poetry – Page 17 – Res Wonderland

April 2, 2018April 2, 2018

World poetry Day

March 23rd is world poetry day. The United nations like to commend all the worldwide poets for their poems and teaching to inspiring mind. Okay. That cool. But I see today as the preliminary round before the big event. So, you can do a few poems is a day. Now let’s try 30 days. National poetry writing month is around the corner.

No one
Ever
Visions an
Enchanted
Reality#WorldPoetryDay #acrostic #poems #poetry #poetrycommunity #vss

— CharRon Resolution (@CharRonESmith) March 21, 2018

Langston Hughes & Blues poems

I have been studying and researching poetry. I have been studying blue poetry of Langton Hughes and blue singers. Reviewing the cadence, AAA, AAB stanzas, repetition and styles and examining his classic: Weary Blues.

April 2, 2018April 3, 2018

Movie lover (Triolet)

My great pleasure is at the movie
A Popcorn & drink as I sit content
Watch several flicks that were groovy
My great pleasure is at the movie
It feels like a strawberry smoothie
I use reward points like dollars spent
My great pleasure is at the movie
A Popcorn & drink as I sit content

April 1, 2018January 8, 2020

Letter to Bose (early bird prompt)

Hey, boo

When I get home from a long day. You know what I need to hear. Your sweet whispers send me into the atmosphere. You nimble on my ears and massage my head. I lay on the couch. You put me to bed. Last line was fuzzy. Just alittle EQ. Yeah,

Listen, you sock me up and never stop, slam your O.P.P on me until whoop, there it is! Ah, the good life as my crush on you grooves my senses. This is just the start. You play your part in my exotica. Look what you started, such a power play. What can I say.

We walk outside and I listen to you all day. Okay, some people say I am being inconsiderate, since their opinions, I’m not hearing. But, that how I’m feeling. My day was bad, Boss was mad and time with you is all I had. So be it.
Can you believe their jealousy? Because they see you rocking your accessories. I reward you for given me clarity. Top that, ladies. It’s sounds like they don’t know you. Sony is phony. Panasonic needs help. Beats by Dre are diabolical. Every hero needs their music and you choose it and don’t abuse it. I relax with you when I’m all alone.

To you, my lovely Bose headphones.

March 31, 2018

Good deed

Who enjoys a good deed? Me. Well, that depends. I was waiting at the bus stop near Natomas marketplace. I got a bag of full of tacos and a burrito. A definite Taco Tuesday entree. After eating, people started appearing at the stop to wait for the bus also. Traffic was busy and moving. Drivers racing to get to the freeway or marketplace.
Suddenly, a SUV broke down in the far left lane next to the island. The driver was waiting for the red traffic light. When the light changed green, all the cars passed the starting line except the SUV. It stalled and the driver was scared. She turned on her hazard light and waited. In a dangerous area, car approached with a sudden stop and carefully went around the stalled SUV. I evaluated the situation. I knew I couldn’t push it myself, so I waited and viewed the situation. The bus was late and the SUV was stuck in the left lane. What do I do?

Then a guy got off the bench and started to walk over.
I asked as he passes me: are you going over to help?
“Yep!” He said confidently.
“Cool, let go.” I say with assurance.

We run into traffic, with our backpacks on, to the SUV. He lets the woman driver know we are here to help. I get behind the SUV and start to push. She hasn’t release the emergency brake yet. He commands her to release the brake. She releases the brake. The SUV starts to move. There is no traffic so we are to clear to cut across the street.

I assumed she would turn right towards the side entrance into marketplace. But she didn’t. She aims for the main entrance. The downhill makes the SUV easy and fast to move. But we reach the bottom and the weight of the Suv starts to reveal itself. This thing is heavy. My legs are spazz and heart races. She takes right into the main entrance with an elevation that I have never noticed before. This SUV is heavy. We struggle to push this SUV to safety while the bus has arrived, has picked up the passengers at the stop, and leaves.
‎I groan: “she better appreciate this.”
‎as we pushed on the cobblestone. She maneuver to the gas station. My lungs are trying to catch a breath. When did a good deed turn into a full body work out?

