Poetry, Rants, Woman & Power

Tumbling

2012-02-02T00:17:00.001-05:00

www.blkgirlwrites.tumblr.com

Encyclopedia Show NYC

2011-10-11T11:51:00.003-04:00

Sisters (for Gwendolyn Brooks & Ntozake Shange)

2010-12-06T17:03:00.002-05:00

by MAHOGANY L. BROWNE

Me and you be sisters

We be the same

Me and you both leaned

Against Bay Area skylines

Flirted our children's smiles

Like tremors across our hips

Danced like everyone was watching

Cuz they was and still are

Look at them, all nosey

Like they aint never seen

a world spin b4

Me and you be sisters

We be the same

Kinky hair mud child

Same jazz and funk fall from our lips

Same want for slick talking man

He fall smooth up under this jazz

Our black find a hum in every girl throat

Same black girl's kink up clean

Same colored girls

All different colors of girl

Me and you be sisters

We be Bklyn, We be the same

Colored girl

Black girl, color

We be swirling our fingers

Twisting our ideas into shiny and new

We know of the wreckage

Of the women that quake into breaks

We be loving that break

We be loving that break & tide

We love a man unafraid of all this wet,

look how he stroll

A messiah

Look at him

A metaphor for stay

And protect

And sex

And we love him so loud

He laugh and crack thunder

We be the same

Daughters heart still heavy on our hips

Her legs butter smooth & strong,

like we built her into marble and stone

She walk tenement troubles across our minds

She keep our skyline in flames,

We check in

We break

We check in

We bend for this color

And this color don't give to the bend

So our mind bend into lizards

Into 8000 different centipedes

Into coasts of wine and wind

We be Paris and Brooklyn

We be josephine liliane gwendolyn shange girl

We be enough

We be enough

We been enough

We be Momma's

mothering a world

Holding sandstorms

between our teeth

(Mshogany L. Browne © 2010)

Mahogany L. Browne - Article

2010-06-06T08:16:00.003-04:00

Upcoming Poetry Gigs - Get yo Swag in Person!!

2010-05-11T10:40:00.003-04:00

Thursday May 13, 2010
Still Waters Open Mic
8-10:15 pm
Taste of Art Café, 4701 W. Lisbon Ave.
20-minute feature with one encore piece to close the night

Friday May 14, 2010
Voltage! Teen Spoken Word Series
6 – 8:30
Centennial Hall of Milwaukee Public Library, 733 N. Eighth St.
20-minute feature

Saturday May 15, 2010
Urban Spoken Word
7-9pm
Genna’s, 101 Main St. / Madison, WI

Saturday May 22, 2010
Kitchen Series
830pm
Mike McGee's House, Mass

Sunday May 23, 2010
Lizard Lounge
9pm
Boston, Mass

Thursday May 27, 2010
Stamford High School
6pm
Stamford, CT

Saturday, May 30, 2010
Art Sanctuary: Tribute to Nikki Giovanni
11am Panel
2pm Workshop
Performance
Temple U
Philadelphia, PA

Swag

2010-05-10T05:35:00.002-04:00

cop it

http://poetcd.com/index.php?item=290

FormSpring Question: My First.

2010-04-11T11:11:00.000-04:00

As of late it has doubled. So 20 inquiries. And half of that with full submissions. The best way to understand what Penmanship publishes, is to look at the catalog. Alot of people just send in their manuscript and are surprised when there is no response. Email inquiries are the best way to begin a conversation.

Ask me anything

www.twitter.com/mobrowne

2010-04-02T10:10:00.005-04:00

Follow me on Twitter.
I'm funny. I'm fun. Sometimes
poetic ditties. Sometimes, not.

15 Books to Read

2010-03-07T18:18:00.000-05:00

15 books...Share

"Don't take too long. Select fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. Copy the instructions into your own note & tag fifteen friends, including me please, as I'm interested in seeing what books my friends who like books choose. to copy maryann, i'm a nerd. and nerds need to know..."

I rarely (if ever) do these Facebook meme things, but I can knock this one out without thinking, so...

In no particular order:

1. Push - Sapphire
2. Drown - Junot Diaz
3. Deals w/The Devil & Other Reasons to Riot -- Pearl Cleage
4. Towelhead - Alicia Erian
5. Going Down - Jennifer Belle
6. Fledling - Octavia Butler
7. Prisoner's Daughter - Asha Bandele
8. Baby Love - Rebecca Walker
9. Miles (Autobiography) - Quincy Troupe
10. House on Mango Street - Sandra Ciscernos
11. Autobiography of Maclom X - Malcom X
12. Black Girl in Paris - Shay Youngblood
13. Lucky - Alice Sebold
14. Dark - Kenji Jasper
15. Good Bones & Other Simple Murders - Margaret Atwood

Bonus
16. Lilith's Brood - Triology - Octavia Butler
17. Coldest Winter Ever - Sister Souljah
18. The Way Forward is w/a Broken Heart - Alice Walker
19. 3 - Julie Hilden
20. Doom Fox - Iceberg Slim

Swag. Released April 1, 2010

2010-02-22T00:34:00.002-05:00

SWAG
New Book of Poems by Mahogany L. Browne
Artwork by Amanda Mathews
Released April 1, 2010
Penmanship Books

If you like me.
You will like this.

Muy Bueno

2010-02-17T12:49:00.001-05:00

Literary Bohemian

2010-02-07T22:12:00.002-05:00

check me out! (CLICK ABOVE)

From the Forthcoming book:
SWAG (penmanship books.com)

Gigs in the New Year 2011

2009-12-07T01:45:00.002-05:00

SAT - Dec 12 – Outside the Box @ Humphreys
New Haven CT 8PM

Thurs, Dec 17 - SWAP '09 @ West 78th Street Theatre
NYC, NY 7pm

THURS - Jan 7 – Bluestockings Bookstore
NYC, NY 7pm

Sat – Jan 23 – Girls Aloud,
Detroit, MI

Fri – Jan 29 – Poetraits @ Nuyorican Poets Cafe
NYC, NY 7pm

Wed – Feb 24 – Evergreen Community College
San Jose, CA 11am

Wed – Feb 24 – Bezerkeley Slam
Berkeley, CA 8pm

Thurs – Feb 25 - LACC
LA, CA 11am

Fri – Feb 26 - LACC – Regional Showcase
LA, CA 11am

Sun – Feb 28 – March 1 – Mentoring Literacy Seminar
Nashville, TN

Penmanship Books: Bklyn Bookstore Reading, TONITE! 8pm

2009-11-19T10:52:00.001-05:00

Penmanship Books:
Brooklyn Bookstore Reading Series
w/open mic

Featuring Pemanship Authors:
Adam Falkner (Barbershop Chronicles)
Falu (His Rib & 10 Things I Want To Say To A Black Man)
Eden Connelly (Static & Other Lungless Things)

Thurs, November 19, 2009
8pm
@
Unnameable Bookstore
600 Vanderbilt Ave., bet. Prospect Pl./. St. Marks Ave
(2,3 Train to Grand Army Plaza or D/Q Train to 7th Ave)
FREE
hosted by Mahogany L. Browne

Come witness the literary movement where the artist convinces the page to swag on stage.

Limited seating!
RSVP suggested...

Monday @ Nuyorican Poets Cafe: Asha Bandele, Rosa Clemente & Iyeoka Okoawo

2009-09-19T19:35:00.000-04:00

Destroy Rebuild & Other Reconstructions Book Review

2009-09-17T23:22:00.000-04:00

Review By
C. O. Aptowicz (NYC, NY) -

In her latest small book (4" x 4"), New York City poetry Mahogany Browne proves her skill at mixing together seemingly disparate elements -- the poetic and the conversational, the public and the private, the heart-breaking and the hilarious, the enduring and the fleeting. Written during an election year, the book in unafraid to reference politics in numerous ways -- both overt & subtle. In "Sweet Potato Pie," Browne swears she sees Obama "boarding the A-train in Brooklyn" with his "swagger and caesar haircut." Later, she addresses poems to Michelle Obama, to Hilary Clinton and to a voter who said "I'd rather vote for a McCain than a Terrorist Lover." Not afraid to speak her mind, Browne further addresses poems to cab drivers who won't stop to pick her up, to the girl on MTV's "The Real World" who said "I don't care if you are the ghettoist person in the blackest part of Blackety Black Black Blackville," and to her ex who lingers and burns -- in part because they share a child.

But make no mistake, these aren't dismissable rants -- Browne's poems are thoughtful, engaged and honest. She writes tenderly about her daughter, her grandmother and the children she teaches. She shares both her greatest hopes and her greatest fears about what her past, present and future. She is a smart, informed writer living and working in New York City, and this pocket-sized collection is a celebration of that, and then some.

Upcoming Gigs Fall 2009

2009-09-13T03:49:00.004-04:00

Sept 17, 2009
Adelphi University
7pm
Long Island, NY

Sept 21, 2009
Motherhood, Art & Activism w/
Asha Bandele, Rosa Clemente, Falu & MoBrowne
7pm
Nuyorican Poets Cafe (http://www.nuyorican.org/)
NYC, NY

Sept 28, 2009
Nuyorican Grand Slam Revival
Featuring: Regie Cabico, Andrew Tyree, Jamaal St. John, Ion, Aja Monet & More
7pm
Nuyorican Poets Cafe (http://www.nuyorican.org/)
NYC, NY

Oct 4, 2009
PoetCD Presents: JW BAZ One Man Show: No One Can Fix You
Special Guests: Jeanann Verlee, Adam Falkner & MoBrowne
7pm
Nuyorican Poets Cafe (http://www.nuyorican.org/)
NYC, NY

Oct 10, 2009
PoetCD Showcase
4pm - 6pm
http://www.westoaklandhostel.com/
Oakland, CA

Oct 24 2009
12:00PM
ETTYC Conference @ Hilton Pasadena
Pasadena, California

Nov 17, 2009
American Jazz Museum
Kansas City, MO

Mercury Retrograde According to CafeAstrology...

2009-09-08T20:34:00.001-04:00

here's whats scary -- this is right now -- happening to me.

Mercury Retrograde through the Signs - September 7 to 29, 2009

Some people are more sensitive to Mercury retrograde cycles than others. Mercury-ruled Gemini and Virgo natives are likely to be particularly sensitive to the effects of Mercury Retrograde in general. This applies to anyone who has a number of planets in either sign. Also, check to see where Gemini and Virgo are found in your natal chart. If Virgo is on the third house cusp, for example, (which is often the case for Cancer Ascendant natives) communication issues may be especially strong. If either of these signs is on the fifth house, then we can expect some communication problems with people associated with the fifth house--lovers and children, for example.

