The Eclectic Experience

Rashad's First Painting

August 7, 2010

Posted by Rashad Wilkerson

Outside… a storm is now in full effect

Torrents of raining crashing down

trees humbly arched to the ground

Afar off a storm also builds inside a small chapel

As a girl stands at the altar, pain escaping from her until it’s almost palpable

She sways from side to side

unstable by the tremors that are now rocking her insides

She wraps her arms around her tightly and grips her hair

Yearning for that comfort that is no longer there

Eyes that tell no lies wander desperately around the church

For a sign, a symbol, a guide, something to end this eternal search

Finally they rest on a crucifix transposed above the altar

Time stops for that single heartbeat as she beholds the Father

Master and servant connect taking in each others’ pain

Suddenly she releases a tormented cry

Falls to the floor like a Lamb slained

An unforgiving flash illuminates her

Plunging her in darkness, extinguishing the light inside of her

You see… she is a child of Light

A child of favor, a survivor of the Night

And now…now she has given up the fight

But has she?

For faith challenged, will tested she climbs to her knees

And now…now she sings

First a stirring chant, a prayer, and now a rising melody…she sings

Cast down and broken by lost love…she sings

Forsaken and heartbroken…yes Lord she sings

She sings until the swell of the storm can no longer be heard

She sings until the whistling wind is at a loss for words

For she has found her voice, her redemption like a damaged soul freed from sin

This is her anthem, this is Elizabeth’s hymn

- Shaneequa Shyrier

Posted by Rashad Wilkerson

Welp, I'm Good at Lifting Weights

August 3, 2010

One of my best friends couldn't decide on one thing he was good at, and then he said to me "I can't sing dance or anything lol I can just lift weights and write from what I hear." hearing this made me question what constituted a talent. Heck, I know I'm not good at lifting weights and I know that takes patience, practice, and persistence. Just like any other gift. So, Darius...lifting weights counts in my book

My Life In One Word

I could tell you exactly what will happen,
because I know how my life works, its rarely good
sure my life keeps people shakin their heads or laughin
but the thoughts in my head are somewhat bafflin
My life in one word, "misunderstood"

I always catch myself wondering why
even though doing this is something I never should
a better question to ask is why not I?
Why should I deserve anything better than the average guy?
My life in one word, "misunderstood"

As I have gotten older and put away childish things
I have learned that maturity comes with adulthood
and although I experience painful cuts and stings,
I still have love surrounding me, carrying me like Pegasus' wings
My life in one word, "misunderstood"

As the days go by, I still wait for that special one,
When a beautiful answer arrives, that escaped childhood
The day my life sets, like the distant sun.
The same day my eyes are opened and God says, "Well done"
Then my life in one word is forever changed, "understood"

- Darius Ingram

Posted by Rashad Wilkerson

Mirror

August 3, 2010

it’s no joke, we are our biggest critics

but it’s seem society has made out this mold, and I don’t appear to fit it

it seems my mind’s a running bomb and I can’t stand the noise

this crippling ticking makes it incapable to even fake simple poise

I glare at this vacancy in the mirror and wonder why I couldn’t be just a little more

just a bit prettier, and a smidgen taller, but what is all this nose for

honestly I could go for less and let’s not even start on this chest

nothing infinitesimally worthy of the term breast

and these teeth, ughh I wish I could just wake up and they magically be straight

and fat, wait I mean weight

actually that’s a concern I’m not really prepared to tackle

these are the incessant thoughts by which my conscience is so hideously shackled

I could definitely bear a break, maybe I should let food be comfort; how about a slice of cake

then maybe I would actually fit in my own skin

yeah that would help cease the flurry of confusion I’m in

but what the media considers fat is in my opinion thin

alright and that’s where this perpetual cycle of contradiction ends and begins

you’re supposed to have curves in all the right places

and this foolishness fuels so many impossible, so ridiculous chases

I wish the impression that our society inflicts on our psyche would ease

because the despair that it causes is no small trifle to appease

so we walk around with these smiling facades while filled to the brim with chagrin

cause what society has taught is that beauty doesn’t stem from that which is within

that which is within these empty vessels of ours

I’d eradicate the pain; uhh if I only had the appropriate powers

for we no longer value those qualities that should be genuinely treasured

we have substituted these traits with overly superficial bust, waist and, hip measures

our chosen armament is to clad ourselves in fashionable clothes

daily orchestrating these elaborate episodes

but they’re just shows; they don’t shroud much

and the self-consciousness inside remains dormant, simply untouched..

you falsely strut around with your synthetic pride

hoping that your inadequacies are adequately masked to critical public eyes

but honesty, all this low self-esteem is draining

and my fears of constantly being judged are gradually waning

I’ve had enough of not being enough

but this glimmer of confidence doesn’t mean this uphill trek isn’t tough

there is a persistent battle between self-confidence in me and the self-consciousness me

for that latter of the two is the reflection I see

it glares back at yells, forcing my self-confidence to retreat in its shell

and all the while quietly attempting to me tales of how I’m perfectly made

then I know I’ve failed, for the my newfound confidence dwindles, fades..

but one day I hope to amass full blown maturity

and pray that it’s accessory is equally matched security

for this rampant anxiety is oh so draining, and I patiently await the day that this reflection in the mirror neglects to pain me..

and mirror...

-Timelie Horne

Posted by Rashad Wilkerson

Look at chuuuuuu

August 2, 2010

Creating this section of our website, had to be one of the most difficult tasks I've had to perform in putting this website together. For at least two days I've gathered up, chased, and harassed all of my friends. I know they have gifts that only God could bestow on a human. Ergo, I enlisted their help in making this happen! Thanks yall!

-MIKEY!

Posted by Rashad Wilkerson