Short Stories With Poetry
By: Michael Kamau
Copyright 2011
SHORT STORIES WITH POETRY
Part 1: Spoken Word Master
(poems)
System Of Life
Copyright
I Breathe Therefore I Believe
Poetry Versus Negativity
Our Poetic Hero
Wise Poet And The Neanderthal
Message To The Warrior
I’m Here
Two Reasons Why We Should Love One Another
Our Love Is No Longer True
A Street Poet Will Now Save Planet Earth
Another Poem About Love
Part 2: Poets Of Human Emotion
(poems)
Introducing Poets Of Human Emotions
The Pleasure Princess
Furious George
Open Eyes
Spoken Gloom
Lovey Dovey
Verbal Phobia
Part 3: The Timeless Path
(poems)
The Timeless Path
Positive Poets Have Come
Sleep In Peace
Masters Of Metaphor
Who Said Positive Poets Don’t Exist
Positive Poets’ Task
Little Bunny Loves Teddy Bear
Positive Poetry
Almighty God Loves Sweet Mother Earth
Maria’s Valley Of Paradise
Part 4: Gabriel’s Poetry
(poems)
Sobriety Is My Virtue
Higher Power Higher Love
Why Did I Drive Drunk?
I Believe In Me
Powerless
Do It For Life
Sweet Mother Earth
A Poem For Sister Kari
Gabriel’s Poetry
Part 5: Bonus Scenes With Poetry
(poems)
Circle/Square
Professor Poetry
Thanks For The Invitation
I Write
Anti-Aids
Positive Poets Are Born
Beware
Part 1: Spoken Word Master
Ten poets are ready to take the stage at Black Bottom Auditorium in downtown Fort Detroit, a city which has changed it’s name from Detroit back to the name of the French fort founded three hundred, ten years earlier in hopes of leaving a violent history behind
Seventy spoken word artists auditioned two weeks prior, the ten who remain has proven to bring to the stage a positive style of poetry without the vulgar language and violent content which has plagued the art form for decades. Miss Rivers, Professor of Creative Writing at Fort Detroit University and Camille Sanchez, a reality show and documentary director from Hollywood, has teamed up to produce this first of it’s kind reality show poetry contest.
The competition will consist of four rounds of poetry recital. There will be a different topic for every round. The first round topic is Personal Poetry, where each poet will offer a spoken word piece based on any of their personal opinions. The second round topic is Story Time. Each contestant will be able to tell a story in poetic form. After the first two rounds, every member of the audience will be asked to fill out a ballot. The stage name of one poet per audience member will be written on the ballot and placed into a black box at the end of each aisle.
After intermission, the three poets with the most votes will enter the final two rounds where the topics will be World Improvement and Love Poetry. Afterwards, the audience will once again submit their ballot. The contestant with the most votes will be crowned Spoken Word Master.
Miss Rivers, who will also be Mistress of Ceremony and Camille decided not to allow music or percussion to assist any of the performances. Without sound assistance, they believed, the poets’ true essence will shine through.
At six o’clock, on a cool, Saturday evening, the show was set to begin. Camille’s camera crew, sound and light teams were in position and ready.
Miss Rivers proudly walked out toward the center of the stage for commencement;
“Greetings everyone. Welcome to Black Bottom Auditorium. Before the night is over, we will be crowning the very first Spoken Word Master. What makes this poetry contest worthy of becoming a reality show event is our commitment to trying to make this world a better place through spoken word art. For far too many years, men and women have misused the blessing of rhythmic speech to promote negative behavior. Tonight, here at Black Bottom Auditorium, we will begin to tip the balance. This world will become a better place through poetry.”
After a lengthy, thunderous applause, the Mistress of Ceremony introduced the first poet of the contest;
“Please welcome, from Windsor, Ontario, the poet known as Pink Flamingo.”
The 5 foot 7 inch supermodel type slowly walked out toward the center of the stage wearing a pink jogging suit with black running shoes. She kept her usually flowing hair partially hidden underneath a black ball cap. Immediately after the warm welcome, Pink Flamingo offered this Personal Poem;
(System Of Life)
“From prayer rituals to private fantasies at NIGHT.
From walking through the woods,
to watching a flock of Canada geese
in near perfect FLIGHT.
From giving thanks to The Creator
for health, happiness and EYESIGHT,
to eating, breathing and using the restroom;
It’s all a part of a system of LIFE.”
“In a non-arrogant way,
a Pink Flamingo is proud to say
that I do not follow another person’s PATH.
I’m free to believe whatever I choose.
I can travel at a turtle’s pace or
move to a groove which is FAST.
I can pray to The Creator while sitting, standing
or just before taking a BATH.
My poetic purpose is to share my art with the world,
without trying to solicit
thousands of dollars in CASH.”
“Within my system of life, I try to do what is right
by trying to avoid doing WRONG.
A Pink Flamingo will continue to flock toward joy and happiness, rather than sit in a tree
and sing the same sad SONG.
I haven’t yet flown to cities such as Paris,
Singapore, London or HONG KONG.
I prefer to be at the edge of
The Fort Detroit River during any season,
regardless of how LONG.”
“I wish to stay away from illegal weed,
alcoholic beverages and
an overabundance of bad FOOD.
My methods of controlling an ugly MOOD
will INCLUDE not being obnoxiously RUDE.
I would like for my poetry
to motivate the true believer by
promoting a positive ATTITUDE.”
“As long as there is another mystery to solve
my system of life will continue to evolve
and so will my Poor Righteous POETRY.
I will always give thanks to
The Creator for my creative ABILITY.
There may come a day
when I will no longer be able to escape
the sickness of SENILITY.
The key reason for having a system of life
is to protect the precious jewel of SANITY.”
Pink Flamingo earned the first standing ovation of the night. She humbly bowed before greeting and hugging Miss Rivers as the Mistress of Ceremony walked toward the center of the stage to introduce the next poet.
The seventh poet of the first round was introduced as Ghetto Gladiator from Toledo, Ohio. As his 6 foot 7 inch, three hundred pound frame slowly walked toward the center of the stage, many of the onlookers were eager to listen to what the very large man had to offer. This was his offering;
(Copyright)
“I can share my rhymes with family and friends
now that I have COPYRIGHT.
No longer do I have to battle poets
on social networks, we can take it
to the courtroom and FIGHT.”
“It’s not my fault that society is all about MONEY.
