Let The Truth Be Told
Today your eyes open, you see crystal clear
and realize without a doubt old age is here.
A little voice states, hey! This is all on you,
did you save your money, after paying dues.
Wretched truth steps in and abruptly unfolds
everything you worked hard for must be sold.
You see, no longer does this life give you a choice
your body crumbled now you lost your voice.
The government states, we can’t take care of you,
we have people from other lands that need us too.
You’ve had the good life in the land of the free
did you squander your money irresponsibly.
The food lines are open, that’s where you’ll be,
perhaps a homeless shelter becomes your reality.
O the wrath of old age can be a slap in the face
as your body turns on you in the shortest race.
If a stroke grabs hold taking you by surprise,
such a brutal change brings forth a disguise.
You can’t remember, you no longer speak
Those you love live on burdened street.
Farewell good life, stand up nasty and true
you recall a memory many admired you.
gazing in the mirror, wondering who you are
a faint voice says, you were once a star.
Written by: Melvina Germain
Date: Feb. 17/2016
Tags: Aging
Judge…Diane Humetewa… She’s leading the way
(First Native American Woman to become a Federal Judge)
I end this evening with a poem for our Native sisters…
Where Are They
Where are my sisters, beautiful honey-tone skin,
what perpetrator took them from their homes and kin.
People who honor the land we walk upon
treated like renegades and wretched vagabonds.
Who will nourish the land where a sister lays
be it a shallow grave, no honor one gave.
And if she wakes up in that land far away,
will she understand the words people say.
A prisoner in a foreign land no words of love,
the raven watches above for the eyes of a dove.
Only the great spirit who sees long beyond
can comfort a suffering soul while moving on.
If the moon gives us a miniscule of starry light,
we pray great spirit, bring them home day or night.
Many questions we ask to the arms of the law,
answers come forth like a glacier that will not thaw.
But now a new soul has taken the throne
And with his youth he does not stand alone.
Vibrant, honest, refreshing and new,
may God above, help him do what he must do.
Written by: Melvina Germain
Date: Feb. 16/2016
Tags: Woman
Diane Humetewa, Confirmed to Federal Bench, Makes History
The Senate voted unanimously May 14 to confirm Diane Humetewa to become a judge for the U.S. District Court for Arizona, making her the first Native American woman federal judge in U.S. history and the third Native American to ever hold such a position.
The final vote was 96 – 0 in favor of Humetewa, a citizen of the Hopi Tribe who previously worked as a U.S. attorney for Arizona under the George W. Bush administration, as well as an appellate court judge for the Hopi Tribe and as a special counsel and professor at Arizona State University.
Humetewa was nominated by President Barack Obama to the position in 2013 after his administration forced her to step down from her U.S. attorney position in 2009.
RELATED: Humetewa Close to Becoming First Female Native on Federal Bench
Native Americans have long been pushing for increased representation on the federal bench, especially in regions of the country that see high numbers of tribal- and Indian-focused legal cases.
“Let’s hope Diane’s confirmation is just the start of a slew of Native American federal judges,” said Chris Stearns (Navajo), who previously served as a counsel to the House Natural Resources Committee. “There is still a massive lack of representation of Indian judges in the federal courts.”
Upon Humetewa’s confirmation, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) issued a statement saying that she is “impeccably qualified” for her new role.
“NCAI greatly appreciates the efforts of the president and Senate in achieving this historic confirmation,” the organization said. “There are many qualified, talented people like Diane Humetewa in Indian country who are able and willing to serve. We eagerly anticipate many more nominations of Native people to the federal bench and other offices.”
Bert Brandenburg, executive director of the non-profit Justice at Stake organization, said in a statement that the interests of justice are best served when judges reflect the broader society.
“With the confirmation of Judge Humetewa, the Senate has taken an important step toward broadening the makeup of the federal courts,” Brandenburg said. “Increasing representation of Native Americans on the federal bench is especially important because federal courts have an outsized authority in defining what’s known as federal Indian law. As a result, Native American people and tribal entities appear as parties in federal court proceedings at far higher rates than do non-Native Americans. Given this picture, the current lack of any active federal judges who are Native Americans is absolutely appalling.”
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, also applauded the confirmation.
“Diane Humetewa is an inspiration to Native people, especially Native women across Indian country,” Tester said in a statement. This is an important appointment and long overdue. I’m pleased that the Senate came together in a bipartisan way to get this done. As the only Native American in active service on the federal bench, Diane provides much-needed expertise on the complexities of federal law and Indian sovereignty.”
