Jari G.

Rise and Shine. 

I know it’s been a min since I left you trippinTo figure it out on your own 

Now they over here screaming 

Take it up a notch 

Take it take it up a notch

Take it up a notch 

Take it take it up a notch 

Stretchin out that long neck

Till is disconnects, misrepresents those dreams you’ve been fighting for.

Tip toe, dance across those fine lines

We call boundaries, because they ain’t got no boundaries.

Chew on your words, swallow it’s it meaning, 

Spitting it out like sinful delight 

This is what they wanna leave you with. 

Now they over here screaming

Take it up a notch 

Take it take it up a notch

Take it up a notch 

Take it take it up a notch

These notches that threaten 

To put a damper if we keep going the way we’ve been going 

But you’re over here screamin

I can take it 

I can take it take it 

I can take it 

I can take it take it 

But ya can’t 

Can’t take being stretched thin

When you’ve had too much I find you 

Crumbled under the sheets 

As though you were crumpled under these rocks 

Threatening to smash the love out of you

Cast stones in my direction 

For defying abusive tradition 

When I left. 

Over here screaming 

Hit’em girl hit’em hit’em 

Drag’em girl drag’em drag’em 

Laughing at the misuse of fists. 

This is what ya’ll call love. 

Nah, why would I become the abuser 

For a liar, thief, waster of time 

Ain’t we too great for that shit 

Why tear myself apart with hands 

That could easily replicate the damage 

That cause cracks to deepen

Iimbs to hang off bone

Bones that can barely hold itself up.

It’s time to replenish. 

So I’m over here screaming 

Time to walk away 

Time to time to walk away 

Time to walk away 

Time to time to walk away 

Cuz why would I want someone 
Who doesn’t want me 

Why fight, expend energy, cry tears 

Over love that don’t want me

Didn’t want me to begin with 

Would’ve been easy had they kept it a buck 

But when you’re lonely as fuck 

You hold on to people 

Like a child’s prized toy 

Forgetting that I was never yours to own in the first place. 

Insecurity got you runnin in circles 

Lookin uncomfortable 

I bask in the warmth of the unknown 

I gotta weed out the unpleasantries 

Replant love seeds so I grow roses from vine like tresses 

Until skin leaks lavender 

And my womb births lilies 

Over here screaming 

Forgive ‘Em forgive ’em

Cuz we love’em we love’em 

Forgive ‘Em forgive ’em

Cuz we love’em we love’em 

– rise & shine | letting go 

Jari G.

He walked and he walked and he walked 

Jingle change
“Can I get some change! Please.”
Eyes stare silently
Jingle change
“Bless for any change.”
Desensitized to the struggle
Eyes watched him walk and walk
Jingling his cup hoping for a meal that night.
Two beers in and I broke
Overflowed In disgust
Of the reality in which I find myself living in.
Mouths don’t ever seem to move.
Eye lids always seem to want to close
Moving further away from the site in front of us.
Hearts dying at the loss of humanity.
What does it say about us
When we can distance ourselves from struggle
As though it is not our own.
Jingle change.
“Please. Some change”
I die over and over
Each jingle a silent plea.
Help me. Familia. Help me.
God knows how long he’s been walkin.
His hands must be tired.
Sweaty palms from having to wear gloves all day.
El diablo did I forget to tell you…
Yeah, no legs. Hands for feet.
He walks and he walks and he walks.
Jingling cup ever so often in hand
I hold the train cart doors as he passes.
I have no money. I can’t add to the collection, so I settle for writing a piece in his name. 

Jari G.

Awakens

Felt myself floudering 

So I learned to swim 

Swam laps around the misogyny 

Trying to sink its hooks in me 

Nah holmes, I’m too great, no mystery to solve

I practice what I preach.

Set goals, bout to win this relay,

Break through barriers that try to separate me further from self.

Beloved don’t come seeking 

What doesn’t exsist 

You wouldn’t want to disappoint yourself. 

Forgiveness lives on the tip of my tongue 

But with all that they’ve done to awaken the warrior in me 

Pain is an unwanted neccesary friend 

That I’m no longer afraid to unleash.

No. you’ll never see her coming. 

Let peace rain down, 

Put some respect on its name

Less you finna get got,

Baby I’m too hot to get off the block.

Been itchin to play

Trigger happy mami 

With that trigger happy nani 

So clutch. 

Jari G.

NY Train Rides be like…

Remembering to breathe 

Remembering to soften 

My resting bitch face that is my amor 

But if I smile 

I might be flirting too much 

Speak too nice

Bumming it 

Or slayin it

They’ll say I was asking for it 

Well fuck you 

Man this is bullshit 

And quiet frankly I’m over it 
So yes 

Imma look over my glasses at you 

Imma smile back

When you want to stare me down 

I will let’s my curls bounce flawlessly 

In your face 

So you can hate on how good it smells 

And I’ll pop you with metaphorical bullets So you can hate on how classy a Queen is 

But don’t let a homie catch you alone 

Out here in these streets 

That see it all 

And tell nothing 
Fam understand 

Being on my oneness shit 

Don’t mean I’m on some holy shit

Do I look six feet 

With holes in my hand 

With thorns for a crown 

Yahweh I’m just a womyn 
Just a womyn trying her best 

To keep it togetha 

Above water 

Effortlessly floating 

But struggling to swim 

Do you know what that is? 

Trying to discipline the mind 

While my body plays catch up 

Cuz we’re so ready 

Just so ready 

Always ready 

For the flat line to drop 

On this unstable beat

This world seems to be trippin off