It’s only fair to get permission
to use the images of Fred Flintstone,
The Pink Panther or Bugs BUNNY.
I know it might sound FUNNY.
What did Fred Sanford say to Lamont?
‘Don’t be a big DUMMY!’”
“Plagiarism is artistic fraud,
which is a very serious OFFENSE.
If authenticity is your shield,
then creativity is your DEFENSE.
And if this was a game, your game plan should
consist of some common SENSE.”
“Competition is STIFF!
Try transforming your short stories
into epic movie SCRIPTS.
Read, read, read, learn more, look for TIPS.
Don’t be afraid to utilize your God given GIFT.”
“And there is no reason to misuse divine lyric
to put another person DOWN.
We all know Miss Karma.
You’d be better off moving out of TOWN
when she comes back AROUND.
Besides, we should be trying to reach God’s children; those who were lost
deserve the chance to be FOUND.”
“At some point in time,
all artists, poets and musicians
will return to the ground,
but our spirits will take FLIGHT.
The lesson is this:
While you’re here on earth protect your work
with COPYRIGHT!”
Yes, even here in the twenty first century, plagiarism can be a problem for literary artists. Surely, the artists in the audience will take heed to Ghetto Gladiator’s take home message.
The last poet of the Personal Poetry round is Mister Norman. The forty five year old Fort Detroit native walked out onto the stage wearing a pair of baggy blue sweat pants and a blue, long sleeve t-shirt. His dusty workman boots were hardly noticeable.
Some of the audience members know Mister Norman as The Street Poet. Those who do not know of him instantly saw confidence in the way the 5 foot 9 inch, slightly overweight poet used a small comb to stroke his gray and black beard. His personal poem is specifically directed toward the enlightened individual and anyone who is willing to open their mind;
(I Breathe Therefore I Believe)
“I BREATHE, therefore I BELIEVE.
With rain and sunlight, one tiny SEED
can LEAD to a forest of TREES.
One Autumn BREEZE
can transport thousands of colorful LEAVES.
Months later, that same wind
will drop below thirty DEGREES
causing Michigan’s creeks
and streams to FREEZE.”
“I breathe, therefore I WRITE.
Creating poetry is as fun to me
as a five year old boy learning to fly a KITE.
Another thing I LIKE
is to look up into the stars
underneath a BRIGHT MOONLIGHT.
A free mind is the kind which can find
beauty both during the day and at NIGHT.”
“I breathe, therefore I continuously receive
nutritional elements from out of the bosom of Mother EARTH.
The constant movements of squirrels
and birds help me to stay ALERT.
As I walk through the woods reciting my poetry,
I smile as I begin to speak the very FIRST VERSE.
I know my Mother is up there listening,
I will always honor the everlasting spirit
of the woman who gave me BIRTH.”
“I breathe, therefore I EXIST.
When I look into a starry night,
it’s no longer to make a WISH.
Almighty God has already given me the ability
to ACCOMPLISH
all the things I want in life.
To be able to inhale and exhale
was my very first GIFT.”
“I BREATHE, therefore I BELIEVE.
I’m asking crooked path walkers
and wrongdoers to PLEASE
stop putting the SQUEEZE
on poor and working class folk.
They’re already on their hands and KNEES
trying to pay their bills on time
to avoid astronomical late FEES.
The absolute end to all war is a locked door,
evildoers are the gatekeepers,
true believers hold the KEYS.
I BELIEVE, because there is a divine reason
why Almighty God has allowed
a Street Poet to continue to BREATHE.”
The audience was clearly moved with Mister Norman’s delivery. Their generous response helped Mister Norman’s confidence tremendously. He’s beginning to feel as if he and his spoken word art belong on stage.
Pink Flamingo returned to submit her second round, Story Time poem with the story of her personal rebirth;
(Poetry Versus Negativity)
“Once there were two sisters: Latonya and Latoya.
They were very creative poets.
Vulgar language is what they PREFERRED.
Poetically, they were masters
at utilizing despicable WORDS.
Phonetically, they cleverly twisted pronouns,
adjectives and VERBS.
Their topics always consist of lustful desires
and material possessions.
Never did they speak of elements such as wind, water or healing HERBS.
Latoya had an epiphany,
suddenly she began to speak righteously.
Latonya accused her of being
mentally DISTURBED.”
“While Latonya sought fortune and FAME,
Latoya used her talent to remind true believers
that life is not a GAME,
and that we must continue to try and live right.
Latoya taught, that even a wild lion can be caught,
TRAINED and TAMED.
Crooked path walkers can only be awakened
if they’re willing to accept some of the BLAME.”
“Three years later, Latonya had ENOUGH
of all that righteous STUFF.
She began to use even more derogatory language
to try and DISRUPT.
In the midst spewing hate, her heart suffered an attack, as a result of all the cigarettes
she’d PUFFED.
When Latonya fell to the ground,
Latoya was there to lift her UP.”
“Today, both poets are alive and well.
Together, they produce
Poor Righteous POETRY.
Together, they use their spoken word art
to fight against hunger, oppression and POVERTY.
Two sisters came out of the darkness and into the light to wage war against NEGATIVITY,
which has always been
the true believer’s ENEMY.”
During her second standing ovation, those who made the trip from Windsor understood the story. Among the proud Canadians, Latoya stood and clapped with tears in her eyes. She was so proud of her twin sister’s recital.
When Ghetto Gladiator stepped to the stage to deliver his Story Time offering, two of his sixth grade poetry class students laughingly yelled;
“Professor Poetry is the best poet ever!”
(Our Poetic Hero)
“In a time of religious confusion and
political uncertainty, the stage is certainly set
for Our Poetic HERO.
Writing and reciting for the purpose to enlightening,
he utilizes a rhythmic FLOW.
He’s a metaphoric farmer, planting verbal seed,
because children of the sun need
constant rainwater to GROW.”
“Watch closely as false prophets run and hide,
cover their eyes and their EARS.
They refuse to listen and HEAR
the type of spoken poetry which will challenge
the false doctrines they’ve been preaching
for many, many YEARS.”
“For those who didn’t know, our Poetic Hero
is not mad, angry or UPSET.
He speaks firmly so that others may understand
why the rich man throw poor people
a bone and tell them to go FETCH.
Meanwhile, rival gangs’ guns go bang
as they continue to introduce to one another
the concept of violent DEATH.
It’s Utopia time, let’s take the idea of violent crime
and delete it from our mind.
