SUM OF POETICS

So it's a few weeks before the end of the 2005-2006 teaching poetry season for me. I've taught 2-3 parks, and six schools, and at one community center. I started back in August 2005 planning for a few organizations, and it started off with a blaze. I have added first grade, second grade, third grade, sixth grade to my roster along with my seventh and fifth graders and 11th graders. With all these grades I've had to step it up a bit, mixing in between traditional poems like "IAM" and seasonal poems, to non traditional poems like Eintous, Haikus, Cinquains, Lanterns, Foot Poems, Political Commentaries, Community poems. Some of the poets I taught were Saul Williams, Langston Hughes, Tupac, Nikki Giovanni, youth poetry from the parks, my own poetry, and local poets. I've had one confrontation (at the high school) and I had to write up five students at an elementary school. I've had to deal with some seriously tripped out behavioral issues, trying to mix up the poetry teaching with my own goal of empowering and inspiring students to write their stories with realness from their own souls. It's thirteen days away and that's it until September 2006. We've had students published online, some of my schools have honored me by having poetry boards outside the class room, and coaching students for performances, oratory contests, and other events. I have worked with over 300 students in 10 months. The best experience was returning to my elementary school to teach poetry and the refreshing class is the first graders. They have such wonderment.

I think most of my exercises were great, except the "alliteration" exercise. It wasn't well received and it's not the one I use a lot. My high schoolers dug the political/social poetry exercise that generated some wonderful commentaries about living in the hood. I'm stuck on which grade was best, but my fifth graders at Kozminski and Faraday were a tie. I loosened my straight laced poetry teaching this year a bit. I didn't focus as much on the form, and focused more on the content of the work. I also added some cool things like poetic chants at the beginning of class and using music for writing time in some of my schools.

The next two weeks, I am going to just chill. I have no more poems to teach. I literally have one week left at two schools and it's almost time to say goodbye. My fifth graders at Revere, my most challenging school, wrote me "goodbye poems". Oh, I didn't even expect that. Yes, I had to act real hard that day but it was very touching and I did appreciate their words. I'll visit them tommorrow to drop off some poetic gifts.

I'm still with my South Shore crew for a last workshop on tommorrow.

They say breaking up is hard to do, but when you are in the schools almost a full year, letting go will be hard to do. I will miss the "Ms. Osbey" and chants of "Ms Pam" while walking through schools, hugs from all my students, and having just general conversations with them about their lives. There are some amazing young writers and I have stacks of poems at home to prove it.

The count down is on and I'm happy but also a little melancholy. Children have definitely helped me as much as they think I've helped them. It's a two way street.

Enjoy the week folks~

Mocha S.

