Category Archives: Writing

Day 84: Inspiration from Toni Morrison

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Image courtesy of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards site.

People say to write about what you know… I’m here to tell you, no one wants to read that, ’cause you don’t know anything… So write about something you don’t know. And don’t be scared, ever. ~ Toni Morrison, USA Today

We find comfort in writing about the things we are most comfortable with—those things we find most familiar.  While there’s nothing wrong with it, one has to wonder—where’s the challenge?  Where’s the risk?  In the long term, what’s the growth potential for you as a writer?  What will the audience truly learn or gain from you in the process? 

It’s so easy to get caught up into the formulas for writing, especially if they’ve brought you a fair amount of success.  It’s safer that way, isn’t it?  But as creative individuals—we thrive when we’re challenged.  We thrive when we’re put to the test.  We thrive when we let go of our inhibitions, take on the unknown, and, without over-thinking, simply create that which fuels our souls. 

You learn more about yourself, others, and the world when you step outside of the realm you call home.  Get unsafe.  Move beyond the known.  Embrace the unknown.  Be inspired by the unknown. There’s no telling what magnificence may come about.

Day 83: Can’t Make You Try

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You can’t even give a little bit.
You won’t even try.
You fail to do anything that you think is going to challenge your ego.
You’re afraid of compromise for fear of losing yourself.
God forbid you should ever have to change.
But compromise is the key to keeping the scales in relationships balanced.
You can’t be the tyrannical controller and think you won’t get checked,
or think that I’m just supposed to go along with it.

You shouldn’t have to brand yourself differently to make our relationship work.
We have to accept each other as we are;
Else, our problems are much larger than we both can see.
I’m willing to make it work,

But if you aren’t—there’s nothing I can do to make you save our union.
It’s better to be selfish when you’re alone.
And we both know we can do better than that.

So if by now you haven’t changed your mind,
then consider these parting words:
Can’t deny I won’t be sad,
but I’ll get over it; 
and you will too.
I’ll just wish you well
And I sincerely hope and pray that you find whatever you’ve been looking for
Cause it obviously isn’t with me.
 

Day 82: Get Over It

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Get over the fact that no one will ever be the same.
Get over the fact that there are multiple umbrellas, and everything and everybody will 
     never live only under one.
Get over the fact that most people have no desire to (and will never) reside in the same 
     space, because complacency is equivalent to death.

Acceptance, change, growth, and progress are pertinent and inevitable.
Let it be!

Day 81: Inspirational Quotes (from Writers)

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Inspiration can come from so many places.  Today, I’m featuring some quotes from writers whose work has inspired and moved me so over the years.  What are some quotes from your favorite writers?
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.” ~ Maya Angelou
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style” ~ Maya Angelou
“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” ~ Zora Neale Hurston
“Nothing that God ever made is the same thing to more than one person. That is natural.” ~ Zora Neale Hurston
“Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up.” ~ James Baldwin 
“The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose.” ~ James Baldwin 
“No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow.” ~ Alice Walker
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” ~ Alice Walker
“An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.” ~ Langston Hughes
“7 x 7 + love = An amount Infinitely above: 7 x 7 – love.” ~ Langston Hughes
 
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ~ Toni Morrison
   
“Writing is really a way of thinking–not just feeling but thinking about things that are disparate, unresolved, mysterious, problematic or just sweet.” ~ Toni Morrison 

 

Day 79: OutWrite 2012 Was a Success

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BuddahDesmond performing during the head / heart / soul Black LGBT poetry reading, as part of OutWrite 2012.
I had the pleasure of participating in The DC Center’s 2nd annual OutWrite 2012 Book Festival this past weekend.  I’m actually still on cloud nine from the experience.  This was the first public event to promote my book Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics.  I consider this festival a true blessing (considering when I found out about it and how quickly I had to move to get involved).  I had the opportunity to network with other authors and businesses and gain some new fans.  

I was also honored to be featured with Rashid Darden, Monica A. Hand, and Red Summer the Black LGBT head / heart / love poetry reading (I’ll post video of my reading soon).  It was a phenomenal experience.  The energy from the audience was great.  They were really feeling our poetry (which is always a plus).  And the turnout was excellent.  After the show I received lots of kudos from members of the audience and my fellow poets from the reading.  It was also touching to have some of my family and friends present at the event.  If it wasn’t for a solid support system, I wouldn’t have made it this far.  My support system has definitely helped me prevail.

I look forward to participating in OutWrite 2013.  And if you’re in the DC Metro Area next year in early August, you should come check it out.
If you haven’t had the chance to check out my book Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics, please do!  It’s available from iUniverse, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and other retailers.  Also, check out and ‘like’ the fan page on Facebook.   

~ BuddahDesmond

Day 72: Prevail (Title Poem)

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No matter what happens in this life—we must prevail.  Check out the title poem from my book Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics, featured in the “Life” section.

Prevail

Blocked,

Stuck in an emotional and psychological rut,
Someone or something hit the switch;
Everything faded to black.
My world seems to have lost its colors.
Maybe I need an OUT OF SERVICE sign,
Or maybe CLOSED would be better suited for my situation.
Lately my own world is more like a prison.
The little light that comes is immediately replaced with clouds of worry,
Raining doubts due to several seasons of mistakes
And occasional storms of depression.
Feeling like a swimmer
Stuck in a race he can’t win,
If I don’t think quickly
The only choices are—literally—
To sink or swim.
I don’t want the finish line to be
The ultimate end.
I want it to lead me
To more days in the sun.
Gotta get out of this
Losing streak,
After being down
For so long.
I’m determined

To prevail.