Otherwise, we may awaken and find
that there isn’t anything LEFT.”
“He breaks bread at charity soup KITCHENS,
while sleeping at homeless shelters
and rescue MISSIONS.
On a daily basis, our Poetic Hero will report
to the quiet side of the riverfront and LISTEN.”
“EASILY, he can slip in and out of hospitals,
but before workers can inform SECURITY,
our Poetic Hero will have ALREADY
healed two cancer patients by reciting
Healing POETRY.”
“His presence among the forgotten
and the INDIGENT is systematically RELEVANT.
Our Poetic Hero will never claim to be
powerful or MAGNIFICENT.
Blessed is his humble journey.
Delivering rhyming medicine
is the reason he was SENT.”
Ghetto Gladiator’s poetic story was well received. The concept of a hero as a poet was quite believable, especially in these days and times.
By the time Miss Rivers was set to introduce the very last poet of the second round, Camille realized how smoothly the reality show production was going. At this time, she was preparing to conduct interviews with some of the poets during the intermission period. Director Camille wanted to give those who will view the show as a finished product an insight into how some of the poets were feeling about their chances of advancing into the third and fourth rounds.
Miss Rivers continued;
“Please welcome again our hometown poet, Mister Norman.”
Mister Norman mesmerized onlookers during the Personal Poetry round with an enlightened look at breathing and believing. Now he is poised and ready to earn that all important first half vote as he delivers this epic Story Time poem;
(Wise Poet And The Neanderthal)
“A particular beat on his drum
from Wise Poet’s own HAND
transported him from a twenty first century riverfront to prehistoric CAVELANDS.
He did not arrive to deliver Virtuous Poetry,
his primary purpose was to observe
Neanderthal MAN.
Studying them will help him to UNDERSTAND
his personal position within the divine parameter
of Almighty God’s MASTERPLAN.”
“Wise Poet quickly hid in the bushes
to avoid being SEEN.
As he surveyed the small clan,
he identified the leader as a young man,
whose trips around the sun couldn’t have been
more than NINETEEN.
They gathered around the fire to listen to an elder
who was very demonstrative
in describing the events of last night’s DREAM.”
“Just before dusk,
the clan gathered all their tools
and belongings to move further NORTH.
It seemed as if the cold winds is what determined
the direction of their COURSE.
By looking toward the sky,
the traveling poet realized,
they were relocating to avoid a very harsh,
fast moving snowstorm
and it’s unforgiving FORCE.”
“The clan settled in a cold, damp CAVE.
Four hunters, armed with sharp tipped tree branches
immediately departed.
The leader of the tribe STAYED.
One of their elders died during the journey,
a hole through the ice of a frozen stream
was his GRAVE.”
“The hunters returned at dawn
with enough raw MEAT
for all nine members of the clan to EAT.
At this moment, Wise Poet decided to CREEP.
He wanted to get a little closer when he thought
all members were ASLEEP.”
“The leader of the Neanderthal Clan
wasn’t tired, fatigued or SLEEPY.
When he saw the intruder sneaking about,
the young leader knew he was looking at someone
from another time, world or GALAXY.
Wise Poet decided to speak,
so he utilized the universal language
of rhyming POETRY.”
‘As I recite this timeless RHYME,
I feel as if I’m speaking directly
to an ancestor of MINE.
I’ve witnessed your struggles during this cold,
harsh period of TIME.
Your arduous journey and my poetic destiny
will one day biologically INTERTWINE.’
‘As I stand before you WEAPONLESS,
I will never look upon you as LESS.
Many warriors of my time could not endure
the hardship and the STRESS of your daily TEST.
This experience will surely be deposited
into my memory bank’s treasure CHEST.’
‘A humble poet must now be transported back
to the days of true believers and political KINGS.
A time where little girls still DREAM
of becoming a beautiful QUEEN.
I will surely share this experience
through my poetry of how I stood face to face
with an ancient human BEING.’
“When the Neanderthal leader saw
Wise Poet walk into a starless NIGHT,
he sat for a moment and contemplated
the meaning of LIFE.
With new EYESIGHT,
this ancient warrior stood UPRIGHT
and was prepared to lead his tribe
out of the days of darkness and into the LIGHT.”
Yet again, the audience was inspired by Mister Norman’s recital. Before Spoken Word Master auditions, Mister Norman received the title of The Street Poet by performing on street corners and at public charity events with the well known Blind Guitarist. Being on stage has elevated Mister Norman’s confidence tremendously. More and more, he believes his poetry can make this world a better place.
Miss Rivers’ warm smile and friendly tone greeted the audience for the last time before intermission;
“Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you’ve enjoyed the first two rounds as much as I have. Now, it’s up to you to send only three of the ten poets into the final two rounds of competition. As a reminder, please utilize your ballot to write down the stage name of the artist you feel should move on. One person, one vote.”
“After voting, please take advantage of our free snack bar and coffee stations. In accordance with the reality show director, we will resume filming the stage portion of this program in approximately forty five minutes.”
Intermission was Miguel’s cue. From the balcony, he used the emergency staircase to quickly descend to the basement. One week earlier he posed as an insect exterminator to gain access to the boiling room where he planted several sticks of dynamite neatly wired together inside a duffle bag.
Miguel is his codename. He is a terrorist is training. To complete his mission, Miguel has to carefully connect a cell phone to the wires which are wrapped around the dynamite so that it will explode when the number is dialed from the other cell phone which was given to him.
While performing his task, Miguel could not help but to be somewhat moved by Mister Norman’s two poems.
Backstage, during intermission, Camille with one cameraman, began to interview the poets. She started with a very jovial Pink Flamingo.
“Hello, Flamingo. How do you feel at this time? How are your chances of advancing?”
Already enjoying a warm cup of French Vanilla coffee, the poet with the gorgeous smile answered honestly;
“Yeah, I think I have a good chance of representing the city of Windsor in the final rounds.”
Camille quickly went on to the next question;
“If you had a vote, other than yourself, who would you vote for?”
After finishing off the warm beverage, Pink Flamingo licked her lips, then responded to the question;
“I think Mister Norman has truly opened our eyes with his art. I’m sure some people around the Fort Detroit area are already aware of his spoken word prowess. I also think Ghetto Gladiator has a good chance of moving on. He has that rare ability to use different octaves in his spoken delivery. Sometimes it sounds like he’s singing. I think it’s kind of cool how he does that.”
