Malcolm's Poem

By any means neccesary
was not meant to be used
in the same ways that some
rebels execute the leaders
that liberated them
in the first place.

His skin, was engraved
with the very mechanisms
that his tongue and vocal chords
could outpower.

Children will not know his name
without the fear his words insighted,
the phrases of those too tormented
to stay afraid. His rust colored hair
will gaze to the east in peace,
while the room where he was treated
like the messiah of cannibals.

Some sacrifices will not nourish
the herd into saving themselves
and followers will do nobody any good
when they're hands are in their pockets.

Poem 1

My knees hold grown men
in fetal positions with
prepaid wings like mothers
who never intended to be
mothers.

There are shared avalanches
between body and spirit.
Emotions can't be shoveled,
but they can be buried.

The Battle of Ohio

Last night's slam in Columbus became a Battle Royal rather than a triple threat match as the poetry crew from Cleveland was able to enter in at the last minute. Cleveland would end up taking the win in a tightly contested bout, above Columbus Writing Wrongs by only .6 of a point and Detroit Neo Minds by 1.2 from the winner's spot in third. The slam was run in 4 rounds with different teams going a different order each round. Detroit would go on to pull a drawing of 3rd in the first round, 2nd in the second round, 1st in the third round and the final spot of the evening in the final round. It was such a wonderful experience and a show that was amazing to be a part of.

The Triple Threat: Battle of Columbus and Detroit

Neo Minds (Detroit) vs Writers' Block (Columbus) vs Writing Wrongs (Columbus)

Neo Minds of Detroit is coming into town to take on Writers' Block and Writing Wrongs. But Writers' Block and Writing Wrongs are taking each other on too. That's right! Let's make this a three way poetry slam battle. Pow! Boff! Wham!

This is going to be a 3X4 bout (three teams, four poets each) to determine points that go toward getting into the National Poetry slam.

Be there. If you thought it mattered before (and it did), there stakes just got multiplied. By 3.

Nommo Presents Deonte Osayande

Has been postponed until further notice because of the impeding snow storm. The new date will be released when it's determined.

World Events

There is a lot that is going on importantly politically in the world during this period in time. I remember a while back I had a conversation with a couple of friends of mine and a respected elder. It was a professor to my knowledge and I don't recall the topic of discussion but we ended up on world issues as they were mentioned in all of our poetry. I remember stating that there will be a point where it boils over and the general population is going to realize that they are larger in numbers than those that oppress them. This prof would go on to call me crazy,lol,to which I couldn't really deny.

This brings me back to the situations of today happening all around the world. As Americans we like to act like we aren't a part of or that we are greater than the rest of the world. In reality everything that happens elsewhere effects the empire here. You could bring up the recent terrorist attack in Russia this month here and people would treat it as if it were so distant. Sure it isn't on our soil, but that is a nation similar in capability and strength to our own.

Back to what's going on in Tunisia, and more recently Egypt. I hope that the protesters get correct justice. Anyone ruling over a nation for close to thirty years is just way too long. Many of us have become so conditioned to just laying down to the powers that be, that the news of uprisings in these nations can be shocking, and to some, fearsome.

I find it interesting. It shows that somewhere people are reaching that point, where they won't just go with something that they disagree with. It can serve as a lesson to the rest of us, that nations, democratic or not, are to some degree run by people. If they succeed in getting a new government in power, it may not just be a victory for themselves, or for their nation, but for oppressed people around the world. What would the future hold for people that are able to invoke such change and revolution?

Apology to a Snowflake

Apology to a Snowflake

It was instincts against intentions
when removing blankets of snow
leaving your bedside, I just needed
to sleep alone for once, sneaking out.

Outside of my nature,
actions I hadn't thought about,
just the fatigue of making it work on me,
but blame couldn't go all on you.

We were that puzzle missing the snowflake
going in the middle making the picture perfect,
that empty space always glared back at us,
aggressively, searching, demanding.

I don't want those three years back,
I want to see the 1095 sunrises
in your smile,
one last time.

Sometimes when saving daylights time
I left my mind behind bodily wishes.
Hearts and heads have different hemispheres
I thought and loved in often opposing times zones.

We attract magnetic bees,
acting surprised when stung.

Life is a dice game you
gave me too many chances in.

I started the flood of our argument,
You started the rain that overcame us,
we were refugees of our own selves
waiting for Mardi Gras beads to hang on to but
dead Indonesians haven't stopped floating.
There are cities of memories we left underwater.
Funny thing about floods, there are
usually more casualties after than during.

Life isn't a gamble,
gambling is an addiction,
addictions require dependency,
once broken, hearts see value
in what they wasted away.
Love requires committed independency.

Bees see corpses around bug zappers,
but some attractions are just so great.

I'm not sorry that we didn't work out,
I just want you to know,
during the extra sunrise of that leap year,
I found the snowflake.

The bigger picture is no longer puzzling.
The relationship failed
we did not, I'm still standing,
you're looking strong.
I'm happy for you,
we've moved on.

You were right, I was wrong.
I was right, you were wrong,
the arguments aren't important,
forgiveness is, self and otherwise.

It's about time our hearts and minds,
synchronized again, but in a new way.
The great thing about snow, isn't its cold,
it's how it feeds the growth of something

after it melts.