© 2012 BuddahDesmond

Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics is available at iUniverse, Amazon (Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle), Barnes & Noble, Book-A-Million (Paperback | Hardcover), and other retailers. 

Day 65: Get Free

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Until you’ve freed your mind from the people, situations,
     and other assorted bullshit that ties you down—
     You’ll never truly know or be able to experience freedom.

If you can’t act independently,
     think independently,
     live independently,
     or just be independent—
     You’ll never be free.

Release the chains.
Get free!

© BuddahDesmond

Day 10: Julia Cameron’s "The Artist’s Way Every Day"

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For the last few weeks I’ve been reading Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way Every Day: A Year of Creative Living.  I find the information to be very inspiring, motivating, and refreshing.   Being a creative, artistic person – this is the jump start I need to begin the new year.  I’ve noticed since late last summer that I’ve had very few opportunities to delve deeply into my creative self.  And it’s been killing me.  I feel like I’ve been neglecting a part of myself that I’ve otherwise had no problem nourishing.  And considering the fact that I started nourishing this part of myself at the early age of four – I’m like, “What the hell happened?”  But I won’t fret.  I’ve never been one to force my creative self into doing something just to do it.  I have to feel it.  I have to be in the mood.  Each time I force myself into doing anything in this regard I hate the outcome.  And whatever is produced usually goes in the trash.  I realize that I need to give my creative self the space to process, exist, and grow.  And that I need to uplift and inspire my creative self just like I would any other component of my being.  I can move on now with a better perspective.  Here are a few takeaways from the book.

From January 11: “We expect our artist to be able to function without giving it what it needs to do so. An artist requires the upkeep of creative solitude. An artist requires the healing of time alone” (p. 17).

From January 13: “Writing goes much better when we don’t work at it so much. When we give ourselves the permission to just hang out on the page” (p. 19).

From January 15: “When we open ourselves to something or someone greater than ourselves working through us, we paradoxically open ourselves to our own greatest selves” (p. 21).

—————-
Now playing: Mary J. Blige – Each Tear
via FoxyTunes

Politricking

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They’re up politricking on the hill,
Taking lobbyists’ dollar bills,
Claiming they keep it real,
When they can’t give us something we can feel.

They make promises they can’t keep,
Forgetting that what they sow, they will reap,
Lyin’ to themselves and others to get a seat,
But when it all falls down the incumbent will get beat.

Your approach is haughty and self-righteous.
You come off cocky, act like you’re the second coming of the Messiah.
So sad—people caught on to bullshit,
Discovered you were only looking out for personal interests.
You’ve got it bad and that ain’t good,
Got the nerve to say you were misunderstood.
You give politics and government a bad name.
Liars, thieves, cheaters, adulterers, and politicians—
People will say they’re all the same.

You’re oblivious to the people you represent;
You act like this is a game when it’s a commitment.
You constantly cut and run and confuse the masses with doublespeak,
While your quest to save moral values has only divided and made us weak.
The time has come,
And the people see you for what you are.
They’re ashamed they let you get this far,
But when the time comes they know exactly what to do:
Find the next best thing and get rid of you.

© 2012 BuddahDesmond

—————-

Now playing: Janet Jackson – Feedback
via FoxyTunes

When Hate Kills

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In loving tribute to Rashawn Brazell and other victims of heinous crimes

Too young
to be gone so soon,
The promise of life
and all of its joys and pains
taken away from you
By someone with no regard, no respect,
No appreciation
For the preciousness and value of life.
We don’t need a police report or investigation
to prove this was a hate crime.

Your death is an immense loss,
felt by your family, friends,
And by a community that often falls
off the radar when we are the victims of heinous
crimes like these.
But when hate kills, everyone’s
radar should be made aware.
Those so quick to shake it off
as insignificant or justified,
Or those that think events as such have
absolutely nothing to do with them,
have another thing coming.

When hate kills,
it’s not a black versus white issue.
When hate kills,
it’s not a gay versus straight issue.
When hate kills,
it’s not an us versus them issue.
When hate kills,
it’s not a Christian versus Muslim versus Jewish issue.
The effects impact all of us.
Hate serves to disrupt and divide our communities
By trying to eliminate the ties that bind
us together.
But our interconnectedness should
not let hate win.
In times like these it should help in
uniting us in love, understanding,
acceptance, and respect,
Because the remedy is love,
The remedy is understanding,
The remedy is acceptance,
The remedy is respect.
The remedy lies within us,
For the remedy is us.
We will be the ones who
Determine whether hate prevails or falters.
For when hate no longer kills,
We all will be in a much happier,
Better, safer place.

Hate may have taken you physically away,
But your spirit continues to go on freely,
Inspiring, uplifting,
And living within each and every one of us.
We honor you and your existence
By standing here now,
By coming together now
To raise awareness
And to combat the forces
that try to pit us against each other.
Hate must not win;
Humanity must not be disregarded.
Love must reign,
And life cannot be taken lightly
Anymore.

© 2012 BuddahDesmond