Pierced My Existence

My Dad, Alphonso Pierce
A veteran in a lifetime and fierce
Handyman of tools and navigation system
Carpenter, mechanic to electrician
Alongside my Mom with me, pregnant
Claimed me, as your son, fatherhood relevant
You have a boy, wanted a baby girl
Made it happen by a woman named, Cheryl
Planned same month, day, and five years apart
Should’ve been twins, a conceptual birth of art
Don’t know if I have it in me to do that
Unless my legacy will be carried on, a fact
You and my mother were an odd couple
Did the best y’all could from a double
One of the saddest moments in life
When y’all split, never husband and wife
Shocked me, when you shed tears
How we gonna make, set in fears
Every single day, I cried
Thought I’ll never see you again, denied
Still, nothing was the same
Learned truth and didn’t put on you, all blame
You were about marriage of common law
Not healthy examples I saw
Great provider, who brought to the table
Sorry, I didn’t follow your career path to install cable
It’s not that I wasn’t able
Gained interest in arts, performing, and writing fables
You took a boy on the best trip, fishing
To pass it on, I’m wishing
Remember when you left food and drink in seat
I’ll drink it all up and eat
You would ask me, where did your stuff go at
Look around, like it wasn’t me and laugh
Wish I was taught how to mow lawn and about cars
How to fix things around a house, up to par
I know I have some of these skills
Maintain, as a man and pay bills
Some say you’re the meanest
A bragger and not quite the cleanest
An old man so grumpy
Curse people out, fussy
You can talk a lot, when you’re drunk
I love you, but don’t always wanna hear it much
Kind soul with many others, you’re helpful
Make you mad and crazy, meet the devil
Have one grandchild
What the fuck your son is doing
Dad, I’m trying, but not given that pursuance
But, I’m a do, as you tell me, enjoy existing
A long time, as you, I wanna be living
Like you’re retired, desire to relax on boat
The hope I'm there with you, it floats

© 2015, Alphonso Taylor. All rights reserved. No republication of this material in any form or medium is permitted without expressed permission of the author.

Aunt Ree

I didn’t know where I was going

If it’s a state or residence

When I began to remember

All I wanted to do was go to Virginia

Dad, are we going to Virginia

My favorite family and so much fun

We do everything under the sun

It’ll start at Aunt Ree’s house

Celebrations, reunions, and cookouts

To this day, your home is always my hotel

As a child, I’ll run the little steps to a bowl of cereal

or to your good breakfast cooking smell

The Christmases I brought down my toys

to share with my first, favorite woman cousin, Joye

Yes, I was bad and bit her on the butt

You wanted to tear my hind pots up

Just leave it to my mother

because I was becoming a brother

Aunt Ree, you named my only sibling, Shante Marie

Trips we took to Florida’s Disney World

It was you, me, Meme, and Aunt Jerl

I have a bond with Robbin, you see

He taught me how to play Super Mario Bros. 3

Good ole days of entertainment and Nintendo in the den

I’m excited from different company walking in

It could be Aunt Frances, Skookie, Ivan, Fee, Kita, and Gwen

Aunt Margie, MC, Derrick, Boo-Boo, Sylvia, T, Jevon, Keke

Uncle Bob, Raynor, or of the family, a friend

I’m older and I can talk to you about life

How I wanted to settle down, have children… wife

Backfired, you said, I just wanna be treated right

Let me learn from mistakes, it’s my plight

These times has come to past

January 4, 2015, is when I saw you, last

We were happy to see each other for the New Year

Few days later, I break down and shed tears

Received call from cousin David, you passed away

I was like, look man, don’t play

He wasn’t, I packed a bag and came right away

I’m gonna miss your great warm spirit, jokes, and smile

Wash your hands, have you eaten anything, where’s little Al

Now, I’m saying what happened, where’s my favorite aunt

I know, as I haven’t seen him in a while

  Say hello for me to Uncle Hunt

© 2015, Alphonso Taylor. All rights reserved. No republication of this material in any form or medium is permitted without expressed permission of the author.