Aries and Aries Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of communications in general and job or health-related communications because Mercury rules these areas of your life. Occurring in your solar sixth and seventh houses this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to negotiations, work, and one-on-one communications. Be as non-judgmental as you can with a partner and with co-workers. There may be the need to revisit old issues in a partnership, or there could be some communication problems with a partner. An ex-partner may resurface during this cycle. Misunderstandings with your partner now can do serious damage if you (or your partner) focus on words said instead of meanings behind the words. If you need to talk through problems, do your best to be as non-judgmental as possible, and don't over-react to what your partner has to say either. Mixed messages coming from a partner, or a disappointment, could occur now. You may not be as good at mediating disputes for the time being, but it's a good cycle in which to improve your negotiation skills. Re-thinking a partnership or a job is possible now, but you should avoid jumping to any premature decisions. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with partners, co-workers, and superiors, or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Taurus and Taurus Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of communications with lovers or children, and regarding financial affairs, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. Your judgment with regards to personal finances (Gemini-ruled for you) as well as romantic partners and creative endeavors may not be up to par just now, so do avoid "signing on the dotted line". Speculation is not advised during this cycle. Occurring in your solar fifth and sixth houses this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to romance, children, creativity, work, and daily routines. Be as non-judgmental as you can with co-workers, romantic partners, and your children. Re-thinking the suitability of your job and/or romantic relationships is possible now, but you should avoid jumping to any premature decisions. Work-related mess-ups can frustrate you. Double-check your work. There may be the need to revisit old issues with your children or lover, or there could be some communication problems with the same. Arguments with a lover may be blown out of proportion far too easily. Both you and your lover should avoid harping on the words used and try to get to the meaning behind the words instead. Or, a romance may not be moving forward in obvious ways. It might seem like stagnation, but it's actually a period of review and rest. Other possibilities include calls that are not returned, a lover is late for a date, or dates get cancelled. Speculation and gambling are not advised right now. Things will change once Mercury turns direct, so you might decide to try to keep status quo for the time being. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with co-workers, professors, lawyers, romantic partners, and children, or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Gemini and Gemini Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of your personal presentation or image to others and communications with family because Mercury rules these areas of your life. Because Mercury is your sign's ruler, all of the Mercury Retrograde issues outlined above apply. Put off making important decisions with regards to family and domestic matters (Virgo-ruled for you) just now, and take care when it comes to communicating with family members. Occurring in your solar fourth and fifth houses this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to family relations, romance, children, and creativity. Be as non-judgmental as you can with family members. New initiatives surrounding home and property are best left for a better time. Re-thinking your romantic relationships or creative projects is possible now, but you should avoid jumping to any premature decisions. There may also be the need to revisit old, nagging issues with family members, or there could be some communication problems with them. Family members may be on edge. Try to hold off on household repairs if you can. Put off decision-making with regards to home improvement, moving, and family matters for the time being. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with friends, groups, intimate partners, family members, romantic partners, and children, or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Cancer and Cancer Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of personal communications in general as well as communications about the past because Mercury rules these areas of your life. Your intuition usually serves you very well, but may not be up to par for the time being. Take care when it comes to presenting ideas, writing letters, and any detail work. You may not be seeing the whole picture. Occurring in your solar third and fourth houses this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to composing letters, emails, phone calls, and family relations. Be as non-judgmental as you can with family members. New initiatives surrounding home and property are best left for a better time. There may be the need to revisit old, nagging issues with siblings or neighbors, errands could go wrong, you might have trouble getting from point A to point B (example, transportation problems), emails or letters get lost, and so forth. Idle chit-chatting during this period may have repercussions! People might be misunderstanding your words. You may be forgetful during this cycle, and it makes sense to allow yourself extra time to get to appointments, if they are not cancelled in the first place! It would also be wise to double-check your work and communications before sending them off.

Leo and Leo Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of personal finances, as well as communications with friends or groups, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. Major financial initiatives should be avoided. Remember that friends don't mean what they say and don't say what they mean, and take what you hear with a grain of salt. Group meetings may be delayed or cancelled. Occurring in your solar second and third houses this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to new financial initiatives, composing letters, emails, and phone calls, as well as communicating with neighbors and siblings. Back up your computer and allow sufficient time for delays or transportation mishaps when going for appointments. As well, it would be wise to choose your words carefully. What you say or write can too easily be misinterpreted during this period. There may be the need to revisit old, nagging issues regarding personal finances. Take this time to re-budget instead of making premature purchases. Hold off on decision-making regarding money. Instead, take the time to re-think your sources of income and how you spend your cash during this period, but put off finalizing anything important for the time being. In fact, some money-making ideas or ventures may be put on hold due to circumstances beyond your control. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances, or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Virgo and Virgo Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of your own body language and personal manner (you may feel that others misunderstand you), as well as communications involving the career or public, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. You are ruled by Mercury, so the likelihood of being misunderstood, in general, is high. Put off career decisions as well, as career matters are Gemini-ruled for you. Occurring in your solar first and second houses this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to new financial initiatives and body language. Reviewing your budget rather than jumping into new purchases is in order now. Go over any financial documents carefully. Others may misinterpret your body language, and you should be aware of a tendency to give off mixed signals. People in your life may complain that you seem emotionally distant. You may appear uncommunicative and hard to reach, or what you say comes out wrong. Don't worry too much if others aren't quite "getting" you for the time being. Things will change once Mercury turns direct, so you might decide to try to keep status quo for the time being. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with co-workers, lawyers, and professors; or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Libra and Libra Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of communications involving legal affairs, travel, and education, as well as communications about the past, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. With Virgo ruling your twelfth house sector, somebody might be deceiving you or working against you, or nagging issues from the past may crop up and demand attention. Put off making solid travel plans if possible. Occurring in your solar twelfth and first houses this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to body language and intuition. Others may misinterpret your body language, and you should be aware of a tendency to give off mixed signals. People in your life may complain that you seem emotionally distant. This is a time to review the manner in which you come across to others--not so much whether it truly reflects your nature, but more in terms of whether it is working for or against you. You may find that you are less able to rely on your intuition. Perhaps you're picking up the wrong cues or reading too much into situations. Whatever the case may be, for the time being, you may not feel that your intuition is serving you well. Be as non-judgmental as you can, but do keep an eye out for deceptiveness and falseness in others. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with close partners and family members; or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Scorpio and Scorpio Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of communications with friends or groups, as well as intimate communications and shared financial resources, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to financial transactions and personal communications with friends, or, better yet, take this time to re-budget or rethink your plans instead of taking premature action. Group meetings may be postponed or cancelled, and friends may seem distant or confused. Occurring in your solar eleventh and twelfth houses this time, your instinctual judgment may be compromised, and extra care should be used when communicating with friends. You may find that communications with friends or with groups can easily get sticky. Group meetings may be postponed or cancelled, and friends may be uncommunicative or giving off mixed signals. On the other hand, old acquaintances may appear during this cycle. You may find that you are less able to rely on your intuition. Perhaps you're picking up the wrong cues or reading too much into situations. Whatever the case may be, for the time being, you may not feel that your intuition is serving you well. Be as non-judgmental as you can, but do keep an eye out for deceptiveness and falseness in others. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with friends and co-workers during this cycle; or, better yet, take this time to rethink concerns and grievances before talking about them prematurely.

Sagittarius and Sagittarius Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of communications with bosses or in your career in general, as well as communications with a close partner, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. An argument over joint finances can also get you into hot water. Hold back. Because Virgo and Gemini are on the angles of your chart, you may be especially sensitive to all of the Mercury Retrograde issues outlined above. Occurring in your solar tenth and eleventh houses this time, extra care should be exercised when communicating with friends, superiors, and co-workers. You may find that communications with bosses and co-workers, and other professional matters, can be tricky. Strive to be as clear as possible so that you are not misunderstood when dealing with the public. Put off making career decisions as much as possible for the time being. You may be re-thinking things regarding your life path, but it's best to think rather than act for now, as your judgment may be compromised. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with authority figures, children, and intimate partners during this cycle; or, better yet, take this time to rethink concerns and grievances before talking about them prematurely.

Capricorn and Capricorn Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of communications regarding travels, legal matters, or opinions, as well as communications on the job and with co-workers, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. It's best not to sign on the dotted line for the time being, especially when it comes to making travel plans or any legal contracts. There could be irritating mess-ups on the job. You might be inclined to miss important details in your paperwork, or might experience frustrating delays that result from co-workers' errors. Travel plans may go awry, or you may have a change of heart. Occurring in your solar ninth and tenth houses this time, extra care should be used when communicating with superiors and co-workers, and regarding travel or education plans. Delays are very possible. You may be re-thinking things regarding your life path, but it's best to think rather than act for now, as your judgment may be compromised. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with co-workers, professors, lawyers, and family members, or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Aquarius and Aquarius Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of communications regarding intimate and financial matters, as well as communications with children or romantic partners, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. It's not a good time to file your taxes or apply for a loan. Instead, take the time to re-think your sources of income and how you spend your cash during this period, but put off finalizing anything for the time being. Speculation and gambling are not advised right now either. Occurring in your solar eighth and ninth houses this time, extra care should be exercised regarding travel or education plans, and with any financial initiatives that involve shared resources. Delays are very possible when it comes to transportation, receiving support, loans, and taxes. There may be delays regarding financial support, loans, or taxes. It may be better to side-step arguments with loved ones that revolve around intimacy and sexuality. Investments made now may not go the way you want them to, particularly those involving joint finances. It may be hard to rely on the input of your partner now, and money you were counting on may not be forthcoming. It's best to budget rather than spend. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with professors, lawyers, acquaintances, and intimate partners, or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Pisces and Pisces Ascendant: All Mercury retrograde cycles particularly affect you in terms of communications with or about partnerships, as well as communications with or about family and home, because Mercury rules these areas of your life. It will be important to avoid signing any contracts or making important partnership or family/home decisions during this cycle. Occurring in your solar seventh and eighth houses this time, extra care should be exercised when it comes to negotiations, one-on-one communications, and any financial initiatives that involve shared resources. Be as non-judgmental as you can with a partner. There may be the need to revisit old issues in a partnership, or there could be some communication problems with a partner. An ex-partner may resurface during this cycle. Delays are very possible when it comes to receiving support, loans, and taxes. It may be better to side-step arguments with loved ones that revolve around intimacy and sexuality. Investments made now may not go the way you want them to, particularly those involving joint finances. It may be hard to rely on the input of your partner now, and money you were counting on may not be forthcoming. It's best to budget rather than spend.　 Misunderstandings with your partner now can do some damage if you (or your partner) focus on words said instead of the meanings behind the words. If you need to talk through problems, do your best to be as non-judgmental as possible, and don't over-react to what your partner has to say either. Mixed messages coming from a partner, or a disappointment, could occur now. You may not be as adept at mediating disputes for the time being, but it's a good cycle in which to improve your negotiation skills. Re-thinking a partnership arrangement is possible now, but you should avoid jumping to any premature decisions. It would be wise to be especially clear when it comes to communicating with partners; or take this time to re-examine issues rather than communicating about them prematurely.

Womanizer - The Lily Allen Version - My Joint...

2009-08-27T12:11:00.001-04:00

New Blog: Black Girl in Paris

2009-08-19T20:27:00.002-04:00

Mahogany in Paris

www.mahoganyinparis.blogspot.com

de-con-struct

2009-07-30T14:31:00.000-04:00

Your thoughts...

2009-07-21T01:03:00.002-04:00

Write from Wrong Workshop w/Mahogany L. Browne

2009-06-24T22:45:00.003-04:00

June 29, 2009
7-8:30pm
Urban Spirit Coffee Shop (Loft)
893 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203

Writing and editing the page.
Poetry techniques and performance
tips for the slam saavy.

for more information:
http://www.myspace.com/writingwrongspoetry

The Newness

2009-06-18T00:41:00.001-04:00

The newest lady edition, Ms. Tracy Soren... As well as the newest lady edition of my family:

Enjoy...

next step

2009-06-10T02:55:00.004-04:00

there are so many pots on the stove. summer is near and my daughter is
preparing for summer in california. and i'm preparing a team for NPS in
Florida and i'm finishing up the overview for a new project. the collabo
is a bit insane -- i never saw it coming.

i'm also really excited about being able to bring my grandmother's legacy
to the forefront. penmanship books is awarding three young women with a published
book with all the fat lovely trimmings. i am happy to be able to do this. its
been a long road coming, but i'm here. i feel like ms celie on most days. like
the world is calling me and all my efforts ugly.

but then i remember i am breathing. i am alive. i am writing. even if all i do is write for myself - i am writing. and that in itself is beautiful. bitten tongue was picked up for the Underground Zero Theatre Festival @ PS122 in NYC (produced by TerraNova Collective) for the several dates in July and I bought my tix to Paris... but not before i visit SF for the poetry production culminating the ASA Conference. see. beautiful.

