By: Cedric McClester

If you’re trying to figure out
What it’s all about?
Money! there’s no doubt
Flexing muscle and their clout
With the insults that they shout
Without a platform they can tout
They just go the cheap seat route
Then pontificate and pout

See they love to pillory
Anyone named Hillary
With accusations, as we see
That may or may not be
Yelling she’s not trustworthy
As they bring up Bengazi
Or emails we didn’t see
Making them the poison tree

And then once they get elected
Ain’t it just as we suspected
It’s so easily detected
The people’s needs just get neglected
Because our votes are not protected
By the ones who we selected
Makes us wonder why we checked it
See their actions don’t reflect it

Although it’s a bitter pill
It’s like Ceeil B. deMille
Cast them in a movie - still
They won’t do the people’s will
And by now we’ve had our fill
They can never fit the bill
Because they’re run of the mill
And that is why they make us ill






























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester,

How many times
Must it be repeated
Before the gun lobby
Is finally defeated
This sickness we have
Seems to be deep seated
If there’s a time table
Then we need to meet it

How many times
Must condolences
Be the only thing
That there is
Before we ask ourselves
What gives
Or it touches us
Where each of us lives

How many times
Must the same old excuses
Be the refrain
From our elected useless
In spite of the evidence
Of countless abuses
It’s insanity
One probably deduces

How many times
Must it be tolerated
Though most of us say
How much we hate it
How long will the gun advocates
Debate it
With arguments that
Have already been stated



















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

For those of us
Keeping score
We’ve heard their arguments
Before
But can we continue
To ignore
We’re in a constant
A state of war

Guns don’t **** people
Yeah (it’s true)
But those with guns
Often do
What will it take
To get through
To those of us
Who have no clue

No matter what
Is done or said
Those killed by guns
Are no less dead
It’s time we start
Looking ahead
And try to put
This thing to bed

We can argue
Amendment rights
And wind up in
The same old fights
That makes us stay awake
At nights
Or change the things
That it spotlights



Cedric McClester, copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester,

As long as we remain
Unbending
It’s as if we’re simply
Pretending
That the world as we know it
Isn’t ending
From a desperate need
Of friending

The world as we know it
Is changing
Slowly the elements are
Rearranging
When we consider
The inherent danger
Of our repeated denials
It gets stranger

As long as we continue
To deny
What is clear
To the naked eye
Our planet
Will continue to die
And we are the main reason
Why

The world as we know it
Is changing
Slowly the elements are
Rearranging
When we consider
The inherent danger
Of our repeated denials
It gets stranger

The world as we know it
Won’t last
Cos we’re destroying it
Too fast
The ozone is thinning
From emissions of gas
And the pundit
Are showing us their ***

Nature has reached
A decision
In spite of the critics
Derision
Though we all wanna
Keep on living
The fire next time
Is a given

The world as we know it
Is changing
Slowly the elements are
Rearranging
When we consider
The inherent danger
Of our repeated denials
It gets stranger




















Cedric McClester Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.(082615cm)

By: Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

Join the discourse
Hear the constant chatter
Though often discounted
Black lives really matter
As long as our blood
Continues to splatter
While we’re unarmed
Credence to the latter

Black lives matter
We’ve all heard it said
Too many young black men
Are winding up dead
Not just from cops
But from ourselves instead
I think enough blood
Has already been bled

All lives matter
It goes without saying
But that’s not the topic
That I’m here conveying
Pointing out the latter
Is only delaying
The issue at hand
So let’s stop the playing

Black lives matter
We’ve all heard it said
Too many young black men
Are winding up dead
Not just from cops
But from ourselves instead
I think enough blood
Has already been bled

Black lives matter
Is just a spotlight
A hash tag designed
On behalf of the fight
A glaring statement
That it isn’t right
We will not go gently
Into that good night

It’s high time that we
Begin to change course
As a way of showing
Our sincere remorse
Even if it takes
A movement to force
The changes we need
Will come in due course

Black lives matter
We’ve all heard it said
Too many young black men
Are winding up dead
Not just from cops
But from ourselves instead
I think enough blood
Has already been bled

By: Cedric McClester

Listen closely
So as not to miss it
If they come with a plot
By all means resist it
Nine times out of ten
Though probably unlisted
It’s government hatched
And also assisted

What don’t you get
They weren’t plotting ****
But isn’t that
The point of it
Though the fuse wasn’t lit
The bait did get bit
You have to admit
So in prison they sit

Hard to understand
If you even can
How they became
The Boogie Man
Or were entrapped
In the government’s plan
Now they’re doing time
That’s federal man


So just pledge allegiance
To the flag
Don’t let ‘em put you
In their trick bag
‘Cos life in prison
Can be a drag
Especially when you
Become a may tag

Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester
For heaven’s sake
How many mistakes
Do you think God makes
We have to surrender
And accept our gender
When God is the vendor
There’s no transgenderr
Or returning to Sender

You’re engaging in perjury
Through plastic surgery
What in hell is the urgency
If you’re born a he
Then you can’t be a she
Though you might try to be
****** fluency
Is shear lunacy

You might make the cover
Of Vogue or some other
But soon you’ll discover
The equipment you cover
Won’t do your bidding
Who the hell are you kidding
It can’t stay hidden
If it’s overridden

I do sympathize
That you try to disguise
And improvise
What your mind denies
But a word to the wise
Open your eyes
Don't tell yourself lies
'Cos the truth still applies

