why you should wait

i know you wanna go coz all day you gotta wait gotta wait for the train and then wait at the gate wait for the show and wait to have fun and then wait until you can go wait for a bus wait to use cuss words when it's okay wait to play major leagues … Continue reading why you should wait →

west virginia hills

this week i have been teaching performance poetry in rural west virginia. specifically north central west virginia in doddridge county. i've been staying with the teacher who brought me out here, and can honestly say that i have never seen a house or community further back in the woods. the gravel road that leads to … Continue reading west virginia hills →

i want a real love

i want a real love i don't want a halmark, disney, fairytale love i don't want a flowers and chocolate and let's lie to each other just to make it work love don't want your make-up, hair, nails and heels plastic love or your i'm so real i'm unreal, get used to it love NO … Continue reading i want a real love →

Many Climaxes Coming

On the occasion of my father's retirement from 37 years of service to the Prince George's County Public Schools, I delivered this poem. from beard to bald, pre-K to 6 i swear, there is a time i remember when my dad had hair brown like mine a poet might say he sacrificed it for the … Continue reading Many Climaxes Coming →

start with a joke

everybody likes a joke. even a bad one. the attempt alone is enough to sometimes win over an audience. they know that you know that they want to laugh and have fun, and even if you aren't making them laugh, at least you're trying. this is JBT's random unsolicited advice. thanks for joining us.