You Make the Sun Rise

you make the sun rise
even when clouds are there
and brightens up the day
when rain drips thru the air.

you make the wind whisper
a breeze blown thru your lips
halt the coming storms with
a touch of your fingertips.

you, with your passion's brew
allow me to be calm and at ease.
with all of the forces pushing
can count on you to please.

you make the sun rise
with rainbows in the air
my days are always brighter
cause I got you there.

Del Cano 2007 July

Can't Live Without It

Its not enough to tell someone
that you need this or that
like some of the foods we eat
which certainly makes us fat.

We are bombarded by ads
of industries who wish to sell
so they create a need in us
as if they had cast a spell.

We crave soft drinks or beer
a hardy breakfast to start the day.
Bacon or ham, eggs and toast
desires which never fade away.

Can't get along without that car
fancy and shiny, spanking brand new.
Millions of dollars spent to sway the minds
of as many people like me and you.

It is easy to make our mind's think
the ideas which fill our soul's crave
are actually thoughts born within us
tho we are today's ad slaves.

Advertisers of pharmaceuticals
send us to doctors for ailments not real
while clothing manufacturers
help us drive up our charge card bill.

Can't live without this or maybe that
it becomes our newest craving goal.
Making me wonder at what point
all this waste will finally grow old.

Half the folks on my block
suffer from lactose over dose.
Their bodies can't digest milk
but they crave it the most.

They eat rare beef dripping in blood
then take antacids like it was candy.
No thought as to how hard it is on the body
the beef industry says thats just dandy.

We are slaves to public relations firms
which produce ads to raise our desires
for everything from food to clothes
to outside pits in which to build fires.

If we took the time to research
it would blow the fibers of our mind
to discover many of our thoughts
are produced thru an advertising find.

We pay too much for horrible coffee
served in a lousy plastic or paper cup.
Then we complain the environment
is just too fast being used up.

We want all we can get our hands on
forever swayed by visions of the ad
Yet we rarely stop to think if we
could get along with what we had.

Must be brand new to raise pleasure
that stormy need within to belong
sending manufacturers dancing to the bank
singing that profitable song.

Let's all give some thought
before allowing the next craving's start
and save some money in the long run
while we ease the pressure to our heart.

Del Cano 2007 July

 

 

She Brings

Words seem not to be able to
explain the feelings she brings.
Being near her is like a choir
senses having their songs to sing.

Body in a constant yearn
just like an addict needing a fix.
No matter what she wears
shes always my lustful trick.

She brings with her a force
like none I ever before knew.
One which drives me to her
sticking with her like glue.

The elation and joy
is more than I can say.
Just being in her presence
is the thrill of each day.

Words just can't explain
how she makes my heart sing.
She stirs my senses to the max
with all the joy she brings.

Del Cano 2007 June

Proudly With You At My Side

Mind singles out a scene
then spreads the vision wide
A stroll cross the stage
proudly with you at my side.

Audience stares in awe
musicians rev up the score.
We, standing center stage
taking our bow once more.

They don't suspect we are
more than actors on a stage.
Can't tell them we are a dream
come alive to a new page.

Lovers beyond the act
life created our loving scene.
Your touch exploded my senses
making us lovers supreme.

We act for the world to see
then take flight on angel wings.
Every bit of joy one can have
you serve up like I was a king.

Mind singles out a scene
proudly with you at my side.
Strolling lovingly cross the stage
on our secret sensual ride.

Del Cano 2007 July

 

Renaissance

When I see you in my minds eye
I see words peeling back the yin.
Scaling off the crusts from scabs
of lovers who once have been.

I see a soothing and an ease
a tenderness beyond my knowing.
A touch so deep with it
I'm left sighing and blowing.

I get from you all the missing
totally absent yearned for craves.
My mind submits to you for its need
cause you rescue and saves.

Without even being aware
I allowed your  touch its due.
What you see and call simplicity
I call the sanctuary of you.

You peeled back the layers
protection from hidden spears.
Caressed my soul with you
and washed away my fears.

Just by being who you are
you posted a blockade.
Protection from my ignorance
that personal prison I'd made.

Unassuming and forthright
bubbly and demanding a response.
Reacting to you has made a new world
sort of a modern day renaissance.

I breathe with more ease
exhale the poisoned air.
So enlightened by it all
life seems a bit more fair.

I dance in my mind
skip a bit when I walk.
Raise more than shallow issues
when I speak aloud a talk.

Oh, you special soul to me
I don't know how to offer an award.
I'm just in such a mental joy
my faith, within me, you restored.

