The Worshipful Company of Dead Souls

At Bank Junction
A spirit met the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street
And she said:
You don’t belong here
But since you’re already dead I suppose it’s only fair
That I share some truths with you
And hopefully for your thoughts they’ll be food
Enough to keep you in your tomb!

You see, this city’s roots were made strong by absorbing the blood of slaves for sure
And yes, the saga continues…
But perhaps epigenetics is responsible
For my liverymen don’t mean to be so cruel

They too suffer great pain
Because comfort can’t be exchanged for peace of mind – it’s not a substitute

Indeed, generational gains they’ve accrued
But even they can’t guarantee their own future is secure
Since it’s not whether one saves or gambles that determines survival
Even Isaac Newton lost his life savings in the South Sea Bubble

However, one must endure the struggle with fortitude
But then again be careful of ‘wise’ counsel
For it’s often the tool a master will use to keep the ignoramus subdued

Big Africa On Fire (Black All Street)

After he read about the Greenwood Massacre

He figured it was probably safer to build back in Africa

But upon arrival he quickly discovered

Many people in powerful positions engaged in schemes to plunder

And a large populace that in fact looked to the perpetrator for direction on economic development, social structure and culture

And just as the US National Guard had dropped bombs on Tulsa

To destroy black capital on account of unfounded and unproved claims that one black man – a humble shoeshiner

Had made physical contact with a white woman which was tantamount to Emmett Till’s alleged wolf-whistle

Similar absurdities he had observed and found the corruption inherent in the frameworks inherited from the colonizers

Realizations that shook him to the core

And yet despite it all he didn’t lose hope

Instead he found the courage to not only cope

But to be the extinguisher to the ember which had Little Africa on Fire

Progressive Movement

when critics give the short shrift to your hopes of making good on your gifts

when your treasure falls into the hands of one like Heinz Herzer
and where it rests is not the Luxor temple but the auction table
the essence of its cultural significance erased
and all that’s left is merely an artefact
highly priced but reaved of value
like a slave sold to the highest bidder for his frame not human attributes
or the displaced who in distress seek the promised land only to end up disconnected from their ancestral heritage

when the winds of wickedness work against your will so your wishes aren’t fulfilled
when the tide turns and the future seems bleak
when all such negative things in your present reality exist

make the effort to shift your perspective
be prepared to put in the work before you expect to flourish
change your beliefs to ones that will uplift your spirit
appreciate small gains and take pleasure in setting measures for the kind of success you hope to attain

take stock of losses with a view to mitigate them on your next endeavour
aim, stake your claim and take the gamble
for the game can only be won by those that dare to play

be more respectful but perhaps a little less humble
don’t expect gratitude but always demand what’s owed you
and accept that with achievement comes a new target
because progress is a movement with never-ending challenges

If the sun never rises

volatility is a trader’s dream
and stability a worker’s hope
aspirations intertwined as threads of life it seems
but in reality not as strong as sisal rope

and while all have a role to play in the maze
between the entrance and the goal
many fall short and get lost in the parade
and only few come out on top
the rest adulate and praise
the so-called cream of the crop

some who go on to flaunt, vaunt and taunt
creating social spectacles no different to old radio sponsored dramas by makers of soap
starring influencers who themselves crave attention the most
and who at all costs will provoke just to get the masses to talk
actions that result from very little if any credible thought

so while most get caught up in the hoax
and expend resources on things they can’t afford
why not spend time learning the ropes
and figuring out how to monetise the delivery of value
a business model that insures against any loss
instead of chasing effete endorsements of the ephemeral sort

that way we might turn a profit like Mason Morfit
and experience the mind’s expansiveness by exploring our limitless potential
because only when we decide to thrive rather than simply let life pass us by
when we follow through on our goals each and every day
only then will we truly have lived our purpose
should the earth stop turning and the sun never rises