Tags: Special Women of the World
Speed Queens
The speed Queens were getting their housework done lickety split, they couldn’t sleep. A new friendship formed, these young housewives became close and having a lot of fun together. One loved dabbling in drugs, the other knew nothing about such but was coaxed into trying.
She began with speed pills in order to keep up with her housework. The problem was it wasn’t easy to get any sleep and you got it her good friend had a cure for that too. Years passed, a pill for this and a pill for that and soon a pill of some sort was needed everyday, along with a little whiskey to wash it down. Brown bag Carlie was the friends nickname as she took that whiskey everywhere she went.
I saw Carlie one day in the Safeway store and wished I could have sunk in the ground when she laid eyes on me. She yelled my name out loud for all to hear and see. I’m getting married she hollered, I told ya it would happen, I smiled and wished her well. Come on over to Sallie’s and have a drink with us sometime, I nodded with a half smile. Such a shame to see her in such a delusional state but Sallie was my main concern. She lost a lot of weight very quickly and realizing brown bag Carlie was on Coke, Sallies friends wondered about her.
One day a friend boldly asked the question, Sallie are you on Coke, noooo Sallie yelled. This reaction didn’t surprise Nel, she mentioned, I know your friend Carlie is a Coke-head so I wondered about you after all you’ve lost a lot of weight. I’m dieting retorted Sallie and the lies, the drinking and the drug use continued.
On a Wednesday morning, Sallie made a phone call to Nel crying and screaming, you never come to visit me anymore, why don’t you come and see me, we’re friends. Nel calmly said, Sallie the last time I visited you we almost fell down because you were so drunk. I don’t care screamed Sallie, when are you coming to see me. Nel felt so bad and she promised to visit Sallie the next morning. You promise! in such a loud but sad voice asked Sallie, yes I’ll be there Nel replied quietly and wished her a good day.
Nel tried her best to carry out her promises so the following morning, she woke up and got ready for her visit with Sallie. She was having her second cup of coffee when the phone rang. She picked it up and it was Sallies sister screaming into the phone, Sallies dead, Sallies dead Nel and she wailed and wailed. Nel stood in shock and tried to sooth Audrey to no avail, Audrey kept screaming and making no sense then hung up the phone.
Sallie’s dead, Nel slumped in her chair and the tears fell as she placed her head in her arms on the kitchen table. Sallie was found dead in her kitchen with a picture of her daddy in hand and a glass of whiskey in front of her.
A few years later, the lady that introduced her to speed pills, brown bag Carrie was found dead in an alley, she had overdosed. Many believe her body was dumped there since no one wants to be found with an overdosed drug addict. That’s the way the story goes but the pain did not end there, so much more to this story. The lives affected, the lives ruined, deceived friendship and so on…oh noooo the pain doesn’t end there…If you’re dabbling in drugs and washing it down with some sort of alcohol the end may be quicker than you think…Treat your body well, love yourself and stay far away from this hell…Melvina…..
Tags: Articles by: Melvina Germain
Have you ever thought about the phrase “A fate worse than death”…My thoughts to follow…
Fate Worse Than Death
As we age our bodies slow down, our minds often lose it’s ability to store information and our recollection becomes frustrating as you fight to bring forth something you should remember. Perhaps in that instant you realize your mind is fading and a new worry is coming forth and at that same instant you thank God for the memory of that realization. It doesn’t take much to soothe an aging soul.
The fate worse than death may be in fact, being aware of the fact that your mind and body are changing. A fear hangs over you as you ponder on what the future will bring and the future is not far away. Your mind wonders and thoughts of never having to die becomes an obsession. You think to yourself, I have to pull myself together, so a regimen of exercise begins, you change your eating habits and begin to read the best inspirational and motivational books on the market. You are going to be a power machine just like Henry…Oh but wait! Henry died while running last year, yes he forgot to slow down before coming to a stop and his heart failed. Poor Henry, but that won’t happen to me are your thoughts. I want to get as close to that immortal being and who knows if I can live long enough perhaps by then man will have figured out how we can become immortal.
With that thought in mind, one might also wonder, if such is feasible then that could also be the fate worse than death. Think about it, if you are the one human being to become immortal what might you observe over the years. As we age from twenty to fifty we notice our digestive system begins to change, from 50 to 80 we are muttering, I like beef but beef doesn’t like me. You are running to the bathroom at warp speed and many are wearing depends. At age 65 we are not enjoying the same music the youngsters absolutely find divine so they stay far away from the so called old foggies.
We can no longer sit and do homework with our Grand-children because the communication gap has grown due to some asinine crazy language, and forget doing math because 8 minus 4 is no longer 4 but some weird calculation that you can not fathom. You are in the midst of a fate worse than death, you see you are totally alone, no one can relate to you.