WHEN YOU WRITE

2009-05-21T18:16:00.002-04:00

this is a blog. an attempt to stop the madness from crawling under your skin and living. forever. the poetry movement is maddening. the hbo special for youth poetry nationals. then the poetry slam @ the white house. it is ever changing and moving. one might forget the struggle is still alive and present. with the idea of michelle and barack clapping enthusitically for spoken word - you might ignore the promoter's that refuse to pay poets, though they have a door charge. or the non-profits selling poetry workshops for million dollar funding but neglecting their teaching artists by offering less than minimum wage.

the wheels are turning, but no one is holding on to the handlebars. that would mean we are responsible for our actions. so everyone mills around as if we are paying attention to the little details, like smiles and breath and life. human life. yet, we are worried about our 401K's and if we are PC in this "post racial" econonmy. but this is only a blog. an attempt to stop the madness from crawling under your skin and festering.

maybe now i'll be able to write a poem. i have shows to prepare for. and a president to uplift with my words.

SIDENOTE: SHOES

2009-03-16T01:20:00.003-04:00

I want these. Am finishing a poem. Packing for Women of the World Poetry Slam & Slammaster's Meeting. Completing an anthology, Starting another anthology, outlining the bi-monthly poetry blog for new simmon's site and placing PoetCD orders in the mail. But I couldn' ignore the beauty of these shoes... Again. Rihanna. Pop star turned poetry muse turned shoe stopper.

Oprah: Love doesn't hurt

2009-03-14T04:56:00.000-04:00

A lil' more

2009-03-12T12:45:00.001-04:00

what is our responsibility.
Discuss

tragic wonders

2009-03-10T22:29:00.005-04:00

sometimes life happens around you
and all you want to do is crawl up and
hide.

i've been running around like there is nothing
bothering me, like life is good, like my heart
isn't shaking into pieces every moment that i breathe.

i don't know how long this will work. atleast that is
what i think. until i see something like this. and
i think -- its bigger than me and my broken parts.
our world is broken. and we're just running around
with loose pieces...

the chris brown and rihanna situation was sad to
see. even sadder that i've seen it before. so when
she went back to him - i wasn't necessarily surprised.
more saddened than anything. but nothing compares
to the sadness of a silent and cold community.

check the video below to see how funny it is for a
woman to sustain injuries from her lover. how big
of a joke it is to be labeled the new ike and tina.
we've evolved into something so tragic...i wonder
what god thinks about us.

What Brooklyn Looks Like on This Side of Heartache

2009-02-21T16:14:00.002-05:00

Hey Family.

Its been awhile. I've tried to keep you up to date as much as possible on the Facebook/Twitter thing. I hope that has helped. So to keep it brief - I'll shovel some bullet points your way:

just got back from north carolina for almost a week of family time and relaxation. there are days when i didnt remember what Brooklyn smelled like - let alone look like.
show in Richmond, VA. it was cool. big crowd. great fun. drove home same night, had amari with me, so it was all good. even though i pulled over and got an hour nap
did a lot of shopping. and some pretty good cooking!
published Sean Conlon's new book: The Pornography Diaries
published Jive Poetic's new book: Typeface: Poems & Other Random What Not
published my own book: Destroy Rebuild & Other Reconsructions of the Human Muscle
preparing for SoundBites $1000 Team Slam (April 11 & 12th @ Roy Arias Theatre)
preparing for SoundBites $100 Indie Slam (March 9 th @ Nuyorican)
had the punany show in Brooklyn. looks like i'll be doing the other one in detroit in April. that was fun. the nostalgia made me feel like MO again.
i fell in love with washington state. tacoma and seattle were magnificent.
went to vancouver. got awfully sick. got to run into my peoples shaun scheme -- mr attorney street is still holding it down.
headed back to tacoma for the women's empowerment symposium. UW of Tacoma - come thru
found my heart on the sidewalk of Fort Greene Brooklyn, then Williamsburg Brooklyn. its pieces are still scurrying around like loose change
more gigs to come -- check me if you can:

Advocate of Wordz Show - Featuring: MoBrowne, Jive Poetic & More...
108 East 108 Street & 2nd Ave Bronx, New York
Feb 21 2009
7:00P
Hip Hop Poetry's Advocate of Wordz B-Day Bash

Feb 24 2009
7:00P
MIllennium Poets @ Nuyorican Poets Cafe
NY, New York

Feb 26 2009
8:00P
Sessions - Feature
Long Island, New York

Feb 28 2009
6:00P
Binghamton University
Binghamton, New York

Mar 4, 2009
11:00A
University of Washington Tacoma - Women’s Symposium
Tacoma, Washington

Mar 5 2009
8:00P
BITTEN TONGUE @ AS220
Providence, Rhode Island

Mar 8 2009
9:30P
Lizard Lounge
Boston

Mar 9 2009
7:00P
SoundBites $100 Indie Slam
Manhattan, New York

Mar 21 2009
10:00P
BITTEN TONGUE @ NUYORICAN
Manhattan, New York

Apr 1 2009
8:00P
BAM
Brooklyn, New York

Apr 2 2009
8:00P
BAM Brooklyn, New York

Apr 3 2009
8:00P
BAM
Brooklyn, New York

Apr 11 2009
5:00P
SoundBites Team Slam
Roy Arias Theatre - 300 West 43rd Street NY, New York

Apr 12 2009
7:00P
SoundBites Team Slam Finals
Roy Arias Theatre - 300 West 43rd Street NY, New York

Apr 18 2009
6:00P
Plattsburg
Rochester, New York

April 18, 2009

9pm

PUNANY - Detroit

Apr 25 2009
8:00P
Utica College - AIM Fundraiser
Utica, New York

May 12 2009
8:00P
Writing Wrongs Poetry Slam
Columbus, Ohio

Oct 24 2009
12:00P
ECCTYC Conference - Hilton Pasadena
Pasadena, California

Women's History is Right Around the Corner

2009-02-19T09:02:00.002-05:00

Need us for your women's appreciation show!?

Only a couple of dates left in March though.
This promises to be the BEST showcase that happens

to be headed by 4 brilliant women voices of our generation!

SoundBites is Back! 2009

2009-01-28T14:40:00.002-05:00

In April 2009 SoundBites Poetry Festival will return with writing and performing workshops (sponsored by Poets and Writers), an Off Broadway Showcase and a $1000 Team Slam.

Showcase & Workshops feature:

Dasha Kelly

Ken Arkind

Alvin Lau

Grace Kimbalay

The team slam will be a 4 round event for 4-5 person teams. BRING YOUR A GAME! Anything goes including: group pieces, choreagraphy, props and animal acts! Ok, maybe no props and animal acts -- but anything that can be done with the poet and the mic is all clear.

Early registration is now open.This slam will only host 12 teams. The top two teams from the two bouts will go head to head to find out who gets the $ and the title. This is the time to finally work with your friends and your favorite poets!

Confirmed Teams:

1. TEAM AIN'T NEVER SCARED, NY

2. TEAM CHAMP CAMP, NY

3. TEAM INDELIBLE, NY

4. TEAM DICTION YOUR MOUTH, NY

5. TEAM RASCAL, NY

6. TEAM CONCRETE, NC

7. BLOOD IS COLD GANG, NY

8. MINORA TEAM, FL

9. TEAM NAHUATL, VA

10. TEAM INTANGIBLE NEW PALTZ, NY

11. Team (Name Released @ Later Date)

12. OPEN SLOT

http://www.soundbitesnyc.com/

keep an eye on us!

CHECK OUT: in SUPPORT OF MICHELLE OBAMA www.secondladies.com

2009-01-27T14:20:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Second Ladies website! I have written this introductory note to tell you a little bit about who I am and how Second Ladies came to be. Renaissance, the name by which the Secret Service refers to Michelle Obama strikes me as a good place to start.
When the Secret Service revealed a few weeks ago that Michelle Obama's code name would be Renaissance, I thought, "That's interesting." Interesting that the Secret Service just told us what her code name is. Is that safe? Interesting that this particular moniker had been chosen for this phenomenal woman. How fitting for Michelle. Our First Lady is the ultimate multi-tasker, who manages to imbue each role that she undertakes with extraordinary dignity. But before I digress into a panegyric on the subject of Michelle Obama, I must go back to the beginning. And while I do not intend to tackle the whole Adam's Rib question in this missive, I must acknowledge that with respect to Michelle Obama and my awareness of her, Barack Obama came first.
Like so many Americans, I have been deeply moved by the candidacy and election of Barack Obama. As a mom with a few fancy degrees on my resume, I found myself at a crossroads on the night of November 4th when Barack Obama called all of us to service. I'd just returned to Brooklyn that morning from a weekend trip to Virginia, where I'd knocked on doors for the Obama/Biden campaign for several days with my husband, our two-year-old son and our four-year-old daughter. Indeed, I was so busy calling my father, a field organizer in Virginia, to celebrate Obama's win in the Old Dominion that I practically missed the announcement on the news when they called the overall election for Obama. What a night! My phone rang incessantly with calls from elated friends and family, all wanting to share the moment as my husband and I celebrated in our apartment's living room. The euphoria that night was extraordinary.

The party in our house was in full swing, and it was only 11:00... I could still hang out like a woman without a care in the world for another whole hour without being too tired in the morning to run the 7:00 AM drill of getting my kids dressed and ready for the morning's activities. Then, the president-elect began to speak. Barack Obama obviously did not realize how much fun I was having, because he got right down to brass tacks. His remarks that night were brilliant, but he wasn't exactly raising the roof. He was coming out of the gate with a new tone, a sober one. He signaled that he was going to be a healer, a uniter and a pragmatist. He reminded us that although we'd won an opportunity to realize the true greatness of our country, it was not going to come easy. We were going to have to get out there and keep on earning the right to more nights like this. We'd rolled up our sleeves to help Obama win, and he made it clear that night in Grant Park that our work was just beginning. His remarks sent me into a bit of a tailspin, and it wasn't just because he'd killed my buzz.

I'd recently resigned as general manager of a record label founded by John Legend. I'd spent the past few months savoring the extra free time with my children as I began to think about my new career path. I had my checklists organized. I'd brainstormed the pros and cons of various career opportunities. I'd even joined ladders.com, and now here in the middle of my methodical career search, Barack Obama was telling me to jump in the fray and make a difference. DO SOMETHING!! So, I did. Or at least, I tried. I went on a quest to find volunteer opportunities in my area that would be a match for my skills. It was harder than I thought to figure out which organizations were legit. It was harder still to find ways to volunteer in a hands-on way. I found that a lot of organizations preferred for me to make a financial contribution. I understood where they were coming from. The mission of these organizations was not to facilitate my desire to volunteer. Nonetheless, I was frustrated. I wondered how many other people with meaningful skills and good intentions had been discouraged after a few unsuccessful attempts to get involved. I began to mull this over in my head and thought about creating an organization to facilitate a volunteer matching service, but then I thought, "Why would anyone care? I'm no one." So, I moved the concept to the back burner and focused on a few short term consulting projects.