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

By: Cedric McClester

Another random shooting stuns
But the headline should read
Y’all love your guns
Three dead and nine wounded
In a Louisiana movie theater
You might have assumed
It was carried out by a lone gunman
Who shot himself when he was done – and

I don’t care what y’all say
The statistics don’t lie
It happens almost every day
Different city different state
The homicides
Just don’t abate
The survivors are the lucky ones
‘Cos we all know y’all love your guns

Shooters striking just like lightenin’
Now that’s alarming
And also frightenin’
But we don’t want no gun control
It’s logical
But that argument’s old
Despite the amount of damage done
You must confess y’all love your guns

So as we turn another page
There’s no point in us feigning
Our outrage
As long as we’re cowered by
The NRA
Who always seems to have
The final say
But y’all love your guns anyway

Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Islam is
The religion of peace
If you don’t believe me
Ask Abdul-Aziz
Or those down with ISIS
In the Middle East
Who chop off heads
Like savage beasts

Islam is
The religion of peace
So why is jihad
On the increase
All over the globe
North south west and east
Can someone explain it
In the very least

Islam is
The religion of peace
But the irony is
The violence
Doesn’t cease
In the places it’s practiced
It seems to increase
Maybe they need to be better policed

Islam is
The religion of peace
That’s what they tell us
I’m not adding yeast
But it’s hard to believe
The way they seem to feast
On violence and bloodshed
Which hasn’t decreased




Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He did what
A terrorist does
But we still don’t know
What his motive was
So we can’t say
That it was becuz
We don’t know
And there ain’t no buzz

Semper Fi
We just wanna know why
Four Marines
Were caused to die
In a hail of bullets
That he let fly
And left us praying
That the Sailor don’t die

Tough it hasn’t
Been officially stated
We can assume
That it was terror related
Cos who among us
Is prepared to debate it
The only thing we know
Is that we hate it

Terror on
America’s shore
And we’re afraid
That there’s gonna be more
Although ISIS is probably
At the core
We just speculating
Because we can’t be sure




















Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

It don’t look like he’ll escape this
He’ll forever be known as a ******
He’s lucky that they didn’t tape it
Which is why he continues to fake it
Now it looks like he’s going down
Even Whoopi had to come around
‘Cos the evidence is so profound
It’s enough to make a swimmer drown

Once known as America’s dad
He’s lost the reputation that he had
And the whole situation is sad
Now that the good is overshadowed by the bad
‘Cos despite a family and a lovely wife
He chose to live a more risqué life
Guess he loved an element of strife
And the examples are clearly rife

It’s a never ending parade
Of the various women he’s laid
Did I mention they never got paid
Despite all the money he’s made
An unapologetic *** offender
Made ‘em feel like they were on a ******
After drugging them into surrender
Then sexing them rough or tender

Now that his reputation is in tatters
Hope he’s discovered what really matters
More than the accolades that only flatters
His ego as his friends and fans scatter
Seen him lately he’s looking so old
How many more times will the story be told
See it doesn’t seem to be getting cold
Looks like his tent is about to fold

He ain’t that funny anymore
‘Cos he’s rotten right to the core
And past supporters aren’t even sure
He’s not guilty like they were before
They used to be so confident
But they no longer share that sentiment
See they wonder where the luster went
They understand that the women weren’t sent

Copyright ©, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

What should we deduce
About those killers on the loose
How’d they get the juice
Who helped them go vamoose
The authorities were confused
As to how the system got abused
Who was it that they used

The answers were forthcoming
What they discovered was numbing
About the racket they were running
They had wits and they were cunning
Prompting the warden to say, “ I’ll be ******!”
Like they say, “Cherchez la femme.”
Find the woman, “Yes I am, “
Now she’s locked up in the can

It goes together like hat and glove
We call it crazy, she called it love
They were all she was thinking of
So their well being she placed above
Her own job security
She was blind and couldn’t see
What the repercussions could be
She wanted them to be free

Twenty-one days out and running
Like I said the pair was cunning
They went right out through the plumbing
Their escape, nothing short of stunning
But the police picked up the trail
That at first had gotten stale
And for one to no avail
That’s the first one that  got nailed

So by the time you read this poem
I betcha all the facts are known
Prisoners are mistake prone
And the survivor, just flesh and bone
His escape plan, no doubt fractured
He’ll be diminished in prison stature
Finally be’ll be dead or captured
And his picture will be plastered

Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

No more politically correct
Or words that tend to genuflect
He’s now concluded what the heck
And says some things you don’t  expect
His last term's running out of time
So he can say what’s on his mind
He doesn’t have to be sanguine
Nor fear perchance he’ll cross a line

So when he does a eulogy
As he tries to comfort the family
He speaks the truth ‘cos he feels free
To deliver a message don’t you see
So let me here and now insert
That if some feelings do get hurt
It’s not because he’s being curt
Or restrained he’s not inert

His message was direct and strong
By pointing out what he found wrong
Then sang an old familiar song
And the congregation joined along
As he tried to make his case
He talked about slavery and race
And the Confederate flag not keeping pace
With things that need to be erased

The man was like a shining tower
He demonstrated strength and power
As the accolades began to shower
The pundits called it his finest hour
He even took on gun control
In terms that were concise and bold
He was a sight to behold
See he believed the things he told

Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

These are tears from the ages
As we turn our history’s pages
Certain parts have been outrageous
Like when they enslaved and caged us
Now they ask why all the fuss
Though the confederacy went bust
As we always knew it must
They say that flag just honors us

