Celebrating National Poetry Month
April 18, 2022
I Was Wrong
I was wrong
To have insisted that you change.
That you become the dream
In my head of who you were
Supposed to be.
I was wrong
For not hearing you
When you said that
You wanted someone to love
You for you.
then I loved you
for who I thought
You would become.
But You, too, were wrong,
When you could not see
All the greatness I saw in you
That made my head swim
With joy and my heart
Swell with love.
You were wrong
When you could not
Embrace all the potential
God stored up in you.
And, We were wrong
For not telling each other
Of the fantasies in our head
Of not sharing the possibilities
Of our lifetime.
We may have loved
Each other then,
But we were
Wrong.
To have insisted that you change.
That you become the dream
In my head of who you were
Supposed to be.
I was wrong
For not hearing you
When you said that
You wanted someone to love
You for you.
then I loved you
for who I thought
You would become.
But You, too, were wrong,
When you could not see
All the greatness I saw in you
That made my head swim
With joy and my heart
Swell with love.
You were wrong
When you could not
Embrace all the potential
God stored up in you.
And, We were wrong
For not telling each other
Of the fantasies in our head
Of not sharing the possibilities
Of our lifetime.
We may have loved
Each other then,
But we were
Wrong.
(c) Vernet Clemons Nettles, Ed.D.
April 17, 2022
April 17, 2022
April 14, 2022
I Was In My Feelings
With my beating heart out of rhythm,
I blamed you for my torment -
Afraid of you,
Afraid of me -
In that moment.
So, I growled at you
And made you feel my discomfort.
I made you feel as if you were wrong,
So you could be afraid of me,
Afraid of you in that moment.
Because in that moment
I could see behind your eyes;
I could see me
And you;
I could feel your hands
your breath;
I could see me in your arms
One more time
In that moment.
But that moment was not to be.
So I made you hurt,
Because I hurt.
I didn’t realize,
I couldn’t see
Your olive branch of kindness
Because you missed me too.
But not how I missed you,
Deep and breathless
I was in my feelings
When I called you out;
Afraid of you,
Afraid of me
In that moment.
I was in my feelings
In that moment
In this moment
Please forgive me.
I miss you, too.
I blamed you for my torment -
Afraid of you,
Afraid of me -
In that moment.
So, I growled at you
And made you feel my discomfort.
I made you feel as if you were wrong,
So you could be afraid of me,
Afraid of you in that moment.
Because in that moment
I could see behind your eyes;
I could see me
And you;
I could feel your hands
your breath;
I could see me in your arms
One more time
In that moment.
But that moment was not to be.
So I made you hurt,
Because I hurt.
I didn’t realize,
I couldn’t see
Your olive branch of kindness
Because you missed me too.
But not how I missed you,
Deep and breathless
I was in my feelings
When I called you out;
Afraid of you,
Afraid of me
In that moment.
I was in my feelings
In that moment
In this moment
Please forgive me.
I miss you, too.
(c) Vernet Clemons Nettles, Ed.D.
March 21, 2022
March 21, 2022
April 10, 2022
Incognito
Do you really see me
Or am I the vision that you
Would prefer to see?
Do you really know me
Or am I the one that I
Would prefer you to know?
Did you know that
I am incognito?
That who I am
Who I truly am
Is hidden from your view?
Did you know
That I have concealed my truth
From all to see?
Scripture says do not throw
Your pearls before swine,
Less they are trampled.
Do not give what is precious
To those who do not care,
Yet care to see your fall.
So, I do not give my all;
I do not share my best.
I shall clutch my pearls,
Only to be released
To him who is true
And truly mine.
Did you know
That I am
Incognito?
Or am I the vision that you
Would prefer to see?
Do you really know me
Or am I the one that I
Would prefer you to know?
Did you know that
I am incognito?
That who I am
Who I truly am
Is hidden from your view?
Did you know
That I have concealed my truth
From all to see?
