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 on the blog please email me and I would GLADLY post it.  I think sometimes I love reading and listening to other people's poems than my own.  So please feel free to contact me (naturallyalise(at)gmail(dot)com) and drop me a poem or just to chat.  Also, everyone check out the guest poets I have had over the years, I have linked their blogs/websites as well.

Blog Poetry Slam 31: Road - "The Road Calls" (Elliot Axiom)

"Grey Matters" (Ain HD)

"Directing Traffic" (Verb Fashion)

Untitled (SheHateMe)

Blog Poetry Slam: Musical Favorites - "Roadtrip With Badu" (AmyMay)

"Diary" (SheHateMe)

"Paper Towns" (Tiara R.)

"Sometimes" (Mr. Jolla)

Blog Poetry Slam 47: No Rules - Sonnet (Taahira)

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 that I thought was extra clever, hope you enjoy it too!  Because of her poem today, just write a poem about anything in any form you want... NO RULES!!!  (Only rule is to post your poem in the comments...)

I had to write a sonnet for english class. I told my teacher I didn't like writing poems with rules.  So I made a poem about forced poetry isn't real art.


Fake art is insanity
It's backwards
Like sailors without profanity
False feelings? Those should be your last words


Fabricating imagination is a mockery
A Sham!
What is this tomfoolery?
It's a Scam


Falsified craftsmanship is craziness
My hatred for you posers is immense
Where is your inventiveness?
The grudge I hold is intense


Your words are balderdash
Your synthetic rhymes: trash 

check out me and Taahira's first post together form last year: http://blackwomanlost.blogspot.com/2009/03/out-of-mouths-of-babes.html

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 goin', but I can't prove it.) We aren't entirely sure it will work, but, hey... it's worth a shot.

This time, I have archetypes and opinions on said archetypes. Kinda like theories only not quite. Theory Lite, if you will!!

Now, like the last time I wrote something that I contributed to this blog, I'm gonna take a moment to give a disclaimer: My brain is a busy and dangerous place. There will be trains of thought which take perilous turns, dives and twists. There might be derailments. Keep your hands and feet inside the ride until the post comes to a full and complete stop. Management is not responsible for any loss of life, limb or good sense. Thank you! Enjoy the ride!

So, normally when I blog, I steer clear of the workjob. I work in a profession where privacy and confidentiality are legal mandates, not just suggestions. But this really doesn't have anything to do with my specific job. It's more of a general workplace kinda situation... I'm thinkin' this one time, I can make an exception.

I love my job. I love the place I work. I genuinely like many of the people at my job. That said, one of my greatest pet peeves is something that I encounter almost exclusively at the workjob. A little something I like to call Reindeer Games. Reindeer Games are that boolshiggity that most of us outgrew when we received our high school diplomas and moved on with life. Yet there are those allegedly grown adults who revel in them. And I just can't abide them!

Reindeer Game: We're IN, You're OUT. This is self explanatory. Call it what you will... cliques, the in-crowd, the cool kids. Whatever. All I have to say about this is, if you have to work at convincing me you're cool.... well, you're not. Sorry to break it to you, Sparky.

Reindeer Game: I know important people around here! Ummmm... so? If you suck at your job, but you know someone in an office, well.... hun, you still suck at your job, and I still don't respect you. Now what?

Reindeer Game: If I look busy, people will think I actually do stuff around here! Yeah. Go saddown. You ain't foolin' NO.BODY!! But if it helps you sleep at night, knock yourself out!

Reindeer Game: I work hard at getting out of work! This one is closely related to the last one. But I genuinely don't understand the point. If you play this Reindeer Game, I'm thinkin' you need more people.

Reindeer Game: I take credit for stuff I didn't do. Nothing funny. You suck. That is all.

Reindeer Game: I live to stir the pot. If your life is so empty and boring that you must instigate drama in the lives of those around you... *smh* All I can say to that is Karma is a bitch, and Hell is hot!

I'm sure I haven't but scratched the surface. What are some of your favorite Reindeer Games? What kind of workplace shenanigans get your blood pressure up? Share with the class!

P.S. I hope you will join me in encouraging Naturally Alise and Eyesqueen to come out of hibernation!! I been missin' them chicks!!

