Life on Saturday

I'm going to tell you something important. A lot of us are going nuts over virtually all of President Camacho's cabinet picks. Many are grossly unqualified, many of which believe the opposite than the spirit of the position would dictate. They're all detached rich folks who don't give a damn about the common person. All of these things are true. But guess what, they're all going to pass. Even Devos, who is even less qualified for her position than Camacho himself (and that's saying something!) got through. They're all going to get through. They have the numbers. We can make calls, sign petitions, get upset but there really isn't too much we can do about it. You wanna know where we can make a difference? Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. Gorsuch is likened by many as another Scalia. Some have said he's even MORE conservative than Scalia! That is truly scary. The Senate will need 60 yes votes for him to be confirmed if the Dems filibuster. There are not 60 Republican senators. This is a battle we can win. We need to start researching Gorsuch and understanding who he is and then putting heat on the Democrats in the Senate to FIGHT his nomination. Lives may very well depend on this. I'm learning and trying to understand that instead of freaking out over every gaslighting and/or distractionary tactic made by the administration we need to focus our energy on the big fights, the ones we can win despite Republican majorities across our government. Let's do what we can to stop Gorsuch's nomination and while we are at it, the 2018 elections are less than 2 years away! 33 of the 100 Senate seats will be up for grabs, 23 Dems, 8 GOP and 2 Independents. That should be a focus. If the Republicans get a filibuster proof majority of the Senate, it's game over folks. While I want there to be a 3rd major party of progressives and I want to fight the 2-party system, we have to get prepared and think long term here. People are waking up and that's great but let's not spin our wheels freaking out about tweets and crap we cannot do anything about. We should have a plan so that we can follow up great moments like the Women's march and turn them into great movements.

"I wear my heart on my sleeve perpetually broken so all I do is bleed disappointed in everyone I meet because they can't help me band aids drown in the red sea they can't help me to understand that broken means it can be fixed if I believe all I am is not all I can be heart broken perpetually it must be broken by me"

A little birdie landed on the podium as Bernie Sanders spoke to a crowd in Portland, OR. Trump would have insulted it and then he would have tried to crush it with his hand because an egomaniac like Trump shares a podium with NO one. Cruz would have lied to it, then tried to kill it while calling for increased surveillance of ALL the sparrows in America. Kasich would have tried to start a conversation with it but the bird would have ignored him and Bernie, well Bernie actually said; "I think there's some symbolism here. That little bird is really a dove asking us for world peace." Awww, you crazy Democratic Socialist. What delightful sentiment.

Oh by the way, in case you were wondering, Hillary would have said the exact same thing Bernie said, but she'd say it 2 months from now.

Poetry is dead… or so I keep hearing if it is I’d like to say a few words on its’ behalf It’s not like it used to be once upon a time poets were celebrities but now we don’t respect our contemporaries If it’s easy, online I’ll give it a quick look but don’t expect me to support small shows and self published books Poetry is not created with a camera but with a pen It’s created in dreams in quiet in the silence that acts as the calm before the storm before it gets unleashed in one of the chosen forms To rhyme? Free verse? Which is worse? Which is better? How can greatness be measured? It doesn’t even matter.

What came first the poet or the audience? If poetry died then the answer is obvious Before its’ demise great poets could fill small arenas but now we can’t get 50 people to see them And it’s sad because poetry is not a fad it’s a permanent endeavor that’s been around since forever Before records before hits even before Taylor Swift before film before video games before the internet became cynical and subversive poets were crafting verses that told stories, moments, myths that attempted to describe a bigger life than this so let’s not forget that popular song is desperately hiding the fact it’s substandard poetry all along Poetry is older than America wiser than despair but no one seems to care For every one that has there’s a thousand who haven’t most of them yawning at our “talent” Poetry is boring so says the person who is ignoring that poetry has always been the conscience of the masses If we’d only pay our respects poetry could rise from its’ ashes climb out of its’ casket and be reincarnated as collective passion I know it’s not currently in fashion But since when has poetry ever cared about how it looked? Would you rather embrace educated truth or be groped by sophisticated crooks?

