It's a celebration!

Today is the day that good ol' Naturally Alise arrived on this planet 31 years ago.   So why not have gratuitous pictures on MY blog, lol.... Enjoy!  Do you know what I would love for my birthday present?  For y'all to write me poems in the comments...  I'm a simple gal!BEFORE!AFT...

Be My Guest...

Go to twitter and wish my sister from another mister Amy May a Happy Birthday! (@AmyMay117)One of the things I love about this blog is how many wonderful poets it has connected me to.  Also, you wouldn't believe how many poems get sent to my inbox to read and/or criique.  It is such an honor.  One thing I want to do is let all my readers know that if they want something of theirs featured...

Phobias... fragments

I am working on a new piece and I thought I would make this one of those pieces that you can see the progression of the poem.  So as I write this poem I will post when I come up with new parts to it.  I have done this before with a poem called "Scary at Me" last year.  Below will be the beginning, and I would love if you would follow it from its infancy to its completion:Hold up hold...

Blog Poetry Slam 47: No Rules (Guest Poet: Taahira)

Today's blog poetry slam is being brought to you by my favorite teenager on the planet, Taahira, she has a tumblr blog by the name of Urban Rag Doll. She is the daughter of one of my dearest friends The PBG of the blog Dirty Pretty Thangs. She has raised a great kid! She often surprises me with little gems in the form of poetry or anecdotes that always brighten my day. This time she sent a poem...

Blog Swap: "Reindeer Games"

It ain't Christmas, my name ain't Rudolph, and your Reindeer Games don't interest me... Hi! It's AmyMay... remember me, "Theory Woman?" No? Okay... forget you, then. Well, Alise and I have been having mutual blog block, so we thought that doing a post swap might kick start our collective writing muses. (I stay tellin' Alise them heffas took off to the Bahamas and just didn't tell us they were...

on repeat...

haiku:music is like Laysi can't just listen to onegood shit on repeatI said on facebook a couple days ago that I needed a Badu intervention.  I was serious!  I have certain songs of hers that I will put on repeat or keep playing one part over and over again.  There seems to be certain songs in general that just touch a place in my soul or speak to a situation I am going through. What songs do you play to death? These are mine:Erykah Badu - Window SeatUploaded by UniversalMusicGroup....

dedication to these grays... (repost)

Reposting this in honor of my birth month and the upcoming celebration of my 2nd 30th birthday on May 7th, lol....Why do I be telling folks I'm 29?See, I be forgettingbecause i am just. that. fly.and according to my heart I'm 20and my life experiences are 38so they average out to 29honest mistake.i ain't perfect but pretty damn close.don't jud...

National Poetry Month: Fragments 1, 2, & 3

I have slacked on National Poetry Month, I suck.  And not in a good way. *rimshot*  However, I have been writing, just haven't completed anything.  It's not an excuse though, so I will share my fragments of poems I have started this month.  Hey, only I know that it isn't finished...  Here ya go:(1)How did a regal lioness give birth to a lambI never did  quite fit in...

Jambalaya Soul Slam Finals

If you are in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area make it a point to come to the Jambalaya Soul Slam Finals on Saturday, April 24th 8:00-11:00 pm at the The Hayti Heritage Center (804 Old Fayetteville St, Durham, NC).  I'll be slamming!!!from http://jambalayasoulslam.blogspot.com/:We are extremely excited to bring you our Grand Slam Finals on April 24th at the Hayti Heritage Center. The following...

national Poetry Month: Day 19 (Haiku)

Sorry readers, I have shirked  my poetry month responsibilities.  I have been busy working on a couple of projects, but that is no excuse.  So today I will unleash a bunch of haiku to make up for my transgressions....  Forgive me?I refuse to eatThose things that are up your sleevesWhy?  Trix are for kids.When I do haikuI wear the finest cashmereTo kill you soflyI had a bad...

National Poetry Month: Day 16 (Battle Rap)

Okay y'all this post today is kinda silly, but there is an explanation behind it.  See what had happened was I was on twitter and someone posted a link to something called the URL.  URL is the acronym for Ultimate Rap League.  Each clip puts two emcees against each other to freestyle against each other.  It is quite ignorant and foolish, hence why I love it so. (Don't judge me.) ...

