The inaugration event was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who attended and to the Mayhem Poets for an amazing performace.

Mayhem Poets
Three men whose poetry and rap challenges, evokes and inspires
Winners of the 2007 Microsoft Small Business Challenge

A Poem by Ronald Jones - Words Count

Words count
A flash back in 3rd grade
The mouth…on my teacher made the words say
“You’re the class of 2000, you can be anything”
Man, what an the impact those words made

Words Count
Words count like I’ve been waiting for hours
At the hospital, pacing, haven’t taken a shower
The night seems long there will be no day
If the doctor can’t tell me that “She’ll be ok”

Words Count
Why is the word hate so strong?
Why does understanding love take so long?
So we take long to say “I love you”
And we are quick to say “I hate you”
And we procrastinate when we need to say
“I appreciate you”

Words Count
You see
Once upon a place
There lived a boy in a space
The space was in a place
Where you wouldn’t show your face
The boy had what it took
And today has what is takes
But at the time there were things
That the boy had to face
At home his world was small
At school he was in space
Where he dreamed quite large
But at home he’s awake
So how’s the boy to know
What was real and what was fake?
You enrolled as a mentor
He meets you on some day
You never had time for this
This could be some mistake
See I told you once before
The boy has what it takes
So what does it take to make you know
Your words will be embraced?
You can change the atmosphere
You’ll change that boy’s home to space

Words Count
Words count like you’ve had a long day
The phone rings and rings it’s been at it all day
You look at the phone
You pick up the phone
The phone is driving you crazy
You’re ready to scream
You listen in close
And hear “I love you baby”

Words Count
Words count like I’m getting on one knee

Words Count
Words count like a witness on the scene

Words Count
Words count like a description of a scene
To a man who is blind
To make his vision keen

Words Count
Words count like a command to a soldier
With his family on a photo
And plans to be closer
The photo in his pocket
And his hand on the holster

Words count
A flash back in 3rd grade
I was wearing the shirt I wore on Thursdays
I’m thinking why am I in the class in the first place
I’m thinking – my birthplace is the worst place
The mouth…on my teacher made the words say
“You’re the class of 2000, you can be anything”
Man, what an the impact those words made
At the time I was hesitant when the teacher
Told us that one of us can be President
At the time I was thinking “No We Can’t”
But never said it loud
So now I’m saying “Yes We Can”
And I can say it proud.