most bridges don’t naturally burn usually they just collapse under the weight of their own situation or some human pressing . . . . .
posts
new poem, untitled
after writing my life i edit my atmosphere rearrange reality and her spaces to save words to harness the power of breath to remove unneeded pieces a curator of live audio visual life decor i cut entire sections months and years as stanzas simply deleted like old acquaintances shoes with irreparable holes underwear elastic worn … Continue reading new poem, untitled
the sky can hold me up, pt. 1
the sky can hold me up pull me like liquid life from holy sites next to you in bed rolling nights into dreams waking up by your side cloud eight high off your inseams’ insights into the beginning of life itself take me back show me the path from rivers to hips rain to ripples … Continue reading the sky can hold me up, pt. 1
RE/MEMBER YOUR DESCENDANTS
2018 XABISO VILI – RE/MEMBER YOUR DESCENDANTS RE/MEMBER YOUR DESCENDANTS DC TOUR 2018 XABISO VILI #AZANIATODC 4/18 feature performance @ Busboys and Poets 5th & K Open Mic 8:45pm – 11:00pm $5 Details on event page. 4/19 presentation and performance @ Hillyer Art Space Culture Blast 7:00pm – 9:00pm $Free Details on event page. Hillyer Art Space, International Arts … Continue reading RE/MEMBER YOUR DESCENDANTS
my name
i teach a creative writing course for middle and high school aged students who are homeschooled. it's really fun and i appreciate the casual and community focused educational environment. one of my superstar students is a talented teenage poet who recently gave me a homework assignment, or challenge as i call them, to write a … Continue reading my name
Pretoria Mob Performs Illegal Eviction of Arts House in South Africa
Sunnyside, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa — 10 June 2017 Early Saturday morning around 8am a group of roughly 40-50 people, claiming to be a medley of community associations, stormed the property of Mthubi the Hub, a nonprofit arts organization based near Hatfield at 1005 Arcadia Street. The mob ransacked the arts house throwing all the … Continue reading Pretoria Mob Performs Illegal Eviction of Arts House in South Africa
listen first
you can buy your own freedom and enslave yourself
short poem
i love to say hello hate to say goodbye look you up and down then look you in the eye yearning for the future nostalgic for what’s passed wanna change the world but we’re still buying gas consumer and producer are we making love or am i just a pigeon mistaken for a dove … Continue reading short poem
Allen’s video project about me
turned out very well many interviews constantly telling my story people are curious Allen Michael McNair followed me for a few weeks was very dedicated and put together a nice piece a video about me "Spoken to the Youth" by Allen Michael McNair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BQUWSDRF48
photo update
here are a bunch of photos of me from the past couple years.
all around the world
i've been traveling a lot without updating my website. my apologies. in the summer of 2015 i took the DC Youth Slam Team to New York City, Philadelphia, Virginia Beach, Atlanta, Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Cape Town, South Africa. right now i am in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (with no young poets) for a much needed … Continue reading all around the world
South African Poets Join Hundreds of DC Area Teens for High School Poetry Slam Festival
South African Poets Join Hundreds of DC Area Teens for High School Poetry Slam Festival Washington, DC – The nation’s capital is home to both the youth and adult reigning national poetry slam champion teams from 2014. The Beltway Poetry Slam Team won the National Poetry Slam and the DC Youth Slam Team won the … Continue reading South African Poets Join Hundreds of DC Area Teens for High School Poetry Slam Festival
I Should’ve Cussed on the News
at the protests the news reporters keep coming up to me, asking my thoughts and why i'm there. i keep telling them there are better people to talk to and that i can put them in touch with some of the young black people leading this march. i might refuse to do the interviews from … Continue reading I Should’ve Cussed on the News
words that saved me today
so in a random online conversation with a former student now in college, amid regular talk of school and adjusting to college life, this student hits me with something I didn't expect. she was a relatively shy student and she probably never won nor entered a poetry slam. nevertheless she stayed involved and kept writing … Continue reading words that saved me today
NEA podcast
Josephine Reed at the National Endowment for the Arts interviewed me about my work with young people on the DC Youth Slam Team and with the national poetry and social justice nonprofit Split This Rock. It's a 28 minute pod cast you can hear online at http://arts.gov/audio/jonathan-tucker It starts with a student's poem, and the volume is low, … Continue reading NEA podcast
a quick 16
i'm not an ordinary mani'm extra understandeven when i'm going INi keep an exit planeyes on all sidesthey say they like my visionlearn lessons from the skieson how to keep on givingnever gettin gotyou can't steal the raini'm not tom pettybut i'm free falling mayneheartbreaker gimme glueduct tape and a minutelife ain't a competitionbut they … Continue reading a quick 16
David vs. Goliath Poetry Slam Sunday July 6th
As a fundraiser for both the adult and youth slam teams representing DC, we are having the Beltway Poetry Slam Team compete against the DC Youth Slam Team. It all goes down this Sunday, July 6th at Penn Social, 801 E Street, NW, Washington, DC. Come witness the amazing talent of DC's national slam teams. … Continue reading David vs. Goliath Poetry Slam Sunday July 6th
DJing dead prez show tonight
this is going to be major. i'm hyped to meet and rock with some revolutionary hip-hop icons tonight. all part of 5 days for the Cuban 5. The International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5 presents the DC launch party for "BATTLE CRY FOR CUBA AND ZIMBABWE," a project of M1 and … Continue reading DJing dead prez show tonight
JBT 