STACIA LYNN REYNOLDS

WELCOME

TO

OUR POETRY ARCHIVE

 “Don’t wait for someone to bring you flowers.

Plant your own garden and

Decorate your own soul.”

~Luther Burbank~

This month, April 2017, is starting our third year in web publishing. Our Poetry Archive’s editorial team is extremely excited about the success and support from our readers, along with all the poets who have contributed to Our Poetry Archive. It is only through your support that OPA has grown throughout the years! Due to the pleasant amount of growth, Our Poetry Archive is extending our utmost thanks and appreciation to all of you! We could not have been successful without all of you!

Our Poetry Archive planted the seed of poetry within the minds of the world. Per the planting of seeds, Our Poetry Archive has grown a beautiful garden of international appreciation, for poets around the world. The decorated souls of this world, who have contributed to the growth of Our Poetry Archive, possess qualities that many have come to appreciate. We delight in the words of others; we feel the emotions of every poet who grace us with their words. Exquisite and fascinating representation of language from each continent has been represented. Through each individual’s discourse of thought, expressed in poems, we have found marvelous radiance shining from each corner of the world. Though each poet resides in various parts of the world, we have found amazing symmetry among all of us. This obvious exhibition of appreciation has formed a uniform setting for all poets to express their inner self, through their words. It is through the expression of thought and emotion that Our Poetry Archive has grown the way it has. I truly believe, from the depths of my soul, that the oneness of international appreciation of rhetoric, thought and emotion, has brought us all together in a state of appreciation for all cultures and ways of life. It brings us great joy, to have the opportunity, to publish in our web journal, the inspiration of each poet from around the world!

“The birds sing their song

The wind is their melody

The leaves clap their hands”

~Author Stacia Lynn Reynolds~

 Our Poetry Archive sings the melody of thought and expression of every contributed word. We applaud you for your support and congratulate each individual poet, on your personal success as a writer. We also thank our readers, who support the numbers of Our Poetry Archive.

 

Last year we at Our Poetry Archive have taken the project to publish Continental Special Editions highlighting poetical traditions and individual talents of each continent in single volumes. We thought this would broaden the entire spectrum of literary traditions and heritages around the globe by publishing continental poets and poetess from every corner of the world. We have pursued this project, so readers of this blog may grasp the literary forms of poets from each continent, and find appreciation in each writer. In the October 2016 Edition, we featured poems from 48 European poets. In, December 2016, we have published the continental edition, which featured poets from North America, participated by more than fifty poets of that particular continent. Again our third Continental special edition has featured poems written by the poets with African origins. We are also pleased to announce that next May we’ll publish our fourth edition of Continental special item featuring poets with Asian origins.

This April we are starting our third year in web publishing featuring poetess Renee Drummond- Brown as the “Poet of the Month”, who resides in United States of America,!  We encourage everyone to read her insightful words, found in her personal responses given, in our exclusive interview with her. She has also contributed five personal poems for all to read. We are also glad to present one hundred and eighty one poems of fifty poets from all over Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand in this edition. So readers may enjoy a variety of literary signatures and essence in this single volume of poetry collection.

Please take time and enjoy the talent Our Poetry Archive has added to the April 2017 General Edition. Those who would like to participate in our upcoming editions, please send three poems and a profile picture, along with the explicit confirmation, of your permission, for publication in OPA well before the 21st of every month. If you write in another language, please send your 3 poems both in English and your native language. Also, please specify, in the subject line of your email, which edition you are submitting to, to avoid any confusion, and to assure your poems are published in the correct edition. Finally, please state your country of origin, mother language, nationality, and where you reside. Thank you! Our Poetry Archive’s email address is: ourpoetryarchive@gmail.com. We look forward to receiving and reading your poems!

Author Stacia Lynn Reynolds, editor, sincerely thanks each poet and reader who is actively involved in this wonderful blog and continued support of Our Poetry Archive.

From The Editorial Desk

OPA

A

WORLDWIDE WRITERS’ WEB

PRESENTATION!

PUBLISHED BY

OPA

OUR

POETRY ARCHIVE

ONLINE MONTHLY POETRY JOURNAL

https://ourpoetryarchive.blogspot.com

email us to:

ourpoetryarchive@gmail.com

******************************************

RENEE DRUMMOND-BROWN

Renee Drummond-Brown

TOM, DICK, HARRY AND JOHN

She struggles,

for she

knows not what she does.

Excuse after excuse;

“what had ‘happen’ ‘wuz’….

‘Naw’ ‘cuz’~~~

The sins of the mother

fall harder

on the daughter,

and her daughter,

and her daughter

and her daughter

alike.

Just like the kiss of death;

but then again

a kiss

is just a kiss

is just a kiss,

but

that’s not what they’re after.

