Whatever Became Of You - 09/20/12

"I wonder whatever became of you...
Once my proudest sight,
You're now someone I'm ashamed to view.
I'm not ashamed of you,
Just of what happened.
We went from congratulations and people clapping
To an ideal state of romantic dates, something out of a dream while napping
To us being lost in love, struggling with mapping,
To arguments that could only be described as energy-sapping.
I wanted to get away, to leave it all and run...
But there's no such thing as a clean break when dirt has been done.
So we fell apart,
Cloud Nine disintegrating into thunderstorms,
Eden invaded by impurities,
Perfection being impugned by the mirror.
Without showers of affection,
My imagination became afflicted with drought...
Your love was difficult to go without.
Nightmares of separation had come to fruition,
While dreams of you faded without an intermission.
Intermittent regrets flashed in my mind as though beamed from a distant lighthouse,
A beacon in the emotional tempest you left in your wake.
Heading toward it was bound to be a mistake,
An error that would haunt me with the ghosts of second guesses.
So instead, I headed for the shore,
The surest sign of sanity,
The home of my humanity as I vanquished you to your oceans of vanity.
I looked only ahead as I loved and lost,
Leaning on my own strength to avoid looking back.
Eye contact would've been the weakness you needed to once again attack.
Presently, the present me is definitely greater than the one you left in shambles.
I often wonder how many others have gambled on loving you,
Knowing you can only love yourself...
I wonder how many others had to feel the whimsical whirlwind become a malicious maelstrom,
How many others had to watch intimacy fall to intense irony,
Had to have their sandcastles washed away from the inside out.
I thought you floated in on destiny, yet you drifted away on doubts.
After bouts with muddy thoughts, my picture and future both became very clear...
I healed; I am now in control of how I feel,
And I now love another with no residual fear.
But there are some times where I recall when you were here,
And how much I wanted you near.
While no part of me, not in spirit, heart, nor mentally, still holds you dear,
Whispers of the past still drift into my ears.
They remind me of current scars and previous tears...
And as I ponder if any effects that I had on you still show after all these years,
A shadow of who you were is cast yonder.
The light of my life quickly tears it asunder,
But, I can't help but wonder:
Whatever became of you?"

-A. Lewis

I Once Fell In Love With The Sun - 7/28/12

I once fell in love with the Sun.
Bright and beautiful, she was.
Never had my heart been so warmed,
Never had my heart been so charmed.
Light emanated from her smile,
Effervesced in her eyes,
And excited my mind.
There were flings and flames before her,
But none could compare.
Even on her worst days,
I was touched by the first waves of her heat.
No cloud could obfuscate the great, innate shine of her soul.
It was as if my skies had been brightened by a molten orb of the finest gold.
I once fell in love with the Sun.
But alas, I was on the ground, and she was magnificently perched in the sky.
My admiration fell on deaf rays; no voice could reach so high.
It would soon become a conundrum,
A quandary of sorts.
I felt loved when she blanketed me with her simmering sparkles, of course,
But my feelings felt unrequited since there was no proximity or discourse.
I couldn't express myself. I could never get close enough.
Prose would prove to be a most productive outlet,
But it typically felt like I never wrote enough.
She gave me a shadow.
It was devoid of features, a clear indication that she simply saw me for me.
I once fell in love with the Sun,
And as each day comes and goes, I wish that together we could be.
Most assume that I would burn like the wings of Icarus,
And fall victim to flames behind the light,
But I know that behind the fire, a gentle soul lies.
She simply wants to be appreciated for who she is, not what she provides,
How perfectly she curves at her sides, or how stunning she is to the eyes.
See, the Sun is a star too divine to simply twinkle.
She glows in golden rays.
I once fell in love with the Sun,
And I want the story told this way:
Despite making my skies brighter and setting my soul on fire,
The greatest thing she did for me,
Was inspiring me to reach new heights and set my goals even higher.
There is no conclusion,
Only a tale for the ages.
Two lovers in the same book,
But only on different pages.
I once fell in love with the Sun,
And continue to do so daily.

-A. Lewis

The Sweetest Thing (Guilty Pleasure) - 7/11/12

Fields of sugarcane in my mind...
Syrupy sentiments rain from cognitive clouds of cotton candy.
You are the sweetest thing I've ever known.
My mind was running in circles until it tripped over one of the gumdrops you left...
Now I'm swimming in feelings sweeter than Southern cane tea.
The Gingerbread man must be sprinkling sugar in my dreams,
Replacing the Sandman's plans to soothe me with sands.
Instead, I smile subconsciously at hugs under Kool-Aid waterfalls,
Kisses crafted by Hershey's,
And breezes laden with the aroma of cinnamon rolls.
'Tis a love as fresh as warm, soft chocolate chip cookies,
Accompanied by ice cream dreams and thoughts of delectable things.
Each conversation is like a Pixy Stick, filled with intense flavor,
The kind that lingers like semantic Now and Laters.
My favorite three-layer cake features sexy curves,
A beautiful mind,
And a warm center, a sweet heart of caramel.
You're a slice special enough for my birthday.
So even on your worst day,
I'll still want you like I never should've had you in the first place.
My dear guilty pleasure...
I'm guilty of enjoying your love with every measure.