One night a few weeks later, I was singing my kids to sleep. "When the Saints go marching in, oh when the Saints go marching in." As my kids dozed off, I lay there and continued singing for a few more minutes to make sure they were sound asleep. I reflected on an email I'd received earlier in the day from a friend about some of the alleged threats against the president-elect. My friend was very upset in her email. She wanted to know what we could do to make sure that the Obama family was always safe. I lay there with my arms around my kids and thought about the vulnerability of the Obama family--not their physical vulnerability, but their exposure to all manner of painful and disruptive criticisms and attacks. I thought about the inevitable chaos of the public life that Michelle Obama would have to navigate for herself and her girls on the world stage. In that moment, I wanted to wrap my arms around this woman I'd never met to let her know that I was wishing her well. Then, I remembered my idea, my volunteer matching idea. I decided to bring the two impulses together. "Oh Lord, I want to be in that number, when the Saints go marching in." And it was then that Second Ladies was born.

I have summoned everything that I am and everything that I know how to do to build this community. I am calling on all of my friends across a wide range of backgrounds to help me in creating a safe haven for the incredible woman who will support our president. I am urging every American who has been inspired by the Obamas' call to service to get involved, not with Second Ladies necessarily, but in your community. Second Ladies is a conduit. This site is meant to be a gathering place, the Grand Central Station of the volunteer movement inspired by Michelle Obama. Like any transportation hub, we'll have lots of fun chatter and information, but we are also here to help you get someplace. We want to get you out into the world where you can make a difference. In answer to the Obamas' clarion call, I am asking you to join me in this movement. Become one of the First Lady's Foot Soldiers. Put your boots (or stilettos) on the ground for a good cause. Michelle Obama has identified a number of causes that are close to her heart, but she has also indicated that the most important thing that any of us can do is to get out there and DO SOMETHING. HELP SOMEBODY. So whatever the causes may be that inspire you to action, I encourage you to join this community in order to find like-minded individuals motivated to serve with you.

It is my hope that Second Ladies will help us to help others, but even more than that, I envision a community that will empower us to help ourselves. By coming together in the course of our busy lives to exchange opinions, we will create a support network for each other. We will liberate ourselves from the isolation of our busy modern lives, and hopefully we will give each other ideas about how we can manage all the balls that we have in the air. Whether you are in your twenties or your sixties, married or single, working at a job or working in your home, a parent or an adult without kids, I am certain that you have a lot on your plate. By following Michelle Obama's example and by supporting her and offering her advice in her complex role as First Lady and Mom-In-Chief, we too can learn to multi-task with greater personal fulfillment, to become more balanced. As we help Michelle Obama succeed in realizing her vision as First Lady, she will help us to do the same in our own lives. Michelle Obama's code name is particularly apt, because with her example and her charge, she has ushered in a renaissance for all of us. Second Ladies is my humble attempt to capture this lightning in a jar, to turn it into a movement that will carry on even when the posters and the buttons (and my "Obama Mama" t-shirts) are put away, and to give it a name.

I hope you will join us,
Drew Dixon Williams Founder, Second Ladies

New Album: Available NOW

2009-01-21T17:05:00.002-05:00

26 Tracks

Available HERE!

http://poetcd.com/products.php?id=272

Mahogany featured in: WWW.UPUNDERTHESTAIRCASE.ORG

2009-01-18T03:43:00.001-05:00

We are pleased to announce that the Winter issue of Up the Staircase is now officially live!
We hope that everyone enjoys the new issue along with a few changes that we have made. This issue contains a note from the editors, as well as a special feature from co-editor Stephanie Anderson called "On Winter." Our "Up the Staircase In..." article features the southern town of Clarksville, TN this quarter. We hope everyone stops by Carolyn Ferrell's section to hear about her novel on Clarksville.
Our Literary Reviews page and our Back Issues page have been changed to include all past contributors! We hope you check out these rejuvenated sections.
As usual we have some seriously high quality writing in our poetry and fiction sections:
FEATURED WRITER: Nanette Rayman Rivera

Poetry by:

Mahogany L. Browne
Jane Crown
Amy L. George
Mary Johnston
Jennifer LeBlanc
Sandee Lyles
Corey Mesler
Renata McCormish
Benjamin Stainton Shawn
Nacona Stroud
S. Thomas Summers

Fiction by:
Grace Andreacchi
Kori E. Frazier
Dennis Hiatt
Miriam Matzeder
Michelle Reale
Elaine Rosenberg
MillerMeg Pokrass
Paula Ray

We are also featuring a book review of Rowena Cherry's "Knight's Fork",
Anthony Pritchard's book of poems "Mirror Realms", and Oneal Walters' "The Age Begins."

Also, check out our new contest winner!
Thank you to everyone, we hope you enjoy!
your editors,
April Michelle Bratten
and Stephanie Anderson.
www.upthestaircase.org

Mahogany Performs with BITTEN TONGUE

2009-01-16T09:21:00.003-05:00

ONE NIGHT ONLY:

Bitten Tongue is comprised of Aja-Monet, Eboni, Falu & Mahogany L. Browne. This firestorm is a testament to the fearlessness of mothers; the beauty of sisters and the spellbinding wonder of poets with a mean stare and a hate of fashion faux pas. They have united to fight against people that wear they're sweaters tucked into their pants and wack pick up lines.Bring your girlfriends, your neices, your daughters and your mothers foran evening of pretty drinks and pretty shoes.Please join NYC's first ladies of poetry in their first theatrical production.

Most Banned Book of the Year -- as read on Judy Blume's Blog

2008-10-28T01:17:00.004-04:00

I met Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson in Chicago -- authors of the most banned book of this year-- And Tango Makes Three -- a picture book based on a true story about two male penguins, Roy and Silo, at
the Central Park Zoo.The fear of sharing this charming story about nurturing male penguins reminds me of a picture book by Charlotte Zolotow published in the '70's -- William's Doll-- and the brouhaha surrounding it. As if giving a boy a doll would turn him into a
homosexual.It makes me proud that on October 15 I will be giving the Charlotte Zolotow Lecture at University of Wisconsin. Maybe I'll start off by telling that story.

For CJ - A McCain supporter that found themselves on my blog...

2008-10-18T11:52:00.006-04:00

dear cj,

it is obvious, that YOU are voting for an unstable America.
Obama is a terrorist? so i feel its only fair to break it
down for you.

The first thing out your mouth: BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA... As if
the words "Hussein" should scare me. Let me tell you something "CJ"
my worst fears, have already materialized. The fact that Bill O'Reilly,
also a McCain supporter, can spew words like "Lynching" while speaking
of Michelle Obama, is a pretty clear sign of what is to come. Again.
This world of racism, that Americans like you love to conveniently ignore,
has been a scare tactic etched in the bones of children of color. Your President
has proven that for the past 8 years. But let's not look to the past. There
is nothing that can be done of that. Let's talk about now:

1 - When McCain decided to choose Palin as his running partner, THE WEAKER
CANDIDATE, became quite obvious. He did not respect the people of America
and moreso decided he could play on the need for a woman in office than answer
the call for a qualified candidate in office. Sarah Palin is NOT Hilary Clinton. And
her and her JOE SIX-PACK & Hockey Mom antics won't make her any more
closer to knowing the facts.

a. The fact that Palin is a woman, is not "Change" enough CJ. And there
are interviews and debates that very well question if she is actually a human. I
think she's a droid, on some Stepford Wives ish. I mean really. Any person that
would charge a rape victim for the rape kit -- is suspect. And maybe she didn't
put the law into action, but she sure as hell was more concerned about Caribou
than putting a stop to such a gross misconduct.

b. "I can see Russia from my house?" Really? That makes her a strong candidate
concerning foreign policy?

c. Wink... word.

2 - Terrorists association. Is that all your crew has? When you couldn't scare away the public from idea of a BLACK PRESIDENT, you decide to compare the acts of William Ayers to the deceased Timothy McVeigh. Be clear. Ayers and Obama once lived in the same area of Chicago, as they also worked in the field of school reform and education for the state of Illinois. And because Obama was hosted by Ayers for a congratulatory coffee gathering -- their friends? How silly does that sound.

3 - When I vote for Obama. And I will. I will not be voting for "another September 11 attack," I will be voting for a President that represents all people. Not just the affluent, not just the people of color -- but the fabric in which this nation was designed. And CJ, I know what happened that day. I watched it from my living room window -- I didn't wait for the news to tell me what to feel as the entire city shook in fear and despair and loss. The USA is in need of an overhaul. Out with the standards of keeping the rich, richer and the poor and disenfranchised, asleep. Our country is in need of a facelift. There are countries that look at us confused. I went on a trip to London and underwent an emergency root canal. Free of charge. This is after my own dentist wanted to charge me $1500, for something my insurance refused to cover. This is absurd. This country needs to take care of its citizens regardless of their income.

"I don't like either candidates but prefer McCain over a terrorist lover?" That sounds like some Mississippi-burning-Rosewood-lynching-tirade if I've ever heard one. The fact our country would rather us go spend money than have therapy for post traumatic disorders after the devastation of 9/11 is beyond me. But hey. These are the cards we were dealt. We can't change what happened in the past. What we can do is vote for a man with a spot on VP Candidate like Biden, a man that sticks up for the good of people, rather than the good of the old money's pockets. America teaches our youth "anyone can be President" and the whole "up from the bootstraps - no handout" mentality. But when it actually happens. There are people like you. Ready to chip away the very notion that something good can come out of all the murder and injustice that has slept in the belly of our good ole' United States. This country is ready for something else. Something that feels real. We deserve that. Our future deserves that. You are just too blinded by your own prejudice to see it.

Star Jones Reynolds responds to Bill O'Reilly

2008-10-14T17:22:00.002-04:00

Below is Star Jones' informed and provocative response to Bill O'Reilly's
comment about 'having a lynching party for Michelle Obama if he finds
out that she truly has no pride in her country.'

Bill O'Reilly said: 'I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama
unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels.
If that's how she really feels - that is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever -
then that's legit. We'll track it down.'

Star said: 'I'm sick to death of people like Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, and his stupid
and ignorant thinking that he can use a racial slur against a black woman who
could be the next First Lady of the United States, and then give a half-assed
apology and not be taken to task and called on his crap. What the hell is if it's
'legit,' you're going to 'track it down?'

And then what do you plan to do? How dare this white man with a
microphone and the trust of the public think that in 2008, he can still
put the words 'lynch and party' together in the same sentence with a
reference to a black woman; in this case, Michelle Obama? I don't care
how you 'spin it' in the 'no spin zone,' that statement in and of itself
is racist, unacceptable and inappropriate on every level.

O'Reilly claims his comments were taken out of context. Please
don't insult my intelligence while you're insulting me. I've read the
comments and heard them delivered in O'Reilly's own voice; and there
is no right context that exists. So, his insincere apology and 'out-of-context'
excuse is not going to cut it with me.

And just so we're clear, this has nothing to do with the 2008
presidential election, me being a Democrat, him claiming to be an
Independent while talking like a Republican, the liberal media or a
conservative point of view. To the contrary, this is about crossing a
line in the sand that needs to be drawn based on history, dignity, taste
and truth.

Bill, I'm not sure of where you come from, but let me tell you what
the phrase 'lynching party' conjures up to me, a black woman born in
North Carolina ..

Those words depict the image of a group of white men who are angry
with the state of their own lives getting together, drinking more than they
need to drink, lamenting how some black person has moved forward
(usually ahead of them in stature or dignity), and had the audacity to
think that they are equal.

These same men for years, instead of looking at what changes they should
and could make in their own lives that might remove that bitterness born
of perceived privilege, these white men take all of that resentment and
anger and decide to get together and drag the closest black person near
them to their death by hanging them from a tree - usually after violent
beating, torturing and violating their human dignity. Check your history
books, because you don't need a masters or a law degree from Harvard
to know that is what constitutes a 'lynching party.'