The Value of Fifteen Dollahs

Two days ago, I got an email stating that author Nikki Woods and Malcolm Jamal Warner would be at Chicago's Hothouse. I wasn't sure, but I knew that Malcolm was into spoken word and so I quickly grabbed my credit card and secured my ticket immediately. The event was to highlight his band, The Miles Long Experience, an experience, I must say was out of my skin bubbling with hot jazz exploding on it. A whispering of the most beautiful type of neo-soul music, spoken word, and jazz entertained the crowded set at the event on Sunday night at the Hothouse, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the moment I left home to go to the event. So it's like 8:04 when I hit the door of the event. Outside of the event I hear a sister vocalizing, she had a beautiful voice and later i would see her on the stage as one of the background singers. As I walk up the stairs to the lounge, I was pretty content that I deleted my favorite two shows - Cold Case Files and CSI for one night, so I could check out the set and soak up some good music. I quickly found myself seated at a table and was joined by another positive brother, John, who was visiting Chicago for the weekend, and lived in Champaign, IL where he works for the company, Frito Lays. As I sit and chat with him, I see my sister, from Prolific Writers, Miss Nikki Woods, a radio personality for WGCI, and we hug and chat about her experience at the Book Expo America this past weekend. She was decked out in a beautiful white diva top with jeans. She was setting up her booth with her book, Easier Said Than Done, and her business partner, Kim, was at the booth greeting people. Around 8:35 pm, the doors opened to the actual concert space and John and I found ourselves seated right in front of the stage, on the left side, an excellent seat and I ordered a Merlot (red wine) while waiting for the first band to open up the set. A great band, The David Boykins Band opened up the set, a saxophone player, with a tight band who really gave us six hot tunes to fill our souls. Half way through the set, I saw Def Poetry Jam's Redstorm in the house. He gave me a hug and told me had some new music for me. I told him I'd buy a CD before the night ended. Later in the set again, I saw one of my favorite poets, who I actually met before I became "MochaSistah" and that's my house head, poeticking, Khari B, aka "Discopoet" who's just a real nucca, and just as cool as he can be. He stays the same way, every time I see him. He's just the same. I love real folks first ya know. Anyway, he reminded me he has a performance at the Hothouse on June 2nd, so you know I gotta support my poetry brother, right? After David Boykins band performs its last joint, Nikki Woods comes up to introduce Lorenzo Owens, who was the winner of Oprah Winfrey's Pop Star Challenge in 2004. I remember seeing Lorenzo on Soul Train, and as I saw him on the stage belting out his music, I was reminded of like a very polished singer in the vein of many that have been out there, I mean, Lorenzo was enjoying his space and worked the stage very well and his vocal ability blew me and John away. It was like so perfect not one note was messed up. While Lorenzo was performing, I was on my second drink, a glass of White Zinfindel, when I saw Shawn of Qi Music Group, who just happened to be sitting on the Miles Long Experience Band Set later in the night. Anyway, Lorenzo sang mainly love ballads. After he finished his set, our lovely host Nikki came back on and introduced Malcolms band, quipping that he had "incense" going on upstairs and she told us that Theo Done Grown Up. Honey she didn't lie. At first as the band set themselves up I didn't see him because he had on jeans and a black shirt that stated, "Africa Needs Us" and his hair was back (it's locked) and he whipped out that guitar, but beneath it all I did notice the brother is definitely fine sisters. Yes, he is fine. Nikki didn't lie. The man was just as a chiseled bronze creature. He was too damn cooll. The band had Shawn on keyboards, two back ground singers, a female and male, and another guitarist, and David Boykin came back to play on that set as well as another chicago native, who played his trumpet. I can't remember all the names. But the set was filled with some interesting tunes, including a song about a stripper, yes, that's right a stripper song, that basically was about how a brother ummm, gets sucked in by the lap dance, but he goes home to his woman. ha ha. I really dug the song about long distance relationships. He talked about how him and his woman had to deal with him taping the show "Jeremiah" which he joked only four people saw it. It was a show on HBO and at the time, he was in the relationship with his lady, he was in Canada and she was in California. He talked about how the distant thickened the love he had with her. I thought that was beautiful. Anyway, the song, "Project Image" was an ode to hip hop and it was one of the many tunes that I really felt deeply. His entire set was over 1 hour close to 1 and 1/2 and we still wanted more. After ending the set, Malcolm ended up signing copies of the CD, "Miles Long Mix Tape" which I was third in the line to get signed, and he did greet us individually and with grace. He is on his way to Atlanta, dang, I wish I could get there to see the show again. He was excellent. Please support the brother. Visit Malcolm online at www.myspace.com/malcolmjamalwarner Soooo, the fifteen dollahs I spent on my ticket was well spent. It was priceless. It was really nice to hang out with positive spirits and relaxing before a huge week of work. So yes, i definitely did enjoy every note and my musical spirit was filled up to capacity. I'm still listening to the CDs I bought from Red storm and Malcolm. It was worth any dime I spent. What's the value of your fifteen dollahs?

Hair Chronicles III

I'm in my third month of locking. It's been pretty stressless. My hair is locking fine. It has been interlocked but it's clear to me that I have to just let my hair do it's own thing. I'm not trying to get a certain look or anything like that because I like how my own locks are defining themselves. I like my lock stylist and if you want to view Shavon's online portfolio, I can post here later this month. I have a lot of my students wanting Shavon to work on their hair. Anyway, my hair is growing. It's a simple wonderful process. I visit with Shavon every 3-4 weeks for re-tightening, I maintain the locks myself in between using Carol Daughter's oil, lock gel, water and dry shampoos. My hair is very fine quality, not really thick but I have been noticing a few folks who have the same texture of hair I do - men and women alike, so there's hope for me yet. I'm hoping by the end of the summer, it will be much longer. But so far, it's all good. Have a great day~

Guns On a Monday

Imagine a day that starts off with the sun blazing, the birds chirping, softness of your pillow against your face, and silence of a day God has blessed you with again. Imagine, you spend most of your day, enjoying your freedom, peace and space, and for most of the day it's productive until you brave the day...This is the beginning of my sunny day. It was 3pm, when I made my way over to West Haven to work with my youth IT group. The group center is located in the area of West Haven that is located down the street from the United Center where the Chicago Bulls plays their games. And in an area that is genetrifying, white folks living in an area that used to be mainly occupied by low income residents. An area that is still weeding out low income residents or forcing them out because manly of them cannot afford the high income requirements for the tree lined houses that occupy the area now. Two blocks away from the United Center, there are still projects, and gang bangers hanging on the corner, liquor heads, and drug dealers, and the occasional music bumping hooptie that flies through the streets near Washington where I am to head up my IT group. My gear of choice this day was athletic shoes, jogging pants, lady locks pulled back, and a blue and white warming jacket on, because of course, Chicago's winds were ruffling up a bit. At 3:30 pm, I stroll in the liquor store to grab some snacks for my youth group. At 3:40 pm, and I'm happy to see the motorcycle group practicing, mainly upper class white folks with nice Harley Davidson's. As I cross the streets and enter the Major Adams Academy, all appears well. The security monitor is asleep at the desk as I jump up the stairs, and I see absolutely no one in the hallways but I hear a choir of voices as I enter the Computer lab. The kids are having their fun, it's the younger baby computer group, ages five through eleven. They basically are on the internet, playing computer games, dressing up flexible Barbie-doll like images, and boys are on Cheater Codes or other game oriented sites. They are running around and playing, it's children being themselves, with a little ribbing from me because they need to go to the gym to do their running.

