Terry A Harrison

Lansing, Michigan, USA

Terry has been writing poetry since her early teen. She did not start having her work published for others to enjoy until her early twenties. She is an administrator at a Womens Correctional Facility in Cold Water Michigan. She is an active member of Union Baptist Church and an avid gardener. Terry complete two bachelors degrees at Spring Arbor CollegeHer first B.A. is in Human Resource Management and the second is Family Life Education. She is also a Licensed Family Life Educator. She completed her Master of Science in Administration at Central Michigan University. Terry has had her poetry published in many anthologies throughout the country as well as the National Library of Poetry. She is presently working on her first novel.

To Be Or Not To Be

He did not know his calling, though he thought he
knew who he was.
He made sure his head was on straight and started
to check his cause.
His mother was strung out on drugs, his house was
infested with bugs.
His dad was called the dope man, while doing time
in the can
His sisters were pregnant in their teens, called
welfare moms or queens.
His brother was the black sheep, that rather live
in a box in the street.
So many things he could not understand, how could
he grow up to be a man?
No role model no one to imitate, Just his reality
and maybe his fate
But with his vision and his mind intact, he dwelled
not on the things that he lacked.
He said his prayers every night, he prayed that he
would do things right.
Now at an age to earn a wage, the lonesome dove flew
from his cage.
Off to college he ran, to make for himself a life
as a man.

My Home Town

I can still smell the sweetness in the air, it's in my home town, you see I grew up there
Everyone mowed their lawns on Saturday, just before night,
and all the housewives baked
their breads with recipes that were light.
Not one family swore or scorned, but everybody enjoyed tooting their own horn
The lightning bugs often flew very low, every evening you could see their glow.

I can still smell the sweetness in the air, you see it's my home town, I grew up there
All the men went to work everyday, and all the children went outside to play
Nothing but a perfect life in this town, no one ever even frowned
This is my world that I made to believe, if this could be my life I would not feel so deceived

Instead I was born in the Bronx in roach infested home, I fought everyday just to hold my own
Sometimes I was truthful, sometimes I lied, no one seemed to care whether I lived or died
Men were few and my father I never knew, and the women,
so depressed, they just ate for something to do
No lightning bugs in this cement town, everybody so angry they just wore a permanent frown
Hate and anger was the only sounds I ever heard,
I soon learned the permanence of their militant words.

I can still smell the sweetness in the air, you see it's my home town and I grew up there.