WHEN HE TOLD ME.....................

                                                                         

                                                                           

                                    

WHEN HE TOLD ME  “YOU ARE PERFECT DON’T CHANGE A  SINGLE THING”

BEING HUMBLED NOT TO LET IT GO TO MY HEAD,

I REMEMBERED IN  ALL THE TOO DISTANT PAST,

THOSE LOVELY WORDS WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SAID.

WHEN HE TOLD ME,  “ PLEASE,  JUST  STAY THE  SAME WAY YOU ARE”

 I CAUTIOUSLY SMILED ,  SIGHED AND  LOOKED THE OTHER  WAY,

REPLAYING SCENES  OF LOVE  GONE WRONG,

SAYING TO MYSELF THIS MAN HAS NOTHING BETTER TO SAY.

ALL OF A SUDDEN,  RECALLING  GRANDMA’S LESSONS LEARNED  

TO  ALWAYS  BE MINDFUL  AS A LADY AND  LIVE ON A HIGH HILL

SHE OFTEN INSTRUCTED US WISELY

WHAT ONE PERSON WON’T DO, ANOTHER  SURELY WILL!

-Danica

BETA BLOCKERS (poem)

I would like to share my poem entitled, “ Beta Blockers”.   Anyone with high blood pressure is supposed to take a Beta Blocker.  However, this poem is definitely not about high blood pressure! Please enjoy!

BETA BLOCKERS ARE PRESCRIBED BY DOCTORS

TWENTY-FIVE, FIFTY, SEVENTY-FIVE MILLIGRAMS WILL KEEP YOU ALIVE

WELL TONIGHT,  I PLAN ON TAKING 205

THEN MAYBE, JUST MAYBE  IT COULD 

BLOCK THE PAIN

I SAW HER AND HIM IN HIS CAR

AND THEN

 BLOCK THE SHAME

I USED TO BE THAT MAN’S NUMBER ONE STAR

AND THEN BLOCK THE LOSS

I LOST EVERYTHING I OWNED

AND THEN BLOCK THE COST

MY CAR, MY JOB, MY HOUSE, MY HOME

IN MY CASKET NO TRADITIONAL WHITE DOVE

BECAUSE  THE DRUG THAT I OVERDOSED ON IS A DRUG CALLED LOVE

I WILL FALL DEEP INTO A SLEEP AND I WILL FEEL THIS PAIN NO MORE

BETA BLOCKERS IN MY HAND HERE I GO BUT WAIT

I HEAR A KNOCK AT MY BEDROOM DOOR

TWO BEAUTIFUL ,  HANDSOME  YOUNG MEN SAYING “ MOMMY WE HEARD YOU CRYING ARE YOU OKAY?”

DANG, I JUST REALIZED FOR THEM I HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH THIS HELL CALLED LIFE TO FACE IT FOR JUST ANOTHER DAY

BETA BLOCKERS

-Danica 

If you truly desire to be effective in anything you accomplish in life,  being transparent is the only way to become relatable to individuals.  I wrote this poem a couple days after the day I was going   to commit suicide some years back.  I often inform my readers to “keep it moving!” This phrase is not just a mere cliche for me, but it was exactly what got me through the toughest time in my life.  

When we realize that life has  its season and we are to learn from that season and move to the next for ourselves as well as others, nothing is impossible to get through.  I often think of the many people who never made it to the next season!  The only reason was just simply because they never knew the secret  to their season.  Certainly I learned the only true secret for overcoming through a fall or winter season  is time and God! Love you much and keep it moving until next time.

Danica

WOMB-MAN

                                                                   


Women are very unique creatures with even more unique hurts and pains. God ordained us to be so special that when we were created, we were manifested from just a man's rib!  In my opinion, this simply tells me that a man is not fully complete without the essence of a woman by his side!(Smile fellas-just joking!)

Seriously, this one extraordinary fact tells me that until women as individuals are whole within ourselves, we will never be able to fully help, assist or stand by anyone, whether it be for our family, friends, children or our mate. I truly am encouraging my ladies in order to be fulfilled this year, do something that you have never done before.  When you feel life's slumps coming on, take a trip to an exotic place or just get out of your city limits for a weekend.  Volunteer to do community service.  Take one whole entire paycheck and spend it on your children, yourself or someone else. Invest in a months worth of Zumba classes. Go to an open mic session for the first time and channel your inner Beyonce! Smile at someone when they make you more mad than you have ever been before! Limit all pity-parties this year to the length of Mary J. Blige "Share My World" album (16 tracks is enough time) once every two weeks. Afterwards,  get up and find a reasonable solution to the problem at hand. Above all, fall down to  pray and meditate daily, giving God praise for blessing you with life for just another day! Do whatever it takes ladies to keep moving forward at all times. Love you all and please keep pursuing happiness for yourself in 2013! You are more important and valuable than you will ever know. Ask me how I know?

Peace and Blessings
With Love

Danica

"AT LEAST HE DIDN'T HIT ME" (a poem about emotional abuse)

When I look into the mirror, I have no scars so all I can say is,  "at least he didn't hit me."

Up all and every night arguing because I'm being accused of things I just don't do.

When I look in the mirror in the mornings I say to myself, "at least he didn't hit me."

Having a curfew for Holiday dinners with my family, coming back 15 minutes late and so the fights began holiday evenings.