If poetry is dead, who killed it? By and large poets have been replaced by musicians real life testimonies by well-crafted fiction the pen by musical instruments the origin by second-hand descriptions by actors with devious missions Most would rather hear about the rewards than the process we’re so obsessed with winning we’re still counting all our loses and then the words come rapid the words come vapid the poetry is dying we don’t know how it happened Poetry used to connect but now our imaginations have been replaced by special effects tricks gimmicks We can’t imagine how the beat generation did it you know without viral egos without videos without weekend heroes

You might think I sound bitter and jilted but I’m telling you poets also killed it…

This is for the non-believers Did you think poetry would be easier? Are you a failed actor? musician? or maybe you couldn’t make a decision But I wanna know… are you writing for yourself or to put on a show? don’t cop out and say both! Your performance may be strong but your performance is a con Did you “find your voice” to ease the burden of truth or to get more hits on youtube? Some of us write because we have to I’m never going to ask you what I should write about today Faking it is treason I’m not asking you to pay my rent my words are priceless but I'm not entitled to one damn cent! Give me substance and justice it’s the only way I trust this this pen doesn’t lie but hands can’t be trusted And this piece is 6 feet under the coffin is closing you hammer the final nail when you start decomposing Your lack of authenticity exposed poetry flatlined comatose but poetry lingers on if I’m not a poet I’m a ghost and I’m haunted by what poetry becomes when so called poets turn into murdering bums

We talk about clichés like bleeding on the page but do you even sweat your own sweat on it? Poetry with a plan is overthinking that isn’t knowledge you’re drinking it’s entertainment Then tomorrow is gone before you have a chance to save it before you can get famous Poetry isn’t perfect it’s had its’ share of miscues but the second you start feeling yourself poetry to the rescue! You think it’s gonna protect you you’re the voice for the voiceless until the voices come to get you We’re gonna bring it back… You see, poetry died once poetry lied but we’ll keep writing so poetry survives and carries on never mind The answer is in between waking words and poetic dreams Poetry dies when poets take themselves too seriously Like you’re gonna lift the entire earth with your inflated self-worth Your attempts to be humble are an insult to humility A humblebrag is not modesty you’re just a damn phony If your message is loud but you don’t believe what your poem’s supposed to be about I’m calling you out Poets need to be brave but it’s not enough to show us your sack or your rack you have to show more than that You have to show anyone listening the reason you need to speak I don’t write to make my dick hard   I do it for the release Put down the fucking pen if you don’t know what that means

This plea doesn’t care about structure or timing I realize I’m doing this rhyming Judge my words in rhythm then take away the wisdom or ignore my style altogether and just forget ‘em A message so easily misconstrued whether you’re a critic or a writer; make yourself uncomfortable it’s good for you Pens are everywhere but so few will commit poetry is life but you can’t live on it maybe that’s why it’s thought of as dead but go ahead write the eulogy it’s not as lifeless as you think because it dies so beautifully When life gets too quiet real poets can’t be silent   As we’ve always done we’re gonna use our voices to resurrect the remedy Until somebody hears us…

maybe poetry is dead allow me to speak in its’ memory

"In Europe people are comfortable with their bodies in America the naked truth can't be touched Yo baby how much? Until you’ve had enough of role playing or living vicariously through other people’s fantasies. They have money bags with personal price tags a system designed for douchebags Capitalism is what we serve but it’s not a dirty word it’s a cult We worship the price of everything and as a result We’ve lost the value of a life."

a section from my new piece "Prostitutes"

"What makes it easy for the extrovert to be the life of the party is just as easy for us to be tired of it The noise the sounds everything is so loud this party is our solitary confinement our torture zone because the more people gather around me the more I feel alone Around a crowd you might feel connected while I feel surrounded I’m ready to wave the white flag and find an escape route You don’t understand what Introverts go through because we adapt to you."

Schedule of upcoming poetry performances:

Wed. 12/17: Screening Room, 3131 Sheridan Dr. Northtown Plaza Open mic appearance at their Third Wednesday reading series. 1-2 pieces, 7pm, $2

Sat. 12/20: Wordism, Sato Restaurant, 739 Elmwood Ave Open mic appearance, 1-2 pieces, 9-11pm, FREE

Sat. 12/27: ART OF WNY: POETRY, PROSE & OPEN MIC EVENING, American Repertory Theater, 16 Linwood Ave. FEATURE Performance, 15-20 minutes, 7-9pm, $5

Sun. 12/28: Pure Ink Poetry Slam, Gypsy Parlor, 376 Grant St. Poetry Slam appearance, 1-2 pieces, 6:30pm, $5

Fri. 1/30: Grant St.Neighborhood Center, 271 Grant St. Special ALL AGES poetry slam, 1-2 pieces, time TBA

"Some of the greatest people who ever lived had so much love to give... it's no coincidence"