I am in LOVE!

No, not because he's handsome, but because his poetry speaks to me in ways that some poets that go over my head...can't. It's not some school girl crush, where I scribble his name across my Trapper Keeper pages, but it's a love for his words, passion, strength, potency, interpretations and his amazing ability to wrap imagery in symbolism. Mmm. I'm in love.

I saw him perform once at Nuyo's and I had to buy his chat book and lemme tell you, the pages are WORN.

Slam of The Ages

Who knew teenagers could be so dang deep and just all around incredible! I mean, if you thought our youth was going to hell in a handbasket (never understood this saying) well, these kids are here to show you otherwise. I went to the Slam of the Ages last Friday and let's just say, I was completely floored. Here is one of my fave pieces of the evening. There's more, but apparently blogger will only let me upload one video per post. LAME!



I also got to see one of my long, lost buddies who came to visit for the week for her Bday and specifically this slam. Jade, you rock my freakin' world! I also invited this actress that I interviewed earlier in the week and she showed up! Not only did she show up, but we clicked like crazy and partied all night, burlesque and all. It was an amazing night. There was another long lost friend involved, but I really shouldn't get into that. All in all, a phenomenal weekend.

I DID IT!

Yo! I can't even believe it, but I performed last night. Nerves don't even begin to describe it. I was scared out of my mind! But I did it. I had been telling a lot of my friends about it and slowly, no one was able to make it. Ugh!! I am very independent, so I sucked it up. But it really started to bother me by the end of the day. When Chad said he wasn't coming, oh my heart SANK.

So, as I was preparing myself for the stage, I look up and who do I see walking in...Chad. My heart MELTED. I told him later that he was everything a best friend should be. I needed some sort of support and there he was. When no one else showed up, Chad did. And to keep from making this post about him, lol...here is the one minute of my poem he managed to capture before my camera died.

PS. Grrr @ that person directly in front of me. I was wearing the cutest army fatigue skirt you ever did see.

I wanna be like Falu when I grow up.

Friday, I went to Nuyorican Poet's Cafe for a slam. Four poets performed. Chanel Gabriel, Falu, Ben and Rich Story. Each poet was different in their own right, but who stood out to me, was Falu. She has a way of speaking her words that is so tranquil and not like everyone else who does poetry with that archetypal inflection of the voice. She also has a way of saying things that makes you think differently. Her poetry changed my train of thought.

Sorry for the shakiness, I was concentrated on her poetry and forgot I was holding the camera.

Hearing God's Voice, Something Poetic.

I have been dealing with myself spiritually over the past couple of years and only let church be IN church. Well, it needs to be everywhere and that is something that God has been speaking to me for a while now.

I went to see some poetry on Friday night to unwind a hectic first week back to work. I needed to go. God spoke to me, through poetry and I never felt so many goosebumps.

Thank you God for speaking through Chanel.

I feel like going on.

A story about some poetry.

Last night, I lived. What I mean by that is, instead of going to yet another party, eating free food and drinking free liquor, I went to a poetry club. Ok, I know you may be wondering about the free drinks/food thing. Well, in NYC--I am sure in other places--there is this network of "events". Almost every night there is somewhere you can go and network with professionals, all while drinking and eating. LOL Seriously. I write for this social website called SociallySuperlative.com and they post several of those parties daily, so please, feel free to check it out.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming, already in process:

This year, I need to cultivate my creativity. I need to nurse my interests before I lose them completely. I love poetry and last night, I rediscovered that love. I listened to poems that were so abstract, I don't think anyone caught on. I listened to poems that were so potent, I think everyone got goosebumps. I listened to poems so ambiguous, I don't even think the poets knew what they were talking about. And one thing I learned...poetry is whatever you make it.

It is time for me to stop being such a wuss when it comes to my own work and embrace it. I want so badly to share, but I clam up. Not anymore. I have always been more page than stage, but in Two-Thousand and MINE, I am going to be a stage poet because I say so!

I went by myself last night. Nothing out of the ordinary. I have no significant other and most of my friends never want to do anything. LOL But I enjoyed myself so completely. I forgot what it felt like to have fun without the help of alcohol or mary jane. I like that feeling.

I walked in and sat down next to this lovely brown girl with even lovelier brown curls and I recognized her. I said, Eboni, right? She smiled and said yes. I said, I met you last year at Nuyorican. I was the girl that had you sign your book. (She had a chat book of poetry that I carried around with me everywhere I went. It was falling apart. And when she saw it, she cried the happiest tears I've ever seen.) She smiled even bigger and said, I remember! You made my week!

I sat down and we chatted about performing and when she told me that she also has stage fright, I immediately felt ready to perform. I thought most performance poets didn't feel nerves, like they are some hybrid void of any nervous energy. They aren't. They get nervous too. They fight it. I give up. No more. I am going to fight that nervous energy.

Put 'em up!