Mi'Ca Harkless- Exceptional Singer and Song writer

Mi'Ca is an exceptional singer who is divinely designed with musical nutrition. As a writer, I spend much time nurturing my writing prowess,but life has a web which it uses to connect us together irrespective of our diverse identities and purposes.I secured Mi'Ca's assistance with ease while working on my book trailer, I needed a soundtrack and surprisingly she joyfully contributed her song 'Eternity' from her album- "Just Michelle". Listening to her song made me realise how exceptionally good  she is. Stunned by it,I humbly requested to feature her on my blog...You don't hide the good,you reveal it to all.

Listen to a song of hers to verify the accolades duly bestowed on her:

About Michelle Harkless

Mi'cA better known as Michelle Harkless is a singer -songwriter from Petersburg, Virginia with a unique sound of rnb, neo-soul, and gospel with a dash of reggae fusion. Mi'cA is inspired by Tweet, Lauryn Hill, and Sade. 

Mi'cA offers her musical talents in singing, songwriting, and collaboration for upcoming projects. She also offers her services as a keyboardist for churches and events.
Connect with her via these links: iTunes: http://smarturl.it/justmichelle-ep

Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H7QYXGC 

website: www.theofficialmica.com

twitter: twitter.com/theofficialmica

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/MicA/349934795093068

The Rose ( A Poem by Christena AV Williams)

The Rose

A rose is just a flower

That is how it seems

When it blooms its beauty

It signifies life, love and eternity.

If you just think, it has a rose

Then that is what it will be

However, when you see the beauty

And you make it yours

Oh, how magnificent it can be.

When you talk about roses

You talk about love

A rose expresses your heart desires

I am like a rose in your garden

With beauty you see

It blossoms with the most notorious colours

It never dies.

It attracts the most enchanting creatures

That is filled with love

Would you take me?

More than just a rose,

A flower,

But beauty of love

That when you see

Me, so bright

Such delight

How can you not accept?

A profound love that is given,

A rose is much more than how it seems

It is to you to make it super fabulous

I am not just any rose

I am your rose.

Copyright Reserved.

Christena AV Williams

Author's Biography

Christena AV Williams is a young Jamaican poet and Author of newly published collection of poetry, “Pearls among Stones.” This book is accessible via the online bookstore blurb http://www.blurb.com/b/4148458-pearls-among-stones. This poet writes from the heart and soul spilling over inked by her lips and God’s gift manifested. She is lover of oldies, classics, Bob Marley, Gospel and country music and she is a radical thinker and writer and is not afraid to speak her mind. She is published in international anthologies, Magazines online, Anthologies for charities, blogs, blog talk radios, literary sites and the local newspaper Gleaner. Contacted via email williams.christena@yahoo.com

It Could Have Been You (Solidarity Pro Unitate)

O' My God, it could have been me
O' Humanity, it could have been you
Sleeping on a bed cursed with death
Slaughtered like rams in an abattoir.

Those kids must have said their prayers
Some must have recited spiritual mantras
Before giving sleep its right
Oh! O' sleep,why allow death snatch them from you?
So feeble are you to give them away as preys
to demonic vampires whose consciences
are seared by brutality and cruelty.

O' Nation, behold your future
O' Future, behold your nation
Has it any right to one?
Was your throat not slit while you slept?

40 kids,43 kids,59 kids
Ah!see the death figures above
Statistics are confused men
Blame them not
Those are lives in their prime
Cut off before their time.

O' People, rise up and confront the woes-
with claws shredding your tomorrow like papers
Hear me! You, who wear a fedora
Proffer solution to terrorism
and stop misplacing priorities.

O' Fathers,behold your kids grusomely murdered
O' Mothers,behold your kids violently butchered
O' Brothers, behold your sisters badly burnt
O' Sisters, behold your brothers gunned down
O' Mr. President, behold your citizens bereaved !
O' God, behold your gods utterly destroyed!

Call unto fury if positivism is its motive
Tell commiseration to shut up
Order solution to speak up
Call out the lions in every sheep.

This pen desires to write no more
It is not as indifferent as man
It weeps uncontrollably
But just before it faints,
Hear its blatant truth:
"It could have been you"

Written by: Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom


As a foreigner, you wonder what birthed my poem ? Read this saddening news : http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/25/boko-haram-kills-children-boarding-school

The Journey

The Journey

Off the factory of The Most High
Into the womb of an 'Eve'
Where I metamorphosed while being groomed
for the journey ahead.

