Issue #35 - moni's top 10 (minus 1) E-ZINE 
(The Poets Niche Official Weekly Newsletter)
June 7, 1999

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            Thought to ponder: I am the divine manifestation of 
           one wish of God. I have been created for one singular 
       purpose -- TO BLESS SOMEONE ELSE BY MY LIVING.  So the question 
       I have for myself is, "Am I working toward the fulfillment of my 
      purpose or wasting the time God has given me to fulfill my dreams?" 
                    by Nicole McLean (phoenix_nm@yahoo.com

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This week's issue

- AFFIRMATION
- WHAT MEMBERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE POETS NICHE
- MORE GOOD NEWS
- CONTESTS UPDATE	
- POETRY YOU SAY
- WEBSITES TO CHECKOUT
- SHORT, SHORT, REALLY SHORT STORY by bams
- POEMS OF THE WEEK 41
- A REALLY LONG SENTENCE and moni's Poem of the Week
 
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1)  The Best Day of My Life by Gregory M. Lousig-Nont, Ph.D. - Today,
when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life,
ever!

There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! 
And because I did I'm going to celebrate!  Today, I'm going to celebrate
what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the
many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to
make me stronger.  I will go through this day with my head held high, and
a happy heart.  I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the
morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds.
Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make
someone smile.  I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of
kindness for someone I don't even know.  Today, I'll give a sincere
compliment to someone who seems down. I'll tell a child how special he
is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for her and how
much she means to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being
grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me.  I'll
remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God
and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.  And tonight,
before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens.  I
will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will
praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the
Almighty for the best day of my life.  And I will sleep the sleep of a
contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is
going to be the best day of my life, ever!

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2)  WHAT MEMBERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE POETS NICHE - These are just a few
examples of why I continue to do what I do for ALL OF YOU!!! 

From Nicole - moni...leave it to you to find something useful in my idle
ramblings and musings! (See "Thought to ponder" above).  

From Cole - I am really enjoying being a member of the Poets Niche.  It's
as if a part of me that was missing is finally falling into place. 
Thanks for everything you do for the group!

From Reggie - The E-Zine and Peanut Gallery are wonderful.  I have been
enjoying the comments from the group and yourself.  I commend you on your
efforts through the past year and the pool of talent that submits poetry
daily and/or weekly that inspires and tunes the rhythm of my heart.

From Genez - moni, I just my read commentary "REVOLUTION CONVERSATION
PIECE," in Issue #34 of the 10.  Thanks for the acknowledgment.  My
writing is turning more towards commentaries and stories and I'm trying
desperately to do some freelance work in other states besides Atlanta,
but it's hard to even get my work read.  moni, thanks for all of your
support and for keeping in touch with me!  It really touches me!

From moni - When I receive email responses like these, I know I'm on the
right track in helping many of you reach your goals.  Thanks for making
MY JOB (which is totally VOLUNTARY, by the way) so MUCH FUN!!

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3)  MORE GOOD NEWS TO REPORT FROM MEMBERS OF THE POETS NICHE - 

FROM JACI:  Good things are afoot for me as well.  I was recently
accepted and am now an official MFA candidate in Creative Writing at
California State University  Consortium.  My classes begin at
the beginning of this month and I'll be there for six weeks.  I'm
excited!!  (Darlin', you know I'M TOTALLY DELIGHTED FOR YOU, but for
purely selfish reasons.  Now, I finally have someone to edit THE 10). 
Jaci, please promise to keep us posted on your progress!!

***********
FROM TAMSHI:  A couple of weeks ago, Tamshi finally did it -- GRADUATED
from UC Berkeley!!  Her money and mo' money was well spent because she
received her degree in Social Work (translation -- she worked hard trying
to be sociable).  But seriously, I can definitely relate to Tam because
my mother also received her degree in Social Work. With five children, my
mom had enough case study work to last her a lifetime!  Tam, you know yo
big (&getting bigger sis) is SO PROUD OF "THE GRADUATE".  As a
graduation gift, one of Tam's friends sent her a TICKET to visit Brooklyn
just to kickback and relax.  (Honey, don't forget to give your friend my
email address, cuz moni needs a vacation too!!)  

***********
FROM COLE:  Cole received the following email from William Taylor,
Webmaster of The Columbine Shrine (http://columbine.8m.com/):   

"Hello Cole,  My name is William and I'm the webmaster of The Columbine
Shrine.  In our guestbook, you submitted an entry that caught my
attention.  Your song called "Opposites" (see Poems of the Week 41). 
We're starting a new section of The Columbine Shrine and we'd like to put
that in there with your name beside it of course.  So, if you wouldn't
mind sending it to me, along with your age and location that would be
great!  Thanks for your help!"  

