Dear Friends, Family, and Fans,

I celebrate the first few months of the year with special connections. January…a day is dedicated in honor of the life of an American hero, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. February, special focus on Black History along with recognition of the birth of icons, Langston Hughes and Rosa Parks. I also use the whole month as an opportunity to give special thanks to God for my birth. March, another opportunity to celebrate phenomenality…Woman’s History Month. And now April, Poetry month.
This April, all month long I shared with you some of my favorite published and unpublished poems. I have enjoyed sharing with you this month. My books captures most of my poems. To get your own copies of my books visit my website at:
https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/.../Featured...
​
Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me: https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr...

I invite all of us to celebrate the power and prescience of poetry. I welcome each of us and our children to read, memorize and recite poems that connect with our lives, bring us joy, and an opportunity to reflect. I have posted the “Poetic License” that is also included in the back of two collections of my poetry dedicated to young people, “The Sun Is On: Poetry and Ideas,” and “Rhythm & Dues: Poetry and Ideas.”
​Poetize yourselves!
Love and realness,
#lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com

Dear Friends, Family, and Fans,

I wrote Just Push in the 1980's and yet still, in 2022 there are those who hold children down with their low expectations. We must ensure that our children capitalize on their strengths, resilience and cultural capital. Let's do as Gholdy Muhammad's book exhorts us to do and cultivate their genius.

Day 28: Just Push
By Dr. Lindamichellebaron
One day the teacher walked us to the room.
The door was closed, the keys inside.
The teacher tried the door,
but it didn't open. We waited until he got another key. That's when he realized it was open all along. All he had to do was push.
Sometimes,
I think he does us the same way.
Has us waiting, while he looks for the key of knowledge, to let us in, when really, all he has to do is give us a little push by just thinking...
we can.

Just Push is one of my favorite poems from my book "The Sun is On." For more of my poems, please get your own copy of my book "The Sun is On" on my website at:
https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/.../THE_SUN_IS_ON...
​
Hope you enjoyed Day 28. Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me: https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr...
Love and realness,
#Lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com

Dear Friends, Family, and Fans,

Day 27: They Are Our Children
Copyright Lindamichellebaron 2018

Prelude to They are Our Children...
please, when we look at children... not looking as we want them to look... love, regard and respect them anyway. There is more to them then what you see and if times more than they even know. If not by blood, then by our collective responsibility... they are our children.
​
Day 27: They Are Our Children
By Dr. Lindamichellebaron
Pants below their rear
Their eyes wear a blank stare
They don’t seem to care
So why should we?
It’s our job…not just a job…they are our children.
The language they use is crude
Their behavior is beyond rude
The girls come to school half nude
They do not seem to care
So why should we?
It’s our job…not just a job…they are our children.
They refuse to pay attention.
They don’t seem to fear suspension
They don’t even care about retention
They just don’t seem to care,
So why should we?
It’s our job…not just a job…they are our children.
They are perpetually mad
They are always ready to “jump bad”
Where is their mom or dad?
They’re not here; if they don’t care
Then why should we?
It’s our job… not just a job…they are our children.
Together, the collective we, you and me…
Lift up our children
Lift them beyond their hard façade
Beyond the mask they wear to hide their fear
Lift them up with our collective care.
It’s our job…not just a job…they are our children
It’s our job… not just a job…they are our children.
They Are Our Children is one of my favorite poems from my treasure trove of poems. Hope you enjoyed Day 27. Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me: https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr...
Love and realness,
#Lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com

Dear Friends, Family, and Fans,
This is a more recent poem I wrote trying to help my pre-service educators understand the concept of having and cultivating a "Growth Mindset."

