Dr. Maya Angelou ~ Renaisance Woman ~ APRIL 4, 1928 - MAY 28, 2014

by Patricia Britt

Maya Angelou led an exceptional journey as an exceptional woman of the world thru arts & letters.
Our memory will always be a memorial or rising for the greater good.


http://mayaangelou.com/books/        Books by Maya Angelou on her own website
http://www.amazon.com/Wouldnt-Take-Nothing-Journey-Now/dp/0553569074


Song: Deniece Williams ~ Black Butterfly
Lee Ann Womack ~ I Hope You Dance
Kitty Wells ~ God put a rainbow in the clouds
Bebe & Marvin Winans ~ Stand ~ Love & Freedom CD
... after you've done all you can, you just stand....


Wake Forest Homecoming June 7, 2014

Oprah Winfrey
I cannot fill her shoes, I can walk in her footsteps. We must carry on, and passon her poetry of respect ... whatever you do, want you to take it all the way.

Michelle Obama ....fearfully & wonderfully made .... Phenomenal Woman essence of  us .... our own worth ... authentic ... she showed us if we stay true to our self the world will embrace us... something divine about her ... she will always be with us...

Reverend Churn - literary quotes Tennisson .... Jesus said, as I live you will live also ...proverbs 31:10 King Lemuel mother's instructions to find a virtuous woman ... a self assured resourceful loving woman charm grace poet writer teacher dancer thought of all of her many talents ... loved her family ... she loved all people ... more alike than different ... woman of faith ... God's child.

Son ~ spoke to the commonality of all ... regardless of nationality .... anything that diminishes a human being diminishes all.... courage most important virtue to exercise other virtues with consistency without it .... when you learn teach when you get give ... Thanks mom for the lessons we all need ...

Son's Mother's Day poem
sequined in the black silver sky of night ... look within themselves and find their best .... lighting path through the dark shadow land .... more than mere flesh and bone to love and be loved .... fortune graces me like none other for this star this nova is my mother.

Valerie Simpson ~ we are all sparrows ... if you know spirit you know she's here, and I think she saying by now see you around ... remember me as a sunny day you once had ... made you laugh when you were down .... remember me as a breath of spring remember me as a good thing...

On be half of my family I would like to thank you for loving my Grandma ... family fabric ... she was the smartest most gracious elegant woman I've ever known ... people will forget what you've said, forget what you did ... if you felt half of what she made me feel you've been blessed... Thank you.


Quote:  


Obituary: ... Her life and her body of literary work trumpet the importance of love, tolerance and forgiveness. She was a warrior for truth, justice and love.

Echoes of Maya Angelou

By Patricia Britt

No, I won’t tell you I was great.

But, what I will tell you is I tried.
I developed the courage to try, you see.
As I mastered each new step on my journey,
With an open heart.


Choo Choo!
I got some things done,
And I rose with style in my quest for knowledge,
And understanding, and wisdom.
I even made time for onions & green peppers.
And I did it with empathy, and prayer.

I gathered a gumbo of people to keep me open, and young.

As I found my way trying new things in each chapter of my life.

What did I do?

You felt my heart I gave to you.
I followed my heart.
My heart is volumes deep,
You can rediscover my songs of truth,
Anytime you seek to find the simple treasure in our communication.

I’m free to explore with the spirits of the universe.

Build on all I’ve left for you my dears,
And always grow.
We’re all stair steps to & through the stars you know.
I’m of the sky twirling on mountaintops.
I’m of the earth, and the sun exceeding motion.
I’m of the aura of ether enveloped,
in the kindness of dark matter through infinity.

2014 Zimation Arts & Letters Ink

BET's The Game TV Series

TV’s The Game by Patricia Britt

“The Game” started out good, because it was new. It was great to see so many good black actors that made you believe the peaks, and valleys in a pro athletes life, for dramas sake. Tia Mowry & Pooch Hall were a compelling couple determined to triumph through love eventually, even through their push, and pull relationship.

“The Game” has become redundant in its portrayal of the rich black athlete. I haven’t watched it much since Lauren London was brought into the cast after the mysterious departures of Tia Mowry, & Pooch Hall if it was their decision to leave, they probably felt their characters were painted into a corner. What more emotional dirt, and trauma could they possibly endure? The writers may have felt the viewers wouldn’t accept Tia Mowry becoming a stable, dedicated doctor, and kept her husband happy, or Pooch Hall making his family work without too much drama. Nevertheless the comedy-drama was, and is still a draw to many.

Brandy Norwood’s character is a bit one dimensional as another mad black woman, even though the character acknowledged she grew up with two parents. There’s only one Wendy Raquel Robinson in the main role of the flawed yet lovable proud angry black woman. Brandy needs to evolve into a different spirit through the writers to add a stronger level of authenticity, and grace.

I’ll always see Brandy as Moesha, and Cinderella. It has puzzled me for many years why her version of Cinderella in a multiethnic cast isn’t shown annually on any of the networks, or BET hasn’t bought the rights to show it. All girls still need a dream to carry them through reality of more harshness in the world. 

Brandy is a rich girl in real life, and her character is misleading poor girls. Her character is a mere stereotype of her previous work, but she’s all grown up now, good black roles are rare, and her fashion sense is too sharp in magazine articles. The stereotype that black women, are small and petty is solidified in the public’s view to the point a regular sister has to work 3x as hard to be considered welcome on the road to attain life’s piece of the pie.  Because the acting is as good as it is, it might be one more nail in the Hollywood box that makes life precarious, not uplifting for the average black woman. I hope to see Robert Townsend have a cameo appearance someday?

“The Game” centers on the main football player’s ego tripping 90% of the time, with every possible vice displayed, modeling their behavior after the small percentage of pro football players that self destruct when they have the chance to leap boundaries. When in real life a larger percentage of smart athletes, despite predictions to the contrary, learn to be wise investors for themselves, and other athletes, particularly after retirement, if they’re physically intact, so they can delight in what they’ve earned any place in the world, establish foundations, and help their communities while discerning who’s sincere in their quest to reach them.

Whether a hero, a villain, or something in between in acting, or in life all it takes is some Internet research to determine whatever anyone wants to know about any given athlete on a pro team. Athlete’s lives are examined routinely from their elementary school teams through retirement, making their lives an open book of achievement, or sorrow.

Because I haven’t watched “The Game” this season I hope the new guy “Blue” Bryce Westbrook has incorruptible integrity as he navigates the league, and contributes to charity, and if not I hope they will introduce guests athletes from around the tv sports league who are Dudley Do-Rights that rub off on the other guys by osmosis, and display a more rounded portrayal of the athletic world with the heroes as well as damaged souls.

Don’t these guys have any friends in other sports to add new dimensions, and layers of reality to the characters lives? Why does it matter? Because I don’t see how a predominance of ratchet acting can make this world a better place.

At least in “The Game” there’s a chance for redemption with the wave of a pen. “The Game” is still hard to resist, because the actors have harnessed the will of the blemished characters realistically. Overall it's a spellbinding show.

Mad Men is going off the air. In the beginning it was riveting, then you say how extreme can they possibly take the show in a hopeless direction. Let’s hope Nashville hangs on, and there are enough uplifting characters to balance the win at any cost characters.

Zimation Arts & Letters Ink 2014 Copyright


Song : Dianne Reeves ~ Better Days

"One chance is all you need." ~ by Jesse Owens

How many times do the viewers have to watch "This Christmas" in June? Someone's asleep at the wheel. Programmers please wake up.