Cole, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU for having the courage to submit your poem to
The Columbine Shrine.  Your words will forever touch the souls in need of
comforting.

************
FROM SUE:  Sue says that her twin girls are doing much better (they had
pneumonia).  She wanted to send a BIG THANK YOU to EVERYONE for their
genuine concern and healing prayers.

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4)  THERE ARE SEVERAL CONTESTS YOU DON'T WANT TO FORGET - A) FATHER'S DAY
is on Sunday, June 20, 1999.  Please submit your poems and dedications to
"ME" ONLY at (moni@nichemarket.com) for our special FATHER'S DAY TRIBUTE. 
Poems of the Week(s) 42 and 43 will posted on June 14th and 21st.  

B)  DEADLINE for the Poets Niche ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY CONTEST is by
MIDNIGHT (CST) on Wednesday, June 16, 1999. (NO EXCEPTIONS!!)  Here's a
blurb of the CONTEST RULES: Write a poem, or a series of coherent
sentences, using EACH LETTER OF THE ALPHABET ONLY ONE TIME IN CONSECUTIVE
ORDER.  This means ONLY 26 WORDS and NO DUPLICATIONS.  You don't have to
start with A or end with Z.  If you start with F, your next word must
start with the letter G and end with the letter E.  For example: (M)oni
(N)ever (O)bviously (P)lans...then ending with the letter (L)ove.  For
the COMPLETE CONTEST RULES, please email ME or see the archives for Issue
#33 - moni's top 10 E-ZINE.

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5)  POETRY YOU SAY - From BlackWords, Inc. - On June 12, 1999, from 9-6
pm, there will be a Self-Publishing Seminar, a panel on "Spoken Word &
The New Black Poetry," and an open mic session.  This is a great
opportunity to vibe with other writers, learn about publishing and the
arts, and hear some very talented performers and poets!  Go to
(www.aalbc.com/grand.htm) for more details!

The UnRapped Contest - Evann Black, CEO of Evann Black Enterprises, Inc.
announced today the launch of a nationwide talent search for the next
star of hip-hop music. "We are looking for the next Hip-Hop superstar,"
she said.  "We are looking for a charismatic unsigned rapper to be
featured in our upcoming film UNRAPPED" a film with a rapper at the
story's center.  The nationwide contest kicks off a series of events
surrounding the film UNRAPPED, which is set to shoot in October 1999 in
various locations in Miami and an undisclosed island paradise.  The
winner of the contest will receive several prizes, including a featured
role in the film, a recording contract from a record label, and a song on
the upcoming UNRAPPED soundtrack as well as a hip-hop wardrobe from one
of today's hottest hip-hop designers.

The contest is open to men and women of all ages.  "We are looking for
Urban poets in touch with the heartbeat of Hip-Hop music and culture and
who has the potential to help drive this vital art form into the next
millennium," said Ricardo Scipio, the other half of the African-American
filmmaking duo. "The ideal candidate will have obvious audience appeal,
originality, street credibility and that unmistakable star quality."
Ricardo Scipio, head of Infinity Filmworks, directs this film.

The contest kicks off June 8, 1999 for more information and contest rules
contact Infinity Filmworks at (NYCFILM@aol.com) or write UnRapped "Rap
Off", P.O. Box 490137, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl 33349-0137

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6)  WEBSITES TO CHECKOUT - From Jenean Fiallo, one of the sponsor's of
Walt's Friday Inspiration -- After being in the Navy for 12 years, Jenean
put aside her fears, took a leap of faith and started Women International
Publishing.  Desperate to share what she learned with other women, Jenean
published her own self-help book, "I Am A Woman In Contro: A 30 Minute
Beginner's Guide to Smart Living and Investing".  Chapters such as Labor
of Love; Financial Planning; Welfare; To Bond or Not To Bond; Trials of a
Woman; God's Precious Gift, and Heavy Hearted, are useful tools to
empower women to gain control of their finances.  Checkout Jenean's
webpage at (http://www.womentakecontrol.com) and sign her guest book. 
Don't forget to tell her that moni sent you.

*******
Africana.com (http://Africana.com) is a new website devoted to increasing
understanding of, and appreciation for, Black history and culture. 
Africana.com was founded by Harvard Professor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., to
help combat a new form of discrimination of leaving Black children behind
-- TECHNOLOGICAL RACISM.  Lack of access to computers, software, and the
internet, along with inadequate high tech training is preventing young
African-Americans from competing on equal footing in our increasingly
computer-dominated society.  Africana.com aims to help Black children and
students learn about their culture, and take pride in its richness, while
at the same time strengthening their computer literacy and preparedness
to succeed in our knowledge-based economy.  Africana.com also offers FREE
EMAIL THAT SUPPORTS THE EDUCATION OF BLACK STUDENTS!  You can sign up for
(yourname@africana.com) today from the (http://Africana.com) home page. 
Their goal is to create an online virtual community where the Black
community and students can meet, network, and exchange ideas.  Each time
you use your Africana.com email account, this enables them to generate
revenues from banner ads, which they in turn donate the revenues to the
Educational Netcasting Foundation (ENF), a not-for-profit foundation
which creates and distributes online educational tools that support the
learning needs of Black students. 