-A. Lewis

Constellations - 7/10/12

Our souls are galaxies;
Our minds are universes;
Our hearts are suns;
Our traits are stars.
Passion is our suns in proximity, creating conflagrations.
Love is connecting our dots, seeing the constellations.
I can be your Orion, your warrior.
You can be my Andromeda, my strong-minded wife.
And when our love burns brightly,
It shall be the North Star for those in love who are lost,
A point of reference, a point of reverence.
What we represent will be greater than who we are,
Much like how astronomy is greater than simply naming the stars.
It is understanding what they mean, what each constellation projects.
Constellations show relations between the divine placements of celestial objects.
That proves that our souls are galaxies;
Our minds are universes;
Our hearts are suns;
Our traits are stars.
Growth is allowing stars to die and shift, forming new combinations.
Love is connecting our dots, seeing the constellations.

-A. Lewis

Lines In The Sand (Promises) - 7/8/12

Draw a line in the sands of time, if you feel so compelled.
I'll watch the flow events wash it away with happenings you couldn't foretell.
The unexpected will change you. I am certain.
I'll say something "wrong," or some unforeseeable event will take place;
You'll be transformed by emotions, take it out on me, then apologize later to save face.
I'm all for promises, but only in a particular way.
You must be careful with what you say; life will test your word.
It's absurd to think that anything is more sacrosanct than the passage of time itself.
Nothing can encroach upon it, so do not waste your breath,
Delineating which actions are outside of your personality.
When life puts you under certain combinations of stress and pressure,
You tend to see and react to a different reality.
Time is consistent; promise me you'll be the same.
Tell me what you WILL do; not how you won't change.
Time is always running, so sand is constantly collecting on top of us.
When it rains, it becomes even more cumbersome and much more difficult to deal with.
I'd rather be sure of what you'll do day-by-day,
Than of what you won't do when you're pressed by the sand mixing with the rain to become clay.
Don't waste your time drawing lines in the sand.
Instead, focus on how you'll live and grow with the ebb and flow of events in time.
Promise what you will, never what you won't.
You can't ever be sure of what time will do, which means you can never be sure of what you don't.

-A. Lewis

Stay Awhile - 7/6/12

Stay awhile.
Indulge me with your presence, intoxicate me with your essence;
Have my mind so gone that your body leaves it a message...
Leave me lingering on the last little bits of lust left over in my eye lashes from our lascivious glances.
Our pupils so delicately danced their slow dances.
Why would I read about romances when I can study the alluring symmetry that Universe has so graciously placed before me?
It'll take time for me to find differences between one side of you and the other...
Time that will be spent admiring what you were genetically gifted from your mother.
I could sex you for hours,
Think about you for days,
Support you for years,
Be with you for decades,
And love you for lifetimes.
Right now though, I just want you here. Next to me.
As your aura gets the best of me.
Our chemistry is as natural as respiration;
We could take each other's love without needing restoration.
This moment has no expiration.
It'll last as long as we choose, with no explanation.
No point of reference, no destination.
Just here, now.
The leading edge of reality, where darkness and light fight to define our existence, lies in the distance.
We'll leave it be.
What we've done is behind us; all I need you to do is be with me.
A memory will be made in this moment;
A unique experience will be had, and we'll never be able to clone it.
Take the time to fray my mind around its edges, and I'll separate you from the world so you won't forget this. Indulge me with your presence, intoxicate me with your essence;
Have my mind so gone that your body leaves it a message.
Stay awhile.

-A. Lewis

Five Things You Need To Know About The NBA Finals - 6/12/12

The NBA Finals are only mere hours away, and you're not sure of what to watch for (besides the big name superstars). Well, I've got you covered. From matchups to back stories, I'll give you enough info to make this the most engaging sporting event you've ever tuned into. Here are five things you need to know:

