Issue #38 - moni's top 10 E-ZINE (minus 1)
(The Poets Niche Official Weekly Newsletter)
Tuesday, June 29, 1999
=========================================================================
* The only supermodel I want to be is a role model to
teach others to live inspired lives. *
moni (c) 1999
=========================================================================
This week's issue
- BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER
- COME INTO OUR WHIRL UPDATE
- OFFLINE PARTY UPDATE
- WELCOME 2 HIS HAREM - a poetic short story by Welch Hargrove
- COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
- POETRY THEY SAY
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY and MORE GOOD NEWS
- POEMS OF THE WEEK 44
- moni's Poem of the Week
=========================================================================
1) BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER (Excerpts from Motivational Speaker
and Author, Jewel Diamond Taylor) - "I agree with Erykah Badu when she
sang 'pick your friends like you pick your fruit.' In my motivational
book SUCCESS GEMS I remind readers to not spend major time with minor
people. If there are people in your life that continually disappoint
you, break promises, stomp on your dreams, too judgmental, have different
values and don't have your back during difficult times...that is not a
friend. To have a friend, be a friend. Sometimes in life as you grow,
your friends will either grow or go.
Surround yourself with people who reflect your values, goals, Interests
and lifestyle. When I think of any of my successes, I'm thankful to God
and to my family and friends that enrich my life. Over the years my phone
book changed because I changed for the better. At first you think you're
going to be alone, but after a while new people show up in your life that
make your life so much sweeter and easier to endure. Remember what your
elders used to say, "birds of a feather flock together." If you're an
eagle, don't hang around chickens... chickens can't fly!"
To read more inspirational messages from Jewel Diamond Taylor, please
visit her webpage at (http://members.aol.com/jeweldiam/home.htm).
=========================================================================
2) COME INTO OUR WHIRL, which features 40-plus poets, 100-plus poems,
80-plus emails and over 200-plus pages describing the Poets Niche
odyssey, is in the hands of the printer!!! I'd like to personally thank
Walt for doing an EXCELLENT JOB with the final layout of the book.
Everyone will be pleasantly surprised!!
While compiling this book, we discovered that many of you are:
housewives, single parents, college students, school teachers, Ph.D.
candidates, doctors, nurses, lawyers, secretaries, computer analysts,
artists, choreographers, established writers, playwrights, accountants,
CPA's, tax consultants, stock market analysts, scientists, nuclear
technicians, ministers, sociologists, psychiatrists, and members of the
military. And to add to the international flavor, our members come from
all over the world -- Jordan, Ghana, Canada, and every coast of the
United States.
Many of you have asked how can family and friends order a copy of COME
INTO OUR WHIRL. Please have them email Walt directly at
(walt@nichemarket.com) so their order(s) can be expedited. Remember,
these advance orders and donations will help us raise the much needed
funds for the final payment to the printer. Your continued support is
greatly appreciated.
=========================================================================
3) OFFLINE PARTY UPDATE - I have made the final arrangements for our
Offline Party in Atlanta, Georgia from August 5 - 8, 1999!!!
The MAIN HUB for many of the activities will take place at Suite Hotel
Underground Atlanta, (http://yahoo.worldres.com/gen_unit.asp?hotel_id),
located at 54 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. Their direct
telephone number is (404) 223-5555. You are responsible for making your
own reservations. There are ONLY 10 rooms reserved on a first come,
first serve basis, at the rate of $79.00!! These rooms WILL NOT be
available AFTER Friday, July 23rd. Therefore, if you are attending our
PARTY WITH A PURPOSE, please make your reservations NOW!
SCHEDULED EVENTS:
Thursday, August 5, 1999 - 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Meet and Greet at the Suite Hotel Underground
Friday, August 6, 1999
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. SharkBar Restaurant (soul/seafood cuisine) - Book
Signing, Dinner, and Party! The bottom level of the restaurant is
reserved exclusively for US!! The Deejay arrives at 9:00 p.m. and we
will party with the rest of Atlanta until 2:00 a.m. Please feel free to
invite any of the local poetry groups in the Atlanta area to join us!
The restaurant is located in downtown Atlanta on 571 Peachtree Street.
Their phone number is (404) 815-8333. Visit their webpage at (http:/
www.sharkbar.com/sharkbar.htm) and see why the SHARKBAR is the No. 1
PLACE TO CELEBRATE OUR BOOK SIGNING!!!
Saturday, August 7, 1999
12:00 noon 3:00 p.m. - Sylvia's Soul Food Restaurant
More book signing and mingling with the locals!
Sunday, August 8, 1999
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. - Suite Hotel Underground
Farewell: "Bacon, Eggs and Business Breakfast"!
