thought you were too much
From what I’ve heard and read

Thanks for all your time and energy
And everything that you invest in me
Thanks for your words of encouragement
Especially when my head is bent

I never would have come this far
Had it not been for you
So you deserve these accolades
And every word is true
It’s little more than the gratitude
That you’re deserving of
These are heart-felt platitudes
That are used to express my lov

Thanks for all your time and energy
And everything that you invest in me
Thanks for your words of encouragement
Especially when my head is bent

You brought me closer to the goal
That I had set for  myself
Right from the start you were sold
Long before anyone else
You’re the rock that gives me strength
Because of you I persevere
And I would go to any length
To thank you I’m sincere

I never would have come this far
Had it not been for you
So you deserve these accolades
And every word is true
It’s little more than the gratitude
That you’re deserving of
These are heart-felt platitudes
That are used to express my love

Thanks for never giving up on me
You always kept your cool
Even when it was plain to see
I was acting like a fool
You’re the one who believed in me
When there was no one else
And your encouragement was the key
To making me believe in myself






Cedric McClester,Copyright © 2015.  All Rights Reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Republicans start to shop
If their candidate’s not on top
And their poll numbers suddenly drop
Because they’re labeled a flop
So those who used to push
For the heir apparent Bush
Are sitting on their ****
Wishing they had Hindu-kush

And that new-jack Rubio
What is it they think he knows
That allows his cash to grow
They will reap just what they sow
Now let me mention Teddy Cruz
Who hasn’t paid his dues
And when asked he has refused
But that should be old news

Although Carly Fiorena
Has a tough demeanor
Trump once asked, “Have you seen her?”
When he wanted to demean her
And then there’s Dr. Carson
More Don Rickles than Johnny Carson
Soft spoken spreading arson
With incendiary parsing

Now that I have your attention
Though it may earn you dissention
Some I just choose not to mention
They’re beyond my comprehension
So that leaves us Donald Trump
Someone that they’d like to dump
But he says, “Kiss my ****!”
See he’s energized and pumped







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Some hope for the best
But wind up with much less
Cos often they regress
Making it no contest
And others might assume
It ‘s all gloom and doom
Which doesn’t leave much room
For the optimist to bloom

Some sound the retreat
Because they can’t compete
And consider themselves beat
Before they meet defeat
Whether wrong or right
Others will mount a fight
In the hope that they might
See victory in sight

Some lack the sheer will
To stand their ground until
They complete the drill
For them it’s all uphill
Others embrace a task
Whenever they’re asked
In challenges they bask
Cos it’s within their grasp

Some will acquiesces
Before trying their best
As you’ve probably guessed
They want to convalesce
Others wear their battle gear
With the strength to persevere
They think victory’s near
And they put aside their fear

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Though the courts say in God we trust
There ain’t no justice for us
Cos we’re forced to plea bargain a bust
Which adds to our general disgust
It’s the lack of parity
When it comes to sentencing see
While others routinely walk free
If it’s me they throw away the key

How come I always get the max
Regardless of the given facts
Is it any wonder why I can’t relax
Would you if the deck’s always stacked
I’m robbed of my liberty
And my labor is practically free
I’m locked up in knavery
Though it smacks back to slavery

Innocent until proven guilty
Never applied don’t cha see
From the moment they knows it’s me
Facing the charges that be
I’m given exorbitant bail
So I cannot get out of jail
And it’s foolproof guaranteed not to fail
Because justice has an unequal scale

Guilty or not of the crime
Nine times out of ten you’ll find
I’m somewhere up state doing time
And I’m used as a paradigm
For what’s wrong with society
I’m the poster child don’t cha see
So they point their fingers at me
Despite the disparity


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015,  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

To realize her life’s ambition
She needed some competition
Before she was hoping and wishing
By default she’d inherit the position
Now her back is against the wall
But she’ll find a way to overcome all
Before the primaries fall
She’ll be the one standing tall