Camille could not pass up the chance to ask Pink Flamingo about her Story Time poem;
“Was that a true story about you and your sister?”
With happiness and pride in her voice, Pink Flamingo was more than happy to answer;
“Yes it was. My sister and I used vulgar language while reciting rhymes about senseless issues until she woke up. She eventually woke me up. Even though Latoya is a full time mother of two, we still perform together sometimes.”
Camille ended the interview with a sincere compliment;
“Spoken word lovers are glad you chose to turn your life around and do positive things with your poetry.”
Mister Norman was sitting alone with his eyes closed. Camille only interrupted because her job is to try and interview poets during intermission in a timely manner.
With her cameraman perfectly in place, Camille excused herself to ask Mister Norman a couple of questions;
“Excuse me, Mister Norman. Didn’t want to disturb your prayer. Are you confident to be moving forward into the final rounds of competition?”
Mister Norman opened his eyes, kindly smiled and answered the question;
“Yeah, it would be cool to advance. I auditioned last month to get my feet wet. Now that I’ve realized how much I like stepping to the stage to recite, Fort Detroiters can expect to see me deliver Virtuous Poetry at many of the local coffee bars and spoken word venues in the up coming months.”
The interviewer then asked;
“What is Virtuous Poetry?”
Knowing that millions of people will eventually see this footage, Mister Norman looked into the camera with a slight grin and firmly said;
“Virtuous Poetry is the type of poetry which will make this world a better place.”
Even though Mister Norman was still grinning as he pulled out the small comb for his beard, Camille can see that he is very serious about his purpose.
A good interviewer still should ask a question even if the answer seems obvious;
“Do you really think you can make a difference in this world with your Virtuous Poetry?”
Mister Norman was glad to answer the question and elaborate;
“Yeah. Spoken Word Master is just the beginning. This is my awakening. Me and The Blind Guitarist plan to get with an all percussion band and record Virtuous Poetry so that listener’s can go to the website and listen for free. And, like I said earlier, I plan to perform in many more places to try and inject a positive vibe into the bloodstream of a wicked world. Spoken Word Master is definitely my awakening. I thank Almighty God for this opportunity. I also thank you and Miss Rivers for showing interest in spoken word art.”
Camille was very impressed. A documentary on Mister Norman’s life would be an idea worth looking into if he should win the contest. For now, she kept the idea to herself.
Before moving on to the next poet, Camille decided to end the interview by simply saying;
“Good luck, Mister Norman.”
Two of Ghetto Gladiator’s students were able to speak with their teacher backstage for a moment.
As the students and their parents walked away, Camille, with her cameraman ready, quickly began to interview the tall poet;
“Mr. Gladiator, I see you have a lot of support from your students. Are they the reason you entered the contest?”
Ghetto Gladiator is always excited when he talks about his students;
“Yes they are. I wanted them to see first hand how spoken word poetry can move people. I’ll probably give them some kind of quiz when we get back to class.”
Camille abandoned predetermined questions concerning the competition in favor of something which will bring forth more interesting answers;
“Do you teach them a lot about poets from the past?”
Ghetto Gladiator is the type of man who could talk about poetry all day.
“Yes Ma’am. In fact, the kids call me Professor Poetry. We discuss everybody from John Donne to Claude McKay. From Sylvia Plath to Rita Dove. And we also watch internet video of modern poets and spoken word artists. I want my students to be well rounded in the subject of poetry.”
Camille wanted to get back on track in terms of the competition;
“Do you have something special prepared if you go into the next rounds?”
Ghetto Gladiator’s confidence was as high as any of the poets.
“Well, if I move on, I will have to go a little deeper. Especially if Pink Flamingo and Mister Norman move on. I think they’re the frontrunners.”
Camille, ready to move on, brought this interview to a close;
“Thanks for the time and good luck, Professor Poetry.”
Being called Professor Poetry always brings a smile to Ghetto Gladiator’s face.
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
After all ten poets were interviewed, Camille indicated to Miss Rivers that her crew was ready to resume.
Miss Rivers was just as anxious as the audience to see which of the three poets made it to the final rounds.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the votes have been tallied. The three poets with the highest vote totals are Pink Flamingo, Ghetto Gladiator and Mister Norman.”
Camille’s backstage crew captured important footage of some of the poets who were not among the finalists congratulating the three who advanced.
By this time, Miguel was comfortably back in his front row balcony seat. When he feels the time is right, he will calmly exit the auditorium, walk at least a half mile and then dial the number. This will be his first terrorist act. Surely the leader of the terrorist group, War For Peace, will be pleased with him. There is only one problem; Miguel is unsure of himself.
Keeping the program moving, Miss Rivers continued;
“The next two rounds will be a special treat for spoken word lovers. The remaining artists will deliver back to back poems. First, they will offer a poem with a theme of World Improvement, followed by a Love Poem. At this time, please welcome Ghetto Gladiator back to the stage.”
Although some of the onlookers from the first and second rounds have left the building, the remaining two hundred or so are the ones who truly appreciate positive messages in the form of spoken word art.
Ghetto Gladiator stood at the center of the stage to introduce his World Improvement offering with a brief explanation;
“The poem I’m about to recite is entitled Message To The Warrior. I dedicate this piece, not only to my sixth grade poetry students, but also to all the up and coming warriors who will protect our women and children for many years to come. This poem ties into World Improvement by teaching potential warriors what we expect of them. I believe that many of the young thugs and gangsters out there were never taught to be a warrior.”
(Message To The Warrior)
“Worship The Almighty Father
who sits on the throne of LOVE.
Honor your Forefathers’ Spirit, if trouble ensues,
their wisdom will help you to rise ABOVE.”
“Listen to The Council of Elders
and absorb their Divine GIFT.
Ask them for permission
to use your creativeness to UPLIFT.”
“Protect yourself and your clan
with the proper use of DEFENSE,
the enemy can not defeat a warrior
who is wise and INTELLIGENT.”
“Respect the elements of the universe:
wind, water and FIRE.
The first task of the warrior
is to have control over every DESIRE.”
“Even when you learn to maintain control,
the warrior must stay ALERT.
It is possible that one day you may
be called upon to protect planet EARTH.”
“These lessons will grow stronger
and stronger and stronger
with every trip around the SUN.
Never set down your shield and sword,
a warrior’s work is never DONE.”