P.S.S. The post is now at a halt. Feel free to move about the blog!

visit Amy at: http://www.amymaysumthin2say.blogspot.com/

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 understanding

Not from others about yourself;

But from you...about you.

Sometimes you just want to be carefree,

To have days from your childhood

..Like things used to be.



Sometimes you want to forgive...

But you can't, so you're at fault.

And sometimes you're at fault,

But you don't know how...you just know you are.

Sometimes you want to protect everyone you know,

And sometimes you know that it's impossible...

But sometimes you try anyway.


Sometimes you want to get off on an early exit,

because you KNOW there's traffic ahead;



...But you never do.

But sometimes you always want to,

and the people around you don't understand that...

So sometimes you just turn the music up,

play what they want to hear to shut them up.


Sometimes you wish it all would just come easy:

The dream house, dream job, dream spouse...

And sometimes you realize that they are called dreams for a reason.

Sometimes your faith wavers,

But you see everybody else faking like theirs doesn't...

So sometimes you fake right alongside them...


Sometimes you have all the right answers, all the right moves...

And sometimes you just don't know anymore.

Sometimes in a room full of people is the best place to hide,

While sometimes isolation by choice...

feels like assisted suicide.


There are moments when you want to just cry

when no one is looking,

But sometimes it feels like some one always has their eye on you...

Sometimes you want to do something good for someone,

But you question if they question your motives.....


...Because sometimes they do.




Sometimes an ex friend,

or ex love reappears in your life,

And sometimes you miss them for who they are,

or who they were...

Sometimes you get real close to saying something,

Then you wonder aloud why you should even bother.


Sometimes you meet people who are superb human beings...

And sometimes you aren't what they need, and vice versa...

Sometimes you feel like a complainer, instead of an explainer...

So you stop explaining, and you don't understand why no one understands.


Sometimes, even after three hundred and seventy four words,

you still haven't said what you wanted to say.

And sometimes, it's better that it ends that way.



Recap:
Day1 - I'm Just Sayin'
Day 2 - Silly Me
Day 3 - Haiku Series (sky theme)
Day 4 - Soul Resurrected
Day 5 - Poetry Chase
Day 6 - Guest Blog Poetry Slam: Musical Favorites : AmyMay
Day 7 - Guest Poet: SheHateMe


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. Drop me a line at naturallyalise (at) gmail (dot) com if you are interested in being featured this month!  Enjoy!

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 Rasheed

balloons masking the sky
i'm findin' blue , beyond them
i'm seeing the strings ,
as they fall and get cut

they are all arranged ,
one by one
two by two
a series you could have seen
you could have seen it
before it got here

but you're sure to know it left
the presence was the truth
in all it's essence , natural
like the clouds on a nice day
like the rain when you're indoors

the paper towns
with paper people
and paper feelings
never expressed ,
never real

always false , never
right , always hidden
never , shown.
strings have to be cut
and hearts have to break

paper towns
with paper people
are almost always
fake.

The Inspiration behind the poem:

I wrote the poem shortly after reading the book "Paper Towns" by John Green. The book was an amazing out look on city life and how false it can really be. The term "Paper Town" cam from the book and basically meant that things  aren't always what they seem and smiles don't always mean happiness. Looks aren't always what they seem. After reading the book it made me think about what is or isn't false in my own personal "Paper Town". The poem was almost a response to the new was of defining what I saw and how I took it using terminology from the book. The poem was my own way off saying I relate to the book and can put it into my own words. The inspiration for my poem was the book "Paper Towns" by John Green.

Recap:
Day1 - I'm Just Sayin'
Day 2 - Silly Me
Day 3 - Haiku Series (sky theme)
Day 4 - Soul Resurrected
Day 5 - Poetry Chase
Day 6 - Guest Blog Poetry Slam: Musical Favorites : AmyMay
Day 7 - Guest Poet: SheHateMe

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!  Enjpy!

(I will apologize now, the pieces may be raw and/or unfinished, but hell no one would know that but me, lol)   

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 let your pen be your guide."

So, normally, I try to write about what's in my heart.  Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's sad, sometimes, it's just a reflection of what I'm going through and yet, other times, I have NO idea where it came from.

