You Can't Hold Me Down...

Preamble: This is a story is the long awaited follow up to The Hood. That story was about me stopping to talk to a young man on the train, about youth knife crime and youth gun crime that is currently on the streets. What the young man said to me triggered memories of my early life. The following is what I was thinking

My Mum said to me, it all a big dream, 

I said, it can't be Mum, Mum it was all reality,

Mum it was all reality, as, Mum it was all real to me, 

The flat, in between, Jefferys Road, Larkhall Lane

Larkhall Lane, Prioy Buildings, Priory Grove, Flat Three 

The days, before my eleventh birthday, when you picked me, up in the limosine,

The days, living in stockwell, when, well, the fridge was always well stocked, 

The days, hitting the corner shop, in my Umbro and Sharp, united top, from JJB,

The days, I used to sit infront of the tv screen, 

Sit in front of the TV screen, playing Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, reading Nintendo magazines

Hanging posters of DBZ, WCW and WWF, 

WWF?, I mean, I mean WWE on my wall, 

On my wall, next to my primary school achievements, I recall

The days, when we would compete, and match, our sneeks, 

Match our sneeks, TN's, 110's, Ellisse's, on our feet

On our feet, on the street, you always wanted to see me neet, 

The days, when we use to venture to the adventures, Stuarts Road, Dorset Road, and Clufo,

The days, I used to play Oxide and Neutrino, Miss Dynamite and So Solid Crew, on my stereo,

The days, when we had a need, to speed, to drop me, to Lingham Street, 

To drop me, to Lingham Street, listening to choice FM, Kat and RB, on the radio

The days, we when went to Wilcox Road, couple of criminals, to rent pirate videos,   

The days, of the Nokia Face off's, 3210's, 3310's, Snakes and Space Invaders, 

Snakes and Space Invaders, the days I use to walk to shop, and got, the Sunday Papers, 

The days, that you did not fuss, when, Black Roof, dissed us,

The days, you worked both night and day, so Christmas never missed us, 

The days, of the Fiat Tipo, before the Black Ford Focus

The day, when we came home, the door kicked open, they broke in, 

The day, they robbed us, and, broke into the house

They broke into the house, flipped over the couch, but didn't leave with large amounts 

The took my christening jewelery, and you said, don't worry baby about the jewel thiefs

You said, don't worry baby, about the jewel thiefs, as, your the only jewel to me,   

Fridays, those were the takeaway days, 

The days, when you used, to drive to Wandsworth Road, and, Hit Wings, Mc D's, or O.K, 

The days, we used to, drive to Jacks, so that you could treat me, to a Snowball, 

The days, you use to smoke ten Benson Hedges, then drink, a Cheery B or a Red Label

Before the days, before I grew and I knew, you treated me, to a Bacardi Breeze

We used to drink together when we were thirsty,

The days before, you used to push your problems on me, and curse me, 

The days, you and your mate, would say my bed, was a sty, and remind how lazy was I,

Wait, those were days before, you and your mate, choose, to make jokes about my weight,

Choose to make, jokes about my weight, while you and your mate, made me a plate

Made me a plate, then left me to contemplate,

Contemplate, The days, back when, I didn't have much friends in the ends,

I didn't have much friends' in the ends, and you and your mate, gave me the name, Billy no mates  

Our birthdays, were the same day, those were the worst days

Those were the worst days, as you reminded me about your hurt days

The hurt days, the days my Dad used chase you around the room, 

Chase you around the room, a couple of punches he would throw, a few

But fact that, you would punch back, I always handed to it you

The days, you would remind me, the time you said you got a knife, 

You got a knife, a stabbed my dad near his spine, couple of inches from his life,  

The days, you would remind me, that he pushed you, down the stairs, when you were pregnant,  

When you were pregnant, threatened Granddad to hand over the push chair,

The days, you would remind me, that my dad beat you so bad, that he damaged your eye sight,  

That my dad beat you so bad, that you wore glasses to, to get your eyes right 

The days, you would remind me, while I sat in the chair, as you did my hair, 

as you did my hair, that I was just like my Dad

That I was just like my Dad, you used to compare, I could go on, but hold on, 

Hold on, That was back in the day, Mum you have held me down for too long,

Too long, but just to let you know, imma let you go,  

You will always be my Mum, and I will always be your Son, 

The day, it all changed, and you knew it wouldn't be the same, 

Is the day I moved in with my Grandparents, 

In with my Grandparents, Spurgeon Estate, Guildford Road, number Sixty One  

Inspired by Biggie Smalls-Juicy

Let's Make it Clear...