After an ovation of approval and respect, Ghetto Gladiator took a deep breath and without introduction or explanation, he offered his Love Poem;
(I’m Here)
“I’m not going to try and blow your MIND
with this RHYME.
This poem is only DESIGNED
to ensure you that I’m the man
you’ve been seeking to FIND.”
“I’ve waited long enough,
I want you TONIGHT!
You wanted to take it slow when we first met,
now the time is RIGHT.
How about dinner at my place,
with soft music and CANDLELIGHT?
After dessert, let’s hold each other close.
This is the evening we don’t
have to say GOODNIGHT.”
“It’s difficult for me to SLEEP
because of the unusually
fast pace of my HEARTBEAT.
If you’d rather not come to me,
I know a quiet place where we could MEET.
Let’s hold hands at the edge of the river.
Let’s have a SEAT
and smile at a flock of noisy GEESE.”
“Here’s a flower for YOU.
The pleasant scent which emanate
exemplify the fact that my feelings are TRUE.
Yes, I’m the one who will deliver the magical kiss
which will transform your dark clouds
back to the familiar HUE of baby BLUE.”
“And then, I will proceed to wipe away
the last of your broken hearts’ TEARS.
When you look into my eyes,
I want your eyesight to be crystal CLEAR.
No longer do you have to wait
for the perfect man in your life,
I’m already HERE.”
As Pink Flamingo walked out toward the center of the stage to offer her back to back poems, she felt it would be the perfect time to link World Improvement and the topic of Love into the same poem.
(Two Reasons Why
We Should Love One Another)
“A spoken word offering
with a theme of World Improvement
is a poem which would allow the truth to UNFOLD.
A Pink Flamingo will now invite THOSE
with a broken spirit to become WHOLE.
No need to look externally when internally
is where we achieve perfection of the SOUL.
The ones who are wise have earned the prize
of the gray hair crown, as we count the days
of growing OLD.”
“Let us properly prepare for economic earthquakes,
psychological hurricanes
and the next great FLOOD.
Let us prevent sexually transmitted diseases
from entering into the streams
of our sacred BLOOD.
When Almighty God’s rain blend
with Mother Earth’s MUD,
the beautiful flower of unity, comes directly
from the human emotion of LOVE.”
“Explorers will now prepare
to land their spiritual SPACECRAFT.
The unholy waters from
ancient tsunamis have subsided,
bringing to dock every floating RAFT.
Joy and happiness truly exist
when we’re no longer afraid to smile and LAUGH.
World improvement must begin when true believers
are able to show wrongdoers the road
which lead toward a spiritual PATH.”
“We exercise the mind, body and spirit,
because being PREPARED
is so much better than being UNAWARE.
It’s sad to see people being
treated badly because of their lifestyle,
religion or texture of their HAIR.”
“Hungry children EVERYWHERE
need food, medicine and proper health CARE.
The two reasons why we should love
one another are: we all need oxygen
and we SHARE the same AIR.”
A thunderous applause followed Pink Flamingo’s World Improvement offering. As the crowd silenced, she offered this Love Poem;
(Our Love Is No Longer True)
“Lately, something seems wrong.
Just don’t feel right when I kiss YOU.
Our fiery passion no longer seems
fresh and brand NEW.
My heart tells me you’re in love with someone else,
which means our love is no longer TRUE.”
“I will not scream and shout,
I’d rather stay COOL.
Mama taught me to never be RUDE.
Hurt is how I feel,
disappointed describes my MOOD.
I’m hungry, I lack the emotional nutrients
which comes from ingesting passionate FOOD.”
“During one of our long lasting,
intimate extravaganzas, you whispered
Another woman’s NAME.
I was a fool to try and delete that episode
from out of the memory bank
of my stubborn BRAIN.
I gave myself an ultimatum: go INSANE
or refuse to be a pawn in your apologetic GAME.”
“Some couples are meant to be.
There love is as natural as the wind and the AIR.
You and I were best friends forever,
prior to the start of our love AFFAIR.
By the time you hear this recording,
I will no longer be THERE.
I am the owner of a broken heart.
Only another lover can provide
adequate tools to REPAIR.”
“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t
find the type of love I had when I was with YOU.
This poem is therapeutic,
it keeps me from feeling overwhelmingly BLUE.
Out of respect, I must step away so that you may
do whatever you choose to DO.
Even though it hurts, I’ll say it one more time;
Our love is no longer TRUE.”
Pink Flamingo’s tears revealed the fact that her personal love affair has been shaky. She chose the spoken word stage to inform her ex-boyfriend that they will no longer be together.
Just as Miss Rivers began to introduce Mister Norman, he was already silently engaged in a short prayer, thanking Almighty God for a stage in which to promote Virtuous Poetry;
“Once again, we give you Mister Norman.”
The Street Poet decided to deliver the poem he believes can change the world. He knows that when the reality show airs within the next couple of months, millions of people will hear this very important piece.
This is indeed Mister Norman’s opportunity to make change through spoken word poetry;
(A Street Poet Will Now Attempt
To Save Mother Earth)
“By utilizing positive ideas melodically,
in tuned with adjectives, pronouns and VERBS,
a poet from the streets of Fort Detroit
will now attempt to save Mother Earth
with Virtuous Poetry and rhyming WORDS.
Crooked path walkers are polluting her gardens,
which has diminished the potency
of her healing HERBS.
We are members of an international tribe,
we must peacefully coexist with animals,
insects and various species of high flying BIRDS.”
“A Street Poet must ride the wings of IMAGERY
to write the type of POETRY
which will lead us toward a peaceful SOCIETY.
God ALMIGHTY has given ME
the spoken word ABILITY
to challenge global warming by bringing
the worldwide thermometer back to a more comfortable DEGREE.”
“And while I’m at it, I want to put an end to
WORLDWIDE GENOCIDE.
Far too many tribal members have
suffered and DIED
because their ancestral ethnicity
don’t seem to COINCIDE
with those who control the political culture
of indigenous TRIBES.”
“Before my literary powers begin to weaken,
and before it gets too LATE,
I will write and then recite
a specific rhyme which will put an end
to the despicable act of RAPE.
The men who insist on behaving
as if they were an APE,
will immediately stop mixing their uncontrollable, sexual desires with the unnecessary
emotion of HATE.”
“My verbal fire will bring
an end to all WAR.
After all, this is what Virtuous Poetry is FOR.
Immediately after the flames dissipate,
my literary broom
will sweep the ashes of negativity into a room
then, I’ll close the DOOR.