DelCano 2005 Oct
 
 

 

We Live in Different Worlds

We Live in Different Worlds

I have wanted to write this article for a while but had trouble grasping where I should start. Recent events in my life let me know I needed to address it and say to those who take forgranted their privileges as citizens of the best country on earth, "we live in different worlds though we are in the same country or even the same city." I, being a man of African descent, nearly 62 years old, had thought I would out live overt racism and being treated differently than other citizens. I was very wrong and seems now it not only continues but in many ways has increased in its intensity. I sigh from the frustrations after dedicating the bulk of my life in using the theories that if I do well, if I assimilate into the larger society, if I do the best job, be the best neighbor, smile the most, help as much as I can and all those other cutesy expressions society told me I needed to do I would be treated the same. That was and is a lie. We live in different worlds within the boundaries of a common community.
 
You might feel the total freedom to stroll relaxed through any park in town. Me? I must always be aware with my skin being darker than yours that people like me don't stroll through parks. We only lurk in public places to case the area in planning some sort of crime. Have you ever been questioned by a policeman or park ranger why you were sitting in the park on a bench reading poetry or while lingering outside a lovely floral display (The Jewel Box) why you were loitering? Get inside my skin one day. I love the parks in St. Louis but they are not all inviting to me. I will never forget my first fishing trip to Caroundelet Park while walking from my vehicle to the lake with fishing poles in hand being asked what I was doing. What the hell does it look like I was about to do with fishing poles in hand? We live in different worlds.
 
I get so damn tired of being lumped in with the worst of people of my ethnic group. When a bank robber or car thief turns out to be AfricanAmerican why am I supposed to share the blame for what he did? Are you guilty when a thief is of your race? Of course not; so why am I guilty or responsible for his actions? That goes right back to "you people." You people need to learn how to act in public. You people need to work and save money and buy a house or go into business. Did you know "us people" are able to buy a new car with no money down much easier than to get a mortgage on a home with 20 or more percentage down? Did you know that us people do have a few who (like me) reach for as many opportunities we could to get ahead and make a different life yet were still being lumped in with the lousy ones? Like I said we live in different worlds.
 
I've grown tired and weary of the lies and the bullshit. I was on several committees to help guide more companies and individuals to increase active participation with companies of African descent. After years of the same old excuses, the same dribbling wishy washy promises I stopped wasting my time. Mr. So and So would call and ask me if I could help him find five good experienced carpenters for a project he is about to start. I send him five (5) folks with a combined experience of over 100 years and get a call a few days later with him sultrily speaking something about lack of experience. Then a couple weeks later I'm at a lumber supplier and butt into his lead man. The fella doesn't know the difference between wet and dry lumber nor a 2 X 4 from a 2 X 6....but he is the qualified one. Now picture this. Here's a fella who has a job in "MY" neighborhood who drives nearly 100 miles one way to get here but I/we are told we are not qualified enough though any two of us has as much general experience as his whole crew. We can do the work blind folded with one arm tied behind our backs but we are not hired. The excuses run the gambit of a comedian's performance yet we are supposed to accept it. Every step forward is a struggle with not only government agencies, the city, the state but unions who shuffle names around ignoring my seniority in favor of another. We live in different worlds.
 
Tell me a situation where you knew someone had been kidnapped and every policeman in town was aware of it. Can you imagine it not making any news media? Karen was a captive for eight days yet not once was she mentioned on the news. During that same period there were several articles about missing children, missing pregnant women and the like but not one word about Karen. Does her honey brown skin make her less of a person? Less news worthy than another? We do live in different worlds.
 
Lets look at a few other situations which have worn me out. A simple thing like sweeping the streets. I noticed the signs had changed in my neighborhood that the streets would be swept only once a month. A call to city hall told me the city budget didn't' allow for twice a month street cleaning. That's fine but when I noticed a few days later that many wards in south St. Louis where still being swept twice a month I gave it more thought. I did a personal study to determine where this was happening. Yep, you guessed it. Only the wards with a majority African population had been cut down to once a month. Why? How is that explained legitimately? After enough calls and letters now the whole city is swept only once a month. A look at building inspections show a lack of inspections in many of "them peoples" areas indicating that their property is not as important as some others. Like I said we live in different worlds.
 
Yet, today I paid the same respect to those who had given their lives for the freedoms we have as you did or should have. I never asked for any more than what I was promised through the constitution nor our basic laws. What makes me so different from you? Do I deserve any less? Does my and my family's military service count for any less than yours? Why do we live in such different worlds though in the same city?

Walking Thru Your Words

Let me walk thru your words
cause they massage my mind.
Brushing against them is magic
they're of the keeping kind.

Love to stroll thru your words
which always tend to soothe.
Their touch being so soulful
balms me to a loving groove.

Oooo, love walking thru your words
their breath so caressing to me.
While they wash all over my body
and grip me quite ecstatically.

Strolling thru your garden of words
fills me with a scented bouquet.
An aroma, raising higher my senses
to a mountain peak in your way.

Del Cano 2007 July