I hope all is well and that you have had a great so far. There is a new piece which I would like to share with you , in a moment.  In this piece I had experimented with my existing style, and approached it from a new, and innovative angle. I feel that my thoughts have become much more clearer over recent months, which I would like to openly project within my poetry. This journey has been a testing one so far, but there are plenty of more tests to come. I am sure of it! I am willing to tackle them head on. I would like to to formally introduce you to my new writing style termed 'Clarity Writing', which still possess elements of the thought flow earlier discussed, but takes a more much direct approach, thus stripping away, similes and extended metaphors. In hope to bring you closer to the true art of Story-telling. In addition, there are plenty of more works to come, as well as, I know  I have been dragging my feet for so long, videos of myself performing my pieces. 

I hope you have a great weekend and enjoy, 

Alph x  

Lost Freestyles: Showtime

Premable: I attempted to start writing freestyles again, with a time limit of 30 mins without the use of Wikipedia. Today's theme was centred on cartoons. I goggled only two words Eclectic and Totodile. I promise. Unfortunately, I went over the time limit due an important phone conversation, my apologies,  but thanks to everyone that was involved.



I Picked up the pen and the pad
Started cooking, like I was cooking crabby patties,
In the crusty crab, I be cooking these lines,
Like I was Dexter, the boy genius in the lab,
I be mixing, my similes and metaphors, like chemicals,
Just trying to make my point, like decimals,
Everybody try copy my flow, but this my show,
They be itching, twitching, looking so cowardly,
I be like, dawg, where's your courage?
Dawg you be powdering up?looking like a Powerpuff!
Let me level up, and power up,
Bring you the power, like I had the combine strength,
The combine strength of Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup,
Talking about, power ups, its morphing time,
Masterdon, Terradactyl, Tryceratops, Sabertooth Tiger, Tyransauras rex,
My freestyle ability, yeah I'm morphing mine,
That bar just went over your Ed,
But it went over his Eddy, his Eddie, and his Ed,
When I write, its mine, its my, its my adventure time,
Freestyle abilty, so cold, they call me the Ice King, like how exciting?
Bring that thunder, they call me that Thundercat, because I'm striking like lighting,
Frightening, futuristic flow, moving something like the Jetsons,
After i'm finish spitting, you turn to your man,
And say lets move, and say his ill, so lets jet son,
You speed out here, like it like it was a race,
But I got the crowd cheering, as I switch lanes, and, change my pace,
Just call me that Wackey Racer,
I pull up alongside you, give you that Mutley laugh, and say 
and say adios, I will see you later
I'm hair, and stand tall, like the afro and Gerald's head,
Everyone saying hey, who you?
You that cool kid, with the funny shape head,
That's into poetry and bongos?, I say no i'm not Arnold!
And they shrug their shoulders like who knew!
That's when the bells, wells, well start ringing, like its time for recess
This my playground now, I am not the king so far,
But one day ill be chilling, god willing, like King Bob on the sofa,
Like you be thinking, so rah Dan, you now want to king now?
I be like that's the dream, that's why see me now and again, but I be
be hustling with my team, bunch of hustlers kids, hustler friends,
Out in the jungle gyms, with the kindergarten kids,
Turn my cap back, like say I was say was TJ, peddling my bike
Bike on hype on the freeway, have you be saying like holy Cow?
ain't that boy Chicken? with your face Droopy, with your nose turned up,
like saying I smell, well, grab your poopy scoopy,
I meant to say pooper scooper, if you want to snoop me, well,
well, you will have straight up scoop me,
Hate me now, cool, but god willing, ill be chilling in the pool,
Living that life with Louie with my guy Louie,
If you don't catch my bars, don't worry you wont catch them all,
I choose the lines that I throw, I nickname my lines, my poke balls,
You know the feeling when a hater, takes a peek at chu,
Shocking right, but that the bars here are light, shocking right
They are light, they will electrify, any electric type,
Because i'm that eclectic type, i'm on this electric hype,
When a hater peek at chu, all you do have to do, is evolve,
And say with a smile, its been a while, but smile right at chu,
These bars got me like, all excited like, on a dancing hype, totodile,
I got pokemon bars for days, but let me not waste my time away,
The crowd already saying Dan your late, thats great, hey, the last plugs ill make,