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7)  SHORT, SHORT, REALLY SHORT STORIES by bams - 

                          A Trip to the Hen House

She heard them and their clip-clopping clodhoppers long before she
actually saw them, and their unbeweavable horsehair ponytails, moving
swiftly toward her.

"Gloria!"

shoot

"Glo-reee-aaaa!!!  Hey guurrrrl, wazzup!?"

shoot shoot shoot

Gloria grimaced again.  She did *not* want to be cornered by the dreaded
Cackleberry Sisters again.  "Why won't they just leave me alone?" she
wondered helplessly to herself.

"You know you heard me yellin at you, gurl," Sheronda had a way of
stating the obvious. "Whachu doin?"

Gloria resignedly sighed; hopefully, she could cut it short this time,
and the suffering would soon be over.  "Oh, nothing.  What's up with
y'all?"

Kay-Kay was the quieter of the two friends; Gloria had the feeling that
Sheronda had been dragging Kay-Kay around so long, everyone just assumed
they were sisters.  She doubted Kay-Kay had ever had an Original Thought
of her own after she hooked up with Sher.  "Sheronda said we should look
for you, see what *you* were doin', and just...you know...hang."

"Oh, great," she thought; "why pick on me?  Why am I so popular lately?"
But Gloria knew why.  It had to be the fact that she was happy these
days; she had a good man in her life, school was going well, and she was
expecting a callback for a promising, though small, part in a local play. 
Life, as they say, was Good--but though misery indeed loves comp'ny, it
seems nothing attracts negativity like a positive vibe.  And Gloria was
vibin' all over the place.

"Uh, whachall want?  I really need to get back to..."

"That no-good man a yours, right?"  Sher wasn't one to mince words.

"Well, *actually*, I was gonna say I really need to get back to 
STUDYING* for finals.  But since you brought it up...'no-good'?  How so? 
He's been nothing _but_ good to, and for, me, from day one."  Gloria knew
it was a Lost Cause, but a sista hadta try.  She watched with some
amusement as Sher's face lit up with the opportunity to rave, yet again,
on how--

"...there ain't no such thing as a Good Black Man, and you know it!  He
jus' playin' you for your kittycat, and you jus' too caught up in his
dazzle to realize it.  See, I knew that all that college mess would just
blind you to the real deal.  But you just wait," Sher paused for effect,
which Kay-Kay took as her cue to chime in.

"Yeah!" Kay-Kay exclaimed, as if she had actually said something of
utmost import.  It was all Gloria could do to keep from laughing in her
face.  She tried to respond to the two of them, but Sher kept going.

"Uh, yeah, you just wait, you gon' wind up with your heart broken, cryin'
to us about how we wuz so right, why didn't you just listen in the first
place, blase blase yada yada yada.  You *need* to stop burying your head
in them books and start *learning* somethin' about how life works, girl! 
You jus' kiddin' yourself if you think you too special to be messed over
by a dawg.  Yeah, I said it!  Dawg! Capital D, a-w-g, woof woof, DAWG!  
ALL* men ain't nothin' but *DAWGS*, all of 'em, every last one, and yours
ain't no different!"

"Yeah!" Kay-Kay echoed again; this time, they both glared at her, but
Kay-Kay, undaunted, continued on. "I remember when my babydaddy J-Dog's
cousin's uncle's stepgirlfriend's daughter Laniece thought she found the
man of her dreams; he took her out to Red Lobster at least once a month,
bought her gold chains, and he even let her drive his car once...and
girlfriend got sho'nuff hooked on him, then *BLAM*!  That dawg dropped
her like a hot iron!"  That was about the most Kay-Kay ever said on her
own since Gloria met her.

Gloria was about to go off on them both, but decided on another tack
instead.  "Hey y'all, haven't you ever been with someone who makes you
smile for no reason at all?  Without buyin' stuff for you, or taking you
anywhere?  I mean, haven't you ever just gone for long walks, hand-in
hand, with your man?  Or fed each other ice cream, laughing and having
fun together?  Or studied together...or just *talked* for hours on end? 
Kevin and I do that all the time, and I've never felt more at ease with
anyone in my life.  I've never been happier.  That's a good thing, ain't
it?"

