Category: 2018 Poetry

Read Poem: LILAC SOUL by Marie Marchand

I breathed rumors of its fragrance
even before the purple bough
was shaken free and cut.
Beauty is effusive.
It travels like dust in a shaft of light
noticeable only in stillness.

Beauty floats, it swirls,
it slides under locked doors
to the other side
going undetected until we rest
then we see.
We are called. Not loudly.
Just a whisper is the invitation
to be free.

What holds us back?
Are we brave enough
to step out of our castles, jails,
porches, fallout shelters,
our cocoons, coffins,
our frayed and wearied selves?
And if we manage that, then what?
Will we be brave enough to Dance?

Like Aspen leaves applauding in the sun
caught in the sweep of unbound joy
our old selves put to rest in shadow and ash.
Our hair, clothing, everything will be
scented lilac; we become new (again).
The edge of life is the end of fear
and the beginning of everything good.

The white flag washes over us
like angels’ wings.
We are left holding the sunburst.
Empty. Open. Gorgeous in the light.

Read Poem: FIRST CONTACT by Lauren White

I’ve always been a sucker

For a lanky blue-eyed boy

But when first we met

And I looked into your brown eyes

I saw magic in them

I saw promise

Like that of a starry violet sky

Or a perfect pink dawn

When you held my hand

I melted into you

I loved your pale skin

Entwined with the milk chocolate of mine

We were a Hershey’s bar

Cookies and cream

You brought me out of the black

Filled me with resplendent yellows

With tame rosy reds

Like the color your ears turn

When you’re embarrassed,

Nervous, or inebriated

You’re such a lightweight, babe

But the clear blue horizon deceived us

The clouds came

Hid the stars from us

The dawn brought a day of rain

Now everything is shades of grey

When I look in your eyes

I cannot see the end of the story

You look sickly green

Out of fear of loving me

Yet, in me glows an ember

A faint, orange hope

That will extinguish the grey

You are my Havana Banana

I am your Choco Taco

I have been yours since First Contact

I will bring shades of yellow

Back into your hidden, black heart

Read Poem: BLACK by Supriya

You will always love black when it is contained in a thing not a person.
Like a black dress, a black car, a black shoe, a black sofa.

When I speak about a black person,
An inferiority always pops up.
Isn’t it?
He is dirty, he is bad.
He is anti-national, he is a threat.
He must be aggresive, he must be bossy.
Stay away from him
Or he will eat you, cheat you.

When I look at anyone,
I always look him as a person.
When some gentleman said,
“There is not a single person who has not taught me.”
He meant it.
And I believed him.

So instead of putting my head up,
I rather put it straight,
To learn how people are trying to make things done,
Or undone, maybe.

And my knees bent to believe that racism and gender-biasing are just concepts,
I follow the trail of belief that if only two colors would exist then,
Black is black and white is white.

-Supriya

Read Poem: CHILD BRAIN SURGEON by Tracy Déchaux

It’s a daily occurrence
Attach the electrodes for torment
When really everything will be just fine
I’m just playing around with your mind

You lie there so trusting
When its me that has you cussing
If you wake up with a headache
Don’t worry, it’s just your sanity that I take

When I ask you to relax as I linger
And put on my surgical gloves with floppy fingers
Don’t be nervous and hyper ventilate
I’ll be checking your eyes if they dilate

After the surgery get plenty of rest
It’s true but its for the best
My home is hell in a dim lit room
It could be worse, you could be stuck in a tomb

Don’t forget, you will want to see me first
As I am so careful with my thirst
But as time moves on that knowledge is forgotten
I am Hell’s Child Brain Surgeon

https://www.iheart.com/artist/-32140995/albums/hells-child-brain-surgeon-56637790/

Read Poem: We Live Here by Jacqueline Jewell

Let us try to understand what we do not,

Let us try to see what we cannot see,

A different footstep, a different life,

An exchange of perspective of he and she, you to me, them to we, and they to us.

This is another unjust walk back in history.

Why we really hate remains a mystery, but nevertheless,

We are overzealous about war,

Quick to shut our doors,

To the hijab-wearing women,

To the Allah-praying beings,

Denying refuge to those who are fleeting.

The underdog is the abandoned dog, stripped of human kindness,

What’s left?

The headstones of the graves that bear the Jewish names?

To oppress that notion that we are all the same?

The Margaret Fullers who did’t live fuller because that sex was assumed inferior.

The interior of a country predicated on the idea we could be free,

he free to love him,

she free to love her,

her free to be a him,

him free to be a her,

Their characters free to be judged,

Not their religion,

Not their decisions,

Not their sex,

Preferences,

Ethnicity,

Family complexities,

Not based on where they’re from.

Haven’t we’ve always known all along,

that hatred is wrong?