Out I came
Clothed in a torn red garment
Crying to disapprove my forceful ejection
From a home best described as an 'oasis.'

As a child, I had fantasy as my pal
Innocence in me demonized reality
No pressure to insure pleasure
I lived like a bird.

Growing up grew responsibilities
Which were like weeds to be uprooted;
Standing up prepared me for an odious journey
But unavoidable it was-
Running away means starting right away.

Eagerness to try the trials
deprived me of sensible patience
But life itself held a cane its hand
A stroke of it for every erroneous step.

Here I am in the present,standing at a crossroad
Mathematically analyzing the length of the next step
Economically calculating the cost of the next step
Philosophically propounding the theoretical features of the next step
Religiously verifying the authenticity of the next step.

The journey!
It begins with a step
It is enjoyable with a step
It is detestable with a step
It ends with a step onto a life elsewhere.

Written by: Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom

Pictures: Public Unveiling Of The Light Bearer

The Light Bearer was publicly unveiled on 15th February,2013. It was an interesting and an enlightening event with various activities which included a comedy performance by the dynamic Amb. Sam Afolabi, an interview with the author (Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom),  a book review session, a book signing session and a relationship talk by Olufemi Ogunjimi. Tolubooks capably hosted the event.

 The pictures below describe it all:

Good News: The Light Bearer Is Now Available in Nigeria

Before now, Nigerians willing to purchase the book encountered difficulty doing so since book was published by Nevermore Press in the United States and sold at the rate of $9.99 excluding the delivery fee.

Determined to make my book accessible to my fellow countrymen, I ordered for a limited number of copies despite the cost.
Copies of The Light Bearer are now available in Nigeria for purchase at the rate of 1500 naira including delivery fee (Book will be posted to interested buyers not residing in Lagos).

Willing to get a copy? Leave a comment on this post or directly call me through this no: 07034847164.

Thanks.

CANCEROUS CORRUPTION ( International Poetry Collaboration; Marshall G. Kent Sr. And Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom)

CANCEROUS CORRUPTION ( International Poetry Collaboration; Marshall G. Kent Sr. And Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom)

I
Pitiful it is 
The nation which turns 
Its daughters into whores.
Corruption, the cancer
Eating lands shore to shore.
You chose your false god
Even though you were taught
To one you cleave and another run.

II
You've traded honour for dung,
Woe, becomes the song sung.
Are we to rape God's angels
In unholy pursuits?
The kingdom of heaven,
Can you loot?
You of perverted power and greed
Have everything but what you need.

I & II by Marshall G. Kent Sr.( United States)

III
Anguish is now an artist
A painter of pain on the face
Of the faceless masses
Suffering is now a carpenter
Nails of poverty hammered into the heads
of the impoverished masses.

IV
A nation clothed in extravagant robes
Flaunting its wealth to attract external termite
But ironically have its citizens feed on crumbs.
See their tummy; sack-like!
Cheeks so puffy like 'puff-puff'
They milk the nation dry
To nourish their insatiable greed
A day never lasts forever
Justice has just peeped in
It is coming over to take over!

Let the masses vote their senses.

III & IV by Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom ( Nigeria)

Picture Credit/ Source:http://stigdragholm.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/rich-and-poor-global_starvation.jpg

I Am A Prisoner by Agarau Adedayo Adeyemi

I am a prisoner
I was defiled
By the flow of the street.

Lost
But found by the rhythms
Of the puffs I sniff.

No free education
Hooliganism is a craft to learn too.

Soon, cuffed by the trade of picks and pluck

A mastery at out-smarting.

I started breaking bottles
To hit the pages of the dailies.

Machete raising-
Gun TOTING-
Man slaughtering.

They forgot me on the street of hustle
But needed my strength with fights to bustle.

We both were avarice.

I killed them, he ordered me to
Steal their ballots too
Not for money, a better future for all.

He failed!

I smoked Indiana
To shake away my pain
Yet, my puffs still have the blood in its veins.

I butchered him
Plucked his heart.


Arrested!
Judged by the same men
That begged for a deal.

Jailed! For life!
Pathetic Law enforcers!
I am a prisoner now.

But I wonder who
Shall jail them.
Those who took our future
And drank it like a wine
Into their bellies of greed.

I am a prisoner
What say I've I owned?


Agarau Adedayo Adeyemi's Biography

He is a young writer that loves playing with words.He is passionate about poetry which he started writing in 2013, and has been featured in numerous anthologies since then.