Day 27: The Power of Yet
Copyright: Lindamichellebaron, 2021

I’m not as good as I can get
I’m not perfect
At least, not yet.
I’m not born smart, but you can bet
I can be a scholar,
I’m just not yet
I can’t see my gifts, but I don’t fret
I got this
I just don’t “got it” yet.
What I can be has not been set
Its up to me
And I’ll get it yet!
It may take time and a little sweat
But it soon come.
I believe in “yet.”
​
Hope you enjoyed Day 27. Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me: https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr...
Love and realness,
#Lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com

Dear Friends, Family, and Fans,
This is another poem, that never made it into a book. I wrote it almost 20 years ago. It actually recounts what I remember of an event when I was about 10 or 12 years old. I believe in telling the truth. My mother reinforced truth telling by promising not to punish us if we told the truth. She would question our assertions by with “Scout’s Honor?” To which I would respond. “Scout’s Honor.” I was never an a scout, but I took that oath seriously. But one day, I was caught off guard. I did something that I didn’t want to confess to. I had taken one of the dimes, designated for drying the clothes at the laundry and bought a Ring Ding instead. The loss of the additional 10 minutes of drying time made a difference. The clothes were not completely dry. I took them back to the house, figuring, I guess, no one would notice. When questioned, the truth was not in me. I later confessed in a letter asking forgiveness. I remember that experience to this day, and it informs my decisions to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”

Day 25: TO TELL THE TRUTH
Copyright 1993 Dr. Lindamichellebaron

My mother always says, “Do not tell fibs.”
She says, “Fibs only multiply.”
I was telling the truth at first.
I don’t know how it turned into a lie.

She asked me a simple question,
Then when I started to say,
A piece of the truth fell out of the story,
And then it got away.

So, there was this space in the story
That I had to find a way to fill,
And a half-truth popped into it,
Totally against my will.

So then I had to twist the story,
Move it around, just a little bit,
But when I tried to tell it,
An un-truth was the only truth that fit.

I really can’t explain it,
How right before my eyes,
The truth I know I should tell
Kept turning into lies.

Feel all tangled up,
Like I’m lassoed, gagged and tied.
I just want to say, “I’m sorry Mommy.”
And tell her, “The real truth is I lied.”

TO TELL THE TRUTH is one of my favorite poems from my treasure trove of poems.

Hope you enjoyed Day 25. Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me: https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr-lindamichelle.html

Love and realness,
#Lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com

Dear Friends, Family, and Fans,
Today's poem Is part 2 of 2 favorite poems of mine.
Day 24:
YES I'M TALKING TO YOU Part 2
Yes, I'm talking to you. I hear your brags, and I see your name-brand rags. You're obviously money obsessed, but I'm not impressed. Yes, I'm talking to you.
It's clear to me, you're a serious dude. I can hear your attitude. I have absolutely no doubt that you can take me out. But yes, I'm talking to you.
I know you never raise your voice. Weapons are your words of choice... a gun, machete, your fist, a knife, or one of your "dawgs" could take my life. But-yes, I'm talking to you.
I'm taking the risk because it's possible that I am partially responsible. might have missed the beat
that could have kept you off the street. Maybe you needed a different interaction, and I was present but missing in action. I don't know what has occurred.
I know I spoke, but who knows what So, yes, I'm talking to you. you heard?
Yes, I'm talking to you.
But I don't know what to say.
Can we talk?

YES, I'M TALKING TO YOU is one of my favorite poems from my book,"For The Love of Life" available on my website at:
https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/store/p9/FOR_THE_LOVE_OF_LIFE_Life_Lyrics_from_an_Oral_Tradition_Third_Edition__NEW_EXPANDED_EDITION.html

Hope you enjoyed Day 24. Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me: https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr-lindamichelle.html
Love and realness,
#Lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com

Dear Friends, Family, and Fans,

Today's poem is part 1 of 2 favorite poems of mine.
Day 23: YOU TALKING TO ME? Part 1

You talking to me?
You trying to buy me with lollipops? I can buy and sell you and still pay the cops. You're asking me how old am I? Ask your mama, unless you want to die.
You talking to me?
I'm "old enough." so don't ask my age. What I make in a week beats your whole year's wage. When I go out, it's not to play. Go ahead mess with me and make my day.
You talking to me?
Don't even think about my size. I carry something that will equalize. I'm not worried about being tall. My game ain't about no basketball.
You talking to me?
I don't talk loud
I don't have to shout If I don't like how you look I just take you out
Nah,
you're not talking to me!!!
YOU TALKING TO ME is one of my favorite poems from my book,"For The Love of Life" available on my website at:
https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/.../FOR_THE_LOVE_OF...
Hope you enjoyed Day 23. Please come back tomorrow for part 2.
Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me: https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr...
Love and realness,
#Lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com