But where’s the honor in enslavement
In human suffering and containment
Why not ask us where the pain went
Which might explain our discontent
Even though some will insist
That their supporters must resist
Because that flag will sure be missed
See I don’t think they get our gist

That flag serves to summarize
An era that we do despise
So if the Golden Rule applies
Take it down, word to the wise
Tell me if you could celebrate
Another’s hegemony or hate
While your freedom had to wait
Is it even open to debate

Want to romanticize your past?
I find it necessary to ask
Like the Germans and their gas
I will put you on full blast
Because there is no master race
Everybody has their place
And I hope I’ve made my case
That the past can’t be erased


Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He has celebrity and fame
So everybody knows his name
But a modicum of intelligence isn’t the same
As him being prepared to play this game
See he’s created quite a brand
Which in the short run gives him the upper hand
But that doesn’t mean he understands
The nature of the job’s demands

The people may not be aware
Whether or not that’s his real hair
But either or why should they care
How long it takes him to prepare
He’s number two now in the poll
At least that’s what we’re being told
But give it time it will get old
Even from a man so bold

The quality he has the most
Is the fact he’s tres verbose
And makes headlines in the Post
Because he’s not afraid to boast
Or inclined to make false claims
Of birthrights or presidential names
Despite the ones he tries to shame
To me it’s all one in the same

They’ve labeled him The Donald
Like that clown, you know, Ronald
Or as I prefer a nerd like Arnold
A blabbermouth think Mitch McConnell
Even after all my words are spent
He’ll never be the president
Instead he’ll remain a malcontent
And I’m sure you share that sentiment






Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester. All rights reserved/

By: Cedric McClester

Bubba is waiting
He’s anticipating
And salivating
Soon he’ll be mating
A blond with blue eyes
Who’s in for a surprise
When he stops to realize
He’s not one of the guys

And once he gets there
Just to be fair
I hope he’s aware
Bubba might share
And no one will care
Wherever he beds
His friends the Skinheads
Will be giving him meds
Betting tails or heads

They’ll have quite a hoot
In and out his **** shoot
With no ****** to boot
And his tears will be moot
Once Bubba tames him
And renames him
Then properly claims him
No one’s gonna blame him

For being a trick
Forced to wear lipstick
And **** *****
The small and the thicks
And he better not bite
Or try to fight
He’ll be quite a sight
They’ll do him up right

Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I don’t know who’s scarier
A person who’s inferior
But pretends he’s superior
Because of his deliria
Or someone who’s intense
Because they are convinced
That it makes perfect sense
To ****** folks and hence

Create a race war
Haven’t we seen this before
Raw hatred at its core
And it's still hard to ignore
How can one be taken in
Treated like an old friend
Hear the Good Book then
Bring nine lives to an end

You see it makes us numb
Wondering where does it come from
Is it just ingrained in some
Or learned by everyone
Why does ignorance persist
I could go right down the list
And I will if you insist
See I’m tired and I’m ******

At people with small minds
You can see the telltale signs
They exist in the confines
Of their puppeteer’s designs
Did they lack their mother’s love
Don’t believe in God above
Never took a bath with Dove
What are they frightened of


Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Let’s get down to brass tacks
And ask ourselves the whys
Are we savages or civilized
In other people’s eyes
We take death for granted
Of course everybody dies
But they go a whole lot faster
When the bullets start to fly

Guns are everywhere
To their advocate’s delight
And they’re quick to sprout-off
About Second Amendment righs
While another lone assassin
Puts out somebody’s lights
And the argument continues
Throughout the days and nights

One thing is for certain
‘Cos the point's made very clear
The only place it’s happening
Appears to be right here
Is it something in our psyche
That we need to learn to fear
Or are we just violence prone
‘Cos we’ve had more than our share

As we look for answers
And engage in a frantic search
Nine innocents at Bible Study
Are shot down in their church
He was there to take those blacks
Off the face of the earth
And turn the tide for his own kind
In a search for his own worth


Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester. All rights are reserved

By: Cedric McCleste

Saddam is gone
Khadafy too
The world has changed
From the one we knew
But black’s still black
And blue is blue
It’s our aggression
That we should rue

Past mistakes
We won’t admit
It’s a different day
But the same old ****
Seems we’re looking
To commit
A few more troops
When we should quit

Let’s move forward
Don’t look back
We’ve lost the war
In Iraq
Believe it or not
It’s no less a fact
We can’t give ‘em
What they lack

Democracy
For everyone
Can’t be achieved
Under a gun
One size will never
Fit us all
See we like Rome
Could one day fall


Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By; Cedric McClester

Just because he makes us smile
Doesn’t mean he’s not a *******
He brought young girls back in style
While lusting after them all the while
It was a case of lamb to slaughter
When he first got with his step-daughter
He upset the social order
After leaving his wife to marry her daughter

He’s given rise to lots of rumor
Maybe it’s his sense of humor
This alleged nascent consumer
Of little girls who’s a late bloomer
He’s a nebbish and a clown
Of international renown
Who only tends to make us frown
But will he ever come around

He’s a genius some will say
What does it matter anyway
***** old men have to play
Keep your daughters tucked away
Silence can be sold or bought
Despite the havoc he has wrought
He hasn’t given it a second thought
You think he’s ****** but he thinks not