“Hey. good job. Name’s Josh!” He said between breath.
“CharRon.” I said, exhaling.

The lady driver jumps out and thanks her rescuers.

“Thank you, Thank you!” She shouts.
“No problem. You take care, ma’am.” I say with a tired smile.
Josh and I walk back to the Bus stop. We talk about our appreciation for each other. He pulls out two bottles of water from his backpack and passes me one. I crack my open the bottle cap and take a swig. We both sit on the bench exhausted. Both smiling as we wait for the next bus.

So to all those about to do a good deed, tell them the whole plan or you, too, will be pushing heavy objects uphill.

Good deeds need people
Work for soul. Love for creatures.
Angel’s feathers earned

August 31, 2017April 3, 2018

Dark towers

I
Enter
Words of Dark
Suicide Thoughts
In to a cellphone
So when it’s discovered
People will read about me
And the demon that inside of me
Help, my mental is detached
I touch a screen of ghost
Poltergeist, they’re here
Numbers are pressed
It’s ringing
Hello?
No

August 31, 2017August 31, 2017

Iambic: 6 months as a publisher

I created and published a local literary zine / guide book in Sacramento that has been in circulation for six months. It is called Iambic. Click here to head over to the Iambic Tab. I never thought I would be a magazine publisher but here is why I did it. This article below was added to Iambic issue 6:

Downtown Sacramento offers dozen of venues for art events. Second Saturday just shows a glimpse of it. On any given day, you can find visual arts, music, comedy, burlesques, and theater plays.

There is also large poetry community. I have been part of Sacramento poetry for the past two years. I entered the scene with little knowledge of the scope of poetry in Sacramento. Over the past two years, I have dedicated time and energy to seeking out as many poetry forums as I can find. I visited over a dozen venues and special events, met hundreds of poets in the area who regularly perform and have even worked with several on projects. What became apparent was that Sacramento lacked an up-to-date resource where people can seek out events, venues, coaches, and information about the Sacramento poetry scene. I looked at what had been established and decided that a zine would be appropriate for these three simple factors:

Eskimo Pie website is online but it is not maintained anymore.

When I moved to Sacramento from Stockton in October 2015, I checked the Eskimo pie website (www.eskimopie.net). It offered a calendar for open mic venues and poetry events in the Central Valley community. It was established by Rebecca Morrison, well known poet in the Sacramento poetry community. I had the fortune to meet Rebecca during her personal trip back to the states. The site became a great blueprint to model sections in Iambic.

Display unknown people’s poetry, visual arts and short stories.

I learn one of the big caveats in literary magazines is that any work posted on social media is considered to be published. Poets and writers want to present their work to the masses but Industry wants to be the first to do it. Poets and writers early in their careers need small publications looking for new and unique works to feature them. Iambic offers a no-cost way to submit your work for consideration for publication. We publish frequently and our scope is very broad. I also created a “Youth Poet” section which feature poets less than 25 years of age.

Be a guide to a large poetry community

I was alone when I moved to Sacramento. I got a position at The Art institute, and was living with roommates. My friend circle was bleak. I needed to find an activity to distract me from this. I discovered the Sacramento Poetry Center. I went to an open mic and was interested with poetry again. So, I asked a few poets about other venues and they directed me to them. So, I checked out all the open mic venues in the area and it became a habit. I started participating in open mics and studying to be a poet and spoken word artist. But, I notice that not all poets go to every open mic venue or workshop in town regularly. Poets started noticing and asking me about different venues. I would give them my analysis and I became known as a circuit poet.

Conclusion

I created Iambic to serve my poetry community as a guide since; there are a variety of venues for patrons and workshops for poets to work on their craft. But, it was also to make outsiders aware that a poetry scene exists. So, I have been publishing Iambic for 6 months. Here is to another successful six months!

