These Hands

Ok I have been asked by a few people (and even on this blog) to put this poem on. This is the poem I performed at the 2009 Reader's & Writer's Festival Poetry Idol. That was my first 'Big" performance so here it is:

These Hands

Tools of creation
Imprints in life’s memories
Abilities to build foundations
Rule above nations
And help others across busy roads

Used for public forms of affection
And block the gasps of mouths
Peek a boo never looked this sweet
Without these key players

Yet pessimists of these much needed ligaments experiment with what they can do/
These hands were never meant to bruise/
Never meant to abuse and to be used/
In ways that the same little ones that hold onto them are also held by them/
Shaken and taken away by them/led away instead of being led by them/

These hands were never meant to be murderous weapons/
Never were they to be the cause of cries but were to be wipers and cradles of tears/
Their touch was to bring comfort and safety/
Not uncertainty and fear/they were to be sturdy not unpredictable in its shape/
Life lines were not to be shortened on your hands due to the acts of mine/

These hands are made to write the stories of life/
To paint the backdrop of our futures/To illustrate love by being encircle with a ring of commitment
And to express emotions from the tip of a finger/

These hands can be the masterminds of mathematics/
Not the teachers of discipline/
One point can send species to follow a command/yet the hand itself sends three strongly back

These hands are the healers/the miracle workers of human existence
These hands are the first to bring in new and to bury deceased life/
The voice of an hearing impaired world/or the cornerstone of the blind/

With an identity place on every pair we leave our print for the world to remember
Are our fingerprints of these ligaments imprinted in people on these souls or on their throats/
Do they tell a story – or do they choke/do they yell out with emotion or bring emotions to screams/do they hush the room’s silence/or create the violence in scenes?

Only with these idle hands can they decide if they want to go wandering
These tools of gladness or distress
Key players to build or quick to undress
Rest folded reverently or outwardly to be scene

These are the possible personalities for these hands to be.

My First Book

I know I wrote about this in a previous post but it is too exciting!!! Let's recap:

So I was sick about a month ago and decided to make a book. Easy!

When I won this year's Poetry Idol, one fo the judges Charlie Dark approached me and was saying "Dude, you got to put your work into a book - get it out there!"

So I was sick, me being one with a clockwork mind (even when he is sick needs to do something creative) so I spent about 8 hoiurs compiling and making a book to be sold online and the end result:

When the Blue Lion Roars - a dedication to my old high school. This is where all my creativity developed. Check out the book - and if you want to buy one...more power to you. I got mine delivered about 3 weeks ago and man it is nice!!

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1455889

Define Poetry

Define Poetry

Define Poetry/is it only rhyme/is it thoughts of the mind/does it make you laugh/to make you nod your head/to make you think/or to decide/to make you feel you are an intellect or a songwriter/a storyteller /a rapper you don’t mind/


Define poetry/does it make you click your fingers/or gasp in exasperation/to make you want to read more/to write a simile or metaphor/a form of creativity/or a bed for opinionated aspirations/to show off skill or knowledge/to create confidence to know you got “it”/or to show off your love for prose and books or what you hate in life before you forgot it/

Define poetry/do these words make you cry/make a tear drop settle nestled in the corner of your right eye/or have subliminal messages/to cover its apparent meaning/about the government or anything else the world is considering PC’ing/

Define poetry/I read a report about that same question/it made mention that anything could be considered/my definition may not matter or even agree to your recognition/but neither does my ambition or quote in a slam being ‘the other competition’/

Define poetry/well I can’t/I don’t think you can either/cos whose to say that what I write cannot be the definition/who’s to say what you write cannot be the truth/this is my witness and do you really need further proof/who’s to say what I write is not worthy to be published/these are my views I want to share with you/and I am only getting started/

Define poetry/mine is sometimes hidden behind bars/16 is some instances/ to pull off well thought out sentences/to change my accent to show off its pattern/to paint that picture in your head to see how my stories have happened/

Define poetry/lets look later into what you think/is that harsh/well I needed a place to show off an alliteration/but is my rhthym enough to voice out an opinion/I hope you listen cos this is basics growing out of well heard idioms/

Define Poetry/is it the undertones in words/the uplifted question mark at the end of a line/a stanza with deep meaning and symbolical images/or the nursery rhyme or one liners to show how a person grimaces/is it big words/verbs adjectives and word play/dramatic pauses/rapping/now whose to say/

Define poetry/I cannot but if you can please do/a jump off from the real into a sea of the big blue/mind block/mine shock the average but define the norm/mine can be Polynesian/street to bring cheers like Norm/

Define poetry/I heard yours my friends/and that is poetry to me/so I hope that your definition finds no end/

Snowclones

I learnt a new word the other day - 'Snowclones' - what is a snowclone? Well it is not the dessert that you eat out of ice.....the literal meaning is "a type of cliché and phrasal template originally defined as "a multi-use, customizable, instantly recognizable, time-worn, quoted or misquoted phrase or sentence that can be used in an entirely open array of different variants" - thanks Wikipedia!!!!!