Now this is not to suggest
Of her opponent I think any less
To do so would be to digress
Cos I like him I have to confess
But I’m trying to be pragmatic
Without sounding too emphatic
See I’m not trying to cause any static
But to select anyone else would be irratic

Now I’ve looked at the other side
And if the laws of logic are applied
There’s a reason they’ll all be denied
They’re not on the voters side
They’re in bed with the lobbyists
Who’ve shown them the most largesse
So If by now you haven’t guessed
At best they’re owned by special interests

I do feel once the dust finally settles
And the voters have tested her metal
Her opponents will have back-pedaled
And she’ll find her way home like Gretel
She’s destined to make history
Though she already has if you’re asking me
It’s just something that’s meant to be
And she’s qualified ultimately



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We hail our system but what of the victims
That it’s taken along the way
And if change is coming (then why are we running)
What does that really say
We need a suture not fear of the future
Especially when it’s in play
Now that may not suit ya
But this is a brand new day

Our system needs a supply of victims
And unfortunately that seems to be us
If you understand capitalism demands
An economy that goes boom or bust

The Wall Street collapse presents us these facts
Some people think greed is good
And now that the onus (is on the big bonus)
We’re questioning whether they should
It doesn’t make sense to reward incompetence
No logical person would
Be that as it may (they do anyway)
And that’s why they’re misunderstood

Our system needs a supply of victims
And unfortunately that seems to be us
If you understand capitalism demands
An economy that goes boom or bust

Health care and education (advances a nation)
But some say it’s too socialist
To underwrite it (and so they fight it)
But the larger point’s what they miss
So what if we’re wealthy
If our people aren’t healthy
And they lack good educations
What does that say about us anyway
When rated among other nations

Our system needs a supply of victims
And unfortunately that seems to be us
If you understand capitalism demands
An economy that goes boom or bust

Now we’ve criticized those who’ve devised
Schemes that produced no labor
But let’s try to surmount it (and think about it)
Pehaps they’ve done us a favor
By making us see regulation is key
Before things get much graver
I think y’all know by doing so
It might prove to be a life saver

Our system needs a supply of victims
And unfortunately that seems to be us
If you understand capitalism demands
An economy that goes boom or bust

Health care and education (advances a nation)
But some say it’s too socialist
To underwrite it (and so they fight it)
But the larger point’s what they miss
So what if we’re wealthy
If our people aren’t healthy
And they lack good educations
What does that say about us anyway
When rated among other nations

We hail our system but what of the victims
That it’s taken along the way
And if change is coming (then why are we running)
What does that really say
We need a suture not fear of the future
Especially when it’s in play
Now that may not suit ya
But I'm saying it anywy


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Maybe it’s our evolution
That has us calling for a revolution
You can hear it in our elocution
Only change can bring about solution
In the past we’ve asked for restitution
And welfare clearly isn’t retribution
It does nothing for the absolution
Of people who are Lilliputians

We worked your fields
And in your homes for free
Raised your children
Cooked your meals ya see
We’re not asking for too much are we
All we want is reciprocity
And reparations happen to be key
Because I know your sordid history

I’m looking forward
It’s too painful to look back
What’s my crime I happen to be black
I’ve been whipped and stretched out on a rack
Even today I’m still under attack
But I don’t want no free stuff that’s a fact
I’m just looking for a big payback
So I can acquire some things that I lack

You may think I’m trying to proselytize
I’m just trying to open up your eyes
In the hope that you will realize
Feelings that have finally crystallized
Inner feeling I’ve tried to disguise
And I’m not in the mood to compromise
Until what I have asked for is recognized
It’s not enough for you to apologize


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

When we come for you with pitchforks
And we finally hunt you down
For the pain that you’ve been causing
Cos your judgment is unsound
When we drag you through the streets
To tar and feather you
Maybe then you’ll understand
What you’ve put all of us through

When we come for you with pitchforks
Like they did back in the day
It will be small consolation
For the price you made us pay
See you’d go to any length
So that you can have your way
And it doesn’t matter what
Anybody has to say

When we come for you with pitchforks
When we come for you with pitchforks
When we come for you with pitchforks
When we come for you with pitchforks