A hit or miss

at its best.

You guessed;

pain before pleasure.

Did someone mention

lust

???

Maybe not.

Momma

entertains

man after man.

So,

if she can do IT;

so be it,

her daughters can

and so can her grans

and so forth

and so on~~~

Like Marvin Gaye’s 78

scratched

“Let’s get it on”

and on

and on

an on.

After-all,

them daddies been long gone

in the wind.

Therefore,

every

Tom, Dick and Harry

is equivalent

to a John’

Say it ain’t so?

Yeah

we know the deal

and she knows

for real.

She definitely knows

???

Season’s come

so,

they won’t live on

but

the wild seed

saturates

her entrenched wound

before the coming of the next sun

which springs forth

leaps and bound;

rearing up

every Tom,

Dick

Harry

and

John.

Dedicated to: YOU’RE NOT THE FATHER!

A B.A.D. poem

TROUBLE IN MY WAY;

 I ‘Gotta’ Cry Sometime

Us black women

know ‘bout’ trouble.

No one hears

our faintest cries.

Nor

answers us

by and by.

In fact,

we come

under

ALL MANNER

of everyone’s attack.

After

attack

after attack.

But,

we press on,

burying

our sons

after

son

after sons.

And yet,

still yet,

with a smile

we give good measure

pressed down

shaken fold

together.

And still yet,

who cares

bout any o’ that?

We’re to have

absolutely

no feelings at all.

Cause

Maya said

“we rise”

“we rise”

“we rise”

but I say

“we fall”

“we fall”

“we fell”

from grace;

sheer disgrace.

What happened to the black woman?

What has she become?

She breast fed a nation

AND FORGOT

to feed

her very own!!!

All that’s left

is a ‘breastless’

mother

with

an empty chest.

But remember

“we rise”

“we rise”

“we rise”.

BUT

FOR WHAT?

No one’s even there

to catch us.

Nor

do they care

when ‘WE’ fall.

Lest we forget.

Shadrach,

Meshach

and a B.A.D. Negro;

WE WAS THERE

WITH YOU

in that fiery furnace

ALSO.

DON’T YOU THINK 

a black woman

don’t know.

Although a skeleton;

one thing for sure

two

for certain,

we know

we know

we know

how to eat us

some crow

and

we ALSO know

‘bout’ troubles,

THIS

FOR CERTAIN

I

DO

KNOW!

Dedicated to: B.A.D.

I knew all about your troubles; I had to cry sometimes.

All Rights Reserved@ January 2, 2017.

ONE ON ONE

Just saw this photo

of Ty,

and

reminisced

in my head

‘ov’r’

the years;

O’

them gyms

we played in.

Schenley High;

Fall league,

comes to mind.

Basketball

in her head,

heart,

and

hands.

Two thumbs up!!

Awesome layups

free throws,

foul shots;

always on point

‘whomever’

she guarded.

‘Ev’n’ when

against

my very own daughters.

Yeah

her cousins;

now that’s what’s up!!!

I recollect

Ty holding

her coaches baby

on her lap,

if

given a break.

Then

guarding her opponents,

rotating back

‘ov’r’ to us

WITH A KISS

‘anna’

SMILE

saying

“I’ll be back at half time”

‘ev’n’ if

for

a lil’ while!

Well God kept

Ty’s score.

Now she’s

on

point,

dribbling

The Fathers’ ball

halfway down court,

guarding His gate;

never needing

time out,

nor

worrying

‘bout’

who

she has to fake

out.

Score is never kept,

cause

she’s on

that

winning team:

“The Heavenly Host”

with none other

than

her Father,

His Son,

and the

Holy Ghost

AKA

The Trinity.

What a dream

on Ty’s team!!!

Ty

I ‘seen’ you play today

“One on One”

if only

a “cherry pick” away.

Dedicated to: LaShawn Lewis, in memory of her beloved daughter “Ty”

(HAPPY 27th BIRTHDAY TYLER “Ty”).

2017

A new day

from whence

we overcame.

What if

anything

will ever change?

Absolutely nothing!

In fact

life will resume

just the same.

We’ll lie

we’ll cry

we’ll cheat

even

make a

New Year’s resolution sheet;

tuck it away,

an’ sing

some of the very same ol’ same

in 1918.

What a shame

a new year.

Auld Lang Syne

waisted

time gone by

a different day

without

a shadow of a doubt

the same ol’

same ol’

game.

Dedicated to: Anew un-Happy New Year!

All Rights Reserved@ January 1, 2017.

NO HONOR AMONGST RATS!

Deprived

of strength,

power

and/or

efficiency;

weakened

to believe

SLAVERY

AIN’T

FOR FREE.