Hey woman, say woman, it's been a while,
Over 5 months since I seen your smile.
What's going on, what's wrong?
Didn't you hear that brand new song?
It debuted yesterday on the radio-
Hey, grab my hand, come on, let's go.
Where to?  Oh, nowhere and everywhere.
I want to dig in your mind and stay there.
Let's scream it out, talk it out.
Write it out, walk about.
Get those emotions out,
Here's a pitcher for those tears, let's pour them out.
I can see those eyes, what's in your heart?
Let me guess, the wrong actor tried out for the main part?
Yeah, it figures, you know, this movie called Life
Doesn't always do what's right.
And it's never fair, at least not fair to your advantage.
But don't you worry, me and you will manage.
Remember that I'll always be an ear.
To listen to your trouble, and I'll always be near.
Let me be your diary, and let your pen be your guide.
Let my presence be your pages, and let your heart be your scribe.

And there you have it.  I guess my momma was right, I'll always be a diary to the masses.





Recap:
Day1 - I'm Just Sayin'
Day 2 - Silly Me
Day 3 - Haiku Series (sky theme)
Day 4 - Soul Resurrected
Day 5 - Poetry Chase
Day 6 - Musical Favorites Blog Poetry Slam - featuring AmyMay

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!  Enjpy!

(I will apologize now, the pieces may be raw and/or unfinished, but hell no one would know that but me, lol)  

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 your favorite album or artist.  The next two poems will be Amy's and then mine.  Write your poem and put it in the comments.  Your poems can be short or long, silly or serious, however the spirit hits you.  Happy Writing! 

Road Trip With Erykah

Shifting into drive, and rollin' out

Miles stretching out before me like a promise.

My travelling companions on the pre-dawn highway...

my over-taxed,

overflowing,

over-active

mind

And Erykah's voice.

The sun rises to my left and

waves away the dusky purple shadow

of night's last sigh.

"Honayyyyyy...... you're soooo sweet"

the lyric coincides with the gilding of a new day.

Note by note and mile by mile

driving the pain away,

leaving Thought along the road,

let that raggedy hitch hiker fend for herself.

Lyrics, fluid from my speakers,

flood my mind.

Rising like the tide

to wash away the memories

and burdens.

In this solitude with Erykah's voice,

I am finding a small, quiet place.

It is mine.

And the miles roll on under my tires.

I am farther from home,

closer to where I am going,

and not wanting to get there.

Yearning for the journey,

not the destination.

It is mine.

Like silk ribbon through slack fingers,

the notes slip through my brain.

Caressing away the tense expectation

of resistance yet to come.

For now, the music says,

let this be enough.

Let go.

Yes...

Let this ride last a little longer,

safe and alone in my capsule of sound,

wheels turning...

and delivering me away....

Even if it is temporary,

it will be enough,

and...

it is mine.

© AmyMay

Cold, Lonely

on cold lonely nights
i hug my journal
i strike pen to paper until the smoke detectors go off
and let the flames warm the empty side of the bed
and thaw the ice forming on my heart
so it can melt onto the page
to make sweet poems
to cut the edge of my bitterness

on cold lonely nights
i cuddle badu albums
hoping the other side of the game
will certainly occupy the other side of the bed
and lull me into dreams of having you right now
instead of next lifetime
underneath the orange moon
together going on and on...

© Naturally Alise 2010

musical treat:

Giveaways & Guest Poet: SheHateMe

Now I am a poor little student, but I wanted to do a giveaway for my lovely readers for your continued support. So it is not extravagant, but I think it is something you will enjoy. I will be giving away a package including: my book, "Alise in Wonderland," a fabulous journal, and a few CD's from some of Durham NC's greatest local spokenword artists. To win, just leave a poem (doesn't have to be new, any length, any topic) and your email address. You can email me your entry or post it in today's comments! I will throw the names in a bowl and have my Mommy pull out a name... I am leaving this open until next Thursday 9/17/09 and announce the winner on next Friday 9/18/09. Good Luck!


