The Whole Story: Chapter One
Stirred awake. Tickled by the tart perfume of nag champa and cat piss. Smack and purse dry lips. Try to yawn away the thick and sticky strain last night has on mouth and tongue. Camels and Pinot Grigio. The aftertaste of musk, sweat and man. Damn the sunlight sneaking in. It forces its rays through [...]
Falling for Autumn
I loved dandelions when I was young. Summer was my favorite season. These bold yellow darlings symbolized daring beauty for me, which says a lot for a girl who felt so ugly. I admired the way they defied the strength of sidewalks…breaking through forgiving cracks in concrete to take in the embrace of the sun. [...]
THE STRUGGLE
I try to tell her that her natural curls are stronger than any spritz or freeze spray money can buy That these original Kinks are mighty and refuse to lie down and die But all I do is make my baby cry Why I try to explain the beauty of dark nappy tresses But they [...]
Suicide
In my ghetto hair stands high Brick-stiff for height Like prison walls Heat waved up from the back Pinned down with broken sticks Curled too tight or perfectly –slicked Dyed bleach blonde and texture-ized Golden Highlighted to match plastic green eyes Afro-centric inspiration European infestation Chemical bonding with no hesitation A synthetically altered generation drunk [...]
Sammy Rangel “FOURBEARS: Myths of Forgiveness”
FourBears: The Myth of Forgiveness: isn't a simple memoir; it is a graphically illustrated guide from tortured child, to remorseless beast, to healing and change. This book is about helping others find their way out of their history and into the here and now. Proof that what once held you down can now hold you up. After the book reflects on a horrific upbringing it looks to offer key and ground breaking insights of the inner workings of the mind of a victim and later a perpetrator of hate and violence. Service providers working in treatment centers and institutional settings would greatly benefit from this work. Anyone facing issues with forgiveness and change might find a process toward healing and recovery.
Recommended Reading
Frank Meeink—Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead
TJ Leyden—Skinhead Confessions
Arno Michaels—My Life After HateMusic
Wizard Fingaz & Soul Sathe embarked on a collaborative project known as Tribal Sorcery · deep conscious hip-hop