When we come for you with pitchforks
Because we’ve become unhinged
And we’ve lost all rationality
Cos we’re hell-bent on revenge
The thought might then occur
That sadly you’re mistaken
But by then it’s much too late
For you to have awakened

When we come for you with pitchforks
When we come for you with pitchforks
When we come for you with pitchforks
When we come for you with pitchforks
When we come for you with pitchforks
When we come for you with pitchforks


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Those who don’t know history
Are doomed to repeat it
And the ignorance of ISIS
Has to be deep seated
It took thousands of years
To make it
And no time at all
For them to break it

The temples and the artifacts
Once there to see
As a testament to what
The world used to be
Are no longer there
And here’s the key
Ignorance is bliss
As we well can see

Al Baghdadi and his acolytes
Wanna change the world
But they can’t accomplish this
By ****** every girl
Who through ignorance alone
Come under their influence
One day he’ll have to answer
For his incongruence

There is a God above
Who we must answer to
ISIS and their followers
Act like they never knew
Their behavior alone shows
That they have no clue
Cos look at who they stick to
Like Krazy Glue



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We have a crisis
When the savages of ISIS
Blow up antiquities
And summarily lay siege
To Syria’s ancient ruins
Which is totally incongruent
With the Prophet’s example
Which is recorded and ample

It’s a travesty and a shame
What they do in Islam’s name
Because it’s not reflective of
The religion of peace and love
And the hatred that they fuel
Havin’ broken every rule
So it’s open to debate
If their end game is the caliphate

Al Baghdadi proselytizes
While his true mission he disguises
On the ground are lots of boots
That’s comprised of old and new recruits
As Syria and Iraq get hotter
They’re like lambs being led to slaughter
And many more nitwits he’ll find
Who tune into him on line

Soon they will discover
It’s not one thing it’s the other
And the women can’t escape
From the drudgery and ****
And the men overworked and underpaid
For the devil’s bargain that they made
See they’re all going straight to hell
In a handbasket can’t you tell














Cedric McClester, Copyright ©  2014.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It used to be his meandering
In the presidential race
But now we find him pandering
To the Republican base
It’s not like it’s slandering
To state he has no taste
Lately he’s been clamoring
Just to make his case

He’s not politically correct
He’ll say almost anything
He doesn’t give a heck
About the anger it might bring
But the topics he selects
Usually comes with quite a sting
It defies the intellect
The invectives that he slings

Now he’s dancing on the graves
Of those who were victimized
See that’s the way that he behaves
Oh did you think otherwise
Because it’s a rocky road he paves
One wonders how he survives
But he seems to come out unscathed  
Like a cat who has nine lives

He says he licensed to carry a gun
To a hall full of enthusiast
This although the mornin’s not done
And they haven’t been laid to rest
I imagine that’s how he has his fun
Or wins their votes I guess
He has no platform on which to run
And he’s not hard to detest





Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Instead of people huffin’ and puffin’
Some suggest we do nothin’
Cos “stuff happens,” we need to toughen
And there’s no need for handcuffin’
It’s unfortunate that some folks die
But guns are as American as apple pie
Now some of you might wonder why
Though what I’ve said you can’t deny

It’s not guns it’s the mentally ill
That continues to maim and ****
For the fame or for the thrill
They get off on the blood they spill
If a love of guns is your predilection
And being armed gives you an *******
Cos you’re concerned with your protection
My reply is bullets fly in all directions
So this might call for some introspection

Critics say don’t politicize
They ignore words to the wise
Even though we’ve analyzed
The evidence before our eyes
And they ignore the hurt and sorrow
That could be theirs on any morrow
From history they refuse to borrow
Because their hearts are cold and hollow

Clearly congress has been lax when
They’ve been called to take action
Those who do are just a fraction
Of the whole which is a fact and
This problem will stay with us
Unless we change because we must
Do more than in God we trust
Common sense gun laws or bust














Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By Cedric McClester

War and unrest everywhere we turn
What will it take for us to learn
How many flags do we need to burn
Before we develop mutual concern
It's the human condition we're mired in
That makes us enemies instead of friends
We need to atone for our mutual sins
Right here and now is where it begins

Hate is a cancer that needs to be cured
It's the human condition we can't afford
Love is the answer we haven't explored
In a world of confusion we need accord

There's enough food for us to feed
Every person or nation that has the need
There's no excuse for wanton greed
It's not required for us to succeed
Tell me what are we citizens for
If the rich are the only ones getting more
Why shouldn't they help the needy and poor
Just like Jesus said a long time before

Hate is a cancer that needs to be cured
It's the human condition we can't afford
Love is the answer we haven't explored
In a world of confusion we need accord

Haven't you heard a word that I said
Or must I hold a sword over your head
We cannot live in constant dread
Without peace and justice we can't get ahead

Hate is a cancer that needs to be cured
It's the human condition we can't afford
Love is the answer we haven't explored
In a world of confusion we need accord

We argue whether global warming is near
Then continue to pollute the atmosphere
Is it any wonder the sky isn't clear
And the ozone layer gets thinner each year
We have to protect our natural resources
Cos we don't have many other recourses
But too many of us tend to be remorseless
Despite the signs of the natural forces

Hate is a cancer that needs to be cured
Love is the answer we haven't explored
In a world of confusion we need accord
It's the human condition we can't afford

War and unrest everywhere we turn
What will it take for us to learn
How many flags do we need to burn
Before we develop mutual concern
It's the human condition we're mired in
That makes us enemies instead of friends
We need to atone for our mutual sins
Right here and now is where it begins
  
Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

From what I’ve been able to glean
It has somehow become routine
That we constantly repeat this scene
Now it’s Oregon close to Eugene
That a gunman let his bullets fly
In a college but we don’t know why
Or what was the deal with this guy
And did those ten have to die

Don’t it seem as if we’re at war
Doesn’t that call for a change in the law
How can we continue to ignore
The voices of those who implore
Us to come to our senses
Because this is becoming expensive
In lives lost which are extensive
So why do we remain so pensive

And if I may be perfectly blunt
Who needs an assault weapon to hunt
Though Conservative will probably bunt
Ain’t it time that we finally confront
This illness that we seem to have
What will be the curative salve
Hasn’t anyone done the math
If it wasn’t so tragic I’d laugh

So tell me what’s it gonna be
Cos I’m sure that we all agree
If we don’t like the carnage we see
Somehow we have to break free
How long will we tolerate
This issue which should dictate
That we can no longer wait
As we watch the death rate inflate





















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

We’ve been here before
Dead students on the floor
I’ve been keeping score
I refuse to anymore
Politicians still must run
But nothing ever gets done
Cos it’s never their loved one
Who’s the victim of a gun

It doesn’t make much sense
That we’re always in suspense
Wondering when the next offense
Will occur in the future tense
But we know **** well it will
Someone with the urge to ****
Is gonna find some blood to spill
Haven’t we been through this drill

So the question we must ask
Before another gun man blasts
And flags are flown half mast
Is who’s up to the task
Who will have the courage to
Pass a law so me and you
Will have the comfort level due
Tell me do you have a clue

Why do we keep coming here
Out of sadness and  out of fear
By now it should be very clear
That it won’t magically disappear
Until we learn to change our ways
This kind of violence just replays
It’s commonplace nowadays
The shooter goes out in a blaze













Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He contemplated suicide
Before taking that Bronco ride
Cos from himself he couldn’t hide
So is he guilty you decide
He wasn’t in the jury’s eyes
The verdict was a big surprise
Not guilty was the compromise
They brought into his lawyer’s lies

He had a gun held to his head
If there was justice he’d be dead
He was allowed to walk instead
Which had the Goldmans seeing red
Some folks were glad he beat the odds
Judging by their loud applause
I wonder if it was because
The prosecution’s case had flaws

Public opinion ran amuck
Some people asked, “What the ****?”
Two people dead that someone stuck
Guess you could say that he had luck
Still not guilty isn’t absolution
Because there’ll be some retribution
For karma there’s no substitution

