Writers Block Party aftermath

( left to right: Soulful Jones, Kesed, RIP, me, Falu, and Jason Reynolds)


I particularly enjoy this show because it connects and even reconciles having a good time and being socially or politically conscious where as often we see them in opposition to each other. Most people think poetry is the voice of an oppressive, depressed, or highly romanticized individual and that simply because you talk about such matters linguistically or subject wise that in fact you are the entirety of that. I would care to argue that it is because I write about such things or in such ways that I can be typically a happy and very hopeful person. The subjects or moods of my poems do not define the person I am off stage or behind the page, it simply creates a mode of creativity where I can express certain feelings and thoughts and given experiences. I think it is a very stupid thing to judge a person entirely based upon their work but I do believe it holds a given amount of weight into the perspective of an individual.
As for Writers Block, a friend, poet, and emcee RIP brought this collective together and it has proven to always be an incredible evening. The smooth and often anticipated transition from poetry to party is almost miraculous. One moment all you hear the crowd saying is "ooooohhhh" "ahhhh" "spit that shit" damn!" "woowww" in amazement of the poems to jerking and jiving, gyrating and jiggling. How we can manuver easily from the sensory importance of listening, being moved through words and thoughts to then being moved physically from the bumping rhythm of your all time favorite hip hop, pop, and reggae music. It feels like a complete house party at the bowery poetry club. I commend RIP for bringing together some dynamic artists and an incredible audience. I kid you not, there had to be around 250 people stuffed into the Bowery this past thursday and it was something to witness for sure.

Any way, I didn't even mean to speak about this I actually wanted to share photos that were taken that night from a friend of mine, Nelson Caban. He's an artist in all respects of the word and was kind enough to come through and take some photos for me. Check em out HERE and keep up with him on his BLOG as well. For those of you that came out to this amazing show, I hope you all made it home safe and that we were able to plant some seeds as well as water them. Much love and mad blessings. good times.

always, aja-monet