There shouldn’t be any doubt
Who it is I’m talking about
It’s not that hard to figure out
Why he makes you wanna shout
Now that some think he’s reformed
And their fears have all been calmed
Are we that easily charmed
When we should still be alarmed


Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

How can she be Venus
If he still has a *****
It doesn’t take a genius
Or a streak of meanness
For someone to surmise
Despite his feminine disguise
If common sense applies
He’s still one of the guys

If she wants to be Caitlyn
Who are we to debate him
But I’m here to checkmate him
Though not because I hate him
He can’t change the rules
He must think that we’re fools
To be used as mere tools
We’re from different schools

Some say that she’s ****
But is it said to vex me
Or maybe to perplex me
With a case of apoplexy
I disagree vehemently
Because of what we never see
He has a ***** same as me
Though it’s tied down instead of free

She wants to change her gender
But refuses to surrender
His last vestige or member
In all its regal splendor
What is she holding it for
He doesn’t use it anymore
So if I state it raw
That’s because I’m *******




Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

When it was us
You didn’t give a ****
Your only concern
Was how to save a buck
Now it you
That floods came to
And there no limit
To what you want us to do

When we were begging
Hat in hand
We couldn’t make you
Understand
Now you’re asking us to do
What you refused
Although you knew
All that we were going through

But what goes around
Comes back around
You never know
Where it's bound
As you’ve discovered
And we can see
You’re in need of our charity
But where's your reciprocity

You’re not conservative
Through and through
Though you’d like us to believe
That's true
You want us to do for you
What you yourself wouldn’t do
So it’s not a matter of what with you
It’s strictly a matter of who


      
  
It’sCopyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

A government for the people
And by the people
Is just an old fashion ideal
Or at least that’s how it feels
Since Citizens United
Rose up to fight it
Then got the Supreme Court to bite it
It’s no wonder they’re delighted

A government for the people
And by the people
Might have been what we had
Before the oligarchy went mad
And told the middle class
Kiss their collective ***
So all that’s in the pass
Let’s say a funeral mass

A government for the people
And by the people
Like high button shoes
Is clearly yesterday’s news
But we’re to blame
For letting ‘em change the game
And throw out all the rules
Now we’re ruled by fools

A government for the people
And by the people
Let’s not sell that anymore
Like we used to do before
It’s time we start admitting
Politicians do their bidding
Who the hell we think we’re kidding
Not the ones the **** is hitting


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

By: Cedric McClester

Beg your pardon Mr. President
It may not be who we are
But the people we see
That ultimately determines
The people we be

Experience has brought me
To certain conclusions
So I don't operate
Under false illusions
Clearly we are not
Who we aspire to be
And I base this upon
Everything that I see

Beg your pardon Mr. President
It may not be who we are
But the people we see
That ultimately determines
The people we be

I'm told justice delayed
Is justice denied
And the examples are varied
And also quite wide
People of color
Are given more time
Than whites accused
Of a similar crime

Beg your pardon Mr. President
It may not be who we are
But the people we see
That ultimately determines
The people we be

From coast to coast
And stops in between
There are examples
Of just what I mean
Unarmed youth are shot down in the streets
And this scenario sadly repeats
Over and over and then again
Why should I believe you or even pretend

Beg your pardon Mr. President
It may not be who we are
But the people we see
That ultimately determines
The people we be

You've been defied
Beyond logic or reason
In any other country
They'd call it treason
The Senate Speaker
Saw his duty as one
To insure at every turn
That you be undone

Beg your pardon Mr. President
It may not be who we are
But the people we see
That ultimately determines
The people we be

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

By: Cedric McClester

Depending upon
What the case is
Terror has many faces
In the Middle East
And  other disparate places
No matter who
A drone chases
Or the people it erases

Another mother moans
As she retrieves
The flesh and bones
Of dead loved ones
Killed by drones
Now she must choose
Their headstones
For a policy no one condones

Families wiped out
By the dozens
Mothers fathers
Sisters brothers
Cos we view them
As those others
A will to ****
Is our druthers

Another mother moans
As she retrieves
The flesh and bones
Of dead loved ones
Killed by drones
Now she must choose
Their headstones
For a policy no one condones

From the sky
They watch ‘em fall
So who is it that
Makes that call
Do we want to
**** them all
Or simply bring ‘em
To a crawl

I know we have to
Hit ‘em hard
But who on earth
Declared us God
Even thinking that
Is flawed
Don't believe me
Ask the Lord

Another mother moans
As she retrieves
The flesh and bones
Of dead loved ones
Killed by drones
Now she must choose
Their headstones
For a policy no one condones

Depending upon
What the case is
Terror has many faces
In the Middle East
And in other places
No matter who
A drone chases
Or the people it erases


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

By: Cedric McClester,

It's a long way from
New York to Simi Valley
But we've done the math
And added up the tally
Of unarmed black and brown men
Who've been shot
Tragically by bullets
From a cop

With hands held high
In a gesture of surrender
They have been shot down
In all their youth and splendor
And who do you guess
Might be the prime offender
Someone in blue uniform
Is the top contender

Like Rodney King
After the facts are stated
They don't get indicted
Or are vindicated
While the family of the victims
Have all waited
For justice that's denied
Or just vacated

With hands held high
In a gesture of surrender
They have been shot down
In all their youth and splendor
And who do you guess
Might be the prime offender
Someone in blue uniform
Is the top contender

It's not so much your color
As your class
That might determine
If a cop acts much too fast
Barely identifying themselves
Before they blasts
And your future could
Quickly becomes your past