Walk in his bare feet,

that drag amongst the cold concrete,

Amongst the homeless who don’t feed,

Amongst the servents of tyranny who bleed,

Those in need but cannot get ahead no matter what they do.

Opportunities are limited,

People look at you different,

Fear what they cannot envision,

Peace, peace within us all,

To be White and love a Black man like a brother,

To be a man and love a woman like his mother,

To walk the footsteps of the other,

To join hands and claim our land,

To stand together,

Forever and ever…

Let us try to understand.

Read Poem: TO BELIEVE by Gary Bertnick

To always believe
Though surrounded in an atmosphere of doubt,
Truth always more powerful
And gripping the heart with Divine strength,
The mind battles for pure and clean honest thoughts
While the winds of deceit and perversion move constantly about,
Sometimes in a roar
Sometimes in a whisper
The war on the mind rages forth!
Holy Words always a much sharper sword
Common thoughts in daily languages fall to the ground
As Scripture quoted and meditated upon surges steadfastly forward
From the very beginning the “Evil One” was crushed beneath the omnipotent heal,
Prophetic Words long ago fulfilled!
Authority of the Name above all written on our foreheads
More than tablets, inscribed on our hearts;
Inner knowledge has already surpassed simple belief
As faith in Messiah’s power grows and matures in deepening Peace
Love reaches out with broader, longer touches in tenderness
Caring as our Shepherd, rich kindness and gentleness flow,
Wisdom rises within, wings of brilliance
As we begin to see as He sees;
Belief in Yeshua as an early seed
Has already grown more than expected,
More than even prayed for!

https://garybertnick.wordpress.com

Read Poem: BRANDS MAKE THE MAN by Kunal Thakore

BRANDS MAKE THE MAN

Came into a cool couple of million through a Nigerian scam
Thought I’d go splurge to better who I am

Clothes maketh the man, so with a craving for all things luxe
What better way to spend a few easy bucks

Donning these fancy labels and tags
They’d add way more style to my swag

I’d get a designer closet, oh so bling
Swish stuff that’d make my heart sing

Anything to look better than I currently do
And perhaps feature on the cover of the next GQ

So off I flew first class to Paris, Milan, New York and Dubai
London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and then back to Mumbai

First on the list was a cravat from Prada
So what if I don’t wear slick jackets, I just hadda

Next, a little something from Gucci
It promised to make me forever sans souci

A tote from that Italian fella Ferragamo
To show off to all my still-poor amigos

Belts, buckles and trunks from LV
Ha! Let them be the cause of my friends’ envy

Then a boat-load of stuff from Bvlgari
My bags were so heavy, the concierge had to carry

Some scarves and fragrances from the house of Hermes
Baubles for the mistress and of course, my missus

A quick pop in across the aisle to Tiffany’s
Five or six trinkets… is that too many?

Some bold printed silk shirts from Versace
From downright tacky to take me straight to classy

Jimmy Choo’s shoes and also a little something
Just so he doesn’t feel left out, from Christian Louboutin

Tuxes and shirts from Boss, Burberry and Brioni
For trousers, Tom Ford, Canali, YSL and Armani

Bespoke suits from those chaps on Saville Row
I tell you, the outfitting was such a bore

Next, a chunky Rolex or a Patek Phillipe
To add to the wrist, yup, they’ll do the trick

I threw in a couple of things from Dolce & Gabbana
Didn’t much care for them, but I just wanna

Bottega Veneta, Valentino and Givenchy
Flashy boutiques, exclusive and so very chi chi

Chanel, Fendi, Dior, Carolina Hererra, Nina Ricci
Umm, naah… oh, okay, may as well (sorry if I’m bitchy!)

Ties, cuff links, socks, hats, shades, accessories… check
And a box of Havanas just for style, what the heck

Bally and Miu Miu beseechingly called me back
Could they interest me in something and have it packed?

And before I forgot, I dashed across to Zegna
You just can’t miss out on a good thing, can ya?

Finally, since I still had some change left over
I ordered a Bentley, just to see the jealous guys glower

Look at me, people! Looking nouveau riche spiffy
Yeah, I know the losers will call it kitschy

Now that leaves me with just enough for branded underwear
Any suggestions on what and from where?

PS – And when it’s time for the next set of swanky clothes
I might need to break the bank at one of those Vegas casinos

Picture credit, Google – from the Bollywood movie ‘Hindi Medium’; a particular scene in which a loaded country bumpkin with no taste or class, ODs on high fashion brands to make a statement

Read Poetry: I am the one by short-prose-fiction

Performed by Elizabeth Rose Morriss

*****

Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier

Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne

Editor: Kimberly Villarruel

Camera Op: Mary Cox

Poetry Reading: i want my body burned by short-prose-fiction

Performed by Elizabeth Rose Morriss

*****

Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Director: Kierston Drier

Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne

Editor: Kimberly Villarruel

Camera Op: Mary Cox