We can do that is all day, play cat and mouse, all over the house,
Run around the house, chase you all over the couch,
But theres only one outcome, you in the trash, man down,
Leave you to be roomates with oscar the grouch,
Like im so full of myself, I just pinched myself, because that bar was so ouch,
Listen I dont play with kids, sit down on the mat with the Rugrats
Put your finger on your lips, be quiet, before I start a riot,
You just a bunch of baby's, you know bunch of Tommys, Phils, Lils,
I just chuckied to myself, because my bars so real, and they are the real deal,
I meant to say chuckled to myself, I was just getting the feel, you feel?
I am straight brainiac, that freestyle maniac, come with freestyles,
About anime and cartoons, mate, wait call me that animainiac
Everyone else are just are bunch of cartoons, that kids watch on YouTube
Bunch of looney tones, singing looney tunes
Call me the Batman, everyone else sideman, sidekicks,
The way I grab my grappling hook, they look at my line, try climb
that's when I give a quick, fly kick, these sidekicks cant be robin my lines,
The Batman symbol is shining, the moment in defining, and i'm defying,
I am defying because i'm one of kind, if you don't get the above line,
If you don't get the above line, ill explain to you,
Ill explain to you, but I got a city to save, so never mind,
They ask me everyday what is it? I tell them the same thing,
Like it got me thinking scratching my brain, like has what I said sinked in,
The last time, like the last time, Pinky its time to save the world,
A hater might puff out his chest, make grunts, like a,
I cant say that word, flex his muscle, use his bravado,
 but, put your trust in me, when I say your just not me,
your just not me, you ain't Johnny Bravo,
You just be cramping my style, something like Wayne and Lucian, Lucian and Wayne,
There twins, I repeated there names, because their basically the same,
They be looking like the want to scrap me, saying put em up, put em up
put em up, but they cant scrap me dog, I be chilling in the mystery van,
Yeah they call me the mystery man, because they don't know where Dan hang,
I have eaten my morning Scooby snack, my beards is looking Shaggy,
They don't know what I do, they don't know what I Scooby Scooby doo,
That bar does not make any sense but I was just being god damn rude,
Please excuse, like i'm just not the dude, and I just not that rude,
Its time for me to go, but before I go, shoutouts to my Bro,
He said bro since your putting on a show Bro,
He said put in Mighty Max, I was like sure, but I cant even lie,
I didn't even watch this, but I had to add it in somehow, to show that I got this

The Law of Attraction...

Hi Everyone,

I hope that all is well and that you have had a great week. It has been a while since I last posted, but I have finally made my long awaited return. I thank you for bearing with me and thank you for taking time out to view my blog in my absence.

I am still pretty on my journey of  self discovery and self love, healing and spiritually. The passion for writing and performing, still remains and continues to grow. I feel that my time away has been necessary for me to mature, as a writer and as young man. I have faced new challenges and been in at times very much uncharted waters, but I am starting to able to gain mastery over myself. This is a promising sign, however there are many challenges that lay ahead, but rest assured I am going to tackle this head on.

Furthermore, before I depart again, hopefully not as long as last time around. I would like to leave you with a story. This story is far from fabrication, but I it will hopefully allow you to gain a greater insight into the laws of attraction. Lets begin, Thursday morning started as any normal day and I made my way to work, went at a steady pace in the rain. I sat at my desk and started it with my new daily ritual by either reading or watching something that reaffirms positivity. This has an amazing transformative effect on the mind, and if you have not already tried it I definitely recommend.

I digress, I watched a video on the law of attraction which was advocated by one of favourite actors. He talked a length about the powers of the mind, chakra, positivity and the concept of paying it forward. This started my day the right way in my eyes. I spent the day doing mostly admin jobs as the majority of the students' that I work with are on study leave or work experience. At 3pm a student walked through the door and said 'Sir can we talk', I said 'Sure'. We sat for approximately an hour reasoning about the mind, positivity, spirituality and evidently, judging the title of this post, the law attraction came up.