Closer to 4:30 pm, I don't have any students except Darious. It's an weird feeling that takes over me, because I know something is up. I'm worried. This is strange. My kids in IT normally call my cell phone or are in class on time, mostly. I called my group around 4:25pm, then around 4:45, my cell phone rings as though it's on fire. Students are saying there's shooting outside the building. I'm calm for the most part. Not really nervous but when Donisha calls me telling me the gangbangers are doing outside on Washington Street, I had to shut down my class. I told kids to get their butts home, walked them over to the side streets where they could cut home. The police was outside checking out the scene. Alonzo was dropped off by our Site Manager, and I cut out of there like Flo Jo. Thank god for the gym shoes. It's a Monday and the gangbangers already cutting up. What is a sister to do. I pray that none of my late students showed up for class. I tried to call kids, but most of my kids, would call the other kids to warn them of the situation, and I just had to put it in God's hands.

I made the decision to close my class down in five minutes flat. My students were worried about the stipend issue, because if they miss class, they get docked money, I told them I would not dock them. It was more important for them to get home safe than be in class. I gave the assignment as a homework assignment and hopefully things will cool down by Wednesday's class. If not, we'll have to go to plan B because our community workshop was scheduled for Thursday May 25th, but like I told them, we have to go with the flow and see what happens. Push come to push, it can be changed to another type of program, and as long as we all work on it, it's all good. Today's lesson: Some things are more important than others. Grace under fire is a great thing.

That's lesson #2 from my Mother. I have learned very well not to get nervous working in the community. I don't know if this has to do with dealing with serious life issues early in my life, or that I have thick skin. I just know it's okay. Eventually everything will flow back into the direction that I really wanted, but more importantly needed.

Oh, and I hope one day these gangbangers understand there are so many people who get hurt by what they do in the community. Putting down the gun can be a good thing. Stop getting locked up for no reason. Building your environment, not tearing it down, can be a beautiful thing.

Have a blessed week,
Mocha Sistah

Literary Entrees: Chef Walee & New Jersey

You know the kind of taste you get off your tongue after you have consumed a great meal, or the kind of feeling you get when you have enjoyed the last of the favorite snack of yours? Well, that’s the feeling I got on my tongue after consuming the best meal Newark, New Jersey had to offer at Priory Restaurant. A nice little quaint restaurant nestled in the heart of Newark, NJ, has sounds of light jazz and vocalizing, and a great spread of breakfast and brunch items including, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, sweet yams, Carolina spicy wings, fresh fried fish, Baked Ziti, and assortment of desserts including Carrot Cake, Chocolate Cake, and Pound Cake, it has the nerve to provide on site staff that will create customized fresh omelets if you choose to get. It was at Priory that I was tasting the best Macaroni and Cheese, Turkey Breast, Collard Greens, and other tasty culinary dishes, as provided by my literary brother and guru, Walee of New Jersey along with poet Diamond and Austin Texas’s, Kennard. We had a great time after collecting our thoughts on Walee’s second literary helping, What’s On the Menu: All of Me, booksigning which will held last night at Sienna Visions Gallery in Plainfield, NJ. I felt so honored to be asked to read selected poems last night when all my intention was to get a few days of rest in lovely New Jersey. I so appreciated the warm welcome from all who attended and I encourage if you are in the area, please visit the Gallery and support the wonderful work of the owners, Alonzo and Cyndie Adams (http://www.siennavisions.com/index.html). Please support their wonderful work.

But before we continue to talk about the literary program I attended, I wanted to give you some highlights from the trip. My best relaxation moments came from Terminal A and Terminal B of the Newark International Airport. In Terminal A, I was able to get a foot massage. Now, if you know anything about me, I normally don’t even take that much time out for me, but I had to so I got a massage which was delightful. After getting my foot massaged, I went in search of nail polish, but ended up finding a great spa that would give me one of the best pedicures I have ever had. The spa is called d_parture Spa (http://www.departurespa.com/) and there I received good customer service, my toes were dipped in water with oils, ahhh , yes, it was so relaxing and yes, they looked damn good. See, I had to get the toes done because of my open toe shoes that I wanted to wear with my outfit for Walee’s event. I couldn’t go up in there looking all wild. After one hour of toes getting beautified, I also chose to get a wax and went to find some collectibles – some tee-shirts, authentic New Jersey Taffy, and a light lunch before meeting up with Diamond (http://beautifulredrose.blogspot.com/) and dashing to get myself ready for the event.