With hands held high
In a gesture of surrender
They have been shot down
In all their youth and splendor
And who do you guess
Might be the prime offender
Someone in blue uniform
Is the top contender

Those who celebrated
The Arab Spring
Missed the point entirely
And that's the funny thing
Everywhere young people
Are clamoring for change
And demanding justice
Though some might find it strange

It's a long way from
New York to Simi Valley
But we've done the math
And added up the tally
Of unarmed black and brown men
Who've been shot
Tragically by bullets
From a cop

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

By: Cedric McClester

Times have changed, I have to admit
But some things are still sacred from where I sit
In the face of convention you hoc n' spit
That's why your agenda gives me a fit

Embrace the now some people say
Whether lesbian, bi, transgender or gay
What does it matter any ol' way
But just because you're in love doesn't make it's okay

I'm at least entitled to an opinion too
Even if that opinion opposes your view
You're outside of the norm you know it's true
Only heed what I'm saying if it applies to you

Embrace the now some people say
Whether lesbian,bi,  transgender or gay
What does it matter any ol' way
But just because you;re in love doesn't make it okay

Don't call me  homophobic as many of you do
Cos' I'm not the one passing judgment on you
Doing what you want to makes perfect sense
If you're prepared to pay the consequence

If I stopped and picked a quote from the Devine
And you know there are many that I could find
You'd probably accuse me of bias or lying
But let's see which one of us ends up frying

Embrace the now some people say
Whether lesbian, bi, transgender or gay
What does it matter any ol' way
But just because you're in love doesn't make it okay

By: Cedric McClester

His day began in the ususal way
Kissed his wife goodbye
Wished his kids a good day
Death was the furthest thing
From his mind
Before leaving his house
For thevery last time

He wore his uniform
With a great deal of pride
He was proud to be
On the good guy's side
To ser ve and protect
Was his motto and guide
Right up until the day that he died

He and his partner
Turned out at roll call
With no indication
This day they would fall
They drove their patrol car
To their assignment
Where they were killed
In a narrow confinement

They wore their uniforms
With a great deal of pride
So proud to be on the good guy's side
To serve and protect
Was their motto and guide
Right up until the day that they died

What on earth
Goes through somebody's head
To do such a thing
That left two people dead
But from Baltimore
The dark stranger came
And committed the deed
In someone else's name

They wore their uniforms
With a great deal of pride
So proud to be on the good guy's side
To serve and protect
Was their motto and guide
Right up until the day that they died



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

By: Cedric McClester

I got a knock at the door
That no one wants to get
My eyes teared up
And my hands began to sweat
They were there to tell me
About the attack
And how my son died
From that tragic act

Their presence here
Confirmed my worst fear
Now I'm bein told
What I don't wanna hear
I just got his letter yesterday
Now they're here to say
That he passed away

I got a knock on the door
That no one wants to get
My eyes teared up
And my hands began to sweat
They were there to tell me
About the attack
And how my son died
From that tragic act

It's not easy
To lose a loved one
Yet so many daughters
And so many sons
Have been sacrificed
In an illegal war
It's beyond the point
Where we can ignore

I got a knock at the door
That no one wants to get
My eyes teared up
And my hands began to sweat
They were there to tell me
About the attack
And how my son died
From that tragic act

See I'm not naive
So I don't believe
That a true victory
Can be achieved
In a war where the enemy
Can't be defined
And suicide bombing
Hasn't declined

It's not easy
To lose a loved one
Yet so many daughters
And so many sons
Have been sacrificed
In an illegal war
It's beyond the point
Where we can ignore

I got a knock at the door
That no one wants to get
My eyes teared up
And my hands began to sweat
They were there to tell me
About the attack
And how my son died
From that tragic act


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

By: Cedric McClester

No lapse of consciousness
Has seized us
Try though they may
They can’t appease us
With an apology
And a plastic Jesus
We’re on to them
So please believe us

They say hail Mary
And pray for grace
Towards a plastic Jesus
On their mantle place
It’s for insurance
Sort of just in case
Because all they want
Is not to be disgraced

They take their losses
With their gains
They know that *******
Baffles brains
And maybe that
Is what explains
Why they go through
Such awful pains

They say hail Mary
And pray for grace
Towards a plastic Jesus
On their mantle place
It’s for insurance
Sort of just in case
Because all they want
Is not to be disgraced

They deceived us
Told us lies
And we believed
Their alibis
That is until
We realized
They pulled the wool
Over our eyes

Everybody makes mistakes
That’s clear to us
For heaven’s sake
But they don’t know
How to apply the brakes
So they keep repeating
The same mistakes

Then say hail Mary
And pray for grace
Towards a plastic Jesus
On their mantle place
It’s for insurance
Sort of just in case
Because all they want
Is not to be disgraced

No lapse of consciousness
Has seized us
Try though they may
They can’t appease us
With an apology
And a plastic Jesus
We’re on to them
So please believe us


Copyright ©, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester


How many Memorial Days
Will we need
If the hawks among us
Once more succeed
In getting us to commit
More troops on the ground
In places like Iraq
When that judgment isn’t sound

Why do some among us
Consider the president weak
Because of the diplomatic methods
That he often seeks
See it’s not about us turning
The other cheek
And it’s not about us
Being a tad too meek

Haven’t we learned anything
From our past mistakes
Like fastening our seatbelts
For heaven’s sakes
Or avoiding a crash
By applying the brakes
Caution used wisely
Might be all it takes

