Monday Oh So Dope Award, Apr. 04,2011 (The Return of the Dopeness!!)

I haven't done the Monday Oh So Dope Award in quite some time, which is surprising to me.  I am constantly finding things that I think are clever, insightful, and just down right dope!!  (Yes, I was born in the '80s.  Dope will always mean "cool"!!)

It's National Poetry Month, and I found an amazing site (well, more like rediscovered), that has given me some amazing writing prompts to use.  Rachel McKibbens is one of my favorite spoken word artists, and by far the dopest mom I have come across in a long time.  Need some evidence of Rachel's dopeness?  Check this Def Poetry performance out (with then husband, George):




So freakin' dope!!

Just like her blog, which contains enough spectacular writing and poetry exercises to make budding writers foam at the mouth.  Rachel is a prime example of why we should toss the old adage "Those who can't, teach."  She is a masterful teacher, in an art form that she clearly commands.  Oh so dope, Ms. McKibbens, oh so dope, indeed!!

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

The Beauty of Different

Once again from wandering the blogosphere, I have discovered something profound.  Chookooloonks is one of my new favorites, full of beautiful insight through the words and photographs of Karen Walrond.  A former engineer and lawyer, Karen has won several awards, is a highly sought keynote speaker, and has been featured on Oprah and CNN.

She is also a published author.  Her book, the Beauty of Different, is a stunning combination of Karen's remarkable eye joined together with a gift of story-telling that with make all readers gush with appreciation.  Certainly a must read.  I found this introductory video on the book's page and my mind was immediately pushed adrift, a raft of thought floating slowly out to sea.




I would love to say that I have always celebrated those things that make me different, but that would be a lie. I had to grow into this.  Cry a few nights, because I didn't understand.  I had to open my eyes and see me.  But now, I am enamored with my differences.  I champion the fact that they're all a collection of little things that set me apart from everyone else.  And now, I see them as beautiful whereas, for too many years, I believed them to be flaws.  I hope that everyone can find it in them, to savor those things that make you unique.  As Karen superbly states in the video, we are all uniquely, breathtakingly beautiful.  And that should be reason enough for a smile.

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

National Poetry Month

I'm amazed that I haven't posted in April yet, since this is one of my favorite months of the year.  April is National Poetry Month, which means that most poets are currently sprouting forth words at rapid pace.  It is a time to come together and celebrate the power of poetry.  I am currently participating in three 30/30s  (30 poems in 30 days).  It is such a motivating time period, and perhaps only second to NaNoWriMo (which I will also be participating in this year) in output of words.  So to all you lovers of poetry, search around this month.  I am sure you will find many delightful poems that inspire and entertain.  Here's the first poem that I wrote this month:

Write Fresh

my cupboard is bare, my soul longs

to eat, got to

make it to the storehouse

on malnourished feet,

so I can feast

on line upon line,

I been starving!

it’s high time that I was fed,

I need something

sublime,

a little

food for thought, I need

vittles for my mind,

need

something that’s gonna get me

through this trying lifetime,

where far too many

sit hungry,

desolation carving emptiness

through lives

with no warning,

hope my words can be substance

‘til the broken

find their spoon,

‘cause all our souls could use a bit

of better eatin’ soon,

and so

I write fresh

 [End Poem]

National Poetry Month!!  Here is to an amazing April!

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

Twitter Me This, Mar. 31, 2011

Okay, so apparently I'm at this Twitter thing early as hell this morning.  Maybe that's just my rediscovered dedication.  Or I could just need some Starbucks!!  Lol.  Either way, here we go:

A tweet a day: Mar. 31 - Every time I think about you, I feel so alive. I wish I could hold onto you forever!! #Iwokeupearlythismorning

I was shocked nobody had ever used that hash tag  before.  (Or maybe it was so long ago, it really doesn't matter anymore.  Forgive me.  New to this twittering stuff.)

But that line comes from one of my favorite Jay-Z songs.  It became like a morning anthem at one point, especially the intro and hook.

Enjoy your day, whether up early or late, because after it's gone, it's gone.  Live each day in a manner where you won't ever worry about getting it back.

And remember, you can follow me on Twitter here.

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

Twitter Me This, Mar. 30 2011

So recently, a friend was telling me that I need to get up on Twitter.  And though I've had an account for a few months now, I can't bring myself to consistently post these tweets (that's what they're called right?...lmao).  But today, an idea came to mind, that I'm going to stick with for the next month or so, and post it here, under the title, Twitter Me This.  One tweet a day, about whatever I feel like tweeting about.  Right now, I'm wondering why tweet doesn't show up in my spell-checker.  Suddenly I remember that birds have been tweeting for years.  And so, I digress.

Here's the first tweet:

A tweet a day keeps my thoughts in play:  Mar. 30  Within all these crazy dreams, lies all that happiness, waiting for me.  Still dreaming!

If you like, you can follow me on Twitter here:  http://twitter.com/#!/theRarePoet

 Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet