Dreaming of Okinawa

When the soldier goes to bed at night,

And he closes his eyes.

He dreams of Okinawa,

And all the men that died.

The bullets flying over head,

With the sand at his feet,

He prayed that God would watch over him,

He had promises to keep.

Many soldiers lost their lives.

On one fateful day.

He found God on the Battlefield.

As she shouldered his rifle to pray.

He locked eyes with one maiden.

Before she leaped to her death.

He tried to forget her and move on,

Soon realizing that he never left.

Marching through her jungles,

Blind to her beautiful land.

But soldiers can't see beauty,

When death is close at hand.

When he thinks of Okinawa,

And her beautiful sandy shore.

He wondered if things were different?

Could he have done more?

To save his fallen comrades.

As they died one by one,

Was it worth all the human cost?

For the battle to be won?

His battle wounds have since healed.

But his heart remains on her shore.

The two will always be one in the same,

Okinawa and he, forever more.

© Sonya Dickerson 2015

I wrote this poem to every US and Allied soldier that fought in the Pacific Theatre. The fighting on this little island was ferocious...as it was on Saipan and Iwo Jima. I hope and pray that this world will find peace and war to be something we did in the past. I pray that our children's children can figure out how to live with each other in a global community without having to shed each other's blood.

The Urban Fiction Plague Part One

Lately, I've been in an Urban fiction mood. I used to read Urban Fiction back in the day but stopped since my tastes changed and I began a career in writing for myself. It's also safe to say that because I lived a sheltered life, I really didn't find myself relating to many of the plots that are characteristic of such fiction...especially in my adult years. I have moved away from the inner city and I live in a small town. 

I recently decided to give Urban Fiction a chance because...well why not? Some of the plot lines are interesting and I discovered new and exciting authors that are really talented and I enjoy their work. 

But as I began my search for good urban fiction, I began to see the same patterns all over again. Here are some of my complaints that are going WRONG in that particular genre.

1. Books With "Bitch" In The Title

You'd be amazed (maybe not) about the amount of books out there with the B word in the title. Gangster Bitch, Gangsta Bitch, Baddest Bitch, Welfare Bitch, EBT Bitch, Light Skinned Bitch, Wannabe Bitch, Stupid Bitch, Dime Piece Bitch.....so on and so forth. Some of the titles are a bit facetious but you get the drift. Every book has this Baddest Bitch character where she is the best looking girl on the block and all the men want her. She has a banging body and her skills in the bedroom can't compare.

2. There Is A Drug Dealer Named Nino....ALWAYS

Yes. No UF book is complete without a drug dealer named Nino. In fact, if he isn't Nino, then you need at least a few drug dealers scattered throughout the book. If the book is heroine based, then there is a good drug dealer (if there is such a thing) that really cares for the heroine and her children. They just want her to see the error of her ways or choose him over the big black ugly drug dealer that once made her eat Jell-O  off the floor and beat her senseless.........yeah...some of these plot lines.

3. Light Skin, Long Hair, Don't Care

The heroine of these books almost will never be a short dark skinned girl with "nappy" and "unruly" hair. Nope! Her hair, thanks to her so called Indian heritage, will sport long hair draping down her back. She will have pecan colored skin so she will definitely pass the paper bag test. (If you don't know what that means, then put down one of those books and read some real African American literature) She is flawless and always the baddest bitch in the game (see example #1)

I'll be posting a part two to this series. It really is disturbing sometimes when almost all of the UB books are literally the same! Same plot lines and same characters. One would think that this is all UB has to offer when there is so much more to Black culture than bad bitches and drug dealers. 

I'm looking forward to the day where an author can let some of these stereotypical characters go and craft an ingenious story with characters that I can believe in. That will be an author worth reading. Until then, the situation looks hopeless. 

Urban Fiction writers out there. Let's get some new material. Think outside the box. And for the love of God, if you write one more drug dealer named Nino into your storyline, I'm bashing my Kindle against the wall.