I will leave you with the final guest poet for the week, he goes by the web moniker of SheHateMe. We started the week off with some testosterone and we will end it that way. Please show some love to a very intelligent, interesting, intriguing guy that I have had the pleasure of befriending through the web. I know you will enjoy his writing as much as I do. Also be sure to visit his blog, Blogs of the Invisible Soul and show him some love :

Enjoy:

Well, what can I say about myself that would be accurate? Well, I'm a Gemini. I'm also a father, a son, a brother, a cousin, a nephew, a best friend, a lover, a secret lover (!), a diary for the masses, and the best man for the job, whatever that may be. I am also a hopeful romantic. Yes, you read that right. I am still full of hope that one day, I will find a woman who is just as into me as I am into her. I am a writer; I write what I feel, I pen what I see, I note what I hear. My mind is pretty complex; one person told me that my mind was like my own beautiful universe. I have a knack of always showing you exactly where I live, but never inviting you in. I am a confident, witty, and sarcastic person. I am unique. I am also a non-conformist conforming to non-conforming. I love that phrase. But enough about me.

This... this is something new. I'm pretty much writing how I feel at the moment. Breaking it down to a basic notion, I am falling for a friend. It's hard to not cross the line with the opposite sex, it's even harder when you both feel the same way for each other. We had a falling out because of past events and this represents my heart's emotions: the fire in my heart tells the story, my mind translates it into vocal form, my mouth speaks it, my actions show it. My love for her is indescribable. I am simply the interpreter. Here is what my heart has to say:

Wishing I was who you wanted me to be
Because I need you, like I hoped you needed me
But alas, one of the things I learned is
that nothing is set in stone, so in turn
I tried to turn away from you, from myself, from our feelings
And I said our, because they were our feelings
built up and put together during our dealings
I'm sorry, but I need to be really revealing
About how much I care for you, and yes I talk about you
Because I'm so proud of you, and never did I doubt you
But our past is like Jason, always tracking us down
No matter how fast we run, it's always around
So, if we're heartbroken right now, and it's in the picture
Imagine what will happen the moment our hearts become richer
And I'm willing to fight the past right now in the present
to preserve out future, to make things pleasant
But I need you to fight with me, let's stop the blame game
Let's admit to each other our love is one and the same
I'm holding out my hand, I'm not asking for nothing
Place your hand in mine, let's make US something
No titles, no expectations, no boxes, no cramped hallways
Just what we deserve; a person in our corner forever and always
I could go on and on and have a 50 page list too.
But I guess all I'm trying to say is I miss you.

Thank you for reading.

Guest Poet: "Directing Traffic"

Our guest poet for today, Candace, is a beautiful sister. She is a young lady in college who is wise well beyond her years and her creative energy and passion inspires me greatly. Show her love. Also, visit her at Verbfashion Blog, you'll be glad I sent you.


Poetess, you now have the floor...

Yo, I'm a well written script coming to you live. I'm a student that will probably make a lot of money doing what comes naturally to me but I hope to evolve in poetry and conclude in this life doing what I love doing, writing. I'm passionate about many things and very few people; guess that's what makes the very few significant. If I could be compared to any one thing, I'd say I'm like a Rubik Cube (complex and colorful). Some figure me out and feel accomplished. Those that can't, keep shifting and turning only to sigh deeply when I do land in the hands of other brilliant minds. They're always angry temporarily but they always keep trying. It's interesting because like those close to me just when I think I've gotten me figured out, an experience, person, or situation becomes my journal's inspiration.

-Candace



What do you when you know something is just not good for you yet you long for it? It's not even that the person isn't a good person so much as the situation is effortlessly flawed. Adaptability and compatibility are all wrong and it's up to me to quit - I'm used to walking away to force the other person to put in the effort so this time I've challenge myself and stayed. And with all this complexity registering momentarily I let out this:

Directing Traffic

opposites attracting is bulls***
we're in love with our opposite directions so much
we're opponents
we've openly discussed how situated we are in our
subjectivity to everything
what was our objective?
I, to break from my in-dependency
I'm so dependent on me
you, to end what you've always been
you're so used to the simple-minded
my complexity...
laps your simplicity so much
it threatens breaking up with me if i stay stationed
in complicity
which I've denied being a possibility
diction used for our 'screwed' description, explicit
head strong for potential has driven me insane
review, peep my exhaustion as I pass in the oncoming lane

Guest Poet: "Grey Matters"

My guest poet for today is a very awesome woman and author by the name of Ain. We are mutual fans of each other. She has featured me a few times on her blogs and I could not wait for the opportunity to extend the invitation to her. She graciously accepted and sent me this lovely piece. Also, make sure to visit her blog and go ahead and subscribe while you are at it, I'll leave the links at the end of her poem!

