JJ Johnson's first collection of poems is creatively expressed in rhyme and reason. Seeds And Weeds challenges the mind and heart to find a better way through observations and feelings on the rise and fall of character. It's time to weed the garden! After Seeds And Weeds, Passion & Pain is more an exercise in exorcising the demons of the mind. Passion & Pain is both creatively contrasting and a complimentary companion to Seeds And Weeds.
Seeds And Weeds is a philosophically expressive compilation of poetry and prose from the heart of JJ Johnson. This selection is more than simply a collection of verse with splashes of imagery, this is an expression of the heart and spirit of a man who believes "Nice guys don't finish last, we just want to be sure no one gets left behind." It is that philosophy which has guided his hand in writing poetry for more than 30 years.
The poems in "Seeds And Weeds" were not conjured from casual observations on life that some would accept as fine poetry. These poems are more; they are the raw emotions expressed in words that have been inspired by a lifetime of
experiences.
Written in the moment of these events, not distant recollections, the poetry here is sometimes harsh, but always honest. Each chapter is formed from the concepts contained within the poems in them.
From the poet's feelings on politics, faith, family, introspection, nature, friendship and fate, to poetry itself, this compilation digs deeply into the essence of poetic creation.
Excerpt
"Segregation"
The color of my tie
And The color of my skin
Won't alter what I know
Or change who I am within
Taste your own medicine
It's the same thing that you do
Maybe you'll figure out
Why everyone leaves you
Look beyond your mirror
At the face behind the glass
Inside you are inferior
You need more God than Sunday mass
Each time that you reflect
The cancer in you has grown
Do you still wonder why
You are always left alone?
See with better eyes
If your eyes are all you have
Watch your bias fossilize
Two good eyes will make it halve
Look inward to your heart
You will see the other side
Embrace your counterpart
Release this Aryan pride
Your Grandfather's glory
His Nazi blood within you
So proud to tell his story
So eager to hate those he taught you to
You assume they're guilty
Of the judgments that you make
You've said "They're Not Real People”
You can't convince me that they're fake
Claiming they're all the same
But I know that isn't true
And the only person you can make me hate
Is the person inside you
Toe to toe and eye to eye
Death can't get us pride apart
Now the only thing that needs to die
Is the hatred in your heart
From First Love to its destructive end and on to new beginnings, Mary Angela Nangini's poems explore the birth and death of a relationship. The powerful poems are presented in two parts with an introduction to her next book My Ontario Beautiful. (Th