Centuries from now the days of robbing,
stealing and killing will be the subject
of ancient FOLKLORE.”
“After my lifelong recital is complete,
we will exist on a planet of
righteous human BEINGS.
People walk through the streets smiling
because we see beauty in EVERYTHING.
My personal goals in life are UNASSUMING.
I never wished to be a powerful KING.
I’m just a Street Poet, not only do I produce
Virtuous Poetry, I also DREAM.”
During the standing ovation, Miguel passed on the opportunity to leave the building. He was inspired by Mister Norman’s Virtuous Poetry.
Miguel smoothly sat as the others sat. He has decided to listen to Mister Norman’s Love Poem. When Mister Norman’s recital is complete, he will make a decision. The fate of everyone inside Black Bottom Auditorium will be decided by one poem.
Mister Norman wanted to keep the audience focused on making this world a better place, so he delivered a love poem which will blend both World Improvement and Love Poetry;
(Another Poem About Love)
“If I recite another poem about love,
would anyone be emotionally MOVED?
With my soulful tone and cardiovascular drumbeat,
will lovers be able to
sensually get into the GROOVE?
I’m a Street Poet, it’s my duty to provide
an alternative to all the ugliness we see
while watching world NEWS.”
“If I recite another poem
about LOVE, will the neighborhood THUG
be willing to set aside his loaded pistol
to engage in a sensuous HUG
as his girlfriend’s moist body
slowly emerge from out of a hot and
steamy BATHTUB?”
“If I wrote another poem about love,
somebody somewhere may experience a moment of absolute, uninterrupted PEACE.
Stressed out parents of toddlers
will have a moment to RELEASE.
Homeless people who live in the STREETS
will finally be invited into a warm dinning room
to partake in a holiday FEAST.”
“Enough said, I will recite another poem about love
and dedicate it to the LONELY.
Even those brave souls who are alone by choice
will cherish an unplanned moment of INTIMACY.
Yes, from the mind of a Street Poet,
another poem about love
will be spoken RHYTHMICALLY
as I introduce to the world
the concept of Virtuous POETRY.”
During the extended standing ovation, Miguel quickly stood and walked out of the auditorium. As he briskly walked away from the building he began to cry. Confusion can be so painful.
At this moment, Miguel did not want to be a terrorist. He did not want to blow up Black Bottom Auditorium. It is not fair for innocent people to suffer to draw attention to a political cause. His group, War For Peace, subscribe to the belief that war and bloodshed is the only way to bring about peace. After hearing Mister Norman’s poetry, Miguel believes War For Peace’s philosophy is wrong.
Mister Norman’s poetry has opened his eyes to the truth. Innocent people dying is not how peace is going to be achieved. Having love for one another and living a virtuous life is the way to achieve peace.
Miguel wiped his tears and proceeded to walk toward The Fort Detroit River. Without hesitation, he threw the cell phone which was given to him into the river and vowed to live a life of peace.
Suddenly, Miguel remembered, the leader of War For Peace could easily dial the number which would cause the auditorium to explode anytime he wanted to.
Miguel began to run as fast as he could back toward Black Bottom Auditorium to completely disarm the bomb. As he ran, he believed that Mister Norman was worth saving. He believed that Mister Norman’s Virtuous Poetry is the type of art which can make this world a better place.
Miguel showed his ticket stub to the security guard, saying;
“I did not want to miss the crowning of the winner.”
Something about Miguel reentering the auditorium didn’t seem right. The security guard contacted his supervisor. When they saw the direction in which Miguel ran, the security supervisor contacted the two plain clothes FBI agents who were in attendance as part of a Homeland Security detail.
Miguel quickly ran down the emergency staircase and into the boiler room. He immediately removed the cell phone from the duffle bag and proceeded to destroy it by stomping on it repeatedly.
Miguel felt good upon completing his mission of peace. Surprisingly, when he opened the door to exit the boiler room, two FBI agents were there to arrest him.
The agents quietly escorted the handcuffed suspect through the emergency exit and into an unmarked van waiting in the alley. As the van slowly drove away, Miguel smiled, knowing that Mister Norman’s Virtuous Poetry is going to make this world a better place.
Backstage, Camille took the time to thank Miss Rivers and the poets. The reality show director informed them that she will return to Hollywood and immediately begin editing the footage to complete the reality show product which will be televised within the next sixty days.
After hugging Camille one at a time, Miss Rivers, Pink Flamingo, Ghetto Gladiator and Mister Norman returned to the center of the stage.
As the poets held hands with Pink Flamingo in the center, the Mistress of Ceremony made the announcement;
“The winner of the very first Spoken Word Master Poetry Contest is, Mister Norman.”
Part 2: Poets Of Human Emotion
Louise accepted the challenge. After performing in two stage plays in minor roles and one very emotional scene of a low budget movie, Louise has been given the opportunity to write and perform a one woman act. If she impresses the Broadway producers with a moving audition, Louise will surely be on her way to becoming not just a good actor, but a great actor.
Louise knows she has the ability to act. At the youthful age of 22, she has nearly mastered the art of human emotion. What makes this opportunity such a challenge? For the first time, she has to write her own material. Becoming a great writer was once Louise’s goal in life. Because of acting, the passion to write has faded through the years. This dilemma is what brings her to Aunt Elizabeth’s one room apartment.
While they were sipping warm tea, Aunt Elizabeth, instead of waiting for her only niece to ask a question, asked one of her own;
“Louise, how come you don’t call me Aunt Liz like all your brothers do?”
Louise smiled because she didn’t realize she’d been daydreaming. The question snapped her out of it.
“I like saying your whole name. Makes you sound wise.”
Aunt Elizabeth jokingly responded by saying through a coughing voice;
“I’ve been smoking these cigarettes since before you were born. And I still drink my wine on the weekends and holidays. And you call me wise? No Honey, I’m just an old lady with too many cable stations to watch.”
After giggling, Louise added;
“But, when I come to you for advise, I always walk away feeling good and knowing exactly what I need to do.”
Aunt Elizabeth didn’t respond because she was busy coughing. Louise noticed, through the years, her coughing has gotten worse.
Louise informed her trusted elder of the task at hand and bluntly asked;
“Since I have to write my own skit, what should I write about? What should I perform?”
Aunt Elizabeth’s coughing has stopped for the moment. It comes and goes.