And when I looked in the mirror in those evenings I say to myself, "at least he didn't hit me."

Lying in bed with tears in my eyes for the extreme lies told again and again saying to myself once again 

"At least he didn't hit me."

Fooling myself when unclaimed children were discovered or years of in the closet substance abuse issues and the hidden open empty bottles found a million times over

Now, numb, walking to the mirror saying at least................. but wait......................

When I looked in the mirror this time and saw Her, all I saw was scars all over Her

Scars that went deep into the soul

Black and blue marks that cut into the spirit

Scratches, Scrapes and puncture wounds right into the heart.

The ugliest sight I had ever seen and he never even laid a hand on me.

So thank you for never hitting me!

This is my poem that will be in my next book due to print in 90 days, "The Purple Legacies". As hard as it was to write and read it, it was that much harder to live it!  Therefore, this is the main reason I write and encourage women through my writings. You see this used to be my story, however if I keep encouraging women it does not have to be their story!For there is no journey of pain without purpose following! Keep it moving ladies! There is a brighter day ahead! Always!

With Love

Danica

                                                                       

One Life Altering Incident "Nella Syndrome"

                                                                              

As I was going through one of the most trying times in my life a couple years of ago, I met a wonderful thespian who invited me to tryout for one of her plays.  Her name was Carla.  She was an acting legend in our community.  Carla was a wonderful actress in her own right.  She was assigned the chore of producing a local play specifically for African-Americans called "Gee's Bend". I was appointed to play Nella Pettway, a women whose life was changed by just one single incident as a young girl.  She informed me to put all of my energy in this character and I did.

Nella's character was a little comical.  As the story progressed however over a 60 year period, you find out  the one "incident" that affected Nella's life negatively in her monologue that was recalled when she was about 80.  While Nella and her sister were just young girls, a nice man befriended the family and helped them refurbish their house, and livestock.  However, he died and his widow decided to come across the river and repossess everything from their property!  Men came in trucks and took all the belongings back from Nella and her family.  When it came to the pigs that was given to the family,  the mother instructed Nella to go outside and slaughter the pigs before the men could take them away also!

You see Nella never married because of this one incident. She never had any children, and she lived with her mother for most of her life.  The audience itself did not know why until she recalled this experience when she was about seventy-ish.  The character "Alice" who played her mother softened her grip on "Nella" because of that one incident. Nella came out of that barn covered in pigs blood after her mother instructed her to slaughter the pigs.  Well the whole entire town saw this women dripping from head to toe in pigs blood! No one wanted to date, marry or love this women because of this one incident. The guilt that Nella and her mother felt simply because of this one bad choice affected their lives for the worse.

I primarily told you the story about my character in the play "Gees Bend" to encourage any man, woman, or child that no matter the one life-altering situation that changed the course of your whole life, basically just let it go!! Never let the "Nella Syndrome" or one instance define your life for the rest of your life. That is way too heavy of a burden to carry.  Know that when you are knocked down, never stay there.  I encourage you to always fight and get back up again and keep it moving!!!As for Carla, that play was one of the most successful African-American play's ever done at the playhouse.  I believe so many people could relate to it, making it very relevant for everyone.

 I am continuing to encourage each and everyone of you to make this the best year of your life!!!

Peace and Blessings
With Love
Danica

                                                                           

DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY!!!

                                                                         

                                                                   


I am embarking on the journey of a lifetime.  Book tours, interviews, poetry workshops and readings has been my weekly itinerary.    I am so very excited for this time in my life.  I just want to encourage others also to follow your dreams in 2013.  Surround yourself with only positive, inspiring individuals who support you and your endeavors. Help others to then reach their dreams and goals after you have accomplished yours.  Pass the blessings on.  Although more than anything else for 2013,  more than anything at all, just be happy! Be happy for others, be happy for yourself as well.  There are so many things in this world to get us down everyday however Philippians 4:8 explains how to overcome this.  It simply says:

Philippians 4:8

King James Version (KJV)

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

SIMPLY BE HAPPY!!!
Peace and Blessings until next time!!
Love Always Danica

MARDI GRAS MADNESS

A short history on Mardi Gras is as follows:   Rome converted to Christianity. The Churches founders then came to the conclusion to continue to instill certain aspects of Roman traditions. This time of celebration before leading up to the Lenten season, which Christians adhere as one of the most Holiest times of the year was filled with revelry and fun.  

Well as for me, I was so excited to partake in my first Mardi Gras Ball.  After fifty dollar tickets and a thirty-four dollar dress from Overstock.com, as well as a seventeen dollar pair of shoes to go along with the twelve dollar hair and five dollar necklace set I was so pumped! (I know.... I'm a cheap date!)

I had a wonderful time. Truly this ball was all it was cracked up to be.  Everyone should experience a Mardi Gras ball.  I did the "wobble" until I could not "wobble" anymore! All of the women attendees were beautifully decked out in gowns and evening dresses.  All of the male attendees were handsomely dressed.  

However, the one thing I loved about the entire experience, was the diversity.  White, Black, Indian, Asian.  It was such a beautiful sight. Goes to show that embracing each other in fun and love is very much possible! Well since I am recuperating from last night, this is a short blog!!! I will make it up to you soon!!!Peace and Blessings!!!