July 12, 2017

Iambic’s Meet the Host: Wendy Williams

Wendy Williams extraordinary story goes beyond being a open mic host at Sacramento Poetry Center. She is a speaker, published writer/ poet, English teacher, Coach, and visual artist. She considers herself an artistic Healer. Her website, Restory your life, present her work and her experience with Post traumatic stress disorder. I interview Wendy with 10 unique questions for July’s issue:

When did you start writing poetry and why continue doing it?

I started writing poetry in 1976. I was struggling in life and poetry provided me with an outlet for intense emotion and a way to get clarity by putting ideas onto a page.

When did you start hosting poetry readings and why?

I started hosting poetry around 2013. I was on the board for the Sacramento Poetry Center. After Paco Marquez, the previous host, left for graduate school in New York City, Bob Stanley asked if I wanted to fill the vacancy and I went for it!

Do you watch poetry at other venues like Mahogany, Shine café, or Luna’s café? Why?

I’ve been to Shine and Luna’s. I especially like Luna’s because of the super open mic where all types of folks read and react. There’s a lot of emotion from the audience and the poets, which feels good.

Did you ever wanted to go & hang out at Shine Café due to its LGBTQA following that is present there?

Yeah, I’m gonna check out the LGBTQA scene at Speak Out Sacramento. Haven’t yet.

As a PTSD survivor, is your message to help others people deal with their PTSD? Is that what your website’s main objective?

My main objective for the website is to help others see that they might unknowingly have PTSD or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. (I don’t like the “Disorder” part of the term because, in my view, it’s inaccurate.) In any case, I have PTSD from an infant surgery without anesthesia. Many people experience symptoms from early trauma but don’t realize it. They conclude they are crazy, weird, or screwed up. Some drink or do drugs to deal with symptoms. I want people to know that they could be suffering from unresolved trauma and they can get help. They can work to resolve the trauma and find relief, understanding, and peace.
You have several poems published and a book. Impressive. Which way do you like better? Publishing a book or submit poems for publish books?

I like the process of getting a book published more than the act of sending out poems. Working with Dave Boles, my editor of Cold River Press, was easy and fun. He’s super professional. And he’s a real nice guy.

So, tell me about Restory your life?

ReStory Your Life is about using writing to heal from trauma and reclaim your authenticity. Oftentimes, trauma (past hurts) run our life and we’ve got to face our pain and resolve it so that we can become more of our real self. Freedom after trauma is what we’re after. I teach Writing as Healing classes and have done speaking engagements on this subject. I’ve also worked one-on-one with folks.

Viewing your website, poems, books, and art; what do you consider yourself? Artist? Healer?

I am an artist healer.

How do you feel about the current state of poetry presented by young poets?

I love the young poets’ poetry–lots of emotion, caring, concern for others, passion, anger about injustice, and experimentation. l like spoken word poetry and the slam experience. I LOVE all the slants rhymes because language is being used in a new way.

How would you feel if you were appointed poet laureate? What would you do?

Poet laureate? I’d feel overwhelmed. I’m still teaching at community college and getting a Writing as Healing class off the ground. Let’s say I were appointed for fun’s sake. Maybe I’d spearhead a big conference/celebration/slam week to showcase all the different poets and types of poetry in the Sacramento area. We’d have workshops running all day and ask the public schools to participate. It would be like a poetry lovefest for our region. We have so much richness, don’t we? Let’s all get-together and see who we are and share it with everyone. We’d make most of the events free somehow and try to get grants or donations for use of a space. We’d also invite folks in from the surrounding counties to check us out. Sound grand? It could be.

Thank you for reading the interview with Wendy Williams. You can find more about Wendy and her life healing program at http://www.restoryyourlife.com

June 9, 2017

Iambic’s Meet the Host: NSAA: Part 1

Lawrence “NSAA” Dinkins is a Renaissance man: Veteran Poet, Poetry Show Host, Blogger, Recording artist, photographer, graphic designer, podcaster, entrepreneur and book author. A Detroit native, his portfolio life has made him an active artist in the Sacramento art and poetry scene. He appears in June’s Issue of Iambic.