She answered her niece with something Louise was surprised she didn’t think of herself;
“When you were in high school, you did a lot of that spoken word stuff. I remember you wrote short stories and you also wrote poetry. Why don’t you put together a scene where you perform as two or three poets. Show them your acting ability as you recite.”
What Aunt Elizabeth just told her brought to mind an idea from her teenaged years. In those days, Louise had lots of literary ideas. Since then, writing has taken a backseat to acting.
Aunt Elizabeth woke Louise from out of another daydream with her continuous complaint;
“Your mother called me Elizabeth when we were growing up, just to make me mad. She’s been calling me Liz since you were born. I’m just saying. If you want to call me Aunt Liz, it’s alright by me.”
Almost ignoring her request, Louise stood and said;
“Aunt Elizabeth, I have to go and get busy on this project. Thanks for the wisdom.”
Louise went home, took a warm shower and slept on the idea. Upon awakening, she quickly contacted her talent agent, Mr. Bob.
Mr. Bob reminded Louise of two things: She only has ten days to prepare for the audition and the Broadway producers will only allow a performance of no less than thirty minutes.
The television was on the world news channel, yet the sound was mute. The radio was turned off. With a pot of coffee brewing, Louise laid on her king size bed with her laptop computer and began writing parts for the idea she thought of when she was only a junior in high school.
Louise has always remembered her drama teacher’s lesson;
“The key to good acting is controlling your emotions.”
For now, the working title for her one woman act will be Poets Of Human Emotion.
Louise began typing the universally agreed upon categories of human emotions. She gave each emotion a stage name and an attitude.
Pleasure will have a feminine trait. Her stage name is The Pleasure Princess. She is the poet that everyone wants to hear.
The stage name for the emotion of anger will be Furious George. She envisioned him as a man with a deep, scary voice.
Louise smiled when she decided to give the emotion of surprise the stage name of Open Eyes. This emotion will have the voice and mannerisms of a girl. She reminds us of when we were kids and how much we liked surprises.
The next human emotion to become a poet will be Spoken Gloom. He represents sadness. Louise imagined this particular spoken word artist to be an elderly man who is suffering from depression.
The emotion of love is a woman with a 1960’s look. Her stage name is Lovey Dovey and she wears a perfectly cultivated Afro hairstyle with colorful beads around her neck and a peace sign stenciled on the front of her shirt. Lovey Dovey is always smiling.
The last Poet of Human Emotion to step to the stage in Louise’s imagination is a tall, athletically build young man whose stage name is Verbal Phobia. He is the embodiment of fear.
Louise spent the next twelve hours working on each individual character’s poetic style and delivery, as well as the order in which they will appear.
There were seven poems in all. An introduction poem and six poems which depict each emotion. When the writing was complete, it was time to sleep.
For the next nine days, Louise practiced for the audition. She opened her emotional doors and allowed each of the poets to enter. On the tenth day, she drove to the airport to pick up Mr. Bob.
As Louise drove from Metropolitan Airport back toward Pontiac’s Phoenix Center where the three Broadway producers will meet them, Mr. Bob wanted to hear a sample of her one women act.
After explaining the concept of Poets of Human Emotion, Louise began reciting the introductory piece for Mr. Bob as she exited I-94 onto northbound Telegraph Road;
(Introducing Poets Of
Human Emotion)
“Poets of Human Emotion will speak the truth
whether you’re ready or NOT.
Once they begin to rhythmically teach,
their continuous recital will never STOP.
Their verbal script is unpredictable,
because the enlightened believer is always
involved in the PLOT.
Truthful lessons will fall like rain
once the metaphysical microphone gets HOT.”
“Poets of Human EMOTION
will offer healing elixir
in the form of verbal POTION.
Their mission is to help us cope
in a world filled with COMMOTION.
Without their daily performance,
the enlightened believer will be stranded without a lifejacket somewhere in the middle of the OCEAN.”
“The image of one’s self should always be a friend,
never fear him or FEAR HER.
Turn up the volume internally
so that their message will come through CLEARER.
Poets of Human Emotion will now step to the stage,
to watch them perform,
you must understand the image in the MIRROR.”
Mr. Bob already knew Louise was a good actor, but she seemed to have taken her talents to a higher level when reciting poetry. The fact that she was driving while reciting made the delivery even more impressive.
The renowned talent agent decided to offer some advice with the fatherly tone Louise has always had respect for;
“I’ve been dealing with these Broadway producers for years now. They want to see you act. They want to see new ideas. They want to see and feel the actor. They want to be blown away. This spoken word acting is new and fresh. This is what Broadway wants. This is what Broadway needs.”
After a sixty second conversation on his cell phone, Mr. Bob concluded with his original point;
“You don’t have to worry about the intro poem. I would advise you to introduce the concept after you say a little about yourself. Then, just go into the first character.”
Mr. Bob’s advise not only made sense, it calmed Louise’s nerves for the moment.
The three Broadway producers were already at the auditorium as Louise and Mr. Bob arrived on time. The producers sat in the third row center. From the center of the stage, Louise saw an elderly man, a man who seems to be in his early thirties and a woman who clearly was close to forty. Mr. Bob never mentioned their names, nor did they introduce themselves.
The Broadway producers were anxious to see and feel the acting abilities of this 5 foot 3 inch, one hundred, twenty pound actor in a live setting. Each of them has already seen her work in the video clips Mr. Bob emailed to them several months ago.
Louise was so nervous, she felt as if the whole world was watching.
Louise’s high school drama teacher taught;
“I know you’re nervous, but nobody else has to know.”
The elderly man, using a firm tone, broke the ice;
“First of all, we want you to tell us a little about you.”
Louise answered the question with her non-acting voice, which is shy and timid;
“I was born and raised right here in Pontiac. Before becoming an actor, my goal was to be a writer. I started acting in plays during my sophomore year in high school. Just before graduating, I decided to enroll in The Chief Pontiac School of Performing Arts. As you may already know, my resume only consist of two roles in local plays and a very emotional part in a low budget film. I’m single. I don’t have any kids. And my only goal is to be a successful actor…”
The female producer’s cell phone began vibrating. She interrupted Louise by raising her index finger. It was an important phone call. One she had to take.
Ironically, Mr. Bob’s phone vibrated as well. The voice on the other end left a sad message to give to Louise.
As Louise paced back and fourth allowing Poets of Human Emotion to enter, Mr. Bob quietly stepped onto the stage to deliver the message;
“I’m sorry to say Louise, but your Aunt Elizabeth has just died from a massive heart attack.”
