Holy shyt. I can't believe nearly two months have gone by since I last updated. I can't really find the right excuses for this, although my favorite blogger has fallen into the same pattern so it must be something in the water.
What is new with me you ask?
* Tara B, Gowri K, Jonathan B-T and I heard the musical stylings of Niggy Tardust (aka, Saul Williams) and got to afterparty with the fella at Liv. One should never stay up that late on a Sunday night, but it was well worth it (despite "afropunk" maybe being my least preferred musical genre ever).
* I attended J Street conference for both professional and personal reasons, despite the great poet debacle. Though I was at a wedding for their revenge performance at Busboys and Poets, I heard it was great. As far as J Street goes, though it was not as provacative as I would have liked, I think there may just be hope for a voice of peace, hope and coexistence in the American lobby. Salaam.
* I had the best performance of my life at Spit Dat two weeks ago. In the craziness of getting ready for J Street, it seemed fitting to perform a piece that touched on my feelings about Israel. Dwayne B remarked to the crowd that the first couple of stanzas could easily be about DC. Word.
And coming up:
* I will be leading my FIRST EVER POETRY WORKSHOP at my house on November 11th at 7pm. Would love to see your beautiful faces.
* On November 12th, mothertongue turns 11! We are having a FREE show at the Black Cat at 9pm (come at 8 to drink with me). Support women and local artists!
Thanks for not giving up on reading this (and for not let me give up on writing it)!
New stuff to come soon!
11.04.2009
9.16.2009
New Sh*t!
My brother and I are working on a new project. 10 weeks. 10 topics. We each write and maybe they'll be a chapbook down the line. For the first week our topic was "The End of the Summer."
Right before your leaves turned orange
I thought about the peach I ate last August.
That lone fruit you handed to me right before
our summer expired-
it tasted like an apology.
Like every note spoken between us
What you gave me then was edible,
disposable like seasons.
It couldn’t stay around longer than my lips would let it
But I let it.
And now summer is molding into another Fall
Reminding me how, in a second, rain can thin
out the humidity in this city.
How the convexity of air between every sapling kiss
can stale my lungs again.
You left in a sand storm
boots up like a hero
Asking me one last time what god meant to me
and I told you she lives in this limbo
This time when the next season seems
like nothing but possible.
The sun is creeping behind the clouds earlier these days
Makes it easier to sink into my bed without your
memory hanging in the daylight
Dusk reminding me of secrets passed
between open mouth breaths
Intentional
Piercing
Cold like this makes it impossible to remember warmth
The memory of your season is out of my grasp again.
Like teeth on a too ripe peach
My brain is sinking into mush
Puddling into something that used to be whole
This is what the end of summer brings each time you leave
We are seasons too brief for memory
And the candid shots of coasts
we used to dream about together
Just two orange Polaroids,
disposable as the wind.
Right before your leaves turned orange
I thought about the peach I ate last August.
That lone fruit you handed to me right before
our summer expired-
it tasted like an apology.
Like every note spoken between us
What you gave me then was edible,
disposable like seasons.
It couldn’t stay around longer than my lips would let it
But I let it.
And now summer is molding into another Fall
Reminding me how, in a second, rain can thin
out the humidity in this city.
How the convexity of air between every sapling kiss
can stale my lungs again.
You left in a sand storm
boots up like a hero
Asking me one last time what god meant to me
and I told you she lives in this limbo
This time when the next season seems
like nothing but possible.
The sun is creeping behind the clouds earlier these days
Makes it easier to sink into my bed without your
memory hanging in the daylight
Dusk reminding me of secrets passed
between open mouth breaths
Intentional
Piercing
Cold like this makes it impossible to remember warmth
The memory of your season is out of my grasp again.
Like teeth on a too ripe peach
My brain is sinking into mush
Puddling into something that used to be whole
This is what the end of summer brings each time you leave
We are seasons too brief for memory
And the candid shots of coasts
we used to dream about together
Just two orange Polaroids,
disposable as the wind.
9.10.2009
Come Support Me at 11th Hour Slam. Busboys on 14th. Fri 9/11. 11pm.
I will be competing in the slam this Friday Sept 11th at 11pm (but to actually get in, you have to get there at 10) at Busboys & Poets on 14th and V. Have I practiced yet? No. Have I memorized any of the pieces I'm doing? Heck nah. This is why I need your love and support to sway the judges. I'm making it my goal to get on the National's team this year and every point counts! Only $5!
More info: http://www.busboysandpoets.com/events.php
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