National Poetry Month: Day 15 (Behind the Poetry)

Today for National Poetry Month please go visit my brand new blog, "Behind the Poetry."  The very first entry is the back story to the poem, "Love At First Sight."  Let me know what you think! Love,Naturally Al...

National Poetry Month: Day 14 (Journal)

The poem I am going to post today has a very interesting back story.  However, I won't tell you the back story today.  In fact, I am starting a new blog called "Behind the Poetry."  In that blog I will write the interesting events, good and bad,that inspire the poetry that I write.  I will tell these stories in many interesting ways.  I am excited about this project and I...

National Poetry Month: Day 12 (True Colors)

I wrote this piece because I know a few bad apples in my world right now are attempting to spoil the bunch.  Those who can not deal with their own mediocrity, so they use the defense mechanism of gossip and under-handedness to deal with their own pain.  I feel sorry for them, and I hope they can come to terms with their own shortcomings instead of attempting to tear others down. ...

National Poetry Month: Day 11 (Haiku)

Three random haiku I wrote....(1)the gleam in your eyecurrently is my lighthouseto make it to shore (2)sick of all these flameswhere are the phoenix classesi'm ready to rise(3) today is Sundayit is time for the Soulsticeso crazy it's cool(Tune in to Soulstice Sundays 3pm-5pm http://wcomfm.org)  Recap:Day1 - I'm Just Sayin'Day 2 - Silly MeDay 3 - Haiku Series (sky theme)Day...

National Poetry Month: Day 10 (Unicorns)

.The alleged "they" sayWhen you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebrasWell when I hear them I think unicornsAnd if it walks like a duckIt must be a peacockAnd rain is just an excuse for rainbowsIf ain't broke then....I'll just fix it... and spraypaint it purpleAnd if he breaks my heartI just think of unicorns, peacocks, rainbows, and purpleBecause silly... makes the pain a little easier...Recap:Day1...

Guest Poet: Ron Jolla (National Poetry Month: Day 8 )

Today's guest poet is one of the funniest people I have encountered on these here 'innanets'.  You may remember him from the "What's Going Down" episode of "That's My Mama"... okay not really, but you may remember this series of me and him being extra silly.  Anyway, imagine my utter happiness to find out he had a poem to contribute this month!  Here it is!Sometimes you just want understandingNot from others about yourself;But from you...about you.Sometimes you just want to be carefree,To...

Guest Poet: Tiara R. - National Poetry Month: Day 8

Today's guest poet is  best friend to awesome ePosse member PBG's daughter Tee (me and her posted a blog together a while back: ).  She is 16 and quite the amazing poet, wise well beyond her years.  Without further ado, I present Tiara R..Paper Towns by Tiara Rasheedballoons masking the skyi'm findin' blue , beyond themi'm seeing the strings ,as they fall and get cutthey are all...

Guest Poet: SheHateMe - National Poetry Month: Day 7

Today's guest poet is a great budy of mine who goes by the internet moniker of SheHateMe.  This guy is an awesome poet and blogger.  You can check him out at his blog, Blogs of the Invisible Soul or on Twitter.  He also was a guest poet here last year: Giveaways & Guest Poet: SheHateMe.  So I hope you enjoy this beautiful piece as much as I do!"Let me be your diary, and...

Guest Blog Poetry Slam: Musical Favorites (National Poetry Month: Day 6)

This week's Blog Poetry slam topic and poem is coming from my very dear friend and kindred spirit, Amy.  You can find Amy at her two beautiful blogs: random and pressing details and The Attic of my Mind or on twitter.  Amy and I share a mutual "stan-dom" for Erykah Badu, so she contributed a poem that I thought would be perfect.  Today's theme is to write a poem about or inspired by...

