Perform or Read

"You wrote it. Why don't you know it by heart?"

And give up hiding behind the paper, podium, book, clipboard. Let me read and glance at the crowd sporadically like the lizard in my backyard that jumped from the mango to the ackee tree and almost scared the life out of me. It was so green, so big and that strange tail.

So I read. I try to be animated, use some small gestures, inflect my voice. I stay on the X, don't move much from the spot but I try to look around the whole room so no one gets just my back.

Oh I enjoy those who use the whole stage and it looks so common nature. The performance: so smooth, so good.

Let me try that: it would be so whack! Plus my nerves have a bad habit of getting the better of me. So give me the podium and give me the mic, I promise I won't bore on Saturday night.

Here's hoping to see you at Cinema Paradiso on Saturday, March 28th at 6 pm.

Here's a poem from my soon to be released poetry book: Seventieth Avenue 

http://youtu.be/7_niODEuC4c

The Heat

Warning! People experiencing or living in still snowy and cold conditions should not read this!

It's so hot already. Spring is not even officially here yet but it already feels like summer. I had to turn on my air conditioning so I could fall asleep comfortably. Nothing like a little cool air to help me sleep. It's much better than sweating in my sleep. For a while, I thought it was my hot flashes but when I heard some men at work talk about the recent hot nights, I knew it wasn't just me.

I don't really care about the rainy season but I do look forward to cooling down this heat. In the meantime, I'll open the refrigerator door and just stand there.

Check out the Upcoming Events Tab and I hope to hear you read some poetry real soon.

Tragedies get all the Attention

But isn't that life? We'll get back to that.

Last Saturday, I attended the Fifth Annual Mango Writers Conference and most of the titles of the lecture were Shakespearean references. I loved it! Who was the most tragic? Lear, Othello, Macbeth? He performed from Othello and it was excellent. By the time we were at Terse Verse, even more quotes from Shakespeare such as Midsummer Night's Dream. Yet, I failed to hear my favorite quote:

If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it; that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken and so die. --

The opening speech of Twelfth Night is the most beautiful for me. It was a comedy and love story. I knew about it the same way that I learnt Midsummer Night's Dream through my high school in Jamaica, Wolmer's Girls High School, as we spent the second year with Midsummer Night's Dream and the third year with Twelfth Night. I read some of my sister's plays, Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. (Yet I digress...)

Let's go back to last Saturday where I learnt a lot such as some of the later writers and movies quote Shakespeare. I learnt about Tolkien and Lewis Carroll quoting Shakespeare. I even found out about Star Trek too. So move over Simpsons (who quoted the poet Poe) as Shakespeare seems to be the most quoted writer in the world.

Now let's get back to that!

Do tragedies really get all the attention? I didn't know much about Othello nor Lear, who they held as dear as Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet but the tragic reigned supreme last weekend. Although A Midsummer Night's Dream was mentioned, there wasn't any The Comedy of Errors, The Taming of the Shrew or Twelfth Night. The focus was mainly the tragedies especially the villains. As an audience, we seem to pay attention to villains. But isn't that life? So we claim when we viewers watch reality shows and give higher ratings to those who act badly.

Maybe the audience needs someone to root against, I don't know but what plays of Shakespeare do you like? Also, do you root for or against the villain? Let me know and place your comments below.

 In the meantime, here's three poems from my upcoming book, Seventieth Avenue:

an exquisite evening

In Florida, it's either sunny or rainy. Yesterday was rainy and people kept away. Some would rather stay inside than navigate on South Florida's roadway. The perils of driving are amplified in a downpour as visibility is lessened yet some drive too slow and constantly braking in front of you or some drive too fast and they're in the next lane so you can't pass the slowpoke in front of you. So many events such as the 5th Annual Mango Writers' Conerence, Fort Lauderdale Artwalk and Poetry Reading at Cinema Paradiso. I started my day at the conference and enjoyed the program especially the tour of the museum. I left about 3:30 pm ( missed the last two speakers) so I can set up for the poetry reading at Cinema Paradiso. There was only a drizzle while I was driving but I could see that Fort Lauderdale had a heavy downpour as the side streets were a swimming pool. Further evidence occurred later that evening when cars screeched as they turned on the side street and sloshed or splashed their way. I had to set up away from any impending splashes. I managed to catch up on some facebook posts and some of the ArtWalk events were canceled due to rain. I also checked my emails and received some cancellations due to rain. Fewer people participated but we read then I stayed and watched the movie "Maps to the Stars" so I had an exquisite evening.

Here's a poem I wrote last week at the Hollywood ArtWalk:

Bards and Poets

Hear ye! Hear Ye! 'Tis a special time to be in South Florida. Not just because of the record-breaking cold being experienced in the Northern United States but because of the numerous activities in South Florida. The Renaissance Festival is here and in nearby Deerfield Beach and Artwalks both this weekend and next weekend: Hollywood Artwalk today and next Saturday Flagler Artwalk in Ft Lauderdale. Next week is also poetry reading at Cinema Paradiso in Ft Lauderdale.

History just taught me that poets have been around as long as bards, minstrels and troubadours. Maybe at some time there were distinctions but searching the Internet hasn't produced a clear response.

While I enjoy some of the numerous activities around town, I leave you with...
Hear My Cry

I'd like to know what events are near you?

My Daytona Experience

I went to Daytona two Mays ago (2013 to be exact) and the experience is remembered by the rain but I got some photographs and wrote some poems. I had to request days off my day job, book hotel, check my tires and get an oil change. It wasn't just a drizzle; it was that white rain where you can hardly see the lights of the car in front if you. Darn it! I was going to see some tourist sites (not holed up in some hotel): chocolate factory tour and speedway tour. Have you ever planned a trip and the weather was just not cooperating? Well, do tell ...

In the meantime, here's one of  six poems inspired by Daytona Beach (photo of the beach - riptide warning that day)

Intersections I

Have you heard the one about people who can't walk and chew gum? Well, I can't read (someone else's work) and write (my novel) at the same time but I have been editing my poetry book, Seventieth Avenue. 
However, I need help. I need your help as a reader. I explore thoughts while on the road and encounter many road signs which intersect with the journey of life.  You may explore Intersections (I & II) and let the imagination run wild while waiting at the light at Griffin Road. Let a show connect you with characters that remind you of your own. Let the road lead you to New Jersey, Daytona, Alaska and then back home. While back home for the holidays, read where one road connects three sisters to their homes.

Here's a poem:

If you are interested in receiving an electronic copy of my book, please leave me a comment below.