Thursday, November 29, 2007

Who is Jill Scott?

The soultry songstress definitely has a way with words. And in her latest album, she seems to tell her stories in some of the most melodic tones that not only get you tapping to the beat and singing along, but being able to identify with the words of her music just makes it all the more worthwhile. Although, I've never gotten a chance to see her in concert, I do alright with getting all of her albums that I have on hand, and just close my eyes as they randomly play, and I sit and listen and feel as if I'm there.

She is truly an inspiration for someone who writes poetry like I do. I can't wait to get my hands on her book of poetry which I am sure the words moves you just like her music. Jill Scott celebrates life, the recovering from love, and moving on. She has a unique way in which she gets her point across, and you hear every word clearly and precisely, making you say, "Sing it, girl!" We have Alicia Keys who celebrates freedom. We have Mary J. Blige who celebrates life. And here comes Jill Scott who celebrates the magic of self, being in love, and moving on from love.

So, who is Jill Scott? A woman simply telling it like it is.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Poem, "Unfulfilled," from the book "Sins of a Poet" Coming in 2008

The emptiness in my eyes
Is the way that I feel when I
Walk into a room and
No one notices I’m there.

I sit at a desk in a
Nowhere job and wonder
Every passing minute why
I am even there.
And yet I come home to you
And feel as if your
Arms don’t welcome me
At the end of a long hard day.

It’s in the fire, baby,
The way that I cry,
When I feel so denied.
Of the love and affection
I need from you to keep going,
So unfulfilled.
So unthrilled.
Cause you don’t impress
Yourself with the things
Going on with me
Even when I stop to breathe.
It’s like you’re in your
Own world,
And can’t be disturbed,
So I’m left all alone
To face what I’m going through.

The roughness in my hands,
Tell the story of hard work
With back breaking pain
When I move to provide
For everyone inside.
The food on the table
And the roof over our heads,
Evidence of my fruits and labor
While I’m unappreciated.
Yet, I survive with everyday
That passes by,
That’s how I live,
Fighting to keep my head up.
To be strong and not give in
To the anger that rises,
That which I fight to keep
Down inside,
So that no one notices
Even when I cry.

It’s in the fire, baby,
The way that I cry
When I feel so denied.
It’s the emptiness I can’t
Pretend that does not exist,
When you turn away to
Do your own thing
That doesn’t involve me.
So unfulfilled.
So unthrilled.
Cause you don’t impress
Yourself with my
Smile that’s faded away,
And you don’t even
Wipe away the tears.
Just keep on walking.
And I keep on talking.
Yet, you don’t hear the words
I speak with fire behind them.

Never mind that I’m
Not happy.
It’s ok that I am unfulfilled
In this life I once loved
And once enjoyed.
Never mind that I walk
In circles, looking for
That one magical moment
Where I can set aside
These feelings and move on
To happier times I know exist.
Will you miss the food
I put on the table?
Will you shelter yourself
From the storms if I
Took away the roof
That’s over your head?

I said,
It’s in the fire, baby,
The way that I cry
When I feel so denied.
So unfulfilled.
So unthrilled.
Something I just can’t hide.
In the middle of the night
When sleep is not an option.
Into the light I will travel,
To find what it is I’m missing.
Will you be at the other end
Of the road to greet me?
To be what it is I’m missing
Or will I find something else
That will rescue me from
A burdened heart?

I’ve become a no nonsense woman.
No time for playing games.
No time for pretentious woes.
I need to be fulfilled

In the fire that I breathe.

2007 - Not to be copied, distributed, or used for any purpose.

My Debut as an Author

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

One thing I can say for sure is that a new chapter in my life has begun. I can add being an author to my list of accomplishments. I don't know for sure what others think about this new beginning for me, but I can definitely say I was both nervous and excited as the actual release day approached, then arrived. "One Voice, a Thousand Words of Music" was first visioned than realized. And to see it actually in print was more than being worth a thousand words. I was speechless and nearly brought to tears when I saw the first proof of the cover.Here we are, and now the question of "what's next" sits heavily on my mind.

So, without further pondering of what would be my next move after the release of this book, I decided that at the end of my six month period, I would take a bold move and submit a much more edgier book -- with a kick. And then after that book, tone it down with a more personal book celebrating freedom of life and the freedom of me.

So with this said, I bring you "One Voice, a Thousand Words of Music." You can find the book at the online book store at PublishAmerica.com, and effective Monday, November 26, 2007, it will be available on book retailers ordering system and/or in bookstores as well as made available in Europe.Enjoy!

Poetry in Pure Form

What is poetry? It is how one expresses themselves. And as we look at the many poets today...those whom I admire most, Jill Scott, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, we can only come to respect their pure form of poetry in both spoken word and in song. And it is from them that I am inspired to write in the manner that I do.

But don't get me wrong, there are those who should not write poetry. Those are the ones that are violent, too dark, speak of death in painful acts of dying...it's just horrific at best. I can say you would probably find those poets in underground arena where the goth environment party dwells. Not all goth are dark in this form, from what I've come to know. There are just those who take it to a whole different level.

Prince has been my all time favorite in performers. I took the time to listen to his lyrics when I was barely 10-years old. And it was then I wanted to write more colorful poems after having already been writing since the age of 7.

Poetry today has advance, evolved, and developed into something that everyone can embrace because poetry remains for the purest form of expression.