If you are attending the OFFLINE PARTY, we ask that you donate $20.00 to
help with the costs of hosting these events. I will continue to keep you
posted on the activities as we get closer to August 5th!!!! Please
R.S.V.P. ASAP at (moni@nichemarket.com). HOPING TO SEE YOU THERE!!
=========================================================================
4) WELCOME 2 HIS HAREM - When Welch first joined the Poets Niche a
couple of weeks ago, he submitted "WELCOME 2 HIS HAREM". I must admit it
had a familiar Ease-like ring to it, but I was still floored. (See Poems
of the Week 16a for "Ease"). But the story gets better, and I'll tell
you why after you've read "WELCOME 2 HIS HAREM" for yourself.
Welcome to his kingdom of women who adore and worship him like the
natives worship the sun. Come and see the menagerie of women whose lives
without him quickly become undone. Come and glance at the bodacious
treasures he has collected and stored for those times when he really gets
bored. The door is open for you to explore his world, his harem
dedicated to one overly adored.
Come and see the vast display as I eagerly guide you this way. Notice
the posh palace decorated with false hopes of gold and lost dreams of
sterling silver. Notice as the ladies retire and wait on fluffy pillows
of vanity, false comfort, envy and jealousy. Observe their subtle dress
in the royal colors that are overlaid with scarves of deceit loneliness
and jewelry created out of faux pretenses and empty promises. Many here
wear their shattered pride like pendants on a garment or beads in their
hair. Most no longer care or are simply not aware that the true love
they seek will never be found here. They all live for the moment when
that one man who has enchanted them all will take their hand and answer
their best seductive calls to make them the head of the harem, the wife,
and the queen. Come and take a good look at them all as I welcome you 2
his harem.
They come in many varieties that include the sultry dark chocolate with
long tendrils of hair flowing from her crown like pure black silk; the
butterscotch sweetie with the thick juicy lips and big soft hips; the
cinnamon-nutmeg woman the is feisty, spicy, taut and nasty; the petite
little woman that acts like a warrior but is sneakier than any cat or
thief; the brown sugar honey that makes everything he loves to eat and
then some. They are all here begging for reprieve, aching for his
attention and his love as they shower down on him their very admiration,
sexual indulgence and mental reverberation. Come and see his female
menagerie, I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
They all will fight each other to the death in hopes of gaining his
affection. His friends, old and new threaten them. They are threatened
by other women who they fear will join the crew fighting for him. They
are threatened by his co- workers, his gym buddies and his mother, too.
Be careful, for they can become irate when they feel they have been too
long deprived of his presence. Their temper when truly heated can boil
wait and burn forests. Their mouths become like gates spewing
obscenities and hate that show how much they need to be educated in the
ways of his harem.
What they fail to realize is that they chose this fate, often knowing
full well what was at stake. They knew of all the others before them who
dutifully follow him and obey his desires while avoiding his own fiery
ire. They know they can't afford to make him too irate least he kick
them out in such a mournful state. They know his love for them may be
limited but they like the gifts that he does adorn them with that makes
them hold on to the thought of the impossible becoming true. They pull
for his money, his clothes, his cologne and his body. They think
everyone is their enemy except him as they wait his presence in his
harem. They fear the young girl having an occasional lunch with him.
The fear the long-distance friend coming for a weekend visit. What they
fail to see is these people aren't their enemy. They haven't even sought
to travel his body like someone on an African safari, traveling from the
top of his head in Morocco down to the Ivory Coast. These people thought
it not robbery to be his friend without making him an idol to be
worshipped and drooled upon. Sh**, even if they had a faint interest
they know they are not his type. They don't have the body or that
professional look that makes the air stand still and heaven take a
breath. They are educated but their IQ may not be as high as those of
harem, but they cannot be so easily fooled with pipe dreams painted by
secret words whispered and sly smiles. They are not the ones to cause or
stand for the type of drama the women of the harem constantly dish out.
These women are content to be his friend, his sister, his confidant and
not his sometimes lover. They respect his gifts and his glory but will
not spoil him with undue flattery. They will not follow him like pets on
a leash hoping for a special treat. The women of the harem need to wake
up and see. His love ain't for anybody but himself.
When and if the time should come that he will choose a queen to reign by
his side, you can almost guarantee it will not be anyone who has played
the fool in his court. Wake up sisters of the harem and face reality.
Why wait on dreams that may never be? It's time to seek your true love
wherever it may be found just understand it won't be found in his harem.
Face it you won't be queen by trying to one-up every one of his friends
or by using deceit. You won't be queen acting like a spoiled overly
pampered princess either. You won't be queen chasing down a man wanted
by every one who loves to hate him. You can not conquer him. He has
conquered you and grown bored like you were some type of play toy. It's
time to move on or in his harem of former lovers thinking they are his
present and lover you will forever remain. He has divided your heart and
soul like a sweet potato pie on a summer's day. Pull yourself together
and make the game really end. Pick up what pride you have left and run
like the wind. If you stay here you know your heart will be broken
again and again. If you stay you will see many come and many go as I
welcome the world into his harem.