We both felt refreshed, renewed and reinvigorated from this conversation and both went away from  this with a smile. I left work to embark on my volunteering commitments which I have on a Thurday evening and after met up with some friends. I travelled wearily back into my house at about 12 am. As, I walked up the stairs I said to myself that todays been a great day and that I am thankful. I opened my room door and I stumbled upon in amazement upon two books.

The books focus on chakra, spirituality, positivity and being at one with God. These books were sent through the post, from an anonymous benefactor, with the addresses both hand written. This random act of kindness touched my heart and soul far more then I could comprehend. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I woke up, and went to sleep with a smile on my face. Some may say that this mere coincidence, however I say that displays the power of the universe act work, and before I go on I would like to thank the person who sent it to me from the bottom of my heart. I feel truly blessed and humbled.

I could write a book about this experience, but I will draw this post to a close. I will leave you with a leaving thought. It does not take much to just be kind to people, whether it be smiling, listening, just be kind. If you throw kindness into the universe and the universe will in turn throw you back kindness.

Take Care,

Alph Arley

The Hood...

Preamble: This is a story is the long awaited follow up to The Meat. That story was about me stopping to talk to a young man on the train, about youth knife crime and youth gun crime that is currently on the streets. The following is what he said to me in response:

Aye, Bigman, aye, man that was big
Man that was big, Bigman, but, I am a big man, Bigman,
I ain't a little man, Bigman
Your movin all cheeky, you make me crease,
Your talkin out your cheeks, talking shit, bout your actually, pleased to meet me
Actually, i'm actually pleased to meet you,
As der, since were both here, der is somethin I need you to hear
Bigman, ders bodies every where, everybody wants to be somebody,
Everybody wants to be somebody, but ders, bodies out ere,
Ders nobodies that want be somebodies, but dese nobodies and somebodies are gettin bodied,
Nobodies, somebodies and everybodies out ere, but, out ere, nobody cares
Bigman, you have to use your eyes, to see what I see,
Bigman, you have to use your eyes, to see what I've seen,
Bigman, I see where your comin from, but you have to see where i'm comin from,
to see where i'm comin from, you see where i'm comin from?
Bigman, you see, I ear you G, I get what you mean, but do you get what I mean?
Bigman, you have to use your ears, to ear what I ear,
Bigman, you have to use your ears, to ear what I eared,
I's been out ere G, I's ears ear you, I's ear what your sayin,
I smell what your sayin Bigman, but I nose you nose what i'm sayin,
I nose you nose what i'm sayin Bigman, you smell me?
Bigman, I nose you have smelt it, but I don't nose if you ave you felt it?
Ave you felt it?, cah, I am from ah place where you need a thick a skin
A thick skin, cah, its a place where, the same ones that touch you, are the same ones that can touch you 
Nah, Bigman, I have been coverin my mouth and holdin my tongue,
Holdin my tongue and holdin my breath for two lung,
Out ere, Bigman, its just all long
I'ts just all long, my mind went, fuck, I mean't, holdin my breath for too long
Holdin my breath for too long, til I have been blue in the face,
Bigman, I am from a place, where your told to hold your breath,
Til your blew in the face, called ah wasteman, and asked how is the taste fam?
Bigman, I am from a place, where you if you are full of mouth
You get a mouth full, you get your mouth full,
Bare blows to the face, thats what we call a mouth full,
Bigman, it might be hard for you to swallow, but out ere, no joke, its cut throat, throats get cut
I need you digest what I just said, and if can't stomach it, I just dont a give fuck
Bigman, me and my G's, are out ere for the belly you get me
Everybody, out ere talk shit, like dere gettin it in, but trus, they ain us,     
Bigman, what you nose about, walking into a shop, and all the security, sees is teeth,
Your mum pleadin with you in your ead to put your best foot forward, 
But, before you get your foot in the door, all the security sees is, da feet,
Bigman, What you nose about, being up to your neck, you buy, cept, the security thinks that your armed
The security starts flexin his muscle, in your ead your mum is stressin not to get in a tussle,
But you try, cept the security starts searchin you fore arms,
Bigman, what you need to understand, I know out ere like the back of my hand,
Out ere, Bigman even though I hand it to you man, you have to understand,
You have to understand, Bigman im from place where, everybody wants point a finger
Everybody wants to point a finger, till somebody gets poked up, but, fuck,
But, fuck, Bigman, I don't give a fuck, 
I don't give a fuck, if you dont comprehend what I jus said,
Out ere, this is a place where, everybody jus tryin get a head,
Everybody jus tryin to get ahead trus, but, Bigman 
Bigman, out ere the hood jus goes over everybody's head cus.