Scripture says do not throw
Your pearls before swine,
Less they are trampled.
Do not give what is precious
To those who do not care,
Yet care to see your fall.
So, I do not give my all;
I do not share my best.
I shall clutch my pearls,
Only to be released
To him who is true
And truly mine.
Did you know
That I am
Incognito?
(c) Vernet Clemons Nettles, Ed.D.
April 10, 2022
April 10, 2022
April 5, 2022
My First Grade Teacher
My first-grade teacher
Told me she was proud of me
Then, now, and always.
I remember her
smile as she ignited my
flame of discovery.
Today she teaches
Heaven’s littlest angels
For she has gained her wings.
Told me she was proud of me
Then, now, and always.
I remember her
smile as she ignited my
flame of discovery.
Today she teaches
Heaven’s littlest angels
For she has gained her wings.
(c) Vernet Clemons Nettles, Ed.D.
April 3, 2022
April 3, 2022
April 4, 2022
We the People?
When did politics become
A platform to speak ill of others,
To spout untruth,
To express personal misgivings,
And decide for themselves the will of the people?
But has it ever been any different?
Have they just picked another target?
Will history only repeat itself, by simply
Choosing another target that may not defend themselves?
When will politics become
A platform for the people?
To speak truth to unjust power
To promote the general welfare of us all
So that we may all secure the blessings of liberty?
When?
There is still time… don’t you think?
A platform to speak ill of others,
To spout untruth,
To express personal misgivings,
And decide for themselves the will of the people?
But has it ever been any different?
Have they just picked another target?
Will history only repeat itself, by simply
Choosing another target that may not defend themselves?
When will politics become
A platform for the people?
To speak truth to unjust power
To promote the general welfare of us all
So that we may all secure the blessings of liberty?
When?
There is still time… don’t you think?
(c) Vernet Clemons Nettles, Ed.D.
April 4, 2022
April 4, 2022
April 3, 2022
This is My Year
I closed my eyes to sleep
But my brain would not shut off
As ideas whirled around in my head,
And the number 22 floated across my eyelids.
I am convinced that this is
My year.
For there are new ideas
In my head daily,
To stretch me, to grow me,
To change the direction of my life.
And I pray for guidance that these
Are HIS ideas and not mine.
That this is HIS direction for my life and
Not my journey into self (again).
I am excited and giddy and restless
About all of the possibilities
That will shape this year and beyond.
So as the number 22 floats and I finally
Drift off to sleep -
I am convinced that this is
My year.
But my brain would not shut off
As ideas whirled around in my head,
And the number 22 floated across my eyelids.
I am convinced that this is
My year.
For there are new ideas
In my head daily,
To stretch me, to grow me,
To change the direction of my life.
And I pray for guidance that these
Are HIS ideas and not mine.
That this is HIS direction for my life and
Not my journey into self (again).
I am excited and giddy and restless
About all of the possibilities
That will shape this year and beyond.
So as the number 22 floats and I finally
Drift off to sleep -
I am convinced that this is
My year.
(c) Vernet Clemons Nettles, Ed.D.
March 9, 2022
March 9, 2022
April 2, 2022
Resolution
Resolve the old
Embrace the new
Cherish the yet to come
The old builds
The new reflects
The yet to come is still to be defined.
Embrace the new
Cherish the yet to come
The old builds
The new reflects
The yet to come is still to be defined.
(c) Vernet Clemons Nettles, Ed.D.
April 3, 2022
April 3, 2022
April 1, 2022
Time Slip
.Time slipped up in me again
I waited excitedly for the date
To begin my journey
And suddenly it was here
And I was late
Again.
(OOPS! I'm a few days late for National Poetry Month. LOL)
I waited excitedly for the date
To begin my journey
And suddenly it was here
And I was late
Again.
(OOPS! I'm a few days late for National Poetry Month. LOL)
(c) Vernet Clemons Nettles, Ed.D.
April 3, 2020
April 3, 2020