Imagine, Michelle and Barack Obama having the audacity to think that
they have the right to the American dream, hopes, and ideals. O'Reilly
must think to himself: 'How dare they have the arrogance to think they
can stand in front of this nation, challenge the status quo and express
the frustration of millions?

When this happens, the first thing that comes to mind for O'Reilly and
people like him is: 'it's time for a party.'

Not so fast...don't order the rope just yet.

Would O'Reilly ever in a million years use this phrase with reference
to Elizabeth Edwards, Cindy McCain or Judi Nathan? I mean, in all of the
statements and criticisms that were made about Judi Nathan, the one-time
mistress turned missus, of former presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani,
I never heard any talk of forming a lynch party because of something she
said or did.

So why is it that when you're referring to someone who' s
African-American you must dig to a historical place of pain, agony and
death to symbolize your feelings? Lynching is not a joke to off-handedly
throw around and it is not a metaphor that has a place in political
commentary; provocative or otherwise.

I admit that I come from a place of personal outrage here having buried
my 90 year-old grandfather last year. This proud, amazing African-
American man raised his family and lived through the time when
he had to use separate water fountains, ride in the back of a bus, take
his wife on a date to the 'colored section' of a movie theater, and
avert his eyes when a white woman walked down the street for fear of
what a white man and his cronies might do if they felt the urge to
'party'; don't tell me that the phrase you chose, Mr. O'Reilly, was
taken out of context.

To add insult to injury, O'Reilly tried to 'clarify' his statements, by
using the excuse that his comments were reminiscent of Supreme Court
Justice Clarence Thomas' use of the term 'high-tech lynching' during his
confirmation hearing. I reject that analogy. You see Justice Thomas did
mean to bring up the image of lynching in its racist context. He was
saying that politics and the media were using a new technology to do to
him what had been done to black men for many years -- hang him.

Regardless of if you agreed with Justice Thomas' premise or not, if in
fact ---Bill O'Reilly was referencing it the context becomes even clearer.

What annoys me more than anything is that I get the feeling that one of
the reasons Bill O'Reilly made this statement, thinking he could get
away with it in the first place, and then followed it up with a lame
apology in a half-hearted attempt to smooth any ruffled feathers, is
because he doesn't think that black women will come out and go after
him when he goes after us. Well, he's dead wrong. Be clear Bill O'Reilly:
there will be no lynch party for that black woman.

And this black woman assures you that if you come for her, you come for
all of us.'

Star Jones Reynolds

Blackville @ Nuyorican Poets Cafe for Voting Vixens Fundraiser

2008-10-13T16:36:00.000-04:00

Where I've Been/Where I'll Be...

2008-10-10T13:04:00.005-04:00

I've writing tons. And with the recent car tow -- I've had nothing but time
to observe the Brooklyn surrounding me. In that time, I've pledged allegiance
to another 30/30 project. This one has over 50 poets involved. It under the
wings of Nicole Terez Dutton, a cave canem sis. She's awesome. We both have
gaps. Which means the awesomeness is relative. And this one is the best yet!
We're putting together a book of the work, as well as, performances.
*Check dates below*

I finally started back to school last week. I didn't realize how hard it was
to go back, once I stayed away for the entire summer! Pray for me. Also
preparing for the festival. That's been a lot of work! Seriously. And we only
have three weeks before we're in the midst of 40 poets and over 400 poetry
lovers! www.soundbitesnyc.com
If you want to see me anywhere, come check me out there! I will look as if
my head is cut off --but I'm efficient in my panic. Come give me a hug and
tell me how amazing the show is...Jive Poetic worked so hard on the festival
website -- I wish I had a new website that looked like that! *hint hint*

I'm still blogging. but after the plagurist incident. I'm keeping it a bit closer
to my heart. This skin is too thin for things like that. Hit me on the backend
and I'll send you to the private one. I just got back from the Northbeast
Regionals in Boston. The Nuyo Team (2008) rep'd so hard and we had a ball
even if the car's transmission died on us, about 65 miles outside of Boston.
They are the warmth all humans need to feel whole. We drove 45 miles an
hour for the remainder, just to make it to the slam, to qualify for nationals.
And they did the damn thing. They threw down the hammer with each poem
and was ready for a treat @ a diner soon after. The damage on the car? $1800
So we're having a team show to get that money for the car. I love those guys.
Adam, Akua, Jamaal & Rico. Eboni came along for the ride. And Anaiss opened
her home to all our poetry conversations. We talked about everythin from old
school music, to the top reasons of why not to date a poet. Also checked out
a couple of readings and one man shows. Bamuthi's "breaks" in the New York
Hip Hop Theatre Festival was slightly short of AMAZING. He is a prime
example of honest art.

Then Court and I checked out the reading/discussion hosted by my girl, Nicole
Sealey. Tayari Jones was the guest and after reading her first book Leaving
Atlanta - I had to see the woman behind the wonderful words. The car was
towed that morning. So I walked all the way from the Brooklyn Museum, to
the tip of Brooklyn,where MoCada sits across from the 24 hour Pathmark. I
was sweating and near faint, but I made it. Slightly late. She gave me the evil
teacher eye. I don'tknow if she knows that. Or maybe I was just overly sensitive
to being the storm that disrupted the intimate reading. It was great to hear
though. I'll post the notes I took from her and Bamuthi. But right now, I need
a bowl of cereal. Bad. And some coffee. Word. Check the dates below until then.

Oct 15 2008
7:00P
Adelphi University
Garden City, New York

Oct 16 2008
5:30P
LaGuardia College - Open Mic
Queens, New York

Oct 16 2008
7:00P
SBites @ Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York

Oct 17 2008
8:00P
SBPoetry @ NYU
New York, New York

Oct 23 2008
9:00P
SBPoetry @ Columbia College fundraiser for domestic violence
New York, New York

Oct 25 2008
7:00P
$500 Poetry Slam @ SoundBites Poetry Festival
NYC, New York

Oct 26 2008
2:00P
$250 Poetry Slam @ SoundBites Poetry Festival
NY

Oct 26 2008
6:00P
Return of the Jam Showcase @ SoundBites Poetry Festival
New York, New York

Nov 7 2008
7:00P
Alfred University
alfred, New York

Nov 12 2008
7:00P
SUNY ONEONTA
ONEANTA, New York

Nov 16 2008
9:00P
30/30 Allstars @ Lizard Lounge
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Nov 22 2008
7:00P
30/30 Allstars in Brooklyn @ Calabar Imports
Brooklyn, New York

Nov 23 2008
7:00P
Baltimore Slam - Feature
Baltimore, Maryland

Dec 4 2008
8:00P
Rider College
Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Dec 6 2008
8:00P
Utica College
Utica

Dec 19 2008
8:00P
SWAP Year End Review
Manhattan

Dec 20 2008
8:00P
SWAP Year In Review
Manhattan, New York

Dec 21 2008
8:00P
SWAP Year In Review
NY, New York

Feb 4 2009
8:00P
Seattle Poetry Slam
Seattle

Feb 7 2009
6:00P
Binghamton University
Binghamton, New York

Apr 2 2009
6:00P
Laguardia College
Queens, New York

new attitude

2008-10-02T08:46:00.003-04:00

i made myself stop being afraid of rejection.
so i applied to over a dozen journals in the past
48 hours.
its like slam, on the page, without the luxury
of winning a crowd over with your smile and outfit.
no funny segways and intros -- just the page. and
the words.
we'll see what happens.
we'll see...

A FORWARD EMAIL...NO OBAMA Gear when VOTING FOR OBAMA

2008-09-24T13:04:00.000-04:00

It’s against the voting law to go to the polls wearing items with a candidate’s name on it. The polling officials have the authority to not let you vote.

This means we can’t wear our Obama shirts, our Obama sweats, our Obama pins, hats, etc when we go to vote because it would be considered campaigning.

According to law, campaiging can’t be done within 150 feet of a polling place.
This election is too important to have our vote taken away on a “hum-bug.”
They think if they can turn people away, the people will go home and not come back to vote.
(I say if you forget, just take the pin, hat or whatever off. Put a jacket over your shirt and zip it up. They can only turn you away if they “see” your candidate’s name. Do whatever but VOTE!)

Remember: No Obama gear when you go cast your vote.
They are banking on us being excited and not being aware of this long standing law that no one even tripped off of until a Black man got on the ballot.

old school pic

2008-09-24T01:01:00.001-04:00

About Sarah Palin from a Wasilla Resident

2008-09-15T20:40:00.001-04:00

I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.

She is enormously popular; in every way she’s like the most popular girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because she is a "babe".

It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents for seven months. She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.

She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym. She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.

Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin’s kind of job is highly sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything like that of native Alaskans.

Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.

She's smart. Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents.

During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a “fiscal conservative”. During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 3%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn’t even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.

While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office redecorated more than once. These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.

As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.

In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's surplus, borrow for needs.

She’s not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren’t generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren’t evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.

While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.

Sarah complained about the “old boy’s club” when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
case of pressuring the State’s top cop (see below).

As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla’s Police Chief because he “intimidated” her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.

She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn’t like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.

Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.

When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the
high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the
structured hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party) engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the “old boys’ club” when she dramatically quit,
exposing this man’s ethics violations (for which he was fined).

As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the “bridge to nowhere” after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.

As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as “anti-pork”.

She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a fiscal conservative.

Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah. They call her “Sarah Barracuda” because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.

As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as “AGIA” that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.

Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to global warming. She campaigned “as a private citizen” against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State’s lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior’s decision to list polar bears as threatened species.

McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President. There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she. However, there’s a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.

CLAIM VS FACT
•“Hockey mom”: true for a few years
•“PTA mom”: true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
•“NRA supporter”: absolutely true
•social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
•pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
•“Pro-life”: mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down’s syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation
•“Experienced”: Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
•political maverick: not at all
•gutsy: absolutely!
•open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
explaining actions.
•has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
•”a Greenie”: no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
•fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
•pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
•pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
•pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
government in Wasilla’s history.
•pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn’t make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.

WHY AM I WRITING THIS?

First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny + Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.

Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.

Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future: that’s life.

Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's attempt at censorship.

Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.

CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible for a private person to get any info out of City Hall--they are swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.

You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The day Palin’s selection was announced a city official told me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90’s.

Anne Kilkenny
annekilkenny@hotmail.com
August 31, 2008

naughty haiku

2008-09-07T23:49:00.001-04:00

bite me on my back
let me feel your teeth sink in
best feeling ever

my girl honey, we think alike - except she's waaay better @ singing!

2008-09-07T13:44:00.003-04:00

what are you waiting for?

2008-09-07T12:57:00.008-04:00

SOUNDBITES POETRY FESTIVAL, October 25- 26, 2008, NYC

2008-09-06T02:09:00.004-04:00

Last year the New York City festival, SoundBites, made history hosting the likes of Rives, Jaha Zainabu,Taylor Mali, Nii Parkes, Roger Bonair Agard and Dasha Kelly. Poets traveled from Texas, North Carolina and California for a weekend of creative writing, performance and workshopping with the closing event at the broadway theatre, New World Stages This year will be slightly different with the Festival separted into two installments. The first installment on October 25th & 26th, 2008 will consist of The SHHH...250 BUK SECRET YOUTH SLAM (open to poets age14 -19) and The SHHH 500 BUK SECRET ADULT SLAM (open to ages 20 and up) Slots are limited! The closing event Return of the Jam Showcase will feature Big Poppa E (HBO Def Poet), Eboni (Team Nuyorican 2007 & Urbana Grand Slam Champion), Jamaal St. John (SoundBites 2007 Slam Champ & Nuyorican Grand Slam Champion) & several surprise performances! *******************************

It's Here!!