Come one, come all to see the greatest menagerie of love struck women
worshipping the great man like a god that doesn't give a damn about them.
THE END
Well, sometimes things and names aren't always as they appear to be. I
know you are wondering what the heck is moni talking about!! Please,
just hang in there. I emailed Welch and told him how much I really
enjoyed his (as bams would say "poetic short story"), especially since it
came from a "male prospective" on issues dealing with the opposite sex.
I was so excited about this submission, I offered Welch a periodic
section in THE 10 especially DEVOTED TO MEN and WRITTEN BY MEN. I asked
him to give me a call so we could discuss my proposition. (I thought it
was only FAIR to give the GUYS a [voice/section] since Shenita writes
from a woman's point of view in FROM THE QUEEN'S THRONE). If you haven't
already figured it out yet, Welch Hargrove, is really Lynn "Welch"
Hargrove. AND YES, Welch is (A WOMAN).
I guess the joke was on me. After Welch and I had a good laugh this
morning, I came up with yet another scheme. Okay GUYS THIS IS JUST FOR
YOU -- a new section of THE 10 -- DEVOTED TO MEN and WRITTEN BY MEN
ONLY!! Please email "ME" ONLY at (moni@nichemarket.com) with your
commentaries regarding issues affecting MEN! I wonder who WILL BE UP FOR
THE CHALLENGE!
Thanks Lynn for the best laugh I have had in dayzzz!!! Please feel free
to email your comments directly to Lynn Hargrove at
(ladypoet1@hotmail.com).
=========================================================================
5) COPYRIGHT INFORMATION - Several of you have asked about information
on copyrighting your work. The U.S. Copyright Office Home Page is
(http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/). To save on cost, it's best to wait
until you have a "collection" of work before copyrighting your poems. In
the meantime, until you have officially submitted your collection of
poems to the Library of Congress, you should always put a (c)/year or ©
year on your work. This verifies that you are the author of a particular
document(s)/collection(s). Also, as bams mentioned in MotWRC no. 6,
please refer to Brad Templeton's "10 Big Myths about copyright
explained," at (new:news.newusers.question).
Here's a little secret. Many of the agents and publishers receive
notification from the Library of Congress of recently copyrighted books.
From this list, these agents and publishers send out their "I JUST HEARD
YOU PUBLISHED A BOOK" form letter to all new writers. So my advice is to
get your work copyrighted because you never know when you will receive
your form letter saying, "YOU MAY ALREADY BE A WINNER and WE'D LOVE TO
PUBLISH YOUR BOOK!!!"
=========================================================================
6) POETREE U SAY - The International Black Writers &Artists - Los
Angeles presents PRIDE, POWER &PERSONAS: Black Writers &Artists
Invoking the 21st Century Silver Anniversary Conference will take place
on July 17 -18, 1999 at the Radisson Hotel Midtown Los Angeles,
California. Workshops include several tracks for different interests and
levels of writers and some of the presenters include: Octavia Butler,
author Awarded the Prestigious Hugo &MacArthur Awards; David Brown,
Cartoonist &Publisher of Comic Book Series; Fannie Tatum Hawkins,
Inspirational Poet &Author. Also featured in workshops, panels, awards
and special events: Eric Jerome Dickey, Tavis Smiley, Wanda Coleman,
Randy Ross, Stanley Crouch, Gary Phillips and many MORE. For
registration and/or additional information please contact: Linda Hughes,
IBWA Conference 99, P.O. Box 43576, Los Angeles, CA 90043; phone (323)
964-3721. Thanks Saleem for sharing this information with us!
BLACKWORDS is hosting a ARTSCAPE 2000 minus 1 Conference on July 10 and
11, 1999 in Baltimore, MD at the Mt. Royal Street Station. Kwame
Alexander will be moderating a Publishing Panel with Novelist Stephen
Hunter, Editor, Monica Harris and others. For more details, checkout
BLACKWORDS' webpage at (http://www.BlackWords.com). Tell Kwame, moni
sent you!
=========================================================================
7) HAPPY BIRTHDAY and MORE GOOD NEWS TO REPORT FROM OUR MEMBERS -
To those of YOU born under the zodiac sign of CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22),
I'd like to WISH EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU the HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS and
MANY, MANY MORE!!