The female producer returned to her seat and said in a very professional voice;
“What do you have for us today?”
Mr. Bob whispered something motivational into Louise’s ear before exiting the stage;
“The ones who master this craft are the ones who master the art of human emotion. This is your moment. This is your time. Show these Broadway producers what human emotion is all about. The best way to respect your aunt at this moment is to make her proud.”
In honor of Aunt Elizabeth, Louise introduced her idea;
“Poets of Human Emotion is a one woman act. I will play the role of six poets. Each poet represent a different human emotion. The overall plot involves a woman who wants to be a great actor but has problems controlling her emotions. She falls into a deep sleep and dream of being the only audience member as Poets of Human Emotion perform for her. In the end, she understood human emotion. The protagonist became a master at controlling human emotion and went on to be a great actor.”
The young male producer, while looking down and writing in his notebook, quietly said;
“We’re ready when you are.”
In any other situation, Louise would surely breakdown and cry. Aunt Elizabeth was closer to her than her mother, father or her brothers. Louise looked inward and allowed Poets of Human Emotion to assist her in controlling her emotions at a time of sudden grief. She wanted Poets of Human Emotion to postpone the pain. She wanted them to delay the suffering.
She could not allow sorrow to take over at this time. Instead, Louise was able to harness the emotion of loosing such an important person and focus her talents on portraying the human emotion of pleasure.
(The Pleasure Princess)
“Remember the days of playing
with your favorite TOY,
when you were a curious girl
or an adventurous BOY?
That was just the beginning
of my never ending gift giving.
I have been revered by every nation of man
from Ancient Egyptians, to the proud IROQUOIS.
I’m The Pleasure Princess, I represent
the very popular human emotion of JOY.”
“Clean and sober individuals walk through the woods while singing BIRDS
melodically translate my WORDS
into the type of pleasing melody
of what’s being HEARD.”
“Whether you’re living right
or choose to live WRONG.
Whatever god you worship,
you love the rhythm, melody and harmony
of my SONG.
Especially on New Year’s Eve;
my poetry can be heard from the shallow shores
of The Fort Detroit River,
all the way to HONG KONG.”
“I especially dedicate my poetry
to passionate lovers.
They know me very WELL.
When their sensuous treat reaches it’s peak,
together they praise me by continuously
ringing my BELL.
One decade later, their ten your old girl
will have a very exciting story to TELL.”
“Unfortunately, bandits try to take me away
from the children of the SUN.
So many of them suffer from
poverty induced sicknesses,
their too weak to laugh, play and RUN.
If I can motivate international heroes
to take away bad people’s GUN,
their wicked reign will be over and DONE.”
“The human emotion of joy
will return with elated vengeance!
Enlightened believers won’t settle
for anything LESS.
With me in your life, every pleasurable BREATH
will be clean and FRESH.
Other spoken word artists
will attempt to stand and deliver,
but my poetry is simply the BEST.
My stage name says it all, I’m the one they call
The Pleasure PRINCESS.”
Louise’s facial expression quickly changed. The human emotion of anger has just taken over her mind, body and soul. It was as if anger himself had just stomped onto the stage.
(Furious George)
“I’m the poet you don’t want to TRUST!
At the drop of a dime, I can force you to yell,
CUSS and create a big FUSS!
All those virtuous lessons your grandfather
taught you will become useless
and eventually they’ll begin to RUST.
And when you explode with rage,
I’ll grab my metaphysical broom
and sweep UP the DUST!”
“Psychologists describe me as a strong
feeling of grievance and DISPLEASURE.
You see me as a strong, muscular man
but, to the Zen master, I’m as light as a FEATHER.
I don’t care if your name is
Charlie, Chucky, Maryanne or HEATHER,
if your self-esteem is low,
I will swim within the thick streams
of your blood FOREVER!”
“Many of you love listening to poets
who represent joy and HAPPINESS.
Their gullible metaphors about flowers and trees
make you feel BLESSED.
On the other hand, my spoken word delivery
will disrupt your peace like an annoying PEST!
Drink a bottle of alcohol, grab that loaded gun,
but you don’t own a bulletproof VEST.
I’m laughing as you walk out of the house,
because you just failed another TEST!”
“My poetry will bother you
as soon as you get BORED.
A family member disrespected you with words,
now it’s time for WAR!
The metaphysical stage is set.
Guess who just broke down the DOOR?
The human emotion who proudly represent anger,
also known as Furious GEORGE!!”
In an instant, Louise exited the realm of anger and channeled the innocent emotion of surprise. Her naïve grin and gullible gestures accompanied the poetic delivery;
(Open Eyes)
“Hi everybody, my name is Open EYES.
I’m the spoken word artist who is happy
to represent the emotion of SURPRISE.
What you see is what you get,
I never step to the metaphysical stage
wearing a DISGUISE.
Other poets set their clocks
by the time the sun will RISE.
Not me, I usually appear suddenly,
I like to see enlightened believers joyously CRY.”
“My spoken word delivery is designed
to bring about AMAZEMENT.
I love it when your feelings quickly elevate
to the ceiling from the BASEMENT.
What I do is always free of charge,
Poets of Human Emotion
will never demand a PAYMENT.”
“As a toddler, you loved
when I played pick-a-boo with YOU.
As you continuously GREW,
I became a surprise birthday party,
you loved that TOO.”
“Even when I suddenly bring bad news,
the enlightened believer has always welcomed me because I’m never false, I’m always TRUE.
Allow me to be your best friend forever
and step into the ranks of the chosen FEW.
While other poets keep repeating the same rhyming lines, Open Eyes will always be brand NEW.”
Louise is becoming a master of emotion right before the Broadway producer’s eyes. She allowed the little girl of surprise to exit the stage within her inner being and openly welcomed the elderly, depressed man who is the embodiment of sadness.
(Spoken Gloom)
“When the enlightened believer become very sad,
they begin to hear the voice of DOOM.
It’s only me, the poet infamously known as
Spoken GLOOM.
When I enter the ROOM,
the day automatically turns into night.
I even have the ability to eclipse the light
which reflect off of the MOON.
Once you let me in, I have no plans
on leaving anytime SOON.”
“I only step to the metaphysical stage when
the enlightened believer begin to feel BAD.
Sometimes I arrive after Miss Hurricane
destroy all the material things you HAD.
Just before your nervous breakdown,