[This Community Poem was written by the audience of the open mic which I hosted at Busboys and Poets 14th & V NW on Tuesday, August 17, 2021.]

We the people
Come to vibe at the Busboys
Traveled here on a bus boy
And now we are on the adventure of our lives
We declare love is pure!
Filled with so much talent
From poems to pianos and more
From the highest mountain to the lowest valleys and marshlands, they came from all over an ever expanding earth
And we breathe with lungs on fire
A community of people who are here for the purpose of listening and learning
A community of people who are here for the purpose of watching and waiting
Always kind of hating and contemplating
This the space I’ve had to chase but been too tired to keep up pace
But still I persevere, going as hard as I can
We are a people so powerful, relentless and hungry, loving and tender
With one hand we create and the other we destroy
We are here to be loved and be true and to live in the moment our greatest dreams
We are here to learn to walk on our own 2 feet, and then remind ourselves we never have to
Here to open & open & open
Open the mind, the heart
We yearn to be close while everything in the world is tearing us apart
Keep love on the top
Hate must stop
It is but the distortion of love
The misdirection of energy
That’s purpose is greater
Shidddddd….how many times have I said that this week?
It’s a goldlink every week
A chain that may or may not become broken
It depends on us to not be so cheap
Not weak
And be different from what the past has taught us
Strike for no results
Apply pressure where there is none
Continuing to try to make DC a state
Not knowing what lives it’ll destroy
Not knowing how many opportunities, goals, and future generations may become destroyed
Life is Love
Stay BOLD and YOU!
Tonight it’s rainy & humid & hot
I love sunny days, being on DC roof tops getting LIT
Looking for the perfect beat to spit
Telling stories to take you for a trip
I am a God
Man in his image, Queen in his kingdom
An awesome army of one face and no color, PERFECTION
Drowning in problems, keeping my head above water…
Being the best me I can be, never mind what was thought of
This white girl from Seattle knows nothing
But knows it all at the same time
Cut yourself some slack, white girl
You showed up today open & ready to receive
I am always nervous and brave
We are here
Make the most of the day
Life is meant to be lived anyway
For the only thing that truly exists is the here & now
Though I never know how to feel
I’ll never let myself be a slave to all my fears
Amen to that
I’m a slave to your love
Love is patient
Love is kind
At the end of the night your Love is mine
How can you figure out who you are and how to love yourself when the questions you ask yourself aren’t your questions
When your life isn’t your idea
Raindrops
Dark skies
Love
Healing vibrations
Mentions
The embracement of the world’s greatest gifts
As I look up to the sky and try
To solve these eternal myths
Lonely nights, lonelier days
Even though we hate, we are all the same
Glimpses of light
Grinding to shine bright
Like a star, guiding the skies
You are whatever you decide to be
You are…whatever
Don’t let your past hold you back
Take internal steps to receive manifested results
Don’t forget to wipe your butt after you go number 2
Gotta stay clean, cuz I’m with the crew
Blues clues flus that flew
Like the other side of the pillow, we stay cooool
Pavement wet, been raining all night
Word to Kendrick, we gon be aiiight!