Enjoy:

Grey Matters

He loves me

Some

We kiss on the moon

And cuddle with the sun

He writes partial love notes

But on shady days

He ends them with “Peace, Me”

We shun exclusiveness

While jealousy resides in us

He loves me

Some

Me, skip a seat, him

At the movies

And he leans over to kiss my forehead

He loves me

Some

He thinks of me everyday

And calls me every other

When I cry, we cry

We dream different dreams

Together

He slow dances with my smile

And laughs at my frown

He loves me

Some

Ain HD
http://ainhd.blogspot.com/
Poem from [If] Life's Rotten, Write to the Core: http://www.amazon.com/If-Lifes-Rotten-Write-Core/dp/0557003067

She also can be found at Rhyme Revival...

Blog Poetry Slam 31: Road

Today's topic and poem comes to us from my favorite poet, Elliot Axiom (I'm a little biased, but really, he is dope!) I love the poem of his I will present and think it would be interesting to write from the perspective of love, life, and/or dreams in the the sense of a road or journey. I think we all can pull something beautiful out of that. So as always please post a poem in the comments inspired by the topic, poem, or picture. It can be long, short or even a haiku! If you do not write then tell the poets or the guest poet what you think of their pieces. I will be writing in the comments as well. Below will be a picture for inspiration and following that will be his poem, "The Road Calls Me."

*Elliot actually took this pic*

She asked where and why I was going?
What was I running from, looking for, hoping to see?
Why, she asked tearfully, why do you have to leave?

Leaning back I let go the key
Then I answer
The road calls me
A lover’s whisper in my ear saying
Come to me. Follow me.
Ride me like I’ve never been ridden
Position yourself between my guiding lines and
Push
Harder than ever
Don’t look back
Keep your eyes on me
Move faster than the speed of thought
Cause if you think…you wont
But take your time
Cause if you don’t, you’ll miss the purpose
Don’t’ fly through the journey
Taste me
Lick asphalt. Kiss concrete
Suck exhaust till exhausted
Then rest your weary bones in my median
Never leave me

They say you're running from your demons but you see them,
Face them, you look in the mirror, do you see him?
Not a demon. Your father
Gone 13 years but still here you look just like him
I started smoking at his bedside beside him
Watching him die of cancer
Lit 2 cigarettes
1 for him, 1 for me
having found the answer
of how to commit suicide
slowly

The road calls me
Like a father
Teasing a child that’s too scared to jump off the high board
Who starts to walk back but instead moves forward to face the teasing
“Daddy watch me” he says before leaping
as feet leave safety for uncertainty
Faith overcomes Fear becoming Bravery
And now he’s happy that he’s falling
Free falling
Feeling free for the minute suspended as water rushes up to meet him
Will he smash or splash?
No one knows…so
Daddy watch me
I’m leaping
Falling horizontally toward a horizon I’ll never reach
Wind whipping passed me at furious speeds
Will uncertainty pull me to earth to smash?
Or can I fly faithfully into the sun to splash?

The road calls me
Like a mother
Trying to teach lessons only experience can make you learn
Teach me mother
Teach me love
Teach me tired
Teach me fear
Teach me while I’m here
Why I’m here
Teach me to reach
Teach me to teach, no better
Teach me to learn
She says
The lesson’s of the road aren’t elusive my son
You will learn at every turn
Teach yourself!!!

The road calls me
Like a bully
Like a child curiously
Like a stranger dangerous with the danger of strangeness
Like chocolate served on lava
A fiery sweetness
Or shy Amazon
Uncertainly massive
An unrecognizable song
Beautiful but deadly
Medley too clear for foggy morning air
Coming from over there, nowhere and everywhere
Don’t know if its damnation or salvation
Worse
Don’t know if you really care
The road calls me
Like it did at 16
when I left behind all family and friends
The road calls me
20 years later
and I answer
once again

Now she understands
So I turn the key
And leave...

Elliot Axiom 2008


*YOUR TURN*