We Meat Again...

I hope that all is well and that you have had a great week. I guess that this means that we indeed are meeting once again. I apologise for my pro-longed absence, but I thank you and everyone that has taken time out to view my Blog in my absence.

In my absence I have rediscovered my love for, writing and rhyming again. I feel that  now have a renewed sense of purpose and vigour which I feel will bode me well in the coming future. I hope that you enjoyed the latest post entitled The Meat. 

At present, I have few more concepts in my head, that I have had in my head for many months ready to put to paper, so expect more content  in the coming future. 

In addition to this, I would say that my writing style has definitely developed a new path way over the past months as you can probably tell. This path way has shown me to experiment much more with techniques that I have grown fond of. 

These techniques being the the Three Line Rhyme, The Interwoven Rhyme Scheme, The Extended Metaphor and the most noticeably The Thought Flow. There is other techniques that I have been brainstorming and I hope to implement them soon in some of my future works'.

If you have any questions about my latest piece or any pieces that I have wrote in the past, don't hesitate to contact me via Email or Twitter. I will gladly answer them.

Take Care, 

Just Another Brother  

The Meat...

Preamble: This is a story of me stopping to talk to a young man on the train, about youth knife crime and youth gun crime that is currently on the streets. The following is what I said at The Meat:

I said, my name is Alph Arley

I know that you’re certainly pleased to meat me,

Because, I know I’m certainly pleased to meat you

He had his, face straight, straight faced

I said that now hold on Young’un

Let’s get one thing straight, I am not trying to speak to you, to beef you,

I thought to myself, I am not trying to speak to you, to beef you?

As I was thinking, there was fire in his eyes, that probably caused his thoughts to fry

He was probably thinking like who is this guy?

 Like, I thought to myself, like Alph look what you gone and did,

What you gone and did? I meant to say, what you gone and done

 I thought to myself, like Alph well done,

Well done, because before you begun, He wants you to go stuff yourself,

He wants you to sow yourself up, he wants you strung and hung

I said now hold on Young’un, ease yourself in your chair and open your ears,

I steadied my tonsils and prepared, while I readied my nostrils and flared, as I asked 

as I asked, why do I smell bad blood in the air?

 I said, let’s make one thing extremely clear, to find me in beef is extremely, rare

I said, what I’m saying is, Young’un

 How I’m going cook my words up, is how your minds going to eat it

All I’m trying to be is a medium to you, to mediate with you

But, this right here, let’s make it clear, 
what I have said already, is me going medium with you

I said, now Young’un before you say some’un, let me turn up the heat,

 My apologies, if my words cut deep, but please, before you speak listen to me speak

I said, listen up Young’un, I see the youths on the streets

On the streets, there packing their heat, there upping the degrees to their beef

To their beef, the youths are using and abusing knives in public view

In public view, to cut through, meat to bone and more bone to meat

It seems to me, that it is a whole heap, of bones and meat, their cutting through

 Like Young’un, let me tell you some’un

 I see that the youths, with their beef, they try to chew

They try to chew, but the beef they struggle to get through

It's true, the youths chew, chew then they chew off more than they can chew, it's true

It’s true, that nowadays youths are using knives, with their lives and prides at stake

Talking about, peppering and corning each other whilst putting knives in a public place

Public place? I meant to say, whilst putting knives in a public plate

  As medics make way, to put youths in bags, to take away

I said, now before you say some’un Young’un, like I know that every youth nowadays

Nowadays, is entitled to make mistakes

I admit, I have made many mistakes myself in my days

But Young’un all i’m trying to say, is,

Treating yourself and each other, as pieces of meat, is surely not the only way