K.(ing) O(f).P(op).

A phenomenon. An icon the world has seldom (if ever) seen. A visionary unto himself. You were a child, without a childhood. Pushed to your limits, in all probability sometimes against your will. You gave a gift. Music. Dance. Love. The quiet charm and soft spoken subtleties of a boy in a grown man's body. We'll never know the anguish and the pain experienced. How could we? We never danced in your shoes, nor have we moonwalked across the stars and hearts of millions. Never proven words of slander and disgrace aplenty. Only God knows the hearts and actions of men. You were, indeed are, and always will be a blessed soul that was taken without notice and far too soon. The pain is ceased. Peace is upon you. Go forth now and make the Kingdom of heaven rhythmic with your endowment. Rest well. You deserve it. 1958-2009.

Dancin Machine

The beat hits. People throw your hands in the air (and wave ‘em like you just don’t care, you saw that comin’ right)? Never tentative I hear the bass and without thought to savin’ face I dance.

Am I good? That depends on your definition of the word. Do I care if people see? No. I do what I do. Staring, glaring, stylin’ and profilin’ I get one reaction to another . Life is short. I dance. Through anger, pain, stress, through the sometimes maniacal schedule of my day, I dance.

In my home, at the office, on my lunch break walkin by 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, when the beat hits, I dance.

Crutches flailing, the movements, hat bendin, collar poppin, never stopping, I dance. It’s what I do. Release. And, people take notice

I'm not sure

When I landed on my two feet after I got that piece of paper back in 2002, I was so certain of what I wanted, where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do. Now... I'm not sure.

Things have become blurry, outlooks jaded, conviction challenged, my smile sometimes gives way to a frown. I'm only human.

Professionally, I'm reminded of shortcomings (you need to work on this, this, that, walk on water, heal the sick, create a cure for a highly communicable disease and then we'll give you that promotion if we think you did all in a timely manner), more than what I have done well.. I'm not sure of my place.

Maybe if I wear this suit on this day and stand at this metro stop at this time, I'll run into the right person who'll give me that all too important "big break" that people talk about on tv when they're cashing in on their millions. Since Ed McMahon is gone, I have one less option in the world. I too, could have been a winner... If only.

I'm not sure when I'll get there, how I'll get there, or the circumstances surrounding all that but I know one thing. I'm sure about one thing. My paycheck still remains too small.