Where are the weapons
Of mass destruction
That Bush talked about
Still under construction
Is the world much safer
With Saddam gone
Or have present conditions
Proven him wrong







Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It’s the rise
Of the Islamic State
Otherwise known as
The Khalifate
Ya know, the people
Who’ve earned our hate
Which is closed to
Any kind of debate

It’s the rise
Of a radical theology
That is alien
To Western psychology
It’s something ingrained
As far as we can see
About a people
Not like you and me

It’s the rise of
Something that appeals
To young people
With different ideals
But intrinsically
What it reveals
Is the emptiness
A person feels

It’s the rise of
What we’re forgetting
About the advent of
Armageddon
Perhaps because
It’s upsetting
And may lead
To massive bedwetting





Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

ALLAHU-AKBAR, (TRUE)
GOD IS GREATER THAN THEY KNEW
Or why would they do what they do
And then pervert al-Islam too
BISMILAH – (IN THE NAME OF ALLAH)
They plant bombs inside of cars
To blow up strangers near and far
But they take things too ******* far

AL-HUMDILILAH – (PRAISE ALLAH)
But not by giving Islam a scar
Who the hell they think they are
Shaytan’s minions? They’re on par
ASTAGFIGALAH (MAY ALLAH FORGIVE)
Those not cursed by how they live
Chopping heads off especially with
A rusty knife known as a shiv

INSHALLAH (IF IT’S ALLAH’S WILL)
Those who maim and also ****
Will soon be presented with the bill
And their ambitions will get them nil
ALLAHU-ALUM (ALLAH KNOWS BEST)
The sins they will have to confess
To get those sins up off their chest
While facing hell fire nevertheless

WALAHI (I SWEAR BY ALLAH)
Hell will find them wherever they are
In their homes near or far
Because they have raised the bar
YA-HAMUKALAH (MAY ALLAH PROTECT YOU)
From those ****
Who constantly beat their war drums
And take advantage of the deaf blind and dumb




Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

In my quest
To get famous
Poetry is what
My game is
Despite that
I’m still nameless
But I hope
Some day to change this

You see it’s not
For lack of trying
To imply that
Would be lying
I’ve tried hard
There’s no denying
To do my job
And I’m not crying

I’m frustrated
That’s the word
I’d like to know
If you’ve heard
So tell me
If that’s occurred
Or whether you think
It’s absurd

I’m just hoping to
Find my place
Somewhere within
The human race
I’ve been engaged
On that chase
By keeping up
A frenetic pace


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

By: Cedric McClester

If I may, let me give you the nexus
Of five biker gangs in Waco Texas
Clearly with super fast reflexes
Who became deadly as well as reckless
They shot up Twin Peaks, their recruitment place
Nine of ‘em were killed in any case
And just as you might have assumed it
Many more were seriously wounded

But unarmed demonstrator’s chants
Of no justice no peace
Calls for volleys of tear gas at the very least
And tanks to move in along with the police
But not in Waco where the violence increased
I don’t get it, but am I suppose to
Why the system does the things that it do
But that doesn’t mean I don’t wish I knew

If you’re looking for
Any semblance of sameness
Pursuing that end would only be aimless
Until recently all five were nameless
Despite identifiers on the back of their vests
Now on the other hand, if they were black
They’d be called nothing short of a mad wolf pack
And the National Guard would have had to react

The Cossacks and Banditos
Are two names that emerged
Now there are fewer of ‘em  
Since they’ve been purged
It became very clear that they were on the verge
Of reeking all out havoc and mayhem
Forcing the cop to arrest and slay ‘em
As they ferociously tried to somehow delay ‘em




Copyright © 2015  Cedric McClester.   All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

The Pettis Bridge
Was a bridge too far
For the much maligned
Former tv star
To cross in an effort
To demonstrate
It’s past legacy
Of anti-black hate

What kind of message
Could he send
By crossing the bridge
Him of all men
By taking us back
To a sad time when
We couldn't wait
For it all to end

Perhaps he thought
That we’d lose focus
By slight of hand
Or hocus pocus
Although he still
Remains the locus
Of enough allegations
That could choke us

He’s the last person
You’d expect to find
On a late night news show
Like Nightline
Responding to questions
With mumble jumble
It’s enough to make you
Wanna rumble

Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

If they knew then
What they know now
Would they have done it anyhow
Or waited and turned back the dial
To think about it for a while
Despite the dead not here today
We don’t know so we can't say
What they would’ve done anyway

If they knew then
What they know now
Would Isis still be allowed
To flourish and attract a crowd
In places where they've gone buck wild
And so imagine if you can
No al-Qaeda or noTaliban
Or troops blown up in desert sand

If they knew then
What they know now
To contemplate it is a wow
‘Cos no one has been brought to trial
Or forced to work on a rock pile
But we can't dream it away
No matter what they have to say
Hope justice will prevail one day

If they knew then
What they know now
Or took the time to read his file
They would have known
It wasn’t his style
To capitulate grovel or bow
And perhaps things would be
Much  different now


Copyright © 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He rolled up
Beside a car
Of a budding
Rap superstar
Who’s now dead
So there you are
I guess we haven’t
Got that far

Just like
The Wild Wild West (I guess)
And as deadly (nevertheless)
Though they try to do their best
So few ever pass that test

Cowboys don’t
Go down like that
Once the director
Says it’s a wrap
They get up
And dust off their hat
Then go home
From where they’re at

