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Friday, December 11, 2009

Counting down to 2010



Hi Poetic People



We're in December now! Time does fly. This year has been so jam packed for me that its end has come seemingly all of a sudden.


The year 2009 in the Hebrew calendar is the year 5769. 9 is the number linked with birthing- bringing to life things that have been conceived and incubated inside. This year I've given birth to our first baby and also to other things, a new level of creativity, new relationships, new ways of thinking. There were so many blessings that came with giving birth to our son and one of them was that I learnt how to give birth to my dreams, plans and desires. 


I carried a baby in my belly for 9 months and it felt like a breeze because there are some dreams I've carried for over 9 years without knowing how to give birth to them and see them happen. When you carry something without knowing if it will ever come out, I'm sure you can imagine how tiring that can be to say the least. In the labor room that evening I remember thinking... let me see how this is done, let me pay close attention so I get it. No joke, I know times like that you would think that there'd be no room to let your mind wander but somehow that's what I did.


As women we imagine the day when we will have to go through what many women go through, the pain of labor and that can almost take the joy out of an experience that could be so special. But think of it this way, the ability to carry and protect another life inside of you and then to endure the tensions of life coming out of life through a very narrow channel..... Poetry at it's best! I believe that is one of the places where the strength of a woman is birthed. In the labor room. That is where you click into a new phase of being and begin to understand so many things. So I found my strength and my strategy in 2009. I learned how to give birth. I learned how to recognise contractions and push until what was hidden became visible. I learned how not to be discouraged by small openings or phased by other people's experiences. I also learned that there is no need to allow yourself to be paralysed from the waist down by fear when laughter and a bit of happy-gas can act as a very effective pain killer.


This month I've started to think about 2010 which I will name the year of Taking what's Mine! December is the perfect month for laying out a plan of action. I'm a great planner so there is a plan for everything in my life. As a creative person, it's imperative that you have a plan otherwise one month could roll on to the next and you find yourself still procrastinating in a beautiful but very definite bubble! 2010 for me will be the year of moving forward, not just living in a bubble however lovely it looks.


I've got some exciting projects coming up in 2010, some expected and some surprises, so look out. My website should be ready early next year and I will keep you updated on here. If you're on twitter, follow me http://twitter.com/Pretty_Poet for more regular peeks into my world.


Make a plan for 2010 and write it down. I'd love to hear from you, we can encourage each other. I'll be Taking what's mine in 2010, what will you be doing?

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Warsan Shire

Warsan Shire is a UK based Somali poet.

I love this poem entitled "A letter my mother would have written had she known English"
Warsan is appearing at Badilisha! Poetry X-change in South Africa. This 5 day event taking place 24th-28th November, will include seminars, workshops and performances. Badilisha! Poetry X-change has been curated by acclaimed South African poet Madlika Ndlovu.



Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Stop and smell the roses.... or hear the music

I received something so beautiful to my inbox this morning. As you know I'm on a quest to find the poetry around me, in everyday life... to live a poetic life. The pieces of music below were recorded by a guy called Jim Wilson and what you're actually listening to is crickets! The crickets were recorded and then the music was slowed down to match the average length of a human lifespan (as crickets have very short lives). The sound is so amazing, like choirs singing...


It's wonderful (definition: capable of eliciting wonder; astonishing, marvelous or strange) to know that even in nature there is poetry and music going on.
Life can be so fast some times. We have more appointments than hours in the day and worries that would last a lifetime if we let them! Slow down and take a deep breath... smell the roses, hear the music.

When I listened this morning it reminded me of how awesome and thoughtful and purposeful God is... and if there is all of that music and poetry in the crickets then for sure it exists in me! I best get creating then!

Have a lovely week and enjoy!

Follow the links below to hear the music...

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Phenzwaan

It's been a busy few weeks readers so thank you for being patient with me, I haven't been as faithful as I would have liked with my blogging. I'll attempt to catch up.


We had the BEFFTA awards where I was nominated for the Best Spoken Word Artist award. I didn't take the prize this time but I thought I'd introduce you to the winner of the award, in case you haven't heard....

Phenzwaan

Phenzwaan is a London based Spoken Word Artist/Poet whose pieces are about more than just presentation, though that itself stands up... His flow and the imagery evoked through his words run deep. But he is a poet for more than the words on a page, I hear a poetic lifestyle when I listen to his creations. Phenzwaan's writing is mostly experiential and if you close your eyes and allow him, he takes you on journeys, weaving in and out of rhyme and rhythm dipping into spiritual- his experiences, your experiences...

Log on to youtube and check out Phenzology T.V.
Look out for Bag Lady of Soul and everyone's favourite- It's all about the Weave

Phenzwaan will be releasing a double cd on November 13th- Now and Forever- The Definitive Collection- check out the promo below and order a copy at http://www.phenzwaan.com.

Just when you thought you knew what poetry was about...

Enjoy!






Friday, October 23, 2009

Poetry Event

Courtesy of Apples & Snakes


BEYOND WORDS

Four incredible South African poets tour the UK together for the first time. Brought together by South African Poet Laureate and renowned exile campaigner Keorapetse Kgositsile, the show premieres specially commissioned new work. This is a blistering introduction to the new South Africa and to the power of live poetry in performance.

Featuring some of the most exciting voices of South Africa in the twenty
first century -
Keorapetse Kgositsile, Lebo Mashile, Don Mattera and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers.

Keorapetse Kgositsile: "
I think an exchange of literature among peoples has better chances of building understanding and friendship than any diplomatic missions could ever achieve."