The Artist By The Shore ( A Poem By Award-Winning International Writer; Elizabeth E. Castillo)

The Artist By The Shore

In the still of the night

All I hear is the slight drizzle by the window

Tiny droplets of rain making sounds as they fall on the ground.

On this cool July evening

Alone in my room 

Still can’t bring myself to slumber,

My mind starts to wander

How I long to be in a far away island.

Far away from this hustle and hurried life

Let time stop for a while as I dream on,

Walk bare footed on the white sand and watch the tiny waves playing like kids

As the cold wind sweeps and caresses my warm cheeks.

I dream of sitting by the seashore

Where I can sketch the setting sun in all its glory and beauty

Colorful hues of orange, yellow, red in my palette,

Gentle strokes of the paintbrush as I get hypnotized by its aura

Distant mountains at the far horizon caught my eye

Wondering how could I cross to the other side and be in another world.

I’m ‘gonna’ play my music, too

By the shore where the sound of the tides goes in rhythm with my heart

Appreciate the beautiful and astounding nature

Created by God, His gift to mankind,

By the shore is all I ‘wanna’ be

Spending time as I wait

For the sun to finally set in and bid it goodbye as I close my eyes and sleep.

Elizabeth E. Castillo © 2010

Elizabeth E. Castillo's Biography

Elizabeth E. Castillo is a professional feature writer/journalist/blogger/international published author & poet/online English Instructor from the Philippines in Asia.  Her articles and poems have appeared in international online magazines, literary magazines and printed publications. She was featured in more than 30 international poetry anthologies both in the USA, UK, Canada, Africa and India and currently working on upcoming anthologies which includes global charities. Elizabeth is a member of the American Authors Association (AAA) and also a Contributing Editor for Inner Child the Magazine, USA. Her first international poetry book “Seasons of Emotions” by Destiny to Write Publications, UK was released on January 7^th 2013. She has garnered recognitions and awards some of which are: Second Place for “Author of the Year” at Destiny to Write Publications Poetry Awards 2013, UK and her book as Second Place also for “Book of the Year” as well as “Best New Comer” at the same awards. Her latest international awards include emerging as the Overall Winner at the recently held “Winning Strategies Magazine International Awards” (WISMIWA), USA recognizing her positive influence to her community as well as to people around the world through her works and another glass trophy award as an “Inspirational Poet” given by the PENTASI B Historical Forum/World Poetry Celebration held at the National Museum of the Philippines, November 15, 2013.

Photo Caption: Elizabeth E. Castillo being awarded Inspirational Poet of the year 2013 by PenPen B. Takipsilim and Ms. Ceri Naz.

Connect with Elizabeth E. Castillo on  her fan page via this link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Snowys-Secret-World/233536796670543

Praise: Halal ( A Poem by Okeke Akudo Nkemjika Christien)

Grizzling texture

Beautiful sensor

Decisive nature

Automatic flavour

Words marbled

Personality separated

Concepts organised

Creativity intensified

Arts from the blue

Pledged in as glue

Initiatives of the hope

Participation round the globe

Your grace

Just your praise

Just God's craft

Your faith

Okeke Akudo Nkemjika Christien's Biography

She is a devoted Christian who is mapped out to make her world better than she met it and her works which have been featured in national and international poetry anthologies, attest to this. She was also one of the creative writers invited in 2013 to both the fidelity bank creative writing workshop, Lagos State and the Garden city literary festival workshop in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Zodiac ( A Poem by Siddartha Beth Pierce)

At once the Universe

combusted

A mighty storm

arose

It seems the Zodiac

has taken

the less traveled

road.

Who are you,

what am I

and what about my horse

am I no longer the bull

stubborn and remorse?

Pluto has disappeared

from the planetary

system

and now I wonder

what exactly

is OUR

horoscopical

system?

Poet Siddartha Beth Pierce's Biography

Siddartha Beth Pierce was born in Fairfax, Virginia but moved to Marshall, Virginia when she was five years old.  She was raised in Fauquier and attended Fauquier High School before moving on to receive a Bachelor of Art Studio from George Mason University, a Masters of Art in Education with an emphasis in printmaking and Computer Art and Virginia Commonwealth in Richmond, Virginia.  She furthered her studies at VCU by continuing into the PhD. Program in Philosophy of Art History with a concentration in African and Contemporary Art.  Currently she is All but Dissertation (ABD).

Ms. Pierce was the Artist-in-Residence and Assistant Professor at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia during 2001 wherein her art, poetry and teaching were featured on PBS, Around the Appomatox.

