Bruised Kisses touches on love, hate, homelessness, revenge, spousal abuse, success, failure and everywhere in between. My love of poetry grows deep as William Earnest Henley's 'Invictus' to Robert Pinsky's 'Samurai Song' and beyond. My grandfather recited poetry to me since I could sit still long enough to hear his voice and yes the voice of poetry resonated with my young mind and soul. In high school classes, I further developed my love of poetry and desire to learn the meaning behind the words, analyzing the works of famous poets such as Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson. While at Howard, I had the opportunity to study the works of famous poets such as Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, and Ntozake Shange and yes I desired to write powerful poetry myself. I indeed could relate with their passion for life and pain from living.

Bruised Kisses evolved from living in the midst of struggle- drug addicted mother, drug dealing father, childhood chesters, college crushes, young adult heart breaks, marriage, divorce,  motherhood, homelessness, mental wealth, emotional poverty, redemption...life at it's most powerful, yet vulnerable moments. I hope that my book of poetry will inspire men and women of all ages to live life with passion and love with intensity; to cry hard and laugh louder; moreso to close doors and open others with the refreshing knowledge that everyday is another that wasn't promised.  I make no apologies for how I live my life, who I love(d) and all of the disatrous decisions I made and may continue to make, because in essence they made me all who I am today and I'm grateful. I lived through alot of things that may have drove some to their deathbed. I survived to give you Bruised Kisses: Affliction vs. Affection, A Collection of Poems and hopefully much more. Please read and enjoy...you'll need tissues and a seatbelt, this ride is a rough one!