Dear Friends, Family, and Fans,
Happy Earth Day!!!!
I have no idea how long ago I wrote this poem. I remember one night the rain woke me up and this poem literally popped into my head. I think I shared it once. It was so different from anything I had written, I had no idea where it would fit. Well, now that I’ve found it again, I don’t care if it fits anywhere. I just want to enjoy the fun of it. I think this is the best day to revive it. Earth Day. When we honor nature, “Mother Earth”, “Mother Nature”…we have to take care of her or we are all lost…unlike this poem…never to be found again.

Happy Earth Day and
Day 22:Tattle Tale By Dr.Lindamichellebaron

Sometimes rain falls when the sky unzips
Millions of drops and millions of drips
You know exactly when each one fell
Because they land so loud they tattle tell.
Even before you get out of bed,
You can hear exactly what each one said,
Each drip tells on the other drop
Each drop tells on the other fella
And if someone is listening they all yell,
“Don’t forget your boots and umbrella”
Sometimes a few squeeze from a piece of sky
Like a few little tears, but not quite a cry.
Maybe only a couple of droplets drip,
But you can still hear each one puddle skip.
You know exactly when each one fell
Because they still land loud and they tattle tell
But if you’re not looking, no one will ever know
Exactly when it starts to snow.
They can keep a secret. What a surprise
When you walk out into vanilla skies.
Tattle Tale is one of my favorite poems from my personal treasure trove of poems.
Hope you enjoyed Day 22 and my Earth Day post. Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me: https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr...
Love and realness,
#Lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com

Dear Friends, Family and Fans,

This is the 50th Blog. I'm celebrating on this 20th day of Poetry Month, by resurrecting my spirit....changing the channel. Garbage in, garbage out. I even more selectively listen to or read the news. Not all news all the time. And not all is fit to read or listen to. It’s too much. It doesn’t stop. I have felt totally overwhelmed…until I remembered that where we are isn’t where we’ll be. I had to remind myself, not only that there is a Higher Authority, but that He doesn’t move on our time…but on His. We are not the boss of Him. But He is the boss of us. With that in mind, I decided this was a good time to repost this poem. Let's keep in mind the Good News we just celebrated.
​
50th Blog Post & Day 20, You Go, God!
by Lindamichellebaron
When I think of what I haven’t done, I get depressed,
In spite of what some others call “success.”
I revisit every move I’ve made. Then I second-guess
Suppose? What if? Perhaps?
I confess,
I wind up labeling myself a “hot mess.”
But like you, I am so wonderfully blessed
God takes me off my self-imposed shelf.
Looks at the label I’ve assigned to myself.
He checks all of the ingredients. He knows what He created.
And He approves each one of the ingredients I have berated…
He takes me, His creation, and handles me with such care,
He reminds me that everything I need is in-there.
Right inside of me, where He placed it.
None of my issues or self-doubts can erase it.
Remember He is the Head Chef. He is the Source.
Where do I get off thinking “I’m the boss!”
If I want to fulfill the work that He has assigned,
I need to get out of His way and get aligned.
I’m not in charge… Let go and let God!
It’s the devil trying to make the work seem too hard.
The devil tries to make a slam dunk.
You could almost see him smile,
When all my money shrunk,
And hear him ridicule every thought I had ever “thunk,”
Like he was sending my dreams out to drive drunk,
Just to make me feel as if all hope had sunk.
You ever been there?
Filled with despair?
Bemoaning the fact that life isn’t fair?
Thinking your situation is beyond repair?
Measuring your problems as too BIG for prayer?
Well, get thee behind me, Satan.
Remember this and Do Not Discard.
It may be too much for us, but nothing is too hard for God!

You Go God! is one of my favorite poems from my personal treasure trove of poems.Hope you enjoyed Day 20 and my 50th Blog post. Would you like me to light a spark at your school, college, house-of-worship, conference or organization? If your answer is yes, please click on this link to book me:
https://www.mylindamichellebaron.com/book-dr-lindamichelle.html
​
Love and realness,
#Lindamichellebaron
www.mylindamichellebaron.com