Excited to share that my poem “Omi O L’ota” has won the poetry category of the 2024 Augur’s Annual Micro-Fiction Contest! Many thanks to @augursociety for this wonderful recognition.

I wouldn’t have made it if I didn’t have you holding my hands

You are not far from perfect and I’m not even close

Horses that go to war don’t dance at weddings

Ask the dingbat that posted SUVs if there are any ambulances in his village or local government. He doesn’t realize that he’s a slave to the system he praises.

Throw dirt on me and grow wild flowers

I like my optimism unreasonable, my expectations high, and my goals delusional.

Teaching a creative class this weekend and Common and Omah Lay are my major references.

What isn't for you will disappoint you repeatedly until you let it go.

Tupac was 21 when he recorded Changes. Damn!!!

Look closely at the people who are actually building something real. They are not in the crowd. They are not at every event. They are not easy to reach. Solitude is not a sign that something is wrong with them. It is a sign that something is right with what they are working on.

What a privilege it is to live the life I envisioned. To be a poet. To write. To mount stages. To struggle with words until they become magic. To travel the world doing what I freaking love. To be burdened by this dream, is a an absolute gift.

Life gets better when you realize you can love your life, be grateful for where you are, and still have sad days. Both can exist at the same time, and that's okay.

20.10.20 🕊️✊🏿

Underrated life skill: Knowing when to leave. The party. The job. The argument. The relationship. Most people stay too long at everything because leaving feels like quitting. It's not. It's editing.

Rumination is grief trying to solve what can only be mourned.

Call your parents today

People will admire your depth until it's time to swim in it. They will praise your wisdom until it hold them accountable. They will love your light until it exposes their shadow.

Changing the subject when you notice someone's uncomfortable is a level of empathy not everyone gets.