There is a God as we can see
He’s doing time for robbery
Of his own stuff but here’s what’s key
Had he called the law he’d still be free
A brand new day has arisen
So now he rots away in prison
Just as long as he's still living
He has to pay to be forgiven




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Speaker McCarthy? please
He has hoof and mouth disease
Because he ate the cheese
On those Bengazi Committees
As he went on to explain
It was all for political gain
To cause Hillary pain
And show her his distain

Now let me remind
The Speaker is third in line
For the presidency you’ll find
The Republicans must be blind
To think McCarthy a horse’s ***
Could ever be up to that task
In ignorance they bask
Could someone pass the flask

Granted he’s one of the boys
But that’s what most annoys
Given the syntax he employs
To the language he destroys
But if they think he’s okay
Then who am I to say
They should find a better way
And keep him at bay

It’s not hard to figure
Why the Republicans
Don ‘t get any bigger
They lack resolve and rigor
And the speaker that they pick
Will show us just how sick
That they can be real quick
Because they are that thick



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015,  All rights reserved.

BY: Cedric McClester

Yes I admit
That life’s been rough
But I’m not looking
For free stuff
Cos I’m resilient
And I’m tough
So tell me
Have I said enough

Must I further
This discourse
When it’s clear to me
You have no remorse
Despite free labor
Done by force
Perhaps you need
A history course

I’m not looking
For sympathy
To reinforce
Your hegemony
I just want
For you to see
I don’t value
What comes free

If I have to name
One gripe
I hate it
When you stereo type
Because I think
I’ve earned my stripe
So I’m not trying
To be liked

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester,

Why are they at war with science
Especially when it calls for our compliance
They’d rather go by their gut’s reliance
Then to acquiesce so they remain defiant
Global e warming isn’t surreal
It’s fact-based not just how we feel
The moneyed interests know the deal
They just hope the science lacks mass appeal

The snowcaps are melting every day
And soon where will the grizzly bears stay
But as long as they can hold the truth at bay
They won’t let the evidence get in their way
Clearly it’s all about dollars and cents
And the public be ****** it’s at our expense
Some day it will all come out in the rinse
But until then we’ll remain in suspense

It’s for sure that our usage of fossil fuel
Will cause us all to drown in their polluted pool
Although ******* baffles brains as a general rule
I have to ask who are they trying to fool
It’s as if they don’t think we have eyes to see
And that  we must be blind, or is that just me
You can fool some people that well may be
But they’re gonna see the light eventually

Florida is four feet above sea level
And that can be measured without a bevel
But it’s going down rapidly yet they’re not troubled
So their effort to obfuscate just gets doubled
They can say that the jury is still out
Guess they missed the verdict’s but there is no doubt
So they can continue to scream and shout
Though the truth of the matter they’ll never tout



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Don’t make a negative decision
On someone else’s religion
Based on what you might find
Inside the blogs posted online
And then be quick to criticize
Based on half-truths and lies
Without first taking a look
At that religion’s Holy Book

I’m somewhat confused
By what I’m hearing in the news
Muslims should be disqualified
Or have their access denied
From the office of president
And I know he said what he meant
But why are we listenin’ to him
When he doesn’t even know a Muslim

Holding the Constitution over religion
Suggests that we have the final decision
But don’t we say that it’s in God we trust
So what does that say about him or us
If there’s no place for God at the table
And the lack of faith is what makes us able
To discern what’s wrong from right
Whether to make peace or continue to fight

If we believe in separation of church and state
How did we enter into this debate
When it doesn’t matter what we believe
And that is the point that they misconceive
While pretending to be holier than thou
And determining who to forbid or allow
Into the highest office of the land
While the seeds of discord they continue to fan


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Bullets come out in a flood
Bodies go down with a thud
As the streets get red with blood
And the issue is dragged through the mud
There’s no longer stop and frisk
But can we blame it on this
When benefits versus risks
Suggests that we’d be amiss