Just like
The Wild Wild West (I guess)
And as deadly (nevertherless)
Though they try to do their best
So few rappers pass that test

Votive candles
In makeshift shrines
Which we’re seeing
Too many times
Now that the reasons
Have lost their rhymes
Theses are the best
And worst of times

Just like
The Wild Wild West (I guess)
And as deadly (nevertherless)
Though they try to do their best
So few rappers pass that test

May the deceased
Rest in peace
As we ask
When will it cease
Their deaths seems to be
On the increase
And I’m not adding
Any yeast


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

By: Cedric McClester

He was the king
And his reign was long
Over seven decades
Still going strong
His queen was Lucile
But now that he’s gone
She’ll be in morning
From now on

The king is dead
Hear what I said
The king is dead
Hear what I said
The king is dead
Long live the blues
The king is dead
Who’ll fill his shoes

Born in the Mississippi delta
But believe you me
No one sung the blues
Quite like B.B.
He was the king
True blues royalty
And we are enriched
By his long legacy

The king is dead
Hear what I said
The king is dead
Hear what I said
The king is dead
Long live the blues
The king is dead
Who’ll fill his shoes

We’re gonna miss him
“Bout that there’s no doubt
Who’ll fill his shoes
We’ll have to figure out
Though it won’t be easy
To have that kind of clout
Do y’all understand
What I’m talking about

The king is dead
Hear what I said
The king is dead
Hear what I said
The king is dead
Long live the blues
The king is dead
Who’ll fill his shoes

He sang so many songs
Like The Thrill Is Gone
How Blue Can You Get
And I could go on
To Know You is To Love You
The list is so long
And we’re thankful to God
That B.B. was born

The king is dead
Hear what I said
The king is dead
Hear what I said
The king is dead
Long live the blues
The king is dead
Who’ll fill his shoes


























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

By: Cedric McClester

Hatred decked out
In free speech finery
Isn’t opaque
It’s clearly binary
Give us a break
‘Cos we can see
How it’s directed
At you and me

On the surface
Hatred would appear
To have an objective
That's not very clear
To anyone other than
Those who might share
In the ultimate goal
Of its puppeteers

By another name
Like free speech
It's hatred no less
Listen while I teach
Because it's a game
That must be impeached
By those who'll make the claim
That it’s only free speech

Hatred is subterfuge
Which is implicated
By how it is used
It's easy for us
To become confused
But it's still a tactic
That's often abused
Think of it as a convenient ruse

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

By: Cedric McClester

Is it playing the race card
If the deck is stacked
And everything you state
Is an established fact
Michelle opened up
And almost got wacked
So we weren’t surprised
When she was attacked

Is it playing the race card
When you acknowledge
Certain social realities
Rarely taught in college
Or should all banalities
Suddenly be abolished
Because someone’s ego
Needs to be polished

Is it playing the race card
If you’re in a rut
And the cards you were dealt
Are all that you’ve got
Don’t preface your answer
With the usual but
Causing me to say
Tut tut tut

Is it playing the race card
Though politically incorrect
When it’s the only thing you have
What would you expect
It doesn’t require
A tremendous intellect
If you take pause
To stop and reflect











Cedric McClester © Copyright 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester, .

How many funerals must we attend
Before the genocide is brought to an end
How many families must be left behind
Before we regain our presence of mind
How many times must it all be repeated
Before the enemy is finally defeated
When will self-love become our sacred trust
See I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us

What good are the candles or the cardboard shrines
When it’s apparent that we’ve lost our minds
What good is a painting of the deceased
When the violence is steadily being increased
When will self-love become our sacred trust
See I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us

This ain’t a lecture I’m not here to preach
So let’s call this a form of social outreach
The message is urgent I’ll try to be brief
While sharing insight as to my belief
We are the problem and we are the cure
So we can’t go on blaming others anymore
When will self-love become our sacred trust
See I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us

How did we get here is open to debate
But I think you’ll agree the root cause is self-hate
Before another brother or sister is harmed
To be forewarned is to be forearmed
We need to return to our original state
Where we loved one another before the hate
I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us
I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us



Cedric McClester Copyright © 2015.  All Rights Reserved

By: Cedric McClester

I accept the right of those
Who always like to state
Their First Amendment Rights
As they spew their hate
But the right to incite
Is an open debate
They will find along the line
They’ll be crushed by its weight

I accept that everyone
Has their own points of view
That guides and informs the kinds of things
That they choose to do
Like add insult to injury
There are more than a few
Whose language is quite gingery
And some are liars too

I accept that there are those
Who’ll no doubt disagree
With everything that I hold dear
Especially civility
They lack insight but have the right
To malign anyone’s religion
That they might choose to slight
That’s solely their decision

I accept all kinds of things
That I cannot change
Even those whose behaviors
I find very strange
Different strokes for different folks
Can run a whole wide range
And they rarely have to be coaxed
To engage in a heated exchange


























© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I recognize that the police
Are in a difficult profession
But my demand that they do their jobs
Shouldn’t ever lessen
And if killed in the line of duty
There should be no guessing
I abhor it vehemently
So I extend my blessings

I recognize the good first
Before I cite the bad
But that doesn’t mean
I have no right ever to get mad
And when tragedy strikes ‘em
I too am among the sad
For anyone to suggest otherwise
Is more than a tad rad’