Linton Kwesi Johnson: "
It is a very impressive line up of some of South Africa's finest and most powerful poets."

When: Wednesday 4 November, 8.00pm
Where: Southbank Centre, Purcell Room, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX
Tickets: £10
Box office: 0871 663 2500 /
www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Nyerere Day

Yesterday was a public holiday in Tanzania. It was a day celebrating Julius Nyerere, the father of our nation we say. He is referred to as Mwalimu (Teacher) and was Tanzania's first President.

Nyerere himself was also a poet an intellectual and a translator who pushed for there to be a national language- Swahili. He translated Shakespeare's Julius Caesar into Swahili and also various parts of the Bible, he re worked into rhyming poetry, a form called tenzi.
His great vision and equality ethos substantially contributed to the development of culture and music in Tanzania and lives on today in the lyrics of Tanzanian artist and writers.

I'll be taking a look at the poetry in speeches in some future blogs- Nyerere to Obama and some in between.


Thursday, October 8, 2009

Events in London

It's National Poetry Day!

Courtesy of Apples and Snakes check out these poetry events taking place over the next month in London:


Jazz verse jukebox


Broadcaster & Vocalist, Jumoké Fashola hosts the monthly jazz verse jukebox Upstairs @ Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club which explores the age-old tradition of intertwining jazz and performance poetry. Special Guests include Charlie Dark, Kayo Chingonyi & Niall Spooner-Harvey. With live jazz & a 'jukebox' open mic for poets & singers.


When: Sunday 11th Oct, doors opens 6.30pm, Show from 8pm
Where: Upstairs @ Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club (Ronnies Bar), 47 Frith St, Soho, W1D 4HT
Tickets: £6.00 on the door
Info:
www.jumokefashola.com


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RISIN FROM THE DUST
Grime, Spoken Word, Music & Film


The UK's finest MCs meet one of the founding voices of dub poetry in a spoken word mash-up. Charting the connection between grime and spoken word, with a respectful nod to its roots, and a glimpse of the future. Launching the new film GRIT STORY: STILL RISIN' FROM THE DUST exploring the roots of British grime music, made by OOR productions in association with young people fromThe Midi Music Company and The Albany. Alongside live performances headlined by
Soweto Kinch jamming with Ghetts Jean 'Binta' Breeze, Rinse, Concise one, Conrad the Scoundrel.
Hosted by
Charlie Dark.
Suitable for ages 14+

When:
Friday 16 October 7.30pm
Where: The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, London, SE8 4AG
Tickets: £9 / £6 concs, £4 under 25s (in advance, subject to availability)
Booking: 020 8692 4446
Info:
www.thealbany.org.uk

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SHUNT POETRY SESSIONS

New week long residencies at Shunt. Poets experiment with audience and space, interrupting conversations and challenging people to engage with spoken word in exciting new ways. Featuring:

Helen Mort
Molly Naylor
Joe Hakim
Byron Vincent
Joshua Idehen
Kayo Chingonyi
Joe Coelho
Mama Tokus
Hannah Walker

When: Wednesday 7th - Saturday 17th October 8pm
Where: Shunt, 20 Stainer street, London, SE1 9RL
Info: 0207 378 7776 /
www.shunt.co.uk

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APPLES & SNAKES IN SOHO FEATURING PATRICK NEATE


Patrick Neate is one of the jewels in London's literary crown. Not only has he successfully crossed club-culture with spoken word to create West London's popular Book Slam events, he's also produced a brace of successful novels with a global perspective and a poet's twang.
His latest book,
Jerusalem, has just been published by Fig Tree/Penguin. Don't miss this special live set from the only man with a Whitbread Prize and street credibility.

Also appearing tonight is
Kate Tempest, one of the new breed of poets snapping at Patrick's heels. Five years of hard graft have seen her building on her hip-hop roots to become one of the most recognised and admiredfigures on the circuit, not to mention a must-see at most of the UK's major festivals. Come along and see why.

And if that's not enough, we also present
Joshua Idehen, another larger-than-life, impossible-to-ignore poet, who was last seen wowing the weekend hordes at this year's Big Chill; and Helen Mort, a writer of incredible gravitas and lyricality, who'll be previewing part of A Pint for theGhost, a new show that delves into the murky mythology of her Yorkshire roots.

With
Mat Lloyd (the finest MC in Hemel Hempstead) on bigging-up duty, this should be a night to remember.

When:
Wednesday 21 October 8pm
Where: Soho theatre, 21 Dean street, London W1D
Tickets: £8 / £6
Booking: 020 7478 0100 /
www.sohotheatre.com

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Apples & Snakes & Sustained Theatre present

BEYOND WORDS

Five incredible South African poets tour the UK together for the first time. Brought together by South African Poet Laureate and renowned exile campaigner Keorapetse Kgositsile, the show premieres specially commissioned new work. This is a blistering introduction to the new South Africa and to the power of live poetry in performance.

Featuring some of the most exciting voices of South Africa in the twenty
first century -
Keorapetse Kgositsile, Lebo Mashile, Don Mattera, Lesego Rampolokeng, and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers.

Keorapetse Kgositsile (South African Poet Laureate): "I think an exchange of literature among peoples has better chances of building understanding and friendship than any diplomatic missions could ever achieve."
Linton Kwesi Johnson "It is a very impressive line up of some of South
Africa finest and most powerful poets."


When: Wednesday 4 November 7.45pm
Where: Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
Booking: 0871 663 2500 / www.southbankcentre.co.uk



Enjoy! And I hope to see you at at least one of these events.
Have you written anything recently? Drop me a line itsprettypoet@gmail.com