For My Brothers Who Walk In Positives
Poetry
by Charneice Fox

He lived in positives,
always thinking before he spoke
he shied away from the negative
preferring yoga tree-like stance
he watched the world through the weeping willows
swaying. Perfected their ability to hang low
and stand tall. Simultaneously.
Protecting himself when the winds blew north,
he prepared for winter as the leaves fall,
as the tears fall. He lived in the positive
always thinking before he spoke
he shied away from the negative,
finding solace in Buddha, Jesus, Allah,
the rock of Gibraltar combined.
He stood tall, upright as the blood
traveled through his veins
he lived in the positive,
with flawless yoga tree-like stance,
he shied away from the negative
energy and became virtuous,
even in his afflictions
he walked through the valley of the shadows,
facing death persecuted for lack of knowledge
he shied away from the negative
energy standing tall like the willow
who weeps and hangs low.
Standing tall
he lived in positives
and he lived.

Producer, poet, screenwriter, and advocate for the arts, Charneice Fox is the CEO of Straight, No Chaser Productions, a Washington, D.C.-based writing and production arts collective and winner of the BET Rap-It-Up/Black AIDS Short Subject Film Competition. She has published two books of poetry, Stations and Hindsight: Moments on the Couch.

February 2005