National Poetry Month: Day 5

Poetry Chasepoetry took a swing at mebut i writer's blocked itI ran off when it tried to slam me but it still gave chaseand i even threw on a thesaurus to try to disguise myselfbut poetry still knew it was meso i shut the doorwhen poetry tried to open mics on me but poetry devised the perfect rhyme scheme to catch me:a new badu album.dang.my new favorite song:Recap:Day1 - I'm Just Sayin'Day 2...

National Poetry Month: Day 4

Soul Resurrectedhow could they take an act I love so muchand make it dirty...shameful...worthlessand transfer it to my soul via osmosiskilling it you know what the worst death is?... when you survive itan empty shell running on fumesgoing through the motionsmaking no forward motionrepressing emotionsbecause reliving it causes too much commotionbut today i will deal with the noise i replay the scene...one holds down my pridespreads open my dignityand thrust shame and insecurity into me repeatedlywhile...

National Poetry Month: Day 3

...so I don't cheat, on days when I do haiku I will post 3.... Enjoy!Day 3 - "In the Sky" ( Themed Haiku Series)(1)i'm just like the sky free, wide, beautiful, and clear but still i am blue  (2)when i look at clouds they can be most anythingjust like my future (3)i envy the birdseven when they shit on youit is still good luckand here's a little nostalgia:Recap:Day1 - I'm Just Sayin'Day 2 - Silly MeApril is National Poetry Month.  I knew I loved April for a reason!  For this...

National Poetry Month: Day 2

Silly Mei spent so much time watching my backthat i forgot about the frontand now i am in the middle of a messi fronted you my heartwithout a backup planyou had the best thing in front of youbut you turned your backnow i must confront tearsas my back is against the wallbut i can't fronti'd take you back in a minute....Recap:  Day 1 - I'm Just Sayin'April is National Poetry Month.  I knew I loved April for a reason!  For this month I will write and post a poem every.single. day. ...

National Poetry Month: Day 1

April is National Poetry Month.  I knew I loved April for a reason!  For this month I will write and post a poem every.single. day.  Hold me to it.  Also the second week of April I will be featuring some of my favorite poets.  i already have 2 lined up, drop me a line at naturallyalise (at) gmail (dot) com if you are interested in being featured as well!  So since this...

Blog Poetry Slam 45: Natural

Hello fellow poetry lovers! Since my stage name is Naturally Alise, and I have natural hair, and I am just generally naturally awesome; I decided for today's topic to be "natural". In the comments write a lovely poem. In can be serious or silly, long or short, even haiku. After the video is my poem. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!*I have 2 poems*Natural WomanYou know Ms. Franklin, I feel ya....I mean naturally, I should...pun intended...Someone walked into my life and inspired...

Blog Poetry Slam 44: Letters

Dear Readers,Ever had something you really wanted to say to someone, but just couldn't get it out verbally? i have a huge problem with this, but a tool that works well for me is writing letters. They are soul cleansing even if you never send them. So for today's theme for the Blog Poetry Slam is to write a letter to someone in poem form to let out something that is on your heart that needs to be released.Leave your poems in the comments sections. After the video is my poem. I can't wait to...

odb..

my life is not a bitchit is more like a bastardan old dirty one that is...because my lifestyle has no fatherit is original....word to ODB...click for a musical flasback...

Suggested E-Posse Reading (repost)

The ePosse The PBG, Luvvie, and me have had HILARIOUS adventures together and seperately that you should definitely read about... Trust me, uproarious laughter will ensue.The Chinese Juke JointNew Jack LibraryAl B. Unsurehttp://pbghappenings.blogspot.com/2009/02/juvenile-hoodrattedness-franklin-arms.htmlCabbie Quit MeSensitive Thugs - Hourly Wage Warrior StoriesFor more ePosse adventures on Black Woman Lost & Found (click here)Have a great weeke...

the leather chronicles...

*pleather in all its splendor*It has been a long time since I have had a nice foolery, silly, slightly ignant twitter exchange with one of the members of my  illustrious ePosse, The PBG.  Today she shared one of her always amusing stories of DC Public Transit...  silliness ensued, so I thought I'd share:thepbg: I wish this dude sittin nxt 2 me in this loud ass "leather" jacket wld keep...