Her work has been shown nationally and featured in journals and magazines internationally.

In addition, to artwork, Siddartha is a poet and writer.  She has just released her second book entitled ‘I Do’ which is available via the artist.

She is a Mother, Poet, Artist, Educator and Art Historian.  Her works are informed by Nature, Math, Science, the Universal, Sub-Conscious and Metaphysical aspects we encounter throughout our lives.  She works with a variety of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and some computer graphics.

Not only is her purpose self-exploration and philosophical researches, it also reaches to you, the reader and viewer in order to illicit a response mechanism within your own circle of knowledge, heart and soul.  It is her hope that each of you may find something of value to consider and expand upon your own lives and experiences.

It is her mission to bring these works to the public with a depth that is far reaching.

Love and Light!

Photo Credit to Garth Foster

Poetic Tea (International Poetry Collaboration)

My pen was empty 
The ink spilled 
but not on my poetry pad
so bad to make one sad.

I was thinking to quit
and abandon my hobby
for a new 'hubby'; my egocentric empathy.

When suddenly,
You knocked at my door
and asked me for a poetic tea
Will I not serve you
to keep your soul warm?

By: Ligaw Makata (Philippines)

My pen like a plucked leaf is wry
Its ever flowing ink is dry
My soul is as thirsty as a camel
It is deserted by inspiration
Stranded in the desert of frustration.

Spotting a spotless mug of poetic tea
I call unto my pen to drink
And be revived
For the journey that lies ahead
Will not condone fainting.

O Poetess Ligaw,
My pen is revived
To pursue its purpose
Crying out loudly,
"How beneficial is symbiotic association to man?"

By: Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom (Nigeria)

Written by: Ligaw Makata and Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom clamouring for beneficial association among writers.

Short Story: The Unlimited Power Of Love

"Love has no special cost,it only demands that your heart be free from hatred". 

Mark pondered over this realistic statement, but he got flustered at every attempt to exercise it.His fidgeting fingers reflected his anxiety,the awful past kept intruding into the dim present.He moved towards the other part of the living room to welcome the cool air of the evening by opening the window and parting the curtains.To his utmost amazement,he saw his mum making her way up through the stairs;towards his door.

He heard a resounding knock on his door,he tried to deafen his ear through negligence,but he couldn't.He opened the door forcefully and gazed directly at his mum's face.She looked dejected and awful.

Her face sought for sympathy,empathy,love and forgiveness.She knelt before his son and uttered the following words,
"Forgive me son,I have wronged you;let's bury the past"
"You leave me with no choice.Bury the past! You forsook me when I needed you to survive and thrive as a child.You abandoned me and treated me like trash and you now expect me not to be rash and vengeful.Leave my house honorably," Mark said in a gentle but serious tone.

She rose up from her knees apologetically, but left the house without saying a word to bail her out. Remembering the great sacrifice St.Valentine offered through love made Mark uneasy.
'Is forgiveness too expensive to be bought by love? Does he really have the love in his heart? How can he access it? He thought
"Open your heart to receive it,"was the answer that came forth from within.
He ran out of the house in search for his mum wildly,but his race was cut short when he saw a crowd gather round a body,he took a furtive glance and immediately saw the bloody body of his mum;she had been hit by a fast moving vehicle.He Knelt beside his almost lifeless mother and held her hands dearly.
"Mum,am pleading that you forgive me of not forgiving,the healing power of love has restored sanity back to me.You are a treasure to behold through love. Don't die now,"Mark said while the tears flowed freely like the River Nile.
"Son,the present you present to me through love has overshadowed the past full of flaws..It's great to be forgiven,greater to be cherished and greatest to be loved.Bye,son." Life left her body before Mark could give a response.

Mark sat on the couch in his living room to mark the tenth year of  his mother's departure to the great beyond.Co-incidentally,it was a Feb. 14 - Valentine's day.Mark had created an imaginary presence of her mother and taken her to be his val.
"Mum, you have taught me the greatest lesson of love.Forgiveness can not be acquired by revenge, anger and prosecution not even justice but by love.And love is what eases the heavy burden of not forgiving.  As I celebrate this day of love with you,I am remembered of how unlimited the power of love is.
He drank a toast to his mum.Two cups were actually present in his mind;that of love and possibilities.

Love is the key that closes the door of hatred,bitterness,cruelty,brutality,injustice,castigation,selfishness,resentment,slander,violence and infidelity.

Story by:Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom