The Healing Poetry of Dr. Gerald W. Deas

Many of you know that Dr. Gerald W. Deas is a medical doctor, public health advocate, political activist, a husband , a father and grandfather. But what some of you do not know is that he is also a poet and playwright. Over the years, he has used his poetry to educate his audience about a variety of health and social issues  Most often, his poetic themes are written in free verse and deliver a clear cut, informative and very literal message that many individuals can identify with and understand. Dr. Deas uses accompanying pictures with his poetry, thus giving his words a three dimensional visual effect that without a doubt, enhance its meaning. Gwendolyn Brooks, Pulitzer-Prize winning poet, praised his poems as “rich with creative excitement.” 

The following is a  selection of some of his more celebrated works:

Mr. Mean Nicotine

by Dr. Gerald W.  Deas 

I am Felt but never seen.

I hide in the shadows of you smoke,

I’m Mr. Mean Nicotine.

Being mean is part of my problem,

but can make it your problem, too.

Sometimes I can’t even stand myself,

at the things I can make you do.

I know you love, cause I can tell,

The way you smoke, my friend.

You puff and drag, you drag and puff,

Your cigarette right to the end.

I can even wake you up at night

to get a drag or two.

I can make you walk out in the rain

to satisfy your nicotine blues.

I can make your heart beat, skip and race,

like a roller coaster in your dreams.

I can make you sweat when it ain’t hot.

Just call me Mr. Mean Nicotine.

And when your lungs are burned with smoke

and you’re praying for a breath or two,

just remember all the years it took

to do the things I can make you do.

When you take a leisurely walk

and your legs begin to pain,

you’ll know that I’m really serious

and I’m not just playing games.

So take some fatherly advice, my friend,

and stop smoking like a fiend.

And I’ll guarantee you won’t have to deal

with the effects of Mr. Mean Nicotine.

Are You Unaware Of  Your Underwear?

by Dr. Gerald W.  Deas 



Pants hanging down
To show off your butt
Pants falling down
Revealing the end of your gut

As you shuffle and struggle
While walking down the street
Trying to hold up your pants
To a HIP HOP beat

Tell me my brothers
What is this pants thing all about?
All you need is a belt to prevent
The bottom of your pants from wearing out

God help you my brothers
If you may find it necessary to run
To get out of the way
From a stray bullet from a gun

There is no need in the world to show
The label on your designer underwear
It’s more important to go to school
And let everyone know that you care

So pull up your pants, my brothers

Walk in step with pride

Everybody will think you are somebody

When you move with the President Obama stride! 7-15-09

Cautionary Tale of Hattie Brown

No one really knows why

Mother of seven children

You could never hear her cry

(Hattie was told that she had high blood pressure).

Hattie Brown was found last night

Lying on the kitchen floor

Dollar bill in her hand

She was going to the store

(Hattie was given medicine for her high blood pressure).

Hattie Brown was laughing

In the early afternoon

Had received news from Housing

They had promised her five rooms

(Hattie did no keep her appoints with the doctor.)

Hattie Brown went to church last Sunday

She was smiling and clapping her hands

She had been mother and father to her children

Couldn’t find her man

(Hattie took her medicine only when she had a headache or felt dizzy).

Hattie Brown promised last Christmas

If god would let her live

She would buy the big tree

And more than tears would give

(Hattie’s blood pressure remained uncontrolled).

Hattie Brown was a beautiful woman

I can’t give you the reason why

She lived with only hopes and promises

the question is DID SHE HAVE TO DIE?

(Hattie had a stroke).

You’ve Got a Right to the Tree of Life

by Dr. Gerald W.  Deas 
 

Children are the roots of humanity, nurtured by God……….)

Laugh loudly my children

Get tickled to your bones

You’ve got a right to the tree of life

Don’t sit around and groan

Strut proudly my children

Point your noses up to the sky

You’ve got a right to the tree of life

Don’t bend your neck and cry

Play happy together children

But lift up the one who falls

You’ve got a right to the tree of life

You have to take time for all

Don’t Cry about the past my children

Your time has come at last

You’ve got a right to the tree they call life

And you’re climbing up it fast

A Black Child Who Can’t Smile

by Dr. Gerald W.  Deas 


 

Have you ever seen a Black Child

Who can’t give you a smile

Because the pains in his joints are so

Great?

The answer is easily found

When you find his blood count down

Because the cells that have sickled easily

break.

Now the child didn’t ask for this—

When life gave him a kiss—

That he would have to suffer such pain

and woe.

So come on and join the band.

Give this little Black Child a hand

And let his blood flow so he can grow and

grow.

(*the poem was adapted to music by the famous soul singer Brook Benton and

became the March of Dimes theme song.)

Cracking on Your Mother

by Dr. Gerald W.  Deas  

You can crack a nut

You can crack a joke

You can crack on one another

But when you crack your head with crack

You’re cracking on your mother

Now when your mother gave birth to you
 several birthdays ago

She changed your diapers and she fed you well

So you could grow and grow

She washed your clothes and combed your hair

Your mother kept you neat and clean

 She picked you up when you fell down

She was a beautiful human being

As years passed by and you grew tall

Your mother had to cut the strings

But her heart grew even bigger

She wanted you to have everything

You forgot her love, you forgot her care

You forgot her prayers and dreams

You lived the life you wanted to live

You became insensitive to her screams

So you bought a gold chain to put around your neck

And you became the king and queen

You cracked her head and cracked her heart but she continued to have her dreams

So stop cracking on your mother

She’s done so much for you

Start cracking that book of knowledge

To show what you can do.

(Dedicated to President Barack Obama: The First African-American Uncle Sam)

“US”

by Dr. Gerald W.  Deas 



God looked down on

US,

Creating a nation just for

US,

Red, white, black, yellow and brown are

US,

Therefore, we all live in that

Trust

Without us, can’t be

U.S.

God Bless

U.S.