utterly blown away. wow. great spoken word always leaves me in complete awe...the intertwining lines-thoughts-images rushing at you in a pulsing, passionate flow that captures you until the end, when you feel like you've been flattened by a semi of words.

i just came back from an open mic with students and special spoken word artists james cagney and aya de leon, and i don't think i can describe everything because any words i can use would pale unbearably in comparison to the words i heard tonight. james cagney's "breakbeat jesus" was incredible in performance and its words...jesus is the supreme dj with a posse 12 deep and his pop's got his "back" up in the big house. haha...and aya de leon? man, that woman speaks to us all and has this amazing energy. and she's got the woman's perspective down! "go ahead, baby!" she says the things i want to say but am too fricking tactful or scared or political or repressed or ignorant to say. i need to learn to be okay with being offensive sometimes. and how do they even think of their amazing metaphors, twists of phrases, and convolutions of thoughts?? great spoken word always feel inspiring--i hope there something in me to inspire (like an inner spoken word artist just waiting to break out maybe? i can only wish! =)

and i will leave you with one of her poems, the one that expresses what i was trying to get across about valentine's day, but in many better words and more emotions than i was aware of feeling.

~~~

valentine's day - not a test ~aya de leon

I think it was your eyes
they caught mine
as I was thinking about how full lips kiss so sweet
this is the type of Black King I been trying to meet
& later that night when you--

we interrupt this bullshit love poem
to bring you an important announcement
valentine's day has been cancelled
this is not a test
Love is in a state of emergency
people are desperate for real love
not
I'm lost without you
nothing can come between us
hit me baby one more time
I'll never breathe again
predatory capitalist bullshit

we repeat
valentine's day has been cancelled
this is not a test
despite incredible losses in revenue
cards, chocolates, champagne, teddy bears, jewelry
& other random objects that people buy each other
to prop up sagging & dysfunctional relationships
will not be for sale this year
you know who you are
& it's time to let that shit die.

valentine's day has been cancelled
this is not a test.
do not try to adjust your TV set or radio
in fact, turn that shit off.
For the next 24 hours, there will be
no love songs
no sex you up songs
no slow jams
no latenite request & dedication call-in shows
no romantic TV programs or movies
just 24 hours of silence for you to contemplate
what is the real meaning of love?
without ABC, CBS, WB, Fox, Tristar, KBLX, KMEL, KISS,
Harlequin romances, playboy, penthouse, hustler, players
and other bullshit media outlets to tell you
what you want
how you want it
what position you want it in
how tall, thick, soft, hard, stacked, hung, and/or wet
you want it to be.

valentine's day has been cancelled
this is not a test
your boyfriend's number will be busy
your girlfriend will not be waiting by the phone
your wife and/or husband has made other plans
all singles bars, strip clubs, telepersonals lines,
romantic getaway destinations, hot tub places, and make out spots
have been shut down for the duration
All dating and adult entertainment websites have crashed
until further notice
there will be no looking for love in all the wrong places
because all the wrong places are closed tonight

citizens are encouraged to stay indoors and remember
to love their friends
and if you don't have loveable friends, make some
to love your family
and if your family is too fucked up
find some loving folks to be your new family
to love God
and if God has failed you,
find a new God
or a new conception of God
But most of all, love yourselves
and if,
sitting at home in the silence,
you notice that you don't love yourself,
then fasten your seatbelt and get ready to work on that shit
cuz what you need is not gonna be found
in a box of candy / dozen roses / tall dark handsome / 36-24-36
when February 14th rolls around and
wish somebody was loving you
or wish you were somebody else
or you wish the person loving you was somebody else

Yes, for your own good
valentine's day has been cancelled
this is not a test
and now we return you to the poem already in progress

& when we stepped into the bedroom,
I could feel African drums pounding in my womb
& as we stripped
you made me feel like my soul was chocolate dipped
then you opened your mouth and tasted me
oh yes baby, set me free
so I'm offering up this heart of mine
lover, won't you be my--
this is not a test.