AKA

castrated thug;

once served

tHis country

as

thoroughbred

studs.

Pure breed.

NOT

made in China.

Rather,

Afrika’s

finest

of

finest

trees!

America’s creed:

We the people

For the people

By the people:

Castrate you

~~~~~

In the name of

The Father,

Son

and

Holy Spirit too!

A B.A.D. Poem

Dedicated to: Lest we forget Slavery.

No part of this poem may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without written permission from the author. All Rights Reserved@ March 11, 2017.

RENEE’ DRUMMOND-BROWN

RENEE’ DRUMMOND-BROWN, Renee’ Drummond-Brown is an accomplished poetess with experience in creative writing. She is a (Summa Cum Laude) graduate of Geneva College of Western Pennsylvania and graduate of The Center for Urban Biblical Ministry (CUBM). Renee’ is still in pursuit of excellence towards her mark for higher education.

She is working on her sixth book and has numerous works published globally which can be seen in cubm.org/news, KWEE Magazine (Liberian L. Review), Leaves of Ink Magazine, New Pittsburgh Courier, Raven Cage Poetry and Prose Ezine, Realistic Poetry International, Scarlet Leaf Publishing House, SickLit Magazine, The Metro Gazette Publishing Company, Inc., Tuck, and Whispers Magazine just to name a few.

Civil Rights Activist, Ms. Rutha Mae Harris, Original Freedom Singer of the Civil Rights Movement, was responsible for having Drummond-Brown’s very first poem published in the Metro Gazette Publishing Company, Inc., in Albany, GA. Renee’ also has poetry published in several anthologies and honorable mentions to her credit in various writing outlets. The Multicultural Student Services Office of Geneva College presented her with 2nd prize in the Undergraduate Essay Contest. Renee’ also won and/or placed in several poetry contests globally.

She was Poet of the Month Winner in Our Poetry Archives, 2017, and in the prestigious Potpourri Poets/Artists Writing Community. The author has been interviewed by Urban Heroes Blog Talk Radio and her poetry aired on Fifth Wall Radio. She has even graced the cover of KWEE Magazine in the month of May, 2016. Her love for creative writing is undoubtedly displayed through her very unique style and her work solidifies her as a force to be reckoned with in the literary world of poetry. Renee’ is inspired by non-other than Dr. Maya Angelou, and because of her, Renee’ posits “Still I write, I write, and I’ll write!” 

ZANNETA KALYVA PAPAIOANNOU

ZANNETA KALYVA PAPAIOANNOU

THE SPRING

The coming of Spring

flowers will bring

and Angel Gabriel will offer

to the Virgin Mary the lily.

All yards are

full of roses and lilacs,

anemones and hyacinths,

whispering love songs.

“You love me”,

“you don’t love me”,

you play with daisies,

walking on squares

and asking for your mate.

Cyclamens and jasmines

in little vases,

beautiful and fresh

they always look forward to you.

NOSTALGIA

On bed of pain,

alone, a night,

I wish I had

your touch.

I feel nostalgia,

I’m scared of the lust

and with a big pain

I cry your name.

MEMORIES

America’s places I missed

a midday,

and with pain in my heart

I remembered… all the past.

The beautiful years

we passed together,

always in laughter,

love and affection.

LIFE IS SO BEAUTIFUL

Life is so beautiful,

it’s made for love,

but we never know

what it will happen to us.

So, take delight in

all this beauty

and never think

about fame and wealth.

ZANNETA KALYVA – PAPAIOANNOU

GREECE

ZANNETA KALYVA-PAPAIOANNOU: She was born in Larissa. She comes from Vachlia, a small Arcadian village. She is poetess and author. Her work has been published in national and international  newspapers and magazines. Her poems there are in Anthologies and have been translated in English, Chinese, Albanian, Italian, Spanish and Korean. Her writing has won international and national prizes. She is a member of the WAAC/WCP (which awarded her the title Doctor of Literature), of the IWA, of the “Union of Greek Writers”, of the “WPS”, of the Accademia Ferdinandea (Italy), of the Literary Club “Xasteron”, of the Literary Club of Helioupolis, of the International Society of Greek Writers  & Artists, of the «Poetas del Mundo» («Poets of the World») and many social Associations of Greece. She referred in the American “Who’s Who” and in “I. B. of Cambridge” (U.K.). She has published the books: “MEMORIES”, narrative stories from her childhood, Athens 2001. “A LIFE’S NOTES”, poems (Greek-English), Athens 2002. “LIFE’S ESSENCE”, poems and short stories, Athens 2003 and  “WITH MY HEART’S WINGS”, a collection of poems (Greek, Chinese, Italian, English and French), Athens 2005& 2007.