Napowrimo for day 12 of 30 - This now me love

I am getting older
Old
Older
Just old enough
My hair is turning gray
Not just at my temples either
Like a handprint on my head
I am touched
Touched
Maybe by God
Who knows
This is not the body I remember from my twenties either
This is someone else's body
This is my body
Mine
It is up to me to love this me
This gray and black fro
This body with flesh so everywhere
Once upon a time I was the skinniest bitch in the room
Once upon a time I was a bitch
I was proud
Not anymore
I have curves
I am a woman
A beautiful woman
I have to get used to this beauty
This woman I am
I am a poet
You know poets
How we are
You know women poets
How we talk about our bodies and periods and menopause
How bloody bloody we are
Yes, I am that woman
With hands like trees
To reach and hold you if you need me
Do you need me
Did you call
Tell me I am beautiful
That is what I am saying
When I am saying something else
Like me
Hold my tree hands and love them like they love you
Free me from all these thoughts and poems inside my gray and black head
It is up to me to love myself
Don't you know this is true
Don't you know the part I have to play
To love you and me too

Napowrimo

I have been writing pretty poorly this napowrimo but I'm going to get my act together before the month is up and produce something I love. Just watch.

By the way, napowrimo is NAtional POetry WRIting MOnth. April is poetry month and poets all over the world post poems for the whole month. The idea is to do it every day but I've been bullshitting and skipping days and posting two for the days I skipped. Hey, however it gets done though. It's been a challenge for me this year. I've done napowrimo before and poems came a lot easier. This challenge makes me even more proud of myself for completing a poem a day in 2013. I didn't skip any days and had each poem posted before midnight. I even had more than one poem on some days. And good work too.  Work I still use. Speaking of that project The World Stage Press is going to publish it. I'm so happy about that.

But I still don't have a poem to post for today yet.

Up

7:46 pm. Home. My mood has been pretty up lately. I think the lithium has been doing some good. This combination of meds have been the best so far.

Teaching

It's 9:56 am and I am in my car near the high school. I just finished my first period class and am waiting around for fourth period. I have things to keep me occupied though, like this pile of papers to grade.

I woke up thankful this morning. Thankful for my job. Thankful that I get to spend so much time with bright, energetic, creative future leaders. I love them.

I was / am also thankful for my friends and family. Thankful for a new day. A new opportunity to create something wonderful or change someone's life for the better.

Anyway, papers to grade.

World Stage. Pam. Feeling good.

11:41 pm and I am at home. I went to The World Stage tonight and I'm glad I did. Pam was featured and it was good to hear her. I knew I would be inspired to write after I saw and heard her and I am. The inspiration is in good time too because I'm behind on Napowrimo by a few days. I don't think I'm going to post tonight either. Perhaps tomorrow.

I feel good. Even though I have to work tomorrow. I'm cool. I'm looking forward to two really cool and easy classes tomorrow. Oh, I saw Taalam at The Stage tonight and he did a new piece I hope he will do when he comes to my class next Thursday. Whatever he has in mind to do will be great though.

Anyway, I'm about to get ready for bed.

I am thankful for this day and my World Stage family. For my family and friends. For Uraeus. For love and peace. For being in a good space in my head. I am thankful for love and happiness. For ease and grace. For good dreams and hope. I am thankful for being thankful.

Napowrimo for day 11 of 30 - Weekday haiku

This is the routine
Get up, drink water and work
Come home, rest again

Prom party. Cousin. Dream.

On Friday I shot my cousin's prom party at my family's home in Palmdale. The pictures came out great by the way, but that's not what this post is about. Anyway, I stayed the weekend. My little cousin was there and stayed too with his mother and sister. He is eight years old. On Saturday he woke up and said that he had "the best dream" the night before. He said that he saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He had breakfast and played for a little while then announced that he was going back to bed to get his dream back. I loved it. When it didn't come back after his nap he complained that he couldn't stop thinking about it and wanted it back. That night when it was time for bed he said he couldn't wait to go to bed to get his dream. I loved so much watching him waiting to get his dream. I totally understood him. Bless his young heart.

Sisters

There is a picture of me with my sister where we are dressed alike (I never liked that). That picture is my favorite with us in red and white outfits. We are four years apart and I was much taller so we looked funny being in the same outfits but whatever. I wish I could find that photo. Anyway, I love you Roshann Reed Williams and wish you a happy sibling day!

Napowrimo day 10 of 30 - Now

Today happiness
is present. Sun shines across
my face so freely.

Napowrimo for day 9 of 30 - Seed

Wait and see how high
I will grow when this blossom
Sprouts so lovely bloom

Napowrimo for day 8 of 30 - Time

Because I believe
in love I know how patient
I must be to see

Napowrimo day 7 of 30 - Why I do not like being called girl anymore

Because girls are not grown
Because girls have not earned these hips
Girls giggle when it is more appropriate to speak straight
Girls make too many moves based on what boys want
Because I am a woman
Because I love being a woman