Ricarda McDonald Payne

Culver City, California

A California native, Ricarda McDonald Payne has been writing poetry all of her life. Her works have been published in The National Library of Poetry's "Best Poems of 1996", "Tomorrow Never Knows"; and "A Muse To Follow"; "River Crossings: Voices of the Diaspora", edited by C. Jerome Woods; and "The Dagger" periodical. She is a graduate of Howard University and is a member of the International Society of Poets, Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. the Compagnie International. Her motto is: "To deeply treasure the timeless gifts that life has to offer such as love, friendship, beauty, peace, humor, sensitivity, concern, hope, heart, spirit, soul". Married over twenty-eight years with two adult children and one cat, Ricarda McDonald Payne currently resides in the Los Angeles area and continues to write poetry.

A Man For All Seasons

It is not always easy being the most that you can be
Working on the parts of you that people never see
Yet, surely are reflected in the way you move through life
The way you handle daily pressures, challenges, and strife.

It is not always easy to take a task in hand
To accept the responsibility it often will demand
Yet, you move ahead with vision, you arm the present with lessons past
To create work complete with a foundation strong to last.

And, it is not always easy to support another in need
To generously extend yourself in thought and word and deed
Yet, you give of your time and resources, you stay the course till the end
To aid, uplift, and motivate family member, fellow worker, or friend.

Such qualities are rarely found in the man of today
Who often seems so very consumed with forging his own way
Yet, you stand apart, both sensitive and strong, you tower above the rest
A man who can live and laugh and love - A man who always gives his best.

Moody Woman Blues

I'm a moody woman, Lord, moody all the time
Yes, I'm a moody woman, so moody all the time
I tell it true when I say it
I need a strong man ta keep me in line
I can wake up in the mornin'
'An before I git out of bed
Ma spirit's on its way down
'An the devil's got ma head
Yes, I'm a moody woman
So moody all the time
I tell it true when when I say it
I need a strong man to keep me in line
If we go out to a party
"An ma man starts to lookin around alot
I feel a mood comin on me
An ma temper gittin hot
Yeah, I'm a moody woman
I'm moody all the time
I ain't lyin when I say that
I need a good man ta keep me in line
I might be sittin on ma doorstep
An the rain begins to fall
Don't say nothin to me
Cause then I'm moodiest of all
Lord , I'm a moody woman
Moody all the time
I tell it true when I say it
I need a strong man ta keep me in line
When I come hone in the evenin'
Ain't nothin' there but four walls
Ya know I'm restless as can be
Until my Baby calls
Moody, moody, moody
So moody all the time
I'm still lookin' 'round ta find me
A soulful man ta keep me in li-i-ine . . .