2008-07-15T12:29:00.002-04:00

Rest In Peace: Shannon Leigh

2008-07-01T10:12:00.002-04:00

an amazing poet. i met her first when she was 14 years old. she made me uncomfortable with how brilliant she was. when i featured her 6 years later
at the nuyorican -- just a couple of months ago -- i saw her a woman. full
circle. her honest slogan "fuck me human" leaves me suffering goosebumps...even now

A Declaration of Obama

2008-06-17T20:08:00.004-04:00

After reading his book, Dreams from My Father. I realize, Obama is what every man should be. Beautiful with language, honest in his flaws, unwavering with his loyalty and passionate about life. It is after swimming in his memoir that I feel I can really stand behind this man. Really donate money that I don't have to a hope for our future, I can volunteer for a cause that will benefit more bodies than my own and bask in the glow of his brilliant leadership. Because like Michelle, Obama's wife, I too have found myself torn as an American adult.

The moment I learned of the Tuskeegee experiment; the hours I relive the Sean Bell verdict; the minutes I replay after learning I no longer had insurance coverage for a surgery that would fix my limp and allow me a life again; I felt misunderstood and expendable. I cringe at the idea of vaccines for my daughter, I am fearful of her becoming another sterility case, like the women of Puerto Rico. And when I begged the opinions of three different doctors only to feel the backhand of the "no malpractice please" club, I never felt so alone.

The idea of Barack Obama, leaves me to wonder what beauty can come for my family. For my friends. For my coworkers. I believe again, in our government. Since the scandal of Bush's "re-election", I haven't had the heart to look Lady Liberty in the eye. I considered her a traitor to us all. And by no means do I believe, Obama is the saviour. He is still human and capable of failing. But it is the humanity in him, that I see a possibility of something different. You know it when you see it, when you hear him speak, when you watch him laugh - like he doesn't care about the people planning for his demise. Like his figure alone isn't a threat to continuation of the all American racism that's been planted under our skin, all along.

it looks as good as it sounds!!

2008-06-02T18:23:00.002-04:00

or

to make a donation today:

Poetry, Rants, Woman & Power: MAHOGANY NEEDS HELP FOR FOOT SURGERY

if this surgery goes wrong...

2008-05-29T18:11:00.001-04:00

i leave you my tongue
the weapon i wielded most
it will protect you from the
night, the shadows and like

i leave you my forearm
the branch that protected
our friends. our family perched
underneath, they will always
smell like this. rub cocoa butter
on the stretchmarks. they tend
to itch when anxious. don't blame
them for their ugly. it isn't their
fault.

i leave you my eyes. so much
has been viewed with them. keep
them close to your heart. they'll
never lie, even when they should.

i leave you my right hand. she's a
beautiful creature. she's my greatest
gift, next to you. joy released from
her fingertips like yellow tulips. she is
spring time, like your smile. she will
never fail you.

MAHOGANY NEEDS HELP FOR FOOT SURGERY

2008-05-21T19:19:00.005-04:00

Mahogany needs money for foot surgery on May 30th!!
That's less than 2 weeks.

She is a full time artist and doesn't have health insurance.
So if you would like to donate to the cause and can afford as little
as $5 click here! please

barely here

2008-05-21T17:46:00.001-04:00

give me 10 days.
i promise, i'll tell no lies

cooke said

2008-05-13T08:04:00.002-04:00

sang of a change coming. and you never really feel the current of this change
until something big and bloody happens.

so much has happened. i wrote 30 poems in 30 days. i had a birthday celebration in miami.
i am preparing for my daughter to graduate primary school. i am preparing for my sister
to marry. sean bell's killers were acquitted. my foot is back in a soft cast. there are no surprises like these left in the world for me. until the cyclone of burma. then the finishing of the men's anthology "barbershop chronicles." and now. this. i was accepted into the cave canem summer retreat. it is a week-long workshop for african-american poets and has been led by the likes of patricia smith, rita dove, kwame dawes, lucille clifton, nztoke shange and sooooooo many more greats.

it feels that current is moving a different direction. one that allows me to walk about with
more hope into my step. a smile on my face at times. when i trick myself into thinking of life
without all the pain and disappointment attached. breath me in. tell me if you can feel it too.

ugh

2008-03-30T23:17:00.003-04:00

bored.
anthology to finish editing
culminating event to finish planning
clothes to be washed
and i can't get into geared.
i think i want to eat.
i know i shouldnt.
damn this boredom.
maybe i'll make coffee and really suffer
through those two classes in Queens?
stillboredafterallofthis...

i cant wait for miami my birthday weekend.
i need a change of pace.

limping lefty,
mo

a moment...

2008-03-24T00:08:00.003-04:00

there are dreams women share
without speaking, a simple hug
a glance behind shoulders
an email filled with kind words -a knife
still hidden in her rib cage

they teach girls to keep quiet
hide the truth in their panty drawer,
don't bleed an honesty if it will cramp
your lifestyle - girl.

you were always running for a finish line that wasn't there.

your arms must be tired
all the fighting for what is right
wrestling with shadows as if the sun will
ever shine away your worry

lay with the whispers that
sing you aren't good enough.
scream back that you are truly better
than it all.

i ain't

2008-03-11T16:12:00.000-04:00

writing cause im working...

go check it out

www.honeybrowne.blogspot.com

SPINDLEZINE: OAKLAND

2008-02-26T17:52:00.000-05:00

There are only so many cups of coffee you can consume. I say this with the same sentiment I feel towards men and the art of consuming them. Before my present relationship, I had attempted to find myself in the arms and beds of other men. In the wake of these suicide missions, I believe I am the lucky one: the one who walked away with third degree burns and a fear of fire; the prey turned predator turned benevolent assassin.

click here to read the rest!!! comment there and let me know your thoughts: http://spindlezine.com/index.php/coffee-and-brooklyn/oakland.html

so sad insomnia

2008-02-23T09:15:00.000-05:00

i cant sleep
dont know how explain this feeling of hopelessness

its funny when you see the monsters behind the shadows come to life.
not "ha ha" funny. but funny like, aww damn. not you too silhoutte of a protective shield. i thought you were different.

and then you remember the old school saying: BIRDS OF A FEATHER...

right. so i guess we keep it moving. pretend like nothing happened.

and syllable crazy has moved dates. thursday is the new date. but i can't lie
like i ain't disappointed in cats. all that community shyt we pop -- then how
many of us show up to a free event...? exactly.

so it's back to the capitalist in all of us. support your bank account. stop pretending this art is fed on human contact alone. biters. go away. my back is missing pieces of flesh.

but the amazing thing is: i'm preparing for my 1 year anniversary at the nuyorican next friday.
its a beautiful and scary thing, ya know??

most of my favorite poets will be in the house spitting something insane to remind me that there is something to doing this poetry thing. hope to see your smile there (feb 29, 2008 @ 10pm). the line is unfortunate. so don't be stuck outside listening to how much fun we're having inside...

on a real painful note. i gotta say this.
ma: my heart breaks for so many people these days.
just splits in half heaving in puddles
you are worth everything that matters.
i dont think i can say that enough.

adventures in brooklyn

2008-02-18T00:15:00.015-05:00

this is the net. these pieces of string hold my fate

this is howe or hal...? either way. he was the shyt. word he was our instructor and i actually watched him freefall into the net -- on purpose!

this is jason and i. our first interaction of many. which all included me not listening to him. atleast, not at first.

this is the harness/belt thingie. basically a white girdle. im just saying! it was TIGHT on my abs, kid.

and the journey begins. it was a long climb up and in the middle - i considered coming back down, taking my child and the camera and crossing the bklyn bridge back home.

all im thinking is "HOLY HELL! MY HANDS ARE ON FIRE!!"

all that fun and you knew my camera girl had to join in!

overall: would we do it again??

most definitely!

brink of

2008-02-14T10:25:00.001-05:00

i forgot what day it was.
i actually jumped up and thought
v-day was already over!

im doing too much.

tell me how to slow down.

$330

2008-02-13T09:33:00.003-05:00

in parking tickets.
that is 3 tickets, that i lost
in the hustle and bustle of life. they
were once $45 and became 100 each... plus
change.
i've been fighting parking tickets all morning

oh yea, and i got another ticket.

gab don't fail me now.

yea, you.

2008-02-12T18:22:00.001-05:00

it is the silence of your tongue
that keep them heaving,
half-heartedly they'll extend a hand
to throw you off the scent. they may
offer morsels for your obiedence, stay
hungry. it will keep you focused.
shield your heart, ribcage behind the bend
of your fist and let the vultures feed on
your words, alone.

honestly

2008-02-09T22:10:00.001-05:00

i want to finish writing like i know how. deadlines always remind you that you are dope - but you are still a vessel. i love how i don't make sense to many, only sometimes him. and he still thinks im funny. so thats enough. i have friends too. the ones that would cut for me from tx or pop trunks for me in brooklyn. they write poems like they mama gave them a pen in the womb - so i feel safe. i have a maniac. shes turned ten and is growing into this body of a young lady. i dont like that part much. actually, i'm quite scared. but she's pretty damn brilliant when i'm not around - so i think we'll be ok.

i still have a deadline. looking forward to my freedom of sorts in 10 weeks. i worry about my kin. i worry about myself. how will i ever fix this broken heart if i'm always on myspace. ok, that was a metaphor gone awry, but it sounded so good in my head. i miss the bass. still fight for her when she isn't looking. still wave to those with judging eyes and scuffed up shoes. they might drown with their noses that high in the air, i think.

i still have a deadline. amari is singing loudly and on beat. she has always been better than this drama that is the poetry world. where poets life and fuk and wait for a chance to be the popular kids, so they can in turn be mean to the other kids and make up for being unpopular in the first place. i get it. you rock. now how do i find your soul strings? right - you sold them for a threesome in the bathroom while your baby at home waited for you to return with diapers. ok. so that was totally drastic - but that's only how people listen.

no one cares about the everyday people. the woman crying at the airport when i was leaving for kansas city. the man checking the newspaper for want ads two months in a row. the college kid that fell in love who only feared he would turn out to be like his father. the other college kid that got his heart broke after giving his heart to a girl that said please, before she crushed it with fingernails and a grin. the mother who aborted her baby because she didn't know she could do it alone. the baby born thrown against a wall by its 14-year-old mother. the poets that pander to the audience in hopes of feeling better about themselves. and all of us that watch the fire burn. extinguisher within arms reach.

a job description

2008-02-07T03:55:00.000-05:00

it is my job
to write about the hurt
the raw bruises still beet burgundy
concrete cascades and tumbles from their lips
this is how i pick up the pieces. this is how
i clean the highway of the rubble, this. is. the.
first. line. of. defense.

my daughter was called a bitch today. and everything
in me screamed murder. not another brown
girl will learn or adapt or accept that name.

in vain, i'll call God a mecernary. if it'll save this
babygirl. this child of breath, eyelashes and every
phrase that told me to rid of her before she formed fingers.
the echoes of a village still dillusional fills my skull
and tickles the memory with a feeling of despair.

light bulb blown, shoeshine, rockstar
too cool to see the sun gave out years ago,
you've been living off a woman's pulse since then,
but this is not about you anymore.

