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Dianne Ackerman
As you know, this weekend is Mother's Day. One of those holidays created for those who don't regularly honor the mothers in their lives. My boss wants me to work. My wife wants me go see her do some story-telling (which is different than the poetry she does all the time). I have a free entry to an arts festival in N.C. The last time I went, I ( Read more... ) -
Drew Carey
Wife has gone off to work in another state again this week. I am, again, with the kids. This means wake up early, take the Princess to school, hang out with Bootsy all day long dragging his talkative, energetic four-year-old self all over. Then picking the Princess up after track practice, dropping the kids at the baby-sitter and heading off to ( Read more... ) -
The End of National Poetry Month
Last month I posted thirty entries. That's a lot compared to the one that I did the month before. For every poem that I posted, I must've read about ten. I fell in love with poetry again. I thought I would feel a lot more anxiety about deciding which poems to post but I just put what I felt like typing that day. I'm sure if I ever did such a ( Read more... ) -
Toi Derricotte
I just wanted to post something from this woman, Toi Derricotte. I thought I might tell you about the jet-black girl I used to date, and how some members of the family thought I would date someone more "exotic." Or maybe ask you what you thought of our bi-racial president's first 100 days in office. How has race shaped public opinion of the man ( Read more... ) -
Claude McKay
I have heard it said that if you want to live forever plant a tree, have a child, write a book. Now that I have done all three, I feel no more immortal. It ain't so important that we live a long time but that we do something while we are here. We are all going to die. Some of us will not go without a fight.
( If We Must Die ) -
William Ernest Henley
I got my first real job when I was fourteen. It was a summer job tutoring younger kids. I was a pretty cocky 14-year-old because I always tested far above my grade level. So when the supervisors of this tutoring job decided that the tutors needed tutoring, I was livid. I did not sign up for summer school. Anyway, once I showed the supervisor ( Read more... ) -
Amiri Baraka
I doubt I will ever be as angry as this man but I hope to live as much by my own rules, putting as little energy into what others think of me.
( ”Return ) -
Gayle Danley
You knew that I would eventually put this artist in. And it's not just because I think she's hot. But when I entered the poetry scene in DC in the mid-nineties, my comedic style gained me some fans but not among page poets. Even my fans didn't gravitate to my more serious work and I began to think maybe I was over-performing. Then I saw Gayle ( Read more... ) -
Jake Wideman
Who said: There are a lot of people looking for Obama to save us. What a surprise it will be when they find we will have to save him.?
"Everybody looking for a hero/people need someone to look up to/never found anyone who could fill my needs.../so I learned to depend on me"--George Benson, the Greatest Love of All
"Yes WE can"--Obama
( For Malcolm ) -
Jabari Asim
My four-year-old son is watching Sponge Bob in French on the internet. He is proof that one needs not know how to read to navigate the net. He is proof that sometimes you get more than you hoped for, prayed for, deserve.
( Days Ahead and Journeys )