From Hood to Good will make you laugh, and you'll want to tell a friend about it, because it will be hard for you to put it down. People from all walks of life will enjoy reading it, because no matter what country, culture, or language group you come from, you will relate to the experiences expressed through poetry. You will learn about urban relationships, ratchet thinking and solutions, linguistics, and urban behavior. Through it all, there is always a cause and effect for everything you may encounter, good or bad, throughout life. Words are powerful, and Allen's words will speak greatness into your life, help you stay spiritual, meditate, and keep God first. They will also help you remember where you come from and never go around thinking that you are better than anyone. We as people must stay humble and embrace humility, so only success can stay ever present in our life. This book will be sold worldwide through AuthorHouse.com, Amazon.com, airport bookstores, mall bookstores, book fairs, local bookstores, a variety of events, and Barnes and Noble. From Hood to Good By Dwight Allen AuthorHouse Copyright © 2016 Dwight Allen All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-5246-1151-4 Contents Certified Thug, 1, The Race Against the Clock, 3, Hoochie Mama, 5, Urban Dime Diva, 6, Street Smart, 7, Our Children Matter in All Cities, 9, Hustle Man, Hustle Woman, 11, Material vs. Matter, 13, Pray for Wisdom, Guidance, and Understanding, 14, Hood Struggle, 15, Urban Unity, 17, No Chains on Your Brains, 19, Black History, 21, Education Defeats Poverty, 23, I Will Think to That!, 25, Pay Back and Pay Black, 26, Ghetto Girl, 27, The Source of Achievement Is Yours, 28, Child Support, 30, Banging Sex, 32, He's in Love with a Hoe?, 33, Hella Ass, 34, Cootchie Fresh, 35, You Done Started Something You Can't Finish, 36, Mind Your Business, 37, Voting Matters, 39, Weavalicious, 41, The First of Each Month, 43, Gangster Boo in the Hood, 45, The Hoop in the Hood, 47, Get Your Drink on the Spot in the Club, 48, Silver Spoon, Silver Cup, 50, Morning Sex, 52, Keep It Real, 54, Fashion Is Paramount in the African-American Community, 55, You Are Just Mad, 56, Books Bring Knowledge, 58, Ratchet on the Job, 60, Feel the Vibe, 62, This, That, and the Third, 63, Turn This Party All the Way Out, 65, Turn Me on Until the Break of Dawn, 66, Man Up with a Woman's Touch, 67, Motivation Right, Haters Left, 68, She Keeps It on Lock, 70, There's a Solution When Negativity Attacks, 71, Connect the Dots to All Your Valid Points, 72, Stop Blocking, 74, Family First, 75, Girl, You Got It Going On, 76, The Hustle on the Block, 77, You Met Your Match, 78, Once Upon a Time Where I Grew Up, 79, No More Excuses, 80, Realizing Your Strength, 82, Doing Wrong Will Not Make You Right, 84, Getting the Draws, 85, Hood Recipe, 86, Read Success in the Book of Opportunity, 88, Unisex Shop, 89, Bad Black Sister, 91, Woke Up in Something Good, 93, A Realization of Who Is Truly Real, 94, An Ebony Triple Threat, 95, Salute to the Hood, 96, On the Bus, 97, No Disease, Please, 99, Sex Appeal, 100, Checkoff, 101, Morning Rush, 102, Bulletproof Plan, 103, Bring Back the Neighborhood, 105, Liquid Consciousness, 107, Wireless Up, 108, Ignorant to the Third Power, 109, Be About Your Own Business, 111, Timetable, 112, Grown-Ass Woman, 114, Turned All the Way Out, 116, A Day at the Park, 118, Act Wrong, 120, Your Boo, 121, Passion for Power, 123, Baby Mama Hood Drama, 125, Women of Color, Have Self-Respect, 127, Increase on the Come Up, 129, Time Travel, 131, Balance, 134, Hood Hair Care, 136, Represent Your Hood, 137, Full-Time Lover Part Time, 139, Pick Up the Pieces, 141, The Hourglass, 143, Delicious Diva, 145, Caution, 146, Count Down to Motivation, 147, Power for Our People of Color, 149, Acknowledgments, 151, CHAPTER 1 Certified Thug What is a certified thug? Or what is a real man? These are questions people think about when growing up in cities across America: Newark, Chicago, Detroit, LA, DC, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Richmond, Norfolk City, Raleigh, Charlotte, Memphis, New Orleans, Harlem, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, New York City, Philadelphia, Cleveland, etc. A thug of the streets, no matter where in the world, will have a heart, tattoos, leadership qualities, and intensity. Not all thugs are illiterate in the same way. There is a variety of types: gang, fraternity, street, intellectuals, and the most well known: corporate thugs. There are guys that are suspected of being thugs; but a real man takes responsibility for his actions and supports and protects his family. Thug thinking might be appropriate at times when people disrespect you as a man, but do not thug it out to the point where you are constantly in and out of jail. Remember, your street credits should be how much of a positive impact you have in building your community and no