Sher and Kay-Kay looked at each other, then at Gloria.  "SPRUNG!
Bwahaahahaa!  Mah gurl is *sprung*, big time!"

sigh

She should've known better, Gloria thought; no sense in trying to reach
these two.  While they chirped on and on, though, Gloria's attention was
diverted to the clouds.  As Sher was gearing up for more of her sermon
(accompanied by an Amen or two from Kay-Kay), Gloria smiled inwardly at
how soft the clouds looked, wondering if they were as soft as Kevin's
lips felt on her skin as he kissed her all over her body.  She quickly
got lost in the thought of his touch, and choked back a throaty moan as
she remembered how he thrilled her last night.

"Gloria.  Gloria!"

She startled as Sher and Kay-Kay stood, staring at her.  She wondered how
long these hens had stopped cackling--and realized she didn't care.  She
noticed, though, that they didn't start up again.  In fact, they went
downright mute.

And then, Gloria's heart skipped a beat.  She stood perfectly still,
breathed in deeply, and closed her eyes.  She smiled as she felt him and
his overwhelming presence, then smelled his delicious scent, long before
she saw him as she opened her eyes and he slowly walked toward her.  And
as Kevin gently gathered her up in his loving embrace and his heart beat
against hers, Gloria felt the weight of the world melt away.

Another truly enjoyable short story written by bams.  Please feel free to
send your comments directly to bams at (bams@nichemarket.com).  Thanks
again bams!!

If you have a SHORT, SHORT, REALLY SHORT STORY (NO MORE than 2 or 3 PAGES
ONLY), you'd like featured in an upcoming moni's top 10 E-ZINE, please
submit your story to "ME" ONLY at (moni@nichemarket.com).  Don't forget
that this is being done on a trial basis to see if we should start a
SHORT STORY NICHE in the Year 2000.

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8)  POEMS OF THE WEEK - I still can't believe that we have featured ove
 230 poems of approximately 80 plus poets, for 41 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. 
And, we're still going STRONG!!!  This week's featured poets are:

OPPOSITES by Cole Johnson - ColeJ@SWOG.fhcrc.org
I CELEBRATE THE LIFE by C. Bentley - cbentley@memphis.edu
three by Jaci LaMon - JaciWrites@aol.com
CROSS WORDS by Saleem Abdal-Khaaliq - nsa@vgernet.net
ILLUSIONS - Kelvin Lee - lee_0003@yahoo.com
cool is by bams - bams@nichemarket.com

Read for yourself POEMS OF THE WEEK 41 at (www.nichemarket.com) and you
will understand why I love reading the poems of ALL our featured poets. 
Please feel free to email your love and support directly to the poets.  

=========================================================================

9)  A REALLY LONG SENTENCE - NO ONE called in to sing moni's National
Anthem -- Once, Twice, Three Times a (FOUL/it's a dirty job, but
somebody's gotta do it); (FOOL/since I have no problem being a clown,
making an ass of myself comes quite naturally); and (FOWL/I've always
been a chicken when it comes to trying new things, so I've been
practicing on you guys); or emailed me the following line: "MY MAMA AIN'T
RAISED NO FOUL/FOOL/FOWL, BUT MY DADDY DID -- AND HE AIN'T HEAVY, HE'S MY
BROTHER!"  Therefore, EVERYONE CAN BREATHE A COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF
BECAUSE YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.  IN MY ABSENCE, there will be NO
moni's top 10 E-ZINE on July 5th and July 12th.

Below is moni's Poem of the Week.  Your comments and honest feedback are
greatly appreciated.  

much love! 
moni

============================================================

      PERHAPS. . .NOT THE WEDDING SONG


I slipped out through the back door of the church, 
and down the alley of last chances and no more tears.  

And out of the corner of my eye, I saw blue lights 
flashing as a police car arrived.  

The crime scene tape was wrapped around remnants of
poor excuses.  

And the only thing left was the faded chalk outline 
of a wedding dress.  

Perhaps. . .I was the only witness to the crime.

A crime of passion dressed up to look like an 
innocent victim;

But innocent only to those unaware of the time I 
spent in limbo.

The time I spent pretending that accepting the pain 
of broken promises somehow gave me more character.

The time I spent looking for love in between the 
blinking lights.

Perhaps. . .you know what I mean.

How does one fill the empty space of a homeless heart?

Every time I hear that song, you know the one that 
the player piano plays when she walks down the aisle.

I get all choked up and wonder why I'm not the bride.

Perhaps. . .it's my age or that I'm too settled in 
my ways. 

Or perhaps. . .it's how I choose to spend my days,

Quiet. . .and uncomplicated.


Monica Blache (c) 1999











   
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