It would be profound
To tell those in the ground
That the crime rate is down
Though that’s not what they found
Political ablution
Is no substitution
For a possible solution
We’re tired of elocution

Very much like cancer
No one has the answer
So I’m merely an advancer
Who’s looking to transfer
The onus to us
If we don’t adjust
And remain nonplussed
Despite our disgust
We’ll continue to combust

Now the Pope’s coming here
And hope’s everywhere
Will he have time to care
About our despair
‘Cos it’s unbearable
Though it may sound satirical
It’s clear and empirical
What we need is a miracle






Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Tick Tock
It was just a clock
No need for alarm
So where was the harm
Yet Ahmed was arrested
When his teacher suggested
It was a bomb
Not a false alarm

Tick Tock
Ahmed was in shock
When he was hand-cuffed
Which was bad enough
Before he was asked
He was taken to task
But they were too fast
It was a clock alas

Tick Tock
A bomb or a crock
No reason to gawk
Or proceed ad hoc
But that’s what they did
They’ll have to admit
Despite terrorist files
And their denials

Tick tock
Stop the double-talk
Time to take stock
Against culture shock
Don’t demonize
The other guys
Or even surmise
Terror in their eyes



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Listenin’ to his **** tongue refrains
Only shows ******* baffles brains
Yet the fact of the matter remains
It’s more evident as he campaigns
Like Seinfeld he’s about nothing
A turkey without any stuffin’
Who continues huffin’ and puffin’
But is he for real or just bluffin’

Republicans have to decide
Whether or not he gets a full ride
But at this point it can’t be denied
That he is their rising tide
So what does that say about them
Never mind what it says about him
Chances are none to slim
That the public will vote on a whim

So what must the others do
To put across their points of view
When most of them don’t have a clue
And only wish that they knew
Meanwhile we’ll be entertained
By catch-phrases not fully explained
As he continues along unrestrained
And his poll numbers steadily gain

So far this election season
Has been without rhyme or reason
Though the rhetoric will not be easin’
Because the base needs appeasing
Now what does that say about them
Will they try to make it about him
Then proceed with words that condemn
Or spit him out like a mouth full of phlegm






Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

By no means is my diatribe polemic
The truth of the matter it was systemic
The CIA created the crack epidemic
Which over time became pandemic
They needed a scapegoat to pay the cost
So they blamed it all on Freeway Rickey Ross
While acting as if he was the boss
In hopes the evidence somehow would get lost

Then a reporter for the San Jose Mercury News  
Came along and gave them the blues
By exposing their involvement they stood accused
Of funding the Contras and substance abuse
Meanwhile Nancy Reagan was just saying no
Her husband Ronald was using the dough
To fund the Contras like I told you so
So don’t pretend as if you didn’t know

Ronald Reagan remains the patron saint
For Conservatives  everywhere even though he ain’t
What they make him out to be despite the taint
Of his secret dealings done without restraint
His secret deals with Iran and the Contra’s too
Was something that very few people knew
See there was no limit to what he would do
To insure that the Communists got the *****

The crack epidemic was allowed to grow
Because of the supply a never-ending flow
From Bogata to other places we know
Fueled by ambition and the money yo
So they shouldn’t pretend to be squeaky clean
While blaming the victims ya know what I mean
When they’re nothing short of being obscene
Though we tend to blame the average crack fiend


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He took down the wrong brother
While working undercover
Soon enough he will discover
Restitution is a mother
And he had no reason why
He did not identify
Himself as the police
Not in the very least

See the brother has a name
That’s recognized due to his fame
So when he files his claim
That’s the end of the ballgame
For the cop that made him drop
To the ground then got on top
And after having roughed him
He proceeded to handcuff him

It was a clear abuse of power
That turned the public sour
And every second minute hour
He remain a cop we glower
Because it’s plain to see
That’s what he shouldn’t be
He is coarse and rude
And he lacks the aptitude

