NAACP Poet Releases New Book of Poetry: Whispers in the Reign...And writes one for Trayvon!

Released on: August 01, 2013, 6:41 am
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Industry: Media

Orange County, California, -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- NAACP poet, Lisa J. Smallwood, of the Orange County, California, chapter, has released a book of poetry entitled Whispers in the Reign. The book is dedicated to her sister, Letitia Denise Smallwood, who has been unjustly incarcerated, for the past forty-one years.

In 1973, Letitia Smallwood, now age sixty, was convicted of arson and double homicide. Her case is currently being reviewed by the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. According to forensic expert, Dr. Gerald Hurst, Letitia Smallwood could not have committed the murders. See his white paper at: http://truthinjustice.org/smallwood.htm

The works of her sister, poet Lisa J. Smallwood, stem from an accumulation of personal pain as a result of her family's decades-long struggle to prove Letitia's innocence.

In the meantime, Lisa J. Smallwood has everyone talking. First to take notice was the NAACP, Orange County Chapter, followed by the 2013 Los Angeles Million Women March. Smallwood's collection of poetry is unabashed, deeply introspective and articulate. Drawn from real-life experience, she has the rare ability to take us on a journey of splendid persuasions, ranging from the quiet moments in her garden to the soul's deepest contemplation of despair. Her epic Abuse 101 sounds the alarm for female empowerment, while her well-known Sisters My Sisters complete her rise to poetic stardom. With ghostly images that transcend each page, her recent piece Why, Travyon, Why? reflects today's undercurrent of outrage after the Zimmerman verdict. Why Trayvon Why? is of course, raw and superb!

Find Lisa J. Smallwood's Whispers in the Reign at Amazon.com/books.

WHY TRAYVON WHY?

By

Lisa J Smallwood

 

Trayvon Martin, 17, hoodie on his head
Walking home, eating candy, now he's dead
Talking to Rachel on his way
He encountered the Zimmer Man, in the rain
Neighborhood watch, vigilante, rebel with a cause?
Or just a madman, hiding behind his Daddy, the Judge
The Zimmer Man stalked the boy
Ready to deploy … his gun ... just out for fun
Called him a threat, started to sweat
Called 911 ... he's onto something
Advised to stand down
He had no intention of paying attention
Instead the Zimmer Man pursued the boy
All over town, round and round
A tussle ensued 
Zimmer Man became unglued
When it was over the boy lay dead
His blood shed on hallowed ground
Zimmer Man screaming the only sound
Like he's the one dying
Like he's the one whose blood soaked the ground
Zimmer Man no doubt setting up his alibi
Crossing his t's dotting his i's 
You might say the bullet broke the boy's heart
Shattered it to pieces tore it apart
Few feet away from his father's backdoor
He never made it home
They took him in to the morgue
Why, Trayvon, why?
Why did you have to die?
Why did it take so much clamor?
To bring down the hammer
For the Zimmer Man to get arrested?
Why did a jury of six women acquit?
Why did they believe you followed him?
That you stalked him, blocked him and shocked him?
Why didn't they take into account
That you ran away, tried to get out?!
Why couldn't they see … but for Zimmer Man
You'd still be alive and on your way to college!
Then Juror B37 had the gall to tell CNN
That you “…played a roll in your own death!”
But couldn't she hear, perfectly clear
The first scream was YOU!
The scream of a mortally wounded boy
Who knew he was dead, knew he would leave in a body bag
Screaming while he bled
The Zimmer Man took your life
On a cold, rainy night
A life was destroyed, community embroiled
A nation outraged and hotly engaged
Opponents have said, “It's not race!”
Well then, what is it on its face?
Why, Trayvon, why? Why did you have to die?
Why can this nation not see the injustice?
Only explanation ,  hoodies cover the eyes of the heartless!  
All of us now have holes in our hearts  
Our young brother has been senselessly taken down
Is that what it took for us to awaken
The soul of the nation now so shaken?
Let his life not be in vain
Fill our hearts, oh God
Not with hate …let us love our enemy
As we continue the fight
Let us overcome through the power of Christ
Perhaps one day we will all understand
Why, Trayvon, why? Why did you have to die?  

Copyright @ 2013 by Lisa J Smallwood Written 7/20/2013
Cypress, CA 90630
All rights reserved. No portion of this poem may be reproduced in part or whole in media or print without the express written consent of the Author.

 


Contact:

Lisa J. Smallwood
Tel. 717-713-6246 Cell or 714-995-4724
Email. HaddassahSpeaks@gmail.com

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