But in my world it is "a brand to establish and exhibit NZ and the world's arts in fashion, publishing and events" - what that means is to watch this space and local markets, events and web advertising near you!!!!

Auckland Zine Fest

So the Auckland Zine Fest was on Saturday - If I understood it correctly, it was a day for independent maga-'zine' publishers to show off their stuff and get out there. I saw some online (as I had to work on Saturday day) but sounded hella interesting - not to mention that Tera patrick was in town for the Erotica expo!!!!

This was my first gig with the Literrati (not all of them as they just had a gig up in Whangarei for their Escaping the Ghosts show) so it was only the boys. We were to perform at the Zine fest afterparty.

So I was asked to perform three peices, the titles of these are i. Define Poetry ii. The Rescue (Love Poetry) & iii. The Phoenix.

Anyways, I was preparing this for about 2 weeks (but was having difficulty memorising Define Poetry - I just dont konw what was up with that one) then one of the members requested that I also have music accompanying them. So on Friday night I receive the tracks - 24 hours to get them down. Now the last two were no problem but the cursed Define Poetry just has a weird rhthym and now with a beat - my mind was having trouble comprehended the beat as well as remembering the words......

Plus working on Saturday - 24 hours became mroe like 2 hours (awoke at 7am on Saturday to start practising). Saturday night arrives and my friend Carol accompanied me to the gig. It was delayed when we finally commenced after 8pm. The lovely Anna (from the Literatti) was also to perform with us. I was 4th to begin in our set.

The piece for Define poetry was first - it was intended to be over 2 minutes long - after 30 seconds I was stumbling - 45 seconds I was in over my head - 1 minute past and I just forgot everythign to that piece so I just ended and walked off!!!! I guess the best of performers have choked on stage.

I remember the first NZ Kanye West concert....he had a great show (my all time favourite concert) and he choked when he was to perform 'School Spirit' from the College Dropout album. I was at the frount row trying to yell out the lyrics (with others aroudn me thinking "what a hard out guy")......

I continued for the rest of the show and I think I redeemed myself. It was a small audience but on my last poem I got some 'woo's' so that was great. All in all a great experience, I learnt to not worrying about choking on stage as the greats have all done it, and I learnt to perform with music and poetry. Probably not the greatest performance but hey all good....bring on the next challenge.

SAPC...SAPC

Alright - how honoured was I on Friday night.....I had the mean opportunity to share the stage with the South Auckland Poets Collective. The collective (created by Ramon, Grace and Big D) what I understand to be was formed by some inspiring poets who also helped with youth struggling or trying to find an avenue to make an improvement in life. They did this through spoken word!!!

 I've had some great times performing with Grace and Darren in particularly (who are great poets solely) and have seen the collective perform twice. Their name had grown within youth circles and I was so honoured to be asked to be a guest poet at their book/DVD launch on Friday.

 So on Friday night I wrote a poem to celebrate their night. It was a satire towards Central Auckland to wake up from the image of South Auckland (which is mostly negative). the collective is an example of positivity from  a negatively portrayed environment.

 Our church youth came to support me as well as witness something special and what I felt could be influential for them as well. Well they had to leave early due to time restrictions but the response was great from them.

 I thoroughly was happy to perform with the whole collective as well as other special guests. The collective is goodness. They speak goodness and are great examples of positive spoken word - they truly show how the written and spoken word influences positive light and difference. To the whole collective, you have a fan and a brother in word here!!!! keep it up - to those reading this and want to see more of them (and buy a book or 4) look at them here - http://sapc.homestead.com/

The Literatti

OK I did the gig at Poetry Live a few weeks ago. I did a poem that I dedicated to the Literatti called 'Define Poetry' - I will put it onto this blog soon.

But allow me to retort - Back in early 2009 (when I was anxiously searching for a poetry hub to perform at) I was watching the poets from Def poetry Jam. While searching for poetry nights I stumbled across a Def Jam poet, Nikki Patin, who was visiting NZ.

As I reasearched the gig, I found that she will be performing with the literatti - named as NZ's leading poetry troupe inspired by def Jam Poets - HALLELUJAH!!!! So I went along and while watching the troupe, something came across me that built up my confidence. I ran out of my comfort zone and met some of the members and Nikki. The Creative director (the lovely Miriam barr) invited my to Poetry Live the next Tuesday where I performed my first live public piece. Since then, I have referenced the Literatti as a major influence to my performance lifestyle.

After my last gig at Poetry Live, Miriam was impressed to induct me into the troupe - how excited am I. I mean, this group is on another level so the intimidation is still sitting in. The group has poets I have performed alongside, competed against and learnt from.

I had my first workshop with them today and was in awe. Inspirational works on all levels...amazing and truly inspiring. how excited I am to be with them and blessed that they think my work and style is worthy.

Watch this space as I continue to share my experiences with them.