Without a reason or a rhyme
He clearly crossed the line
‘Cos we have to keep in mind
It was a non-violent crime
And when push was turned to shove
A crime he wasn’t guilty of
But the cop showed him no love
Nor handled him with a kid glove


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

She has every right
To disparage gay marriage
But her work
As a city clerk
Requires her compliance
With the law
Not her defiance
That’s for sure

Also in addition
Religious prohibition
Doesn’t give her permission
Or added ammunition
To disobey the law
When she should just withdraw
From her City Clerk position
If she’s on a mission

She was duly elected
And it was expected
That the law would be respected
Instead she elected
Despite the legal briefs
To insert her own beliefs
And disobey the law
Never mind the oath she swore

When the judge sent her to jail
And refused to set a bail
I think he hit the nail
Her contempt could not prevail
Though she became a cause celebre
On the worldwide web
And they finally set her free
Thanks to Mike Huckabee

Cedric McClester, Copyright 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Yeeus you’re not Jesus
Or show us a miracle
With evidence empirical
Not music-based or lyrical
Show us you’re the answer
Nature’s true advancer
Not a popinjay or dancer
Give us a cure for cancer

Yeesus you think a lot
Of yourself
Are you The One
Or is it someone else
Son of Donda not of God
No one calls you the Lord
Don’t you try to run that fraud
Or no one ever will applaud

Yeesus? let me take a guess
Aren’t you Mr. Kanye West
Nothing more or nothing less
Just Porgy to Kimberly’s Bess
Even though you think you ougtta
You walk on air not on water
You’re no giant
You're so much shorter

Yeesus you haven’t been
Crucified
You just think you have
But that’s false pride
You make good music
And you entertain
But you don’t have
Einstein’s brain

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2915.  All rights reservd.

By: Cedric McClester

Kanye for president
Give me a break
At least his ego’s
Wide awake
I doubt he has
What it takes
We’ve had enough
Fabulous fakes

Kanye for president
Let’s get real
Though it might have
Mass appeal
It’s a notion
That’s surreal
Cos most of us
Know the deal

Kanye for president
Have you heard
If that thought
Even occurred
We all know
That it’s absurd
How could he be
The one preferred

Kanye for president
Pure fantasy
Especially if
You’re asking me
Megalomania
That must be
Fueled by his ego
Don’t cha see



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

See those who would build a Califate
Based on a dogma of pure hate
Can’t be Muslims as they state
So Muslims don’t participate
But once that is what they’ve decided
Only those who are misguided
Could tolerate or abide it
‘Cos they’re apostates who deny it

When we look at their ravages
We have to call them low-life savages
Their track record on the average is
To multiply their destructive damages
And Islam is a poor excuse
For their unique kind of abuse
Where are the good deeds they produce
That can’t be found they’re of no use

Isis can’t build an Islamic state
Because true Muslims can’t relate
To the things that they dictate
The Mumeenun won’t bite the bait
Their leader is a mad man
Who clearly doesn’t read Qu’ran
So diabolical is his plan
And wanton ****** has become his brand

Read the Qu’ran follow the sunnah
Of Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah
Not the dictates of a crazy mullah
Who like Shaytan is there to fool ya
Because that’s who al-Bagdadi is
A charlatan for sure square biz
Who couldn’t pass an Islamic quiz
Now that I’ve said it, there it is

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

y: Cedric McClester

If law enforcement’s not respected
Even by those that we’ve elected
How are we to be protected
Or should crime just be neglected
If we cry ****** every time
The police respond to a crime
It’s like the boy/woof paradigm
See eventually they’ll stop tryin’

I’m not making no excuses
For the occasional abuses
And if that’s what on deduces
Then their rational is useless
I’m only making the argument
That for most their true intent
Is to protect and serve without relent
Consider all the time they’ve spent
Risking their lives to represent

Fact of the matter they are needed
And their instructions shouldn’t go unheeded
If they’re wrong you’ll probably beat it
So there’s no need to get heated
You have rights but let me state
It’s better you cooperate
Rather then to engage in a debate
That might serve to seal your fate

