Seeds and Weeds

Poetry and Prose by JJ Johnson

    Seeds And Weeds is a philosophically expressive compilation of poetry and prose from the heart of JJ Johnson. Offering his feelings on politics, faith, family, introspection, nature, friendship and fate, to poetry itself, Seeds and Weeds is more than simply a collection of verse with splashes of imagery. It reflects the spirit of a caring man who proclaims, “Nice guys don’t finish last, we just want to be sure no one gets left behind”. The poems in this compilation could not be conjured from the 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, the poetry here is sometimes harsh, but always honest while digging deeply into the essence of poetic creation.

To view excerpts* from chapters 1-9, click each Chapter Title below

Each Chapter excerpt presented on-line contains two poems and prose from that chapter.*

Information on purchasing this book can be found below the index on each page.

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Chapter 1: Pride & Prejudice* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

 1: Pride Is One Seed

 2: Seeds & Weeds - (prose)

 3: 3 Seeds ** (on this page below)

 4: 4th Independence

 5: Matthew 5:5

 6: Knot In The Loop

 7: Segregation *

 8: Separation *

 9: Where Will You Aim Your Hate?

10: NYS OCFS Graduation Speech, Parker Training Academy, 12/10/99 *

11: The Boyz At Tryon

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Chapter 2: Power & Peace*(click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

12: 1000 Keys *

13: Pay For The War *

14: Like Father, Like Son

15: Pride Blinds Biased Eyes

16: Nation's Pledge

17: Empty Arms And Burning Flags

18: Stars And Stripes

19: There's More Than One Way

20: Rush To Judgment - Judgment To Rush

21: God's Children / One Family We Are

22: Do Not Die For Me

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Chapter 3: Faith: Search Within & Beyond* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

23: Great Unknown *

24: Pass On True Freedom

25: A Question Of Faith

26: Have You Heard?

27: Faith In What I Don't Believe

28: Unwilling To Let Go

29: This Dream I Dreamt Last Night

30: The One On My Shoulder - Never Succumb

31: No End To The Flesh

32: Invisible Light

33: Touch *

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Chapter 4: Dysfunctionality & Family* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

34: Ro-Ro Rows Her Boat *

35: Quarter-Life Crisis

36: The Family Way

37: Within Me - Beyond Me *

38: The Task Undone

39: A Ray Of Sun From A Pot Of Gold

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Chapter 5: Introspection* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

40: Life Is An Ocean *

41: Self Portrait

42: Forgive Not Forget

43: Two Faced

44: Constant & Changing

45: Walls And Bridges

46: Desire To Fly

47: The Man I Am No One Else Knows

48: Blind To The Me Others See

49: Stock Room Blues

50: But Does God Trust in US?

51: Struggle Against Success

52: Every Eden Has It's Apples

53: See Through Inner Eyes

54: I Am

55: Under The Bridge *

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Chapters 6: Mother Natures Sun* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

56: He Who Laughs Last Will Be A Fertile, Mutant Cockroach *

57: Sleep (Hiding From The Touch Of Death)

58: Leaves

59: Inner Eclipse

60: Full Womb Crescent Moon

61: Moon & River *

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Chapters 7: State Of The Artrocity* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

62: Death Of A Virgin *

63: Artificial Artists (State Of The Art)

64: Artificial Artists (X-Reprise) *

65: Tragedy

66: Artists Are Lonely

67: Where Is My Muse?

68: Philosophy Therefore Poetry

69: A Test

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Chapter 8: Broken Bonds* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

70: Drive Home *

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Chapter 9: Loose Ends*(click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

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Purchasing Information

Publishing of this book is through BookSurge, an Amazon.com company. 

You may purchase copies of this book at $14.99 apiece at the following links:

click the banner above or

www.booksurge.com

These links will take you directly to the book page on the either site. 

If for any reason you experience problems locating the book on that page, 

you can search for it using the ISBN # 1-4196-3309-0

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3 Seeds

Young ones look up to us with learning eyes each day as they grow
Teach your children how to feel and everything that you know
About love and self-esteem and what you reap you sow
Parents who express no love raise their children down so low

Once planted in a heart, the seeds of hatred sprout then grow
Pride injects a high, like drugs, through veins where it can flow
To desire more, then crash from withdrawal addicts come to know
Three seeds of prejudice raise your spirit down so low

From the depths once descended exploring new levels to exceed
Is there nowhere inside their souls unconsumed by material need?
Hypocrites utter deception, telling half-truths designed to mislead
Said so many times even they believe in the lies that plant the seed

Corporate owners seem to have forgotten the slaves were freed
Robbing retirement funds to stuff their overwhelming greed
Keeping down the poor to maintain their status among the richest breed
Who refuse to admit the pecuniary progress they impede

Zealots point fingers and label "immoral", hearts that bleed
And proclaim God as a charter member of their creed
They hunger for power over fearful faithful they can lead
With a grip on their flock that strangles credence like a weed

Cowled cowards twisting scripture till they feel sanctified
Planting the tree grown for the cross, burned to become purified
But there's another fire eager to see how far down they can slide
Where the fallen one would rise to lead them to unholy deicide

Seduced by fear, bathed in greed and gorged the flesh with pride
Will they embrace all three until they've cast their souls aside?
Will God look back from the end of man and see the hate of genocide?
The first thing God did not create, the only thing that never died

The rainbow in their love filled lives kept them on the outside
Don't ask, don't tell the truth, there are rules to abide
Homophobia in fox holes is not morally justified
Love feels no conflicting virtues that ever could collide

Weak hearts are overcome when they feel a darkness drawing near
Listening to the movement beating war drums within each ear
Quiet those thoughts and open the mind to a silence all can hear
Look inside the heart for the courage to quell this secret fear

Eyes held closed to painful sights shed not a single tear
When they open up their eyes the truth becomes so clear
Mesmerized by powerphiles like headlights to a deer
In darkness till they will admit every human is their peer

Search within thick forests for three seeds that grew three shady trees
Knock on their wood to hear three names carried on the breeze
Listen for the quiver of terror, glory and desire shaking in the greener leaves
See their young saplings and perceive the grand design that hatred weaves

Time marches ever onward forming new circles in the wood
Branching out lines surrounding rings where only one once stood
Lines drawn in circles that separate where colors never could
While one more family tree draws cryptic bloodlines in the hood

The high and mighty tree grows taller with each passing year
The weight of its own branches make it hard to persevere
Until its hollow trunk caves in to make way for freedoms true frontier
The first steps toward the promised land must begin right here

Created On: 05/12/2003

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Links Page

After you're done with my site, 

check out my links page

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Copyright © 2006 Joseph F Johnson

 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any manner or form without written permission from the author.

 Printed in the United States of America.

Portions of this book © 2004

US Copyright Office Registration

TXu1-162-978

ISBN 1-4196-3309-0

Publisher:

BOOKSURGE an Amazon.com Company

5341 Dorchester Road, Suite 16

Charleston, SC 29418  USA

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Purchasing Information

Publishing of this book is through BookSurge, an Amazon.com company. 

You may purchase copies of this book at $14.99 apiece at the following links:

click the banner above or

www.booksurge.com

These links will take you directly to the book page on the either site. 

If for any reason you experience problems locating the book on that page, 

you can search for it using the ISBN # 1-4196-3309-0

__________________________________________________

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Thank You,

JJ Johnson

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