Author: Yecheilyah

Writing to restore Black historical truth through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

There’s a Poem Somewhere

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There’s a poem somewhere waiting to be heard.
There’s a child out there confused and afraid so he waits and she waits to be heard.
There’s a man out there who wants to know truth
but this world is so tempting that his dreams he’d rather pursue
there’s a poem out there somewhere that speaks to you.
There’s a student out there who refuses to sit still in class because he refuses to accept that his people are at the bottom of the social class,
he refuses to accept that his history goes no further than the days of slavery’s past
there’s a young lady out there whose virginity didn’t last.
Because see,
somewhere,
there’s a young woman who was taught that her materialistic was much more precious than her body so she sold her body,
for cash.
somewhere out there a young man’s innocence didn’t last…
Somewhere a young boy is told that it didn’t matter who he shared his love with
that it didn’t matter if he sexed ‘em young or old for the rest of his days…
there’s a young man out there who can’t understand why and how he’s got AIDS.

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There’s a false prophet out there waiting to get paid.
There’s a couple out there who just can’t get along
there’s a father out there who can’t leave his home, the home occupied with bars for far too long.
There’s a mother out there who can’t sing her song,
her song of new life that has lingered in the air for far too long.
And a grandfather who can’t take depression for much too long and a…
there’s a…
poem somewhere…
out there……that sings these songs.
There’s a brother out there who’s tired of being alone.
There’s a sister out there in search for a home.
There’s a nation out there that just does not belong,
in this world.
But there’s a Power out there who hears these cries
and a Truth out there that squashed those lies
and there are many prophets, they too have cried.
Somewhere now,
somewhere……
somehow …..
somewhere here,
this poem right now
There’s someone out there who hears these songs…
and their poem is right now,
so to say somewhere……
I guess
I was wrong.

A Writer’s Art

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“A writer – and, I believe, generally all persons – must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.”
― Jorge Luis Borges, Twenty-Four Conversations with Borges: Interviews by Roberto Alifano 1981-1983

Save those Soap Scraps!

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Yall know the feeling, you get down to those tiny pieces of soap you can no longer use and you throw them away. After all, they can become unsightly to the eyes after while, not enough to cover your body anyway right? Wrong! Save those soap scraps!

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Today, we’re going to learn how to make new bars of soap from recycled soap scraps. It’s super easy and can save money on those rainy days (I suggest storing them away until you really need them). You will need:

 

Soap Scraps
Small Pan
Water
Olive Oil
Soap Mold
Knife

 

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The first thing you’ll want to do  is to start saving those tiny scraps in some kind of dish or container. Save them until you have at least enough to fill one cup.

 
When you’re ready, take your scraps and put them in the small pan, add water.

 
You’re going to let this soak for one complete day, stirring occasionally. Don’t panic when the soap melts down, that’s what it’s supposed to do.

 
After your soap has had its bath, bring the soap soup to a boil, watch and stir occasionally so that it does not burn.

 
When it comes to a boil remove from heat and stir in about a tablespoon of olive oil ( if there are any additional ingredients you want to add, such as food coloring or essential oil, do it now).

 
Pour this mixture into a greased (so it doesn’t stick) soap mold of choice, let harden. (If you’re using the soap mold pictured at the top, which I also happen to use, let it sit under a bowl or small pot for spills. I suggest securing a more secure soap mold otherwise. I intend to upgrade myself).

Cut into any size

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Mine aren’t exactly pretty, but so far I have accumulated 4 bars of soap from our old soap scraps. I would have had more but I was just being lazy. Don’t sleep on this because you have it right now, but soap and toilet paper are key necessities people never seem to have available during emergency’s. While Water and Food are the most important, wouldn’t it be great to pull out a new bar of soap too? Even if you don’t need it, it can be useful to trade for what you do need. I think I have enough to make at least two more bars today. Six bars of soap without spending a dime, imagine that.  🙂

Embracing Change

Children have a tendency to think under the realm of simplicity. For this reason, we are encouraged to be in our mentality as a child, so that we maintain the humility necessary to receive the discipline of wisdom. Especially since there’s been awhile since many of us were children, so we have to be reminded of this kind of meekness, and to understand that most of the answers to the questions we look for are right here before us, but that we miss seeking “profundity”. Indeed, some of us need to seriously regress back into childhood and understand how simple things really are. But children also have a tendency to be unstable in their ways. They are more apt to move from place to place easily, despite danger. But as adults who have gained a certain level of experience, we cannot afford to be led astray by the elementary matters of childhood, in which we continue to trip over the same mistakes over and over again before we attempt to change them.

 
Change itself is difficult, for it is buried under years of routine and tradition. However embracing change when it is occupied by truth can cause great discipline, and create a greater understanding for the individual who is willing to grow up. It is a light that comes with maturity, illuminating the path of the elder. But not everyone of age is wise, for many of us are still easily led astray and stuck in our ways; plagued by the unchanging traditions of our youth. (There are countless old fools) And as some children are afraid of the dark, so are we who have yet to put off the instability of childhood; still heavier than darkness are we to ourselves. We can remove this burden however, if only we are willing to embrace change, and all of the gifts that come with it.