I try to make my words poetic because I think poetry is such a beautiful thing. The brevity of words that form images and emotions is crazy, another langue we’ve created to give meaning to this life we all feel.

I wouldn’t say I’m even good at poetry. That would take long years of practice and dedication and lots more reading and maybe classes at the local college to hone my skills and widen my knowledge to even proficiency, much less mastery.

That’s real.

But I get to put words on paper, fingers to keys. I can grind away late nights, puzzling over words or parsing phrases, trying to express myself on the page. I hope it resonates with you, and I truly hope I don’t just waste your time listening to my “express myself” but at the bottom of it, I really don’t care.

I’m writing things I love. With language that means something to me, letters to my future self, in case I’m ever lost again, I might pick up the trail that’ll lead me here:

On a mic

Surrounded by loved ones

At an event I’m hosting in multiple cities.

Because I wanted to.

Look, there’s not a real reason I’m doing this. I wanted to read poetry on a mic, and I got hella intimidated by the actual slam poets I saw. I wanted to raise up my friends who do cool shit, and give them stage and time. I think it’s cool and funny and interesting to throw parties. I’m a bit of a Monica, so I love getting shit done that other people can’t, wouldn’t, tried and failed. I love gathering the fam  and meeting awesome people and reveling in all their glory, because they all deserve the praise and the wonderment. I have a god complex and I’m leaning into it because I want to see how far it takes me.

All of it to say, I don’t need a reason. I’m just here because of a collection of happenstance, as are we all.

This is my high because, this is my high because, this is my high because, this is my high because, this is my high because, this is what I chose to do. This is what I manifested for myself. The act of a god, of creation, for life.

I’m an optimist truly to a fault, and a romantic to many faults, and a believer to the t.

But that also means I love and believe in you. You will make the things you chose to make. You will succeed where you chose to go. You will find happiness if that is your goal and you strive for it every minute, get out of your own way when it matters, and forgive yourself every time you fail and yet still try again.

It will make you stronger and smarter and better than you can ever imagine right now.

But I see that person in you.

Consider me the lighthouse then. But not warning you of shore, but flashing hope as you struggle against the waves, fighting the relentless tide, unaware salvation is both right here, and not exactly the salvation you were looking for. It’s not heaven, we aren’t dead yet. But it’s not purgatory either. It’s work. And joy. And work. And joy and work and joy and work and joy and work and rest.

Cheers friends. Thank you again for coming here. The donation box is to your left. Please be kind and loving towards all the artists, to yourselves, to each other. We’re all the we have. It’s a bounded infinity, but it is enough.

And always work towards being who you want to be.