i met three young men and their eyes checked me with
an honesty that says they don't know how to stow their
baggage, so i will write them this poem. prove them i
believe their gender is not the cause of all evil and
anger can't stop the beauty that dissipates from their fingertips.
they are of the moon, these men, with young boy features
stubble still not setting in on jagged eyes of confusion.

they bob their head to the beat, because the rhythm is fat
and the daddy's aren't always wack - sometimes its just easier
to fish without nettings when claws grow inevitably, who will
tell them the truth. that they are love personified and
everyone deserves a love poem atleast once in their life. i
cannot beat them into submission, because it will take their knowing
to fix all the shyt the blowout kids have broken.

i'll ask them "help me place this little girl into
the crook of the truth. show me how to rig the alarm" because
not everyone is like the man that watched us walk away with a
future tied into her bloodstream. as if the phone number to heaven
were hidden on her tongue, it has always been here on earth. in the arms
of a newborn, in the smile of a toddler. in the hug of a 6 year old. in
the palm of a 10 year old. it will always be about the babies. no one
is above the questioning eyes of the young.

so i offer those young men my heart. let this be their love poem.
because sunsets are necessary, and in them i see the sunrise.

my daughter will learn to fight with her name stitched on
the soles of her feet. her fist will toss thunder and she will
always walk like a lady. we are blessed beings. protected by a
man that gives freely like God and you can see the swagger when he speaks,
it is mesmirizing. i will always thank his mother for teaching her son
how to hold a family to his chest, without having to be asked.

the she's that inspire me (eb)

2008-02-06T02:44:00.001-05:00

they will always blame the mother
point finger, encourage the devil
truth so heavy it coats a tongue with blisters
as you kiss her like i never lived there,

beneath your shoulder blade.
my place in bed between your arms
you laid with me counting stars
chose the name of our children as they
slept in heaven

fallen angel, you called me.
before the pregnancy test. and the dream
became too expensive for your fairytale life - i
know. this is how it always happens before
shit gets complicated and you whimper
several states away blaming my womb for
a manhood that never existed.

find me a river to drown our chance. i
rather keep my eye on this kin of circumstance,
with your name, your eyes and your smile.
and when they are old enough to carry your shame,
with the same blistered apprehension of your tongue

i will hug them daily -- so they never
forget, God don't make mistakes.

when the sigh breaks

2008-01-29T21:30:00.000-05:00

missing you is a
lymph node closing
hard
gripping fear and oxygen
fist frenzy for your love
i am
in harm's way
will allow you to
run my veins for anything
they got to give
you hold me hostage
heartstrings near scissors

promise it'll happen quickly
in my sleep
or between a blink, these
damn stars
swimming endless in your eyes
paralyze my religious tongue
it will surrender

it will falter any truths with pain
in tow
lose faith in me and then worry
if i'll make it
let there be light
before the death taunters on stilts
blocking the sun and the moon
outstretched smile, gathering my whole
for this chance

to say
i love you, more than i've ever loved myself.
damn you.
damn me.
it is this type of honesty
green and red lights dancing
across the face of a razor blade

faithless lover, you can find me in the
porcelin tub
eyelids blinking from the brightness
of this ready skin

PHAT

2008-01-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

ive been trying to lose weight for my sis' wedding.
this is not hard. it just takes willpower...which i
have none. but, i've been on a walking work out and
weight watcher's kick for the past 3 weeks.

i have lost 5 pounds. this is not the hard part. i
can lose 5 here but gaining the 5 back has always
been in the near future. but not now. and that feels
good.

to walk by a mirror and pray that its a dillusion!
holy hell, who let her out? and the taut stomachs
that have bombarded the airwaves all of a sudden,
when i'm hanging out with my beau, well - that's just
unfair. i wonder if he knows im watching him watch
the tv. i mean, sure he replies to my to my baited
question, "YOU LIKE HER? IS SHE HOT?" but does he really
know that i watch his breathing before and after the
commercial, all the while sucking my stomach in, until
i pass out from exhaustion.

hence, the reason this new eating trend (counting
points, alot of water, no soda AT ALL) is not as difficult
as i initially thought.

i will talk to you again. but right now, my stomach is beginning
to feast on itself. and the grumblings will wake him if
im not careful.

release

2008-01-26T19:26:00.000-05:00

it is always

a great idea

to get it off

your chest

before the

implosion,

insecurity,

hair loss,

& loneliness

surpass the

greatness

that lie in

your wake.

you are

all things

fresh

and flyy

and your

smile sings

with the

reason

fearlessness

is sexy.

because you

are sexy.

especially

when you

fall. so sexy

after you get

up.

dust off.

and look to

the sucka

that tripped

you. the

cornball

that hated

on you

so much

your teeth

hurt from

sucking wind.

this is for

those cowards

that wait for

your shadows

to hate on

your DIVAness!

don't be...

afraid to say

"fuk you"!

now. don't

you feel

better?

more funny

2008-01-18T01:51:00.000-05:00

your life should be more funny than mine
the broken floor in my bedroom -- totally hilarious

the bugs that my cat will snack on if we leave the
windows open overnight, even more funny, yo

the building's security door -- the one that was suppossed
to be secure, before they monkey wrenched that joint open -
split my friggin insides at the seams

the landlord that refuses to fix the bathtub leak, broken floor
or supply the supper with a clean mop, is satan's lovechild.

he prefers our entryway to smell like musty pubes
and the front steps to overflow with garbage. an offense that has
cost him several violations *unpaid* for lowering the quality of life.

brooklyn, why do you make it so hard for me to love you?

ramblings 120am

2008-01-17T01:15:00.001-05:00

i should be sleeping

but how do you sleep when you are fixated with rape

i am reading alice sebold's lucky

it makes me feel as reflective as the title

sorta

i could have so many more bad experiences than remembered

but i have a growing daughter

love for writing

and the ability to make a GREAT living at doing what i love

i work with kids, actually taking all those poems on stage into

the fire.

fuk the choir

i misspell curse words because my kids will google me soon

and i want to be as responsible as possible when saying, yes,

i cursed. but i am grown. what's your excuse?

and they will ignore me. but will still find other words

to use when writing their poems.

and i won't feel as bad when my daughter rushes home to tell

me she showed her teacher my website today, again...

i am on a diet. more watching the weight than dieting.

i walk in mornings if i can sleep enough during the night

and my intake of sweets and snacks have lessened by 90%

i am proud of my luck

it affords me the write to talk to you like this...

Father Figure

2008-01-16T07:06:00.001-05:00

falling in love with you was
as painful as the first hit from
my father

open palmed instructions
"don't talk while grown folks is speaking"

today, i speed through syllables
thrashing his remains away from my center:
the stolen earrings he gave me for Christmas,
the first time i met his only wife,
the lone letter that my step-sister still carries
like lead poisoning beneath her skin
sit like arsenic lined chocolates on my pillow

i know
this is what makes it hard for you to love me
how my fist carry the weight of yesterday
the jealous streak that plays dodge ball with common sense
still

you lean in,
close my mouth with your hand;
a friendly pressure with salt felt fingertips
whispering an offering for my tongue to flicker against,
as i wither and fold myself into an orgasm

no one told me it would hurt like hell
this daughter of a man whose blood burns
for women outside of steel cages
my knuckle heavy grin grows for a man with
your sorrow
when infidelity smells like home
like peaches and other women’s panties
like abduction and shot gun shells
like broken baseball bats and a woman harboring a broken heart
and a stolen child for a man that will never love her back

don’t be surprised when I ask you to repeat yourself
I prefer to wander the perimeters with cheeks shielded by tears

I no longer talk to my father
Avoid any man with his dimensions

Even though,
I can’t help the indignant pause
That rip through my teeth when someone speaks
out of turn.

Young, Gifted & Black

2008-01-11T14:45:00.000-05:00

i am reading an informal autobiography of loraaine hansberry.

she is really and truly amazing and makes me want to start smoking cigarettes, hosting speakeasies @ my brooklyn flat, arguing about the plight of our culture and society as a people and sit on fire escapes until the sun comes up...

walk like love

2008-01-10T14:13:00.000-05:00

walking
like my life was constructed
between two feet pacing forward
breath, heavy

stretch the walls
of my heart everytime
i bend knee,
extend right arm
ground heel then toe into soil,

gravel

this earth

is giving me back something
filling up my lungs, candy painted air
colored in the scarf of smog
and so heavy

i practice pull ups with my thighs
reach high with my eyes
ask heaven or helicopters for the strength
encourage my lungs for one more breathe
exhaust my arms in doubledutch motion
twist my torso for effect

i love like this, too
trudging ahead
looking for higher ground
a place to plant my love
away from hearts unready to lie in the
furrowed soil

far from the reach of sullied
minds that deface footprints
in the concrete for fun

coffee & brooklyn: Amsterdam

2008-01-07T03:00:00.000-05:00

Don't let anyone ever tell you Amsterdam's greatest assets are the Red Light District and the weed cafes. Sure, potheads and sex-a-holics are thrilled at the idea of this police-lite disneyland, but as a womanist, mother and advocate of empowerment, I am unsure if I embody the sexual maturity necessary for such an appreciation. Also living as a grown woman in a monogamous relationship, this might not have been the best summary for me to have when touring the land of frites and fresh cappuccinos. Still, you only live once. And after booking a gig at the Paradiso (the largest concert hall in Holland, hosting the likes of Fiddy & Rolling Stones), I planned on walking the brick laid roads as if my life depended on it.

The first morning I arrived by boat. This is funny if you believe that slavery can be viewed as black humor. Click the link to read the rest!

Coffee & Brooklyn: Amsterdam
Spindle Magazine - Tuesday, 15 January 2008

2008 already

2008-01-05T20:29:00.000-05:00

jill scott and chris rock. bittersweet beauty

honey larochelle project. something big in the near future. with pics and sounds and an awesome experience attached.

workshop renewal. great ideas go along way and then, you get paid for it.

business dealings dissolved. great things come out of the ashes. like a phoenix. or a mobrowne. both are fire.

suheir hammad @ brooklyn museum. needed when i least expected it. seriously.

on broadway. every sunday. why not?
New World Stages (Time Out NY Lounge)
340 West 50th Street (& 9th Ave)
any train to 42nd Street
C train to 50th street
N,R train to 49th street

check my dates. check me out. 08 is all about us. let's go :)

1.06.08 Syllable Crazy! Haiku Slam & Open Mic -1st of 2008!!
1.12.08 African American Museum
1.13.08 Syllable Crazy! Open Mic & Special Feature
1.19.08 Last Poet Standing
1.20.08 Syllable Crazy! Open Mic & Special Feature
1.23.08 SUNY - Oneanto
1.27.08 Syllable Crazy! Open Mic & Special Feature
2.17.08 Jazz Poetry Live - VA
2.29.08 1 Year & 1 Mo Anniversary @ The Nuyorican Poets Cafe (feature performance!)
3.04.08 Wordplay Live @ Ladera Cafe
3.05.08 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo - Women Showcase
3.06.08 Int’l Women’s Month Presentation -- Santiago Canyon College

i doubt it...

2007-12-27T10:55:00.001-05:00

you thought the shine would stop glowing
the world would stop turning
and you could slip into the sunset like
a cowboy

self reflection

2007-12-23T15:20:00.001-05:00

every now and
again you should say
it out loud.
like this:

hands on hips
shoulders high
and eyes ablaze
mouth aligned with the
circular vowel, spit
gathering on your tongue
and resting in your cheeks
right foot slightly askew,
placed in front
and the world watches

I AM DOPE

now tell them, they should've known
better. swing those hips in all their
fullness and sway away proudly.

missing my sista's

2007-12-18T11:09:00.000-05:00

tee and tam and cbell and live mik and april and dash and jaha and fa

thas all...

snow

2007-12-13T12:45:00.001-05:00

your mother never loved you enough
always told you how pretty your
older sister was
in
comparison to you, her sunshine
was always warmer

and we wonder why you are maladjusted

unable to have friends, besides the
sludge and slippery dirt beneath our
feet
they'll be the only ones to miss you
after your sister returns
as we gaze in amazement -- how beautiful
she is

we knew this would burn you cold
leave u to catch our spines in your grip
with frosted teeth
still an ugly child
lashing out for attention

counterclock-un-wise

2007-12-12T21:11:00.000-05:00

1.
it was like someone picked up
the phone
and played dial my heart with
your strings
as i watched
baffled,
wondering, how she learned
a melody so secret as your
own

2.
i should have ignored you
again
let you think i died
rolled over
until your incessant sniffing
grow bored of my stench
but no
i took this opportunity
to stretch my limbs and gather
my fur around me
strutting like you werent ready
to feast on my carcass
just like a
woman writer
always in need
of more drama
a year long game of possum
lost in the wind

3.
there were never books
or a manual to tell us
girls how to behave
and the women who reared
us -- need it just as
badly

the many things of my days

2007-12-11T11:01:00.000-05:00

i am tired
and bones are weary.
i have a lot to do.
i have more to do than i
anticipated this morning
i didnt want to wake
couldnt feel my feet
their numbness brought me
to a higher plane -- i thought
i was still dreaming, until
i heard the door knocks
and then i remembered there
is little time for sleeping.
who knew that even our dreams
were expensive...

classy pants

2007-12-07T11:39:00.000-05:00

i booked Tao Ling for a feature @ the Nuyorican, because i dig his work. he makes me laugh (see his SEX story on Nerve) and his response was "that'd be great! i get paid?!" even better.

then, he mailed me this, when i was searching for savings on half.com and amazon marketplace. he mailed me this because he's way more cooler than some of you SLACKERS out there!

classy act to follow.

Honestly,

2007-12-06T22:34:00.001-05:00

Im really in love with www.BOOKMOOCH.com

fa real

mixed nuts

2007-12-04T22:46:00.001-05:00

all of it is a gun shot
roulette
spin the bottle chance
of unhappiness/nappiness
who knew
life could be
so unreliable and unfair

nothing really...

2007-11-28T23:56:00.000-05:00

today i had to come home early cause amari was sick. she has a big day on saturday with the entrance exams into a performance/gifted school. pray for us. this is the school that will be our second option, but its all about having options, right?

i have a row of things to tackle, but i cant wrap my head around it.

our new party starts this friday and my nerves (pms'n) are thru the roof. im moody, unsure, dissatisfied and ready to flip at all moments. that doesn't change the fact that i'll be hosting an event featuring saul williams this saturday! that makes me happy -- but then, i hope i have enough motrin to hold me down.

my sister has appointed me as the host of her bridal shower. and you're probably thinking, huh? well yea. she has not 1 and not 4 matron's of honors - but 3. and in all seriousness, those are the persons that were suppossed to be in charge of these things. but two of them moved to this side of the world and i guess my matching dna makes me the next best candidate. i still have to lose 15 more pounds. the holiday season didnt help my efforts, though i am fitting an entire jean size smaller.

huff. this is me when i dont know what the hell to do with myself. i still have a column to finish, some editing to dive into and im trying to ignore the sweet potato pie's whispers. oh yea, im ignoring the yellow cake with chocolate frosting too.

yea. ignoring it all - like a champ...

This Friday, Afterhours SPOT!

2007-11-26T23:32:00.001-05:00

DVDs just $5

2007-11-26T22:53:00.001-05:00

DVDs For SALE - everything: $5
im doing inventory on my life and my dvd collection. i dont have friends to buy - but i do have dvds :)

just $5 a piece:

The Punisher

Crank

Melinda & Melinda

The Rules of Attraction

Me and You and Everyone We Know

The Gift

Wisegirls

Walk The Line

Failure to Launch

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Hit Me

13 Conversations About One Thing

Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban

Number 23

The Chronicles of Narnia

D.E.B.S

Domino

Carlitos Angels

Nine Lives

11:14

Kids In America

Pan's Labyrinth

Lucky Slevin

Clerks II

Wassup Rockers

No Vacancy

brooklyn burn out

2007-11-24T22:28:00.000-05:00

when we wakes to find our stomach lining
churning with all the indecisions of an
american,

burning our throats with pumpkin stained
acid,

how important will your swagger really be,

after you perch your lightbulb busted dreams
against the backdrop of brooklyn

climb from behind all their expectations
and leave babylon with your empty words?

fracture (WIP)

2007-11-22T02:01:00.001-05:00

the night i stopped loving you
was quiet
like most nights are
i was alone wrestling with these
feelings again -- and you were
where the night always finds you
with another nameless her

i have never been able to catch up with ghosts
the shadow of a woman's shape

the night i stopped dreaming of you, was
still
full of empty imprints of where you once slept
or sat
or sang me a tune
resounded carelessly before crashing against the
bare walls

where was your mother to read me your instructions
how to fix your smile
which screw to tighten
how to fine tune your thoughts with this love

no one would give me a hint
left no clues to find the empty treasure of a heart
still filled with shadows and all rotting carnage that
came before me,

simple liar.

you looked to the heavens and asked God for another
chance

and there i stood
grin and bloody pen in hand
waiting to write us the happy ending
instead, i could only find the words for the
poem i wrote, the night i stopped loving you

(reading a lot of books @ once. writing from the perspective of the she's, as usual. its so easy to write what you know, i guess. still figuring out how to end this without it being wacky or trite).

freezer burn

2007-11-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

there are moments in your life when you forget about being adult enough. when you would rather the recourse of lashing out in attempt to salvage your name and your respect. insulating yourself is something you learned in grade school, but as an adult, have only practiced when walking alone at night from the red trains in brooklyn. this is when you remember those that held you like a crystal, smoothing over your edges and gasping "you are still beautiful" no matter the jagged edges you've tossed to those that wish you harm. and if the dried blood every put them at unease -- they never let on. so i guess this is where i should show my gratitude for those someones that have looked in my eyes and said "I know" and "How can I help", even where there was nothing to do but sit there, and shield me for a minute.

this act of pure maternal wisdom is always hard to find. it will indelibly separate the meaningful people in your life. because most of the time, the things that cause them to say those same words, are rarely worth the breath they are made of. the instances that quicken your breath and fight your lungs for space will rarely become a blip on the map that will later become your life. this -- won't even make the autobiography. not even a chapter explaining the reason you will have since stopped hugging in public. nor will a paragraph outline the difficult time during your career, the moment you knew you were going to be big because "who really has time for this high school shyt anyway?" not a sentence. a meaningful utterance. nothing. but this. a warning.

a warning to yourself that your mother taught you better. there had to be a day, so many years ago you forgot it, like the name of the boy you danced with at the homecoming dance. maybe brief and meaningful - in its moment, but forgetable and hardly worth the image you would unsuccesfully masturbate to. the words your mother must have told you when complaining about the girls that pretended to be your friends until they decided they'd rather fight the well liked and popular girl for a chance to gain a newfound and fearful type of popularity. and how you cried, for being misled, before of course you pick up a garbage can and tossed it at the biggest one. even then. your mother will ask you - "who was there to help you?"

because no one gets jumped and walks away friends with those that watched.

this is when you defend your friends "she was so big," and "they were probably scared" fall, flutter than collide on the doorstep of her ears. deaf. i would like to presume this is the moment where my mother was so eloquent in relaying the message that would later resonante so loudly in my bones, that i reverberated its honesty when teaching my own children. and it would become the family joke when making cups of Swiss Miss hot chocolate, this timeless antecodote, that i would later share with my daughter, so that she too could learn to protect herself from moments like this.
my mother said: "Anyone that will watch someone do you wrong, is not your friend."

and later. in my 3rd decade, in a kitchen in brooklyn. those same words will bounce off the walls as i try to scour some honesty out of it all. but there is no way to pretty up the ugly. and there are no room in this chapter for fence stragglers. without remorse i can recognize the beauty of a horizon from afar, through pictures, and memories of how i once captured that moment. but i will always know this is how the view looked before i turned my back, because the silent shadows will always fade into the landscape. and the insulation that i've been blessed with will settle into its beautiful permanance. and my circle will become a little bit smaller -- to keep out the cold.

Soulja Kiddies: Because everyone needs to smile sometimes, thx court!

2007-11-19T19:54:00.000-05:00

wishful thinking

2007-11-15T21:50:00.001-05:00

he will never know how it felt;

you waiting

wingless wonder of a wishful night

or the tips of your eyelids

wet, from knowing.

he cares more about the gloom

the curve of a dissenting incubus

than the lips that you will always

offer

without regret

he will never loves you beyond the burden

the cold shoulders

the double guessing

the things that throw your axis

into the abyss.

if it is silence he seeks,

he will find you,
star struck
and windpipe torn,

by your own bloody self-less hands

while you search the distant and absent eyes

for a man that works well with his hands

takes pleasure in holding the small of a woman's back

in his embrace

before cradling her face

and smothering her breath

with his own.

Delusional Feminism

2007-11-11T18:31:00.000-05:00

New acornym I found while surfing... And it gets worse people, I promise. My vagina is going on protest from being a vagina. She wants to be called something else. Maybe: gevilta or pusanique? Hell I don't know... but when women boasts about being a bitch. I laugh. And when they start using acronyms (I think Eve set it off with the Being In Total Control of Herself) I wonder... When did you bump your head?

So yea, the newest acronym promoting an idiotic style of feminism:

Beautiful

Individual

That

Causes

Hard-ons...

Now, would you please -please - please help me out. I need to believe we have a better day ahead of us. Cause moments, and the broadcasting of I LOVE NY2, Deelish on the cover of any magazine (as up) Pepa (of Salt n Pepa's) new nose and Lil Kim's newfound face like this look like the beginning of the end for women.

FREE SAUL WILLIAMS MUSIC - NEW ALBUM

2007-11-08T21:11:00.001-05:00

Day 4: Sheffield (Memories)

2007-11-08T08:44:00.000-05:00

Sheffield...

While this college town had incredible hosts, and a light audience, I was prepared to eat anything but prawn mayo sandwiches. After running across tracks to catch a tram going in the right direction, I wasn't too concerned with anything else than the neon sign welcoming people into the restaurant. That's I knew I was passing a chinese buffet spot that I would deal with later, but I kept feeling like the night was going to be wierd. I asked some students upon exiting the train where the student center is, and I swear its a set-up. The alleys are dark and narrow and the lights seem to reach over the shadows into the next street, not really paying the alley in mind, as if it were an uncool kid in high school. I make it to where I need to be and soon the show begins. It is the last show, but not the best. The screen work is off, but we make the best of it and depart immediately after the show, because I can't stop thinking of that buffet spot. We make it to the restuarant 20 minutes before they close and eat like it's a contest. It is a great closing to a great trip with the fellas. I still have 4 days and two shows in London before I go home. But I can't help but think that I'll miss my Bristol homies. Older, White, English clumps of Artist-Men. They make me laugh as if I were watching a Benny Hill episode. Unsure, tickled and in awe. Tomorrow I board a train to London. Sammy, my homegirl has promised hang time: shopping, eating and movies, of course. This is what excites me. This is what makes the bag seem lighter than the 40 pounds filled with clothes, new shoes *from penzance* dvds and books from logan, and smiles tucked deep into my belly.