FROM DEMETERIUS "FLITE" SMITH - WHO SAID ALL RAP IS BAD? If it's the
good-bad, rap, then y'all better recognize our brotha Flite! (I
apologize for my sad [that's the bad-sad] attempt at using slang). If
you will recall, Flite mentioned in his April 5th interview that he is
the President of Clemson University Gospel Choir. (See issue #31 of
moni's top 10). Well, rumor has it that their CD "Our Purpose", has been
RELEASED. And just in case you didn't know, their director wrote an
original song and FLITE WROTE THE RAP PORTION to the song, "Keep Your
Eyes Open"!! To order a copy of this slamming CD, please email Flite at
(demetes@clemson.edu) or Sean Ervin at (servin@clemson.edu). Please be
sure to put "CUGC CD'S" in the subject of your email. Lookout Kirk
Franklin cuz there's a new gospel "Family" 'n da house!!!
*******************
FROM TINA MARIE - To refresh your memory, several years ago our own poet/
songwriter, Tina Marie Clark, wrote a couple of songs to honor Bob
Marley. Well, the story goes -- Three weeks after Tina sent her songs to
Tuff Gong Records, she received a call from Rita Marley! Rita told Tina
that she heard her demo and "WANTED TO RECORD" Tina's song, "Jah Made The
Universe Love Your Music"!!! Below is a sampling of the lyrics from two
of her songs:
**************************************************************
"Jah Made The Universe Love Your Music"
Bob Marley was a Reggae King, loved everybody, loved everything
Looking back I remembered him well, he chanted the truth, no fairy tales
Bob Marley (You-Who) we know you hearing us singing how much we love
you Bob Marley (You-Who)
(Chorus) Jah Made The Universe Love Your Music, Jah Made The Universe
Love Your Style, we think about you often, not just once in a while
Bob Marley (You-Who)
We know you're dancing and having a good time Reggae's alive and doing
fine!
(SAMPLE @ 1998)
********************************************************************
"In Memory Of Bob"
The sun came out when he smiled, if he would ask the rain would wait
awhile born in a village called St. Ann, in big oleo Jamaica yeah man
Born the King of Reggae, to millions of people Bob was OK, Bob was OK.
Everywhere you go they're playing Bob Marley on the radio, every other
shirt you see has his face on it yes indeed, and we're so pleased, yet do
they know, what he did and what he said, is it inside their heads?
(Chorus) Yeah man In Memory Of Bob, love never hate, give peace a chance,
war don't wedge, war don't wedge, In Memory Of Bob, Robert Nesta Marley,
In Memory Of Bob, Robert Nesta Marley.
You're in our hearts and minds always!
(SAMPLE @1998)
[Go to (http://members.tripod.com/~lryicist/index.htm) to view these and
other samples of Tina's songs].
Since that time, they have stayed in touch, and Rita has chosen several
of Tina's other songs to record. Okay, okay, here's the GOOD PART. Rita
has invited Tina [FOR THE THIRD TIME], along with other "special" guests,
to her home in Jamaica for a fun-filled week. Due to circumstances
beyond Tina's control, she was never able to take Rita up on her other
two offers. However, God-willing, things will be different this year. I
think the third time's the charm. Please PRAY that nothing gets in the
way of Tina going to Jamaica and relaxing "with" and "under" the stars!!
Hey Tina, do you need somebody to carry your bags?? JUST CALL ME MONI,
TOTE THOSE BAGS INCORPORATED!!
Thanks Tina and Flite for sharing your GOOD NEWS with us!! Don't forget,
if you have any GOOD NEWS you'd like to share with us, please email "ME"
ONLY at (moni@nichemarket.com), and I'll feature your news in an upcoming
issue of moni's top 10.
=========================================================================
8) POEMS OF THE WEEK - This week's featured poets is a mix of the old,
not so old, and new members. I won't tell you who the old members are
except to say that their initials are RH and SB. Testing, testing,
testing, 1, 2, 3. Here to perform for you this week are poets:
Eddie Presley Herrera with an Untitled poem
Silas Swaim with "Unchangeable"
Sunshine Byrd with "The Reason Why I said Yes"
Chuck Reimer with "Aware"
Roderick Harmon with "Society"; and
LaShunda Colvin with "The Blood of My Former Self"
Checkout POEMS OF THE WEEK 44 at (www.nichemarket.com) and read these
thought provoking poems for yourself. Please feel free to email your
comments and APPLAUSE directly to the featured poets. AL/WRITE POETS!!
=========================================================================
9) I would like to personally thank EVERYONE for their love and prayers
for Pamela Barnes. Because of your prayers, Pam is feeling much, much
better. She was truly overwhelmed by your outpouring of kindness!
Below is moni's Poem of the Week. Your comments are greatly appreciated
and always welcomed.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK &
much love alwayzzzzz!
moni
=========================================================================
THE PROMISE
through the beam of sunlight shining
between the bars that imprisoned my
soul, he captured the sun and promised
to make me whole.
my heart knew that darkness would never
dwell again, because i was no longer
caged or shackled to emptiness.
he vowed that i would never walk alone
without the sunlight on my shoulder or
the moonlight in my eyes.
and i...was restless...no more...
Monica Blache (c) 1999
(Or use your browser's buttons)