1. The "LeBron Isn't Clutch" Argument Is Asinine.
It is pointless to debate whether LeBron James is or isn't clutch (I'm looking at YOU, Skip Bayless). What gets lost in that discussion is LeBron's skill set. While he is the most talented overall player in the world, his skill set is limited in certain areas. We are all aware that his jumper is not the most lethal part of his arsenal. Furthermore, it is not an asset that he leans on when he needs points. Compounding that point is the fact that he is a FLOW player. However the game is going, LeBron will go along with it. That what he does best; that's how he gets so many assists and rebounds, as well as blocks and steals. I'm sure many of us recall some of the amazing passes he made in Cleveland, getting the ball ON-TIME, ON POINT, to shooters that were waiting. I have always held the belief that LBJ is the second coming of Magic Johnson, a tall, dynamic distributor that dominates the open court, rebounds, and can still put up 30+ points. Does that not sound like an accurate description of LeBron? He works WITHIN an offense, rather than having an offense flow THROUGH him. In "clutch," late-game situations, he is looking to run AN offense, not THE offense. He would rather run the play than make the play, and that's simply because he has an almost unrivaled ability to run it, rather than make it. He does not have the triple-threat proficiency of Kobe Bryant, nor does he create space in the same manner. Thus, he has no "go-to" move in late-game situations. He ends up taking poor-quality jumpers or awkward layups designed to draw contact rather than score points. That's not his forte, and he only did it in Cleveland/does it now because it's expected of him. Have you ever seen him 'pick his spot' in a late-game situation and knock down a jumper we've seen him make over and over? No? Precisely. That's not his game. Stop asking him to do that, and let him flourish as a 25-8-8(pts, asts, rbs) player. I'll take that over a poor shot at the end of the game. Asking him to hold on to the ball, square up at the three point line (or in some cases, at the elbow), survey the court, and find a way to score off of his action, without an actual play being set, is denying him the opportunity to be a playmaker in the way that fits him best. Analysts need to acknowledge that.

2. Kevin Durant Is A Very Clutch Player
This shall be brief. I'm stating the obvious, but it's to give a bit of insight. KD is very clutch because of his repertoire, the same reason that LBJ is limited. KD can pull up from anywhere. He can create space, create contact...he can even create MORE sneaker sales for Nike. At the same time, he's a constant threat to drive to the basket. That makes him infinitely dangerous in a late-game situation, since his length means he's more likely to finish at the basket or get a CLEAN look at a jumper DESPITE close defense. His performance in the clutch will be a deciding factor in this series, especially since he'll likely be going at LBJ.

3. D-Wade Versus Westbrook Is NOT The Match-Up To Watch
Will it be intriguing? Undoubtedly. However, those two athletic, fearless, and tremendously gifted players do not comprise the biggest match-up of this series. That takes place in the paint. Chris Bosh will have to have a definite PRESENCE in this series. His rebounding, scoring, and defense against Perkins and Ibaka will be a, if not THE determining factor in this series. Perkins and Ibaka turned the tide against San Antonio, without question. Between setting pick-and-rolls (often illegally, but that's another discussion for another day), defending pick-and-rolls (which they'll HAVE to do well, otherwise Bosh will average close to 20 ppg), and rebounding well, they really made their mark on the Western Conference Finals. Miami is in trouble here. If Bosh guards Perkins, the power forward, who will guard Ibaka, the center? Turiaf and Anthony are not equipped to stop him. If Bosh is on Ibaka, can the Heat really depend on the smaller guys (Haslem included) to guard Perkins? Look for Bosh to space the floor on offense, flaring out on pick-and-rolls to keep at least one of those big men out of the paint, allowing LBJ & D-Wade to penetrate. On defense, it's likely that Miami will struggle to defend the paint, and will more than likely struggle to control the boards, which leads to the next point.

4. The Transition Game In This Series Will Be Critical
If the Thunder control the boards, that means Westbrook, Harden, Durant, and Ibaka out running the floor. Miami matches up well, but the Thunder can attack OR hit jumpers in transition, something the Heat haven't had to defend before now. They are likely to have issues in that department, only because Wade on Westbrook and James on Durant leaves Harden and Ibaka as options on the fast break. On the flipside, the Heat will NEED buckets in transition. If Ibaka and Perkins can't get back, that may be the only time where they can get good looks in the paint.

5. James Harden and Mario Chalmers Are The Players To Watch
James Harden will put pressure on Miami's defense. If he is on the court with Westbrook, who will guard him? If Wade slides over, that leaves the slower Battier on Westbrook. If not, the slower Battier will be on the aggressive Harden. Either way, it gives the Thunder a match-up advantage. If Mario Chalmers steps up, he can guard Harden or Westbrook to help the Heat. He's an average defender, but at least Miami keeps up with the match-ups. On offense, scoring from him would keep the Thunder honest when sending help defense on the Heat's big three. The Heat's big men will be a question, no matter how they perform; Chalmers as a factor would help to offset that, especially if Battier and Mike Miller are also making shots. An honest defense is a playground for driving players like Wade and LBJ.

There's much more to know, but those are the major points. It's almost like fate that these teams are playing in the Finals, seeing that LBJ and KD practiced together before the season started. The MVP and the scoring champ; the two players that are the faces of the NBA's new vanguard. James is looking for the first official validation of his legacy; Durant is looking for the official beginning of his. A championship would bolster Wade's career, while it would only leave Westbrook and Harden hungry to combine for more. Behind it all, Derek Fisher has a chance to surpass Kobe Bryant and reach the illustrious distinction of six-time champion, a fact that I'm certain Kobe isn't pleased with. A loss for the Thunder would only make them favorites to come back next year, while a loss for the Heat would raise a world of questions, a universe of controversy, and a galaxy of speculation. In any case, the stories of this season for every player on either team enter the final chapter tonight. What will be written? The hardwood tells magical stories, and the ball doesn't lie. It's the NBA Finals: where history is made and legacies are born.

-A. Lewis