Their observation of you is becoming so intense, fear arises in your mind and paranoia is a daily vexation. You are living a nightmare as the freak show begins, and you have no one to talk too after all your last friend died years ago, you’re on your own. You look in the mirror and wonder who is looking back. Your physical body has changed tremendously, yes you look and feel like a monster.
You live in the home of the aged with no visitors and the patients walk away from you because they know you will never die, you become an outcast living a fate worse than death but isn’t that what you wanted, to live on forever.
To age gracefully, taking care of our mind, body and soul as best we can. Having a healthy and realistic outlook on the inevitable will lessen the anxiety of aging. Being prepared for the so called end, I call it the transition beyond. Knowing without a doubt, that one day you will close the final curtain to earth. If you are present in that situation in mind, you can leave quietly with a smile on your face.
The journey is long and at times can be an uphill struggle but when balance finally sets in, we find ourselves on the smooth path of life well fitted to prepare for that inevitability. Fear will have no place within our souls as time is of the essence. We don’t have the luxury of sitting around in fear wondering what will be. We clearly have to move and continually prepare on what is certain to be…Be well, be happy and be kind…Take what you can use and leave the rest…Melvina…..
Tags: Articles by: Melvina Germain
She lusted after an icon,
of whom she deemed a king.
But paramnesia was her mindset
confusing everything.
A distortion of the truth,
fantasy became her game.
She liquefied the night, and
the morning after
poured like rain.
Written by: Melvina Germain
Date: March 31/2015
Tags: Poems by: Melvina Germain
Perhaps God lifts the curtain,
shows you bold and clear.
if you pay close attention,
you’ll know, He was there.
Written by: Melvina Germain
Date: March 3/2015
Tags: Spirituality
Jesus Lives
They crucified him, this man,
our Lord, and laid Him on the
cross. Brutalized Him with nails
and placed thorns upon His head.
We mourn the day, sweet Jesus,
O God, they wanted him dead.
Today we cover the cross, yes
a black cloth marks His pain.
All will never be lost as our
sweet Jesus on the third day,
through the love and power of
Father God rises and lives again.
Life is sweet and precious and
the most we have to give. To
save the life of others, we may
choose to die for them to live.
Written by: Melvina Germain
Date: April 3/2015
Like ·
Tags: Spirituality · Uncategorized
I’am Woman, created to reign on the earth as Queen,
I’m that precious diamond, an amazing human being.
I’ve come to earth not as your servant or the flesh for
You to walk upon, but as a remarkable human who stands
by God and his son.
I’am the vessel who bears God’s beautiful creation,
in the warmth of my womb producing all mankind.
No one can ever duplicate me with new innovation,
as I’m unique and special with infinite worth, sublime.
Jealousy is my enemy and evil pounces harsh and strong,
a human’s heavy hand of brutality, so often comes along.
I stand a fearless warrior, as I wear my earthly crown,
Satan may strike me hard, but will never keep me down.
I’am Woman, resilient, O yes that’s most certainly me,
I bear the strength of my Mother and my Father’s tenacity.
I’am a precious Griot, a story teller of this mysterious world,
wearing history in my mind, telling truth of all humanity.
I’ll walk through dark valleys, trudge through many storms.
My worth surpasses all as my spiritual body becomes reborn.
I’am woman, forgiving, loving, compassionate and free,
I’ll accept nothing less than what my maker wants for me.
I’m deserving of a good man, yes Father says that’s true,
the winner that I’am, only the best must come from you.
I deserve a man to stand by me, protecting me in every way,
A man willing to give of his life, in the darkness of the day.
Let me be his precious Jewel, let me be his beautiful Queen,
I will stand by him, through darkness and the brightest light.
To save the beauty of family, together we will always fight.
When the curtain closes, when the silent wind softly blows,
I praise God, that I’am Woman, in Heaven an Angel glows.
Writtenby: Melvina Germain
Date: March 26/2015
Tags: Woman
The insatiable need to be right,
provokes often a brutal fight.
To solve a dispute,
I’ll beat you with my fists,
perhaps end ones life in a
totally different twist.
Look at the fields of battle,
bodies strewn like herds of cattle.
O we teach our young well,
when all goes wrong, you must
act like the beast from hell.
So where do we draw the line,
learn to be compassionate and kind.
How do we change our ways
when the beast of terror strikes each day.
Do we lay down in silence,
nod our heads and walk away.
Do we get on bended knee
and pray day after day.
Who has the truthful answer,
this world is deadly with our
chronic bleeding ulcers and
our gruesome death by cancer.
Written by: Melvina Germain
Date: March 28/2015
Tags: Uncategorized