We should be happy that they are there
As you and I are well aware
We suffer the most despair
From crime that’s almost everywhere
It makes you start to realize
They’re there to catch the bad guys
Which shouldn’t come as a surprise
For those who look with open eyes

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

It was because of the uniform
Somebody said
That he shot fifteen bullets
Into his back and head
Though it didn’t take that many
For him to be dead
Now cops everywhere
Are seeing red

He was proud of the uniform
That he wore everyday
Which wasn’t an excuse
To take him away
There’s no doubt about it
That he’ll have to pay
But it still doesn’t justify
Killing him anyway

Needless to say
I too am upset
With how callous today
People can get
See an eye for an eye
Will lead to regret
And blindness will not
Repay the debt

Like many of us
Often do
He had a wife
And children too
Now they find themselves
Alone and blue
Looking for answers
“Cos they have no clue

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I can only laugh
When a sociopath
Chooses to weigh-in
On those emails when
His greatest sin
Was that he took us in
So we could go to war
Just to even a score

Who is he to state
The gravity or weight
Of what she did
When the thing I don’t get
Is that he refuses to admit
To his own ****
All those crafted alibis
For his deception and lies

It’s not like he’s a paragon
For what’s right or wrong
‘Cos we had never been through
What he got us into
But back then few knew
Where it could lead to
In loss of treasure and lives
And his legacy survives

I’m presently debating
Whether or not he’s Satan
Which by being so snide
And the fact that he lied
Is hard for him to hide
And could be directly tied
To acts that are criminal
Overt and not subliminal



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

Despite the anti-cop chatter
All lives matter
He only wanted some gas
But his last breath came fast
Because up from behind
He was shot in the blind
Executed in cold blood
His body fell with a thud

Black lives matter - true
But so did his too
No one deserves to die
Without a good reason why
Because it’s not fair
Regardless of what they wear
A uniform’s no reason
To declare it’s open season

Let’s pull out all stops
To get rid of bad cops
The situation’s so sad
Because most cops aren’t bad
Although even a rotten few
Shouldn’t be an invitation to
**** everyone
For what of few have done

Whether the former or the latter
All lives do matter
I understand the necessity
For the movements we see
But we shouldn’t be reckless
And lose our perspective
Just like me and you
They have a right to live too

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Their nominee is a comedy
If you’re asking me
‘Cos how could they be
Serious are they delirious
Minds are curious
And would like to know
How they could stoop that low
Guess it goes to show

If elected president
Then the message sent
Is full of bad intent
We’d be confused not amused
That they would choose
Such a bafoon
A flesh and blood cartoon
I guess we’re at high noon

The competition
Just fueled his ambition
They were so busy *******
In the wind but again
They didn’t get it
Because they were ill fitted
To assume the throne
He occupies alone

But you know what they say
Rome fell in a day
We too could go that way
So let’s elevate the debate
And stop the rhetoric
And labels that won’t stick
Beyond the election
Why not seek perfection


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It’s just a cogent observation
We never was a civilized nation
So what’s the point in now losing patience
With the fact that we’ve been complacent
About gun violence as you might have guessed
Has us returning  to the wild wild West
‘Cos the bullets fly with remarkable success
And so few of us rise up to  even contest

We never was a civilized nation
Let the so-called Indians make that citation
Based on their years of deprivation
With seemingly little or no cessation
Ask the victims of the atom bomb
Whose shockwaves could be felt form Japan  to Guam
Had them on their knees reciting the 23rd Psalms
When the mushroom cloud settles there was an irie like calm

We never was civilized
And that’s a sad fact
Today we can Google every single act
Of past atrocities from way way back
No sense in exceptionalists becoming outraged
When the examples are there page after page
Under a glaring spotlight they’re center stage
Ask the African slaves who were shackled and caged

We never were civilized
So the chickens came home to roost
And they didn’t even have to be induced
Once the hounds of hell had been cut loose
Now they’re asking, “What we gonna do/”
See this didn’t just happen out of the blue
And it’s clear to us there has to be a missing *****
When the Gog and Magog are getting through




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.