My Friend
To Bishop Leslie Edwards

Reaching past everlasting
Into everlasting

Riding danger's trail
Standing with nobility
When fire burned

Beyond winds howling
Where lightning speaks
From the pouring rain

With the sweetness of dews
Honey covered limbs of hope
Your presence brings the rose

Of eternal peace whispering
From the wings of your joyous

Words of redemption
For my friends
Light is tied to loves

Graceful smile of
Heaven's hand of kindness
Reaching past everlasting
Into everlasting

Kenneth Kirkwood, Sr.

  Bumpity Thump is dedicated to two great men who gave their lives to help young people succeed in ways that the youth never thought possible. Their love and inspiration has encouraged young people from all walks of life since the early 1960s. The two men were always seeking a safer, more positive environment for young people to learn and excel. These Bishops developed many programs to help young people succeed. One of the programs that Bishop Edwards felt very passionate about was the music and arts. He envisioned a place where young people could express their creativity in dance, drumming, and other cultural arts. He set up programs that helped to keep the young people off the streets and inspired them to excel with their talents.

He was instrumental in helping many young people develop an understanding how music and arts are a very valuable part of our culture. Many of the young people he inspired have decided to teach the next generation the same valuable lessons. I hope that you will support Bumpity Thump and become a part of keeping the vision of Bishop Davis and Bishop Edwards alive. They envisioned the expansion of our school and creating a world class culture center in our community where people from all walks of life will have the freedom to freely express their culture through dance, arts, and language.

I Shall Never Forget
To Bishop Calvin Davis

Thank you
My friend
My comforter
My guide

Oh, how that one smile of grace
Rested upon your face
Showing me the sun rays
Kissing the daylight

Oh, how your words filled my soul
With such heavenly sounds
Of everlasting joy

Touching my mind with
God's comforting wings of peace
Like love's snowflakes honeysuckles
Upon your waterfall's rainbow of hope

I shall never forget
How your rainbow lifted me up
Flowing from the blessings
Of your breath's gentle wind of mercy

Locking your life's melody
Deeply within my soul
Becoming the flawless rhythm
Of faith now ringing
Throughout my heart

Kenneth Kirkwood, Sr.		  

My name is Kenneth Kirkwood, and I wanted to tell the story of what inspired me to create this website. There were two men who have greatly enhanced my life; the first man I met when I was 18 years old. I will never forget the warmth, love, and encouragement that Bishop Calvin Davis, Sr., showed me. In 1983, Bishop Davis passed away, and it was very hard on me. However, Bishop Leslie Edwards helped me to remember the great things that my friend did for me, and he was always there for me comforting and encouraging me. Recently Bishop Edwards passed away also. Since Bishops Edwards passed away, I wanted to think of way to show others how these two men took me in when I was a young man and changed my life.

Then I thought about how I enjoyed writing poetry and how much Bishop Edwards enjoyed my poetry. While I was in the Navy I used to write poems to Bishop Edwards, and he told me that he was saving all my poems and was going to make a book out of them. He called me the “The Poet Who Didn’t Know It.” One day, Bishop Edward surprised me by writing me a poem called "Of Life’s Sweet Melody." So, in October 2006, I wrote a poem to Bishop Leslie Edwards and had it published. I wanted to surprise him. The title of the poem is "My Friend." I was very excited and called the company several times to find out when the poem would be published. When I did not hear anything, I thought my poem was not going to be published. Bishop Edwards passed away in May of 2007 and never saw the poem I wrote to him. However, to my surprise, the poem was published in July of 2007, in the International Who’s Who’s in Poetry.

When I opened the book, my poem was on the first page of the publication, and I was very encouraged. After seeing my poem, I decided to create a website where others can learn about poetry and creative writing.