Many life stories are represented in this book that is presented as a poetic autobiography. The author uses the poetic "voice" to announce that we are all "wonderfully made" despite being told or treated otherwise. Although there is anger, pain and protest on the pages, there is also love, pleasure and power included. The book is both cultural autobiography and poetry therapy. It is both sad and sassy. The goal is for the reader to leave the work with a new sense of priceless value. What is most interesting is that the author gets to your heart and brain with powerful poetry that can assist you with self expression and empowerment.
Contrary to Rumor, I'm Wonderfully Made!
Poetry as a Life PreserverBy Nanthalia W. McJamersonAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Nanthalia W. McJamerson
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4567-5041-1 Contents
Foreword......................................................xiIntroduction..................................................xvPart I: Life in Question......................................1Worthy or Not?................................................2So, You Can't Miss What You've Never Had?.....................3FIRE!.........................................................4What of a Dream Denied?.......................................5Bewildered....................................................6Ladybug Monologue.............................................7Switching Intelligence?.......................................8Part II: Some Wonderful Parts of Life.........................9Until You.....................................................10Feeling.......................................................11Feelings......................................................12Thank You.....................................................13Daddy.........................................................13Innocent Love.................................................14Sobriety Test.................................................15Especially Mine...............................................16Relationships Worth the Trouble...............................17Savor the Flavor..............................................18Part III: Where Did the Wonderful Go?.........................19Fighting God on Sunday........................................20I Wish I Had Not Believed.....................................22I'm Not In....................................................23Wonderfully Made, but ........................................24Spelling Lesson about a Noose.................................30You Pack It, You Pay..........................................32Part IV: Encouragement........................................35Friends Are God's Assistants..................................36For the Flight................................................38How'd Ya Do It?...............................................39Experiencing Diversity........................................40Love Letters..................................................41Prayer of Alianndra...........................................42Pillow........................................................43Part V: More Wonderful Parts of Living........................45A Visionary's Eyes............................................46A Tale of Two Epiphanies......................................47An Achievement Rap for Children...............................48I Don't Want to Love You Crazy Kids!..........................49Part VI: Empowerment and Eternity.............................51Your Wings....................................................52My Big God....................................................53Contrary to Rumor, I Am Wonderfully Made......................54Image Search..................................................55"Everything's Pretty".........................................56In Heaven, Part Time..........................................57Thank You for Loving Mary Scott Hobdy.........................58He Loves Me...................................................59A Success Builder's Promise...................................60Take Yourself to the Appraisers...............................61Reader's Reflection & Response Journal........................63
Chapter One
Worthy or Not? Why am I not worthy
And not considered strong?
Why am I not living free?
I did nothing wrong.
Why did you take my glory?
What made you destroy my glee?
How did you steal the power
That was meant solely for me?
You say I'm the assailant,
The weak one or the dunce.
Nonsense! Check your asinine record
And set it straight, just once.
Someday, an answer will come;
Someday, this pain will end;
Or I could get some relief, now,
With a weapon, song or pen.
I have chosen a pen
To set the record straight, today:
"I've discovered that I am amazing
And you can never, again, take my worth away."
So, You Can't Miss
What You've Never Had? If you can't miss what you've never had,
Then why am I yearning so?
If you can't miss places never trod,
Then why do I wish to go?
If you can't miss methods never tried,
Then why acquire a new skill?
If you can't miss relationships unborn,
Why is bonding the core of my will?
FIRE! (Daddy's wisdom) What do you do
When you're close to fire?
Burn or Blossom?
Crack or Crystallize?
Evaporate? Expand?
Explode? Expire?
Faint? Fortify? Frazzle?
Melt or Materialize?
Whither or Withstand?
Scorch or Sparkle?
Recoil or Rise?
The answer depends upon
What you're made of
And the quality of the fire.
What of a Dream Denied? Langston Hughes spoke of a dream deferred;
What of a dream denied?
Deferred, it has hope for a future;
Denied, before birth, it died.
Deferred, it's a note that anticipates sound;
Denied it's a song with the pitch never found.
Deferred, it is struggling but assured of what's hidden;
Denied, may touch life but possession forbidden.
Bewildered (a response to underestimation)
What? A guitar?
You thought I said I was a guitar?
A guitar is only one component
of the "me" ensemble.
Weren't you listening?
Were you looking?
"This is an ensemble," I said.
An ensemble is all I thought I was at that time.
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