I recognize the human worth
Of everyone who exists
Which is not to say that they
Won’t sometimes be remiss
But if it’s an established pattern
I’m among the first to insist
That they be held accountable
If you get my gist

I recognize the humanity
In everyone I see
Even those who occasionally
With whom I disagree
That doesn’t mean if they’re killed
I won’t have sympathy
If I didn’t you’ll agree
It would only lessen me











© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It’s all about money
‘Cos he doesn’t have a soul
Pound for pound he’s the best around
Though he’s still an *******
He’s amassed a fortune
All that glitters isn’t gold
And he can't take a cent with him
At least that's what I’m told

Floyd “Money” may weather
Another boxing storm
While bragging about all he’ll make
And not see nothing wrong
He’s a little hard to take
But we knew that all along
Blessed or cursed for heaven’s sake
He’s an old familiar song

All his money and possession
Hasn’t bought him happiness
Though the way he carries on
You would never guess
Which goes to prove the old adage
Sometimes more is less
Conspicuous consumption
Doesn’t make you a success

He can go to strip clubs
And then make it rain
But all the money in the world
Can’t camouflage his pain
He’s on a giant ego trip
Which perhaps explains
His lack of self-esteem
Despite the wealth he gains










© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

When it comes to cops
Too many rush
To paint them all
With the same brush
To those who do
I must say hush
They’re not all bad
Believe and trust

Don’t let the few
That you despise
Color your view
Open your eyes
It’s easy to
Tell yourself lies
About their crew
But is it wise

When it comes down
To the crunch
One rotten apple
Don’t spoil the bunch
Not all of them
Are out to lunch
So why give them
A knockout punch

I’m not sayin’
They all are saints
But be careful
How your brush paints
I accept that
They’ll be complaints
But let’s be fair
And use constraints



© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Proudly he wore the uniform
As many others do
Went to work everyday
Because he always knew
What he wanted to be
Once he finally grew
Just like his father
And some uncle’s too

He lived by their credo
To protect and serve
Until he met a fate
That no one deserves
Shot twice in the head
Some people have nerve
Now an officer is dead
And his perp’s in the preserve

Facing a life sentence
Not the electric chair
He has no repentance
You see, he doesn’t care
They call him Hell-Raiser
I guess that’s only fair
He doesn’t have mercy
At least that I’m aware

We need to thank ‘em
For the jobs they do
Risking life and limb
For people like me and you
But to their oaths
They swore to be true
The many men and women
Who proudly wear the blue










© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

No justice no peace
Doesn’t  mean shoot the police
They’re not all savage beast’
Can we agree on this at least
It’s a difficult job they do
While protecting me and you
They have a right to go home too
But then you already knew

Everyday all the time
They put their lives on the line
If I have to I’ll remind - you
That it takes a special kind
So let’s all pause to recognize
Is it just for us to demonize
The Golden Rule also applies
Let me suggest that’s recognized

It’s a noble profession
So let it be an object lesson
When we need ‘em they’re a blessin’
Which occasional misdeeds doesn’t lessin’
You’ll concede this at least
If we want crime to decrease
We need their ranks to increase
Without ‘em who would keep the peace

I’m not a police apologist
When they’re killed I get ******
Because the major point is missed
They too have a right to exist
Ask yourself where would we be
As a civil society
In this land of the brave and free
If the police cease to be



© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I don’t think you actually understand
I’m from Bodymore, Murderland
Where crime is rampart and has the upper hand
And you can be killed upon demand
Drugs and bodies are all over the streets
But there’s no wire that defeats
This sad situation just repeats
Among poor people that one meets

We’re routinely profiled by the police
Who treat us as if we're savage beasts
We don’t have justice nor any peace
And that’s to say the very least
Our lives are very precarious
So pardon me if I occasionally cuss
Lucky you don’t have to live like us’
We're here today and gone like dust

It ain’t easy living on the bottom
Name your poisons and you know we got’em
Lost a loved one. someone probably shot him
The suspected police, I’m glad they caught ‘em
Yeah, things have gotten tragically out of hand
I’m not kickin’ either dirt or sand
I'm just talkin' 'bour Bodymore, Murderland
Even though you know that I can

Before the riot we were ignored
No one cared you can rest assured
Now they’re sayin,’ Oh my Lord
Even the White House is aboard
I guess we had to raise a ruckus
To get all eyes focused on us
Will they make changes, you know they must
They can't expect us to believe and trust



© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Justice delayed is justice denied
A familiar credo rarely applied
So the call for it is a rising tide
They’re only trying to close the divide
It came so quickly in Baltimore
Like nothing that they had ever seen before
The young prosecutor was so able and sure
Though she never tried a case like it before

This time a rookie would light the fuse
People rejoiced once given the news
The laws don’t exist for police to abuse
Responsible parties have to pay some dues
She laid the facts out chapter and verse
Starting with what she said occurred first
It began to appear that Freddie was cursed
As she laid out the charges it looked even worst

Although color only tends to distract
If you must keep track as a matter of fact
Out of the six cops three were black
Which doesn’t suggest that they knew how to act
Cops bleed blue whether black or white
The uniform’s the same am I wrong or right?
Either or they’ll put out your light
Then say you resisted and put up a fight

People were asking how Freddie died
Some rightly suspected from a bumpy ride
And now that those facts have been verified
It’s more than a theory that will get tried
Just as if Freddie was sending a sign
His broken neck and a badly cracked spine
Wasn’t self-inflicted we got to find
Did they really think that we’d lost our minds



© Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.