I chose five selected poems to share at the event, including, Dreaming (a bilingual poem that I actually recited off the ‘dome’), Blond Bomb Shell (praise poem for Diamond), Anticipation (sensual joint #1), Come Undone (from Exotica II – sensual joint #2), and another poem I can’t remember at this time. The event rolled off with TC Matthews Co-founder of Prolific Writers Network, a writers group I have been a member of for a number of years (join PWN for free here - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/prolificwriters/) , then a few New Jersey business owners of some cultural and employment opportunities that help artists, business owners and other positive individuals. Diamond read some very excellent poems that moved a lot of us, but my favorite was the stirring, Unpaid Mistress, joint that definitely made us all think…~

Walee turned heads with selected poems from his book, and the favorite I loved was “How Could You?” A piece that is a mystery in the way it is written because there’s a story that is being told and you need to listen up and keep yourself open for the shocking ending. Walee’s delivery of course is so real, so smooth that you forget where you’re at. Walee’s event was well organized and attended by New Jersey’s finest. A few out of towners, like me, and others from as far as Austin, Texas crowded the gallery. I believe I stopped counting heads after I was in the middle of my set. Books were sold, food was eaten and a good time was enjoyed by all. I had a few CD sales but a lot of love and feedback on my performances.

I got down to my toes during the set ~ For some reason, I just had to get comfortable, so my shoes came off but I don’t think it bothered anyone a bit.

I got a tour of New Jersey by TC on Saturday that was pretty cool. I saw Rutger’s University, Penn Station and a few other places of note.

I encourage you all to visit Walee’s website and please purchase one for yourself or a loved one. Get a glass of wine, and let the literary culinary session begin. You will get full of the offerings in the book. Note to the wise, this is a Grown UP folks collection that is mentally and emotionally satisfying. You will get full.

Walee’s site is: http://www.confessionsbywalee.com/

As for me, I am going to relax and enjoy the rest of my time off. I wish you well and a productive blessed week.

Thanks to all who attended the event, gave me love, bought CDs and gave me tons of encouragement. I’ll tuck those in with me tonight and always.

~ Mocha Sistah

Hitting The Ground Running

I have tons of things to do today, but wanted to try to post something before I gather my wits, poems, and drag my suitcase on the plane tommorrow for the weekend trip to New Jersey. Let's recap this week. I had jury Duty, which was so boring that I can't believe I got out of there enough to miss the 400,000 marchers of the Immigration Rallies in Chicago on Monday. I count myself lucky because I know how crowded it could have been, but I saved myself by 1) avoiding regular transportation and 2) spending extra money and taking the Metra home. I understand that the United States might want to secure its borders, but why you wait until now to try to put a law that will make it a crime for those who have abided by the laws for a specific amount of years, with no crime background, who's had to pass a citizenship test, paid $330 per application per person, and tell 14 Million People they are going to have to go back from whence they came. How about the employers who chose to employ the illegals and made money off of them? How about the tons of children who are legal citizens but there parents aren't? Now we create broken families? And for those who say they are made that the illegals have taken american jobs. I know a few Americans who don't want to sit in no hot sun picking out oranges, and other fruits or vegetables, or sit in a hot factory doing work that is not pretty. Why wasn't a Guest Worker program put in place before September 11th. I don't think it's fair to cry wolf all of a sudden, and rush through a law that will affect millions. This is America for crying out loud~

One day we gonna get it together, but for today I guess I'll settle for us trying to have open conversations about this issue. It affects so many people, communities and businesses. If we are going to penalize those crossing the borders, how about those employers? Landlords who took their rent monies? Umm, just food for thought.

Why I'm so deep on a Thumping Thursday? We are doing community poems in my classes today. I'm hoping for more than the usual, "Community Is" poem. I hope to see some real issues raised in the poems today.

I've got a ton of things to do before I hit the road. Write an artist bio, umm, not sure that's going to get done. My house will be rocking tonight - CDs burning, poems printing, and my bedroom will be a wreck before I leave. You know it's so hard for ladies to find that perfect outfit. A sistah got to look somewhat good. I might have to go shopping tonight after my high school classes.

Anyway, I'm hitting the ground running. The sun is peeking through my windows. That tells me everything is going to be alright. Praying for a beautiful day and a healing nation, I bid you adieu.

~ Mocha Sistah