Ode to Chico DeBarge

Nubian Prince

This poem is from my upcoming book "The Chain Breakers" set to premier in Black History Month 2.14.2018 by M.D. Johnson

I begin with you

You begin with me

If I’m your end

You’re my beginning

The semi colon in the middle of my sentence

That’s not quite an end

You are my lover

And my best friend

My intuition within

The greater part of me

My lapse in sanity

And my rationality

My complexity

And my humility

My only revelry

And without you

I would surely perish

Cease to exist

Until you come and

Resurrect me with your kiss

Ode to Maxwell

I’d be “Fortunate” to have you

Will you “Dance Wit Me”

I’d like to give you a little “Sumthin, Sumthin”

“Til’ The Cops Come Knockin’”

Better yet “Each Hour Each Second Each Minute Each Day: Of My Life”

Or “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever” position, time or place you’d like

I’ll be that “Suite Lady” when “Lonely’s the Only Company”

To bother you baby –I’ll be that “Luxury: Cococure”

Like “Gravity: Pushing to Pull” because I’m “Everwanting: To Want You to Want” me.

Maybe you shouldn’t “Know These Things: Shouldn’t You”

-but I’d like to “Submerge: Til We Become the Sun”

Don’t worry “It’s On the Hush, Only U and I Alone”

Ode to Chico DeBarge

You’ve been “Iggin’ Me” baby, -“Long Time No See”

“When Can I See You Again” –don’t tell me there’s “No Guarantee”

I’ve got a “Love Jones”

I want you to be my “Soopa’ Man Lover” and I want to be “Ms. Wonderful”

-know your “Heart, Mind & Soul,” “Talk About You”

–maybe even get a little “Sexual”

You got me on “The Edge”

I’ll “Give You What You Want (Fa Sure)”

You can have it “Your Way”

Make me feel like a “Virgin”

Be my “Trouble Man” and make a “Physical Train”

I got “One Love” baby

And I’d like to play “The Game”

And tell you “Was It Good.”

Ode to D'Angelo

“, Damn, Mutha***a”

The first time I saw you

I knew I wouldn’t forget you

-wanted you to take me “Higher”

You were “Smooth” with “Those Dreamin’ Eyes”

-that “Brown Sugar” complexion

-put a “Jonz in My Bonz”

Had me “Cruisin” “The Line”

For a piece of the “Devil’s Pie,”

Lickin’ the “Chicken Grease” off my finga’s

-up in some “Spanish Joint” just to see ya’

-you make me “Feel like Makin’ Love”

-work it “Left to Right”

-do things saints would leave “Untitled”

And take you all the way back to “Africa”

-the “Voodoo” that you do

I’d like to answer your question: “How does it feel?”<...