i just had to re-post this great article by Tim Wise. Let’s play a game, shall we? The name of the game is called “Imagine.” The way it’s played is simple: we’ll envision recent happenings in the news, but then change them up a bit. Instead of envisioning white people as the main actors in … Continue reading imagine the tea party was black
posts
8th graders
are awesome and can write some really deep poetry i had the pleasure of meeting and working with about 30 students this morning and (keeping in mind that i was on the 2009 dc slam team and am competing to be on the 2010 dc slam team) the quality of their work had me floored. … Continue reading 8th graders
a bit of truth for the world
all the joy the world contains has come through wishing happiness for others all the misery the world contains has come through wanting pleasure for oneself ~Shantideva, The Way of the Bodhisattva
opened mic
join me at the garden, a lovely communtiy arts event at bloombars every monday night. i have opened a mic there and some wonderful people are showing their colors this time of year. check it out at http://www.bloombars.com
national underground spokenword poetry awards
our friends at great publishing are sponsoring the 2010 national underground spokenword poetry awards on may 1st at the l'enfant hotel. you can still nominate poets if you register at nuspa.greatpublishing.com. there is only one more week to nominate poets, groups, venues, hosts for awards. then the online voting will begin in april along with … Continue reading national underground spokenword poetry awards
mobilizing for impact
need to post again, don't mean to boast my friend, i'm just reopening, the page and hoping when you read you learn what's goin down tomorrow morning we gonna run this town (ima be performing to help open up the community leaders conference with my friend Brandon, more of my friends at the United Way, … Continue reading mobilizing for impact
national clearinghouse on family and youth
quoted, i am, in this article. it is called "Teaching Youth the Power of Words" and can be found here i say things like “It’s not about poetry,” says Jonathan Tucker, a slam poet and freelance workshop facilitator in Washington, DC. “It’s about giving people what they need to deal with the world.”
another friday. another year.
we gon keep the slams coming, we will. check the info. i hope you can make it to one or both of these events. the last one was fantastic. we had a packed house and a full list of poets slamming. it was a fully fun weekend. it was also my birthday on sunday. another … Continue reading another friday. another year.
a young hot mess
will be rockin the mic friday night in columbia heights. you gotta come check this out. and it's free! no haters. hope to see you and ur peeps there. if not, we gots another one on march 5th at the fort davis rec center in southeast, dc and the dc yout slam team finals are … Continue reading a young hot mess
new book
here it is! finally, my latest book of poetry is ready for sale. only $8. you can buy it online and i'll send you a copy, signed sealed delivered, it's yours! just click the picture below. get yours before they sell out.
show thursday on U street
hope you can make it. this is gonna be a crazy awesome fun show. and guess what, it's totally FREE! no age restriction, no cover charge, no problems. donations are always appreciated.
rising to the occassion
giving in to output economies competing with birds for pecking order inserting seeds in earthworm inches stretching chances like smiles across 60-year-old fences standing stubbornly tall in the night I want Banksy to paint a window to paradise on your walled arms graffiti on your guts like the colors of the red line blurred past … Continue reading rising to the occassion
more snow than we can handle
from the window of my friend's house in Mt. Pleasant, DC (there is no Mount at all, it's just a nice name). perhaps i will go play, maybe shovel some steps for neighbors. this artist could use the income. perhaps i could shovel enough to earn my lunch and dinner. that's not too difficult, huh? … Continue reading more snow than we can handle
DJ phenomeJon
at the red hot house party january 2010
a spark and a breath in
I had to walk across a desert just to find my own feet I had to break a few hearts just to hear one beat picking up the pieces now I’m puzzled when I weep drinking tears to clean my mouth so my soul can simply speak I had to say everything so I could … Continue reading a spark and a breath in
no joke
I sat down in front of my computer and thought that I could pound out a poem that would suck me, you, and the rest of this room into it like a tornado, but instead I projectile vomited clichéd meta-whores in a start-stop jerking train of thought that went about three intellectual inches before falling … Continue reading no joke
look away
a pause and a breath then nothing perhaps a stare unfocused unaware unwilling to go there ourselves we cannot even look the dead have names we read and remember we read and forget a pause here or there we pay our respect as though we recognize what we owe no service rendered save for the … Continue reading look away
lo siento
it has been way too long since my last post. please forgive me. i've been busy with the work of life. you know how it is. i've been juggling two jobs, several volunteer efforts, and some fantastic new relationships. today is the national celebration of our hero, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and … Continue reading lo siento
JBT 