Sunrise... a poem

Sunrise

I have finally awakened
to sun rays streaming through my windows
beaming on my face
warming my brown skin
hot cocoa on a cold night in.

the light replaced the darkness
it cut through the shadows
brightened the blue-black sky to a golden peach
sweet as the juice on a summer day.

Hope is that ball of fire
burning from the heavens
commanding the night to flee
and dreams to be realized.

I look to the sun
and reach high to the cumulus clouds
I listen to the quiet morning
where night terrors are no more
And the day is waiting.

~cdw~
11/26/13

Say Goodbye to the Air ... a poem

Say Goodbye to the Air

Only one or two more days until
time stands at the station corner – still.
And waits to board that midnight train
leaving Georgia and traveling to North Carolina again.
Until that day, I will patiently sit
and wait for a phone call that I’ll never get –
the call where you bid farewell to me here,
but I know you won’t, so I’ll say goodbye to the air

and hope it finds you there.

~cdw~
February 2009

unspeakable joy ... a poem

unspeakable joy 

when i can't sit still
and my hands begin to wave
my arms start to flail

my right foot stomps the church floor

that's unspeakable joy

the pounding from the floor

echos the pounding in my chest

I've been standing for an hour

but my legs won't stop shaking

the energy of unspeakable joy

i lift my left hand to the steeple

point my index finger to the heavens

tears blur my vision

leaving streaks on my cheeks 

trails of unspeakable joy

when I do lift my voice

it's more like a wail
a cry out to God

a moaning sacrifice of self

sounds of unspeakable joy

words can't tell it

songs can't sing it

stories can't share it

but you can see it

in the trembling lips

the rosy nose

the stained cheeks
the watery eyes

the furrowed brow

the sweat-shiny hairline

that's unspeakable joy

~cdw~
11/03/13

My Bio!

A fun and quirky tale of Courtney the creative.

Courtney Danielle Ware was born to write. But she didn’t realize this fact until she won her first school-wide poetry contest at age 12. Shortly after, like all good poets, Courtney memorized Langston Hughes’ “A Dream Deferred” but followed her own dreams to Agnes Scott College in Decatur (where it’s greater). Here, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Creative Writing and also matured into womanhood at The World. For Women.

After preventing diseases with the CDC for a stint (sans Outbreak suit), Courtney descended upon SCAD-Savannah and became one of the first graduate Writing graduates. Now that she could claim status as a Professional Writer, she graced the doors of WebMD amid the happenings of midtown Atlanta and learned to write serial commas and perfectly optimize health news headlines. Unfortunately, the recession booted her out, but God is good! and she quickly and unexpectedly jumped into her goal position: copywriter.

Sandwiched neatly in the middle of school and career was the birth of her bundle of joy. She named it Ball-N-Co. and thus unleashed her entrepreneurial spirit, thanks to the gentle coaxing and handcuffed persuasion of her co-founder and partner-in-crime. Together, they built a small business that hosts artsy-fartsy music-loving events and will build your brand, design your logo, write your tagline, create your marketing materials, and more—and all for the low, low price of (email them @ info@ball-n-co.com for a quote).

What’s next on Courtney’s to-do list? Learn to speak French, continue to serve her people, build Ware Library – and make all Ball-N-Co. clients happy.

(And b.ware is her brother, so support his music! bwarefaction.com)

Heart of Stone... a poem

Heart of Stone

Our love

was fossilized coral.

You found it covered

beneath Jamaican sands on a beach

across the sea

a holey, hidden, heart-shaped symbol.

You thought it was a rock

a refuge -- steady, sturdy, stable

but it was pierced and punctured

malformed and manhandled by the waves

a stone of lifeless remains.

Holding our love in the palm
of my warm, living hand

it was cold, hard 

like stone, ridged and lumpy

appearing firm but so fragile.

Formed and molded

but not at all stylized

the coral was unique to only us.

Potentially pure 

but tainted an ashy white--

chalky traces of the past.

The color is gone.

The memories... set in stone.

~cdw~

09/11/13

embrace ... a poem

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embrace

You told me not to hold you tight

but what was I holding on to?

When we embraced, I squeezed your waist

You told me not to need you

I buried my face in the center of your chest

Inhaled and tried to breathe you

I shut my eyes ‘til I saw spots

Determined not to leave you

But hugs can only last so long

and what good do they lead to?

A forehead kiss? I was dismissed.

I should have taken heed to

your warnings that said, “loosen your grip.”

Your worried gaze deceived you

I ignored that look; I thought it love

and now I’m left to grieve you.

~cdw~

09/04/13 

blue ... a poem

blue

I've been crying over you

shedding tears that stain my cheeks blue.

Close my eyes and hide my face

hoping that no one sees a trace.

But when my palms try to dry the pain

all they do is smear the hurt again.

Then I wash and scrub with water, soap.

Clean away the woe and re-reveal the hope.

But the dream is gone and love, in vain,

Drowned in salty sobs, bitter acid rain.

And my skin – moist and choked with heartbreak,

flushed the dark indigo of a body suffocated –

lost its glow, the rosy rush of love obtained.

Sunken, shadowed, hollow, royal-tear stained.

~cdw~

09/03/13

I Cry for Our Trayvons ... a poem

I Cry for Our Trayvons

I cry for Trayvons around the country
not just because they are slaughtered
with no remorse or repentance
and not only because they're too young
with too many years of life left to live
and too much promise before them

I cry for our Trayvons
not just because they're precious human beings
made in the image of God
and look like my younger brother, little cousins
our even our president 30 or so years ago

No, I cry for our Trayvons
because the society we live in doomed them
from birth

Because America's sick systems
brand them as feared criminals
before they ever pick up a toy gun

recite words from a rap song 

or spend hours playing Halo

I cry for our Trayvons
because they have to prove their humanity
as if they weren't born with a beating heart
a malleable mind
God's breath in their lungs
and the potential to live as US citizens, unquestioned

I weep and I sob
because the ONLY ones who care are few
because there is NO hope the way things remain
because Americans resist REAL change

because over 400 years later 

this land remains the same

 

and

 

I shake my head 

because we walk around like sheep, blind and dumb
chasing silver and gold that we can't attain
refusing to love but expecting to be loved

ignorant of our identity, history -- the Truth!

and condemning without caring about black youth

 

I'm tired of shedding tears over spilled blood on the leaves
or moaning for a country that doesn't care about me or my babies
Marching in the streets won't change anything

Do we lack the courage to do what's really necessary?

~cdw~
7/23/13

I Heart Haikus...

Captive

Love took me hostage.

Its grip is tight on my heart.

I don't want to leave. 

  

Gifts of Love

Give me flowers for

my Valentine. Or shiny 

jewels to make her smile.

Love Is Sweet

Show me just how sweet

I am to you. Give tasty 

chocolates from you. 

Acts of Love

Spread love. Be mine. Kiss.

Hold hands. Cuddle. Dream in bliss.

Inhale love's fragrance.  

A Thin Line

It's a thin line, love, 

between showing and acting--

being and doing. 

A Love Poem

Roses are crimson.

Violets are royal. Sugar's

sweet like my baby. 

~cdw~

revolving door... a poem

revolving door

my emotions are clear glass
push my door 
I'll take you for a ride
slow and steady
not automatic

hands pressed, you're in control
leaving fingerprints
smudges of your words
we go 'round and 'round
you let no one else enter

I stopped to let you in
I tried to keep us moving
you slipped right out, mid-spin
I'm left to pirouette alone
until you decide to slide
back in again.

I just keep spinning.

~cdw
1/11/13