His latest event is Poet vs. Band on June 11, 2017 At Gold Lion Arts (2733 Riverside Blvd) at 3pm – 6pm. The event will be filled with poets and musicians & will be celebrating NSAA birthday. For more information, visit his website: http://www.nsaa360.com

This is part 1 of our interview where we discusses his poetical Journey:

So, how long have you been doing poetry? When did you become a poetry show host?

I guess I started around 2009. The Sacramento urban poetry scene was slowing down. A lot of my favorite poetry spots was thinning out and falling off. Me becoming a host wasn’t about ego thinking, “I’m a poetry pillar” but instead it was an act of desperation. It was a finger in the dike. I didn’t know if I could save poetry at Mahogany but it was worth a try. So, I offered to host a Wednesday. I mean if one or two people are coming out I can host that. But we survived the drought and Khiry (Khiry Malik, founder of Mahogany Poetry Series) brought on more host. I am very proud to say that I helped save Mahogany in some small way. We also must give much love Zion and Queen Sheba for allowing Mahogany to stay there after they took over that location.

Do you enjoy form or academic poetry (sonnets, odes, Villanelle) or free verse?

I think all forms have their value. We are living in such an open time thankful to those like the beat poets that smashed the poetry rules making free verse a more acceptable poetry style. My love is free verse, of course. But occasionally, I write in form.

Did you perform or publish poetry in Detroit? If so, how were the poetry spots difference from Sacramento scene?

I didn’t start coming out as a poet until I got here in Sacramento.

As a sketch artist, how does it compliment your poetry?

Sketching allows you to really look at things, as does all art forms. But for me sketching allows me to really see things. You might say something is beautiful or interesting but what makes that something appealing to you. When you try to sketch it and really capture what it is that draw you to a subject you’re mind switches. In figure drawing class, you learn this. Nudity in public is a taboo because of its link to sexuality but in figure drawing class something interesting happens in your brain, a trigger, and you start to see the human body more than a sexual or shameful object but as something beautiful and difficult to capture.

You are known as a Poet veteran in the Sacramento Poetry community like Bob Stanley, Sean King, and Indigo Moor. But, you are still more active than them in streets and corporate realms. Why?

I don’t see myself as more active. Bob (Bob Stanley, president of Sacramento Poetry center) is everywhere. What I’m saying is that we just don’t know what they are doing, there is a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. Now I will say I’m a grass root poet or a poet on the street. I believe in poetry, I believe in art, that it should be accessible, have meaning, help in some way. Theater, dance, visual, short story, storytelling, spoken and written poetry, song all the art forms should elevate, imagine, reflect, solve the human experience and plight. What does it mean to be human, right now? Who are you, right now? As an artist, this is what I reach for. The other poets you mention are doing that in their own way, probably in a better way than I am.

May 17, 2017March 5, 2020

Podcast: Meet the Host ft. Grace Loescher

In May issue (Volume 1, Issue 2), Iambic’s CharRon has a discussion with Grace Loescher, One of Host of Sacramento Speak Out, an Open Mic Show at Shine Cafe in Sacramento.

Grace is a DC native who moved to California after her university graduation in Florida. She became a program director of Waking the Village, a non-profit organization devoted to ending youth homelessness.

She became host, accidently, after Midtown Outloud host shutdown the open mic show at Shine Café in November 2016. She and 2 other host (Matt Walsh and HK Poet) banded together and open a new open mic show called Sacramento Speak Out. The open mic show has a strong LGBTQA following that still continues to thrive in Sacramento.

An spoken word artist herself, she collaborated with Singer-songwriter Jordan Moore on their new EP, Some call it holy. The EP is available on ITunes. They also just completed a mini tour in Downtown Sacramento.

We discuss being a new host and being a poet, something that she did not go to college for(Grace has degrees in Studio Art and Theater Art). Plus, Being a solo host and working with others. For more information about Grace and her endeavors, check out her website: http://www.gracemakesstuff.com

https://soundcloud.com/aseriousproduction/iambic-grace

May 12, 2017April 3, 2018