when the sidewalks
come to life
with lovers wrapped
around each other
secret smiles and
kisses everywhere
spring is in the air
and I fall for
the magic
of this place
all over again
April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate, I’m going to post a poem everyday. I’m way behind schedule, but intend to amend that state of being today. This exercise in my love of words began last year, inspired by the wondrous Jason Reynolds and my writing promptress Jena Schwartz. It was fun and full of magic and makes me so excited to see what pieces 2017 produces. They won’t be perfect, they never are, but they’ll be here, every day of April. I hope you stop by and enjoy the words and maybe even feel moved to share some of your own.
NYC spring 1993
senior year of college
so close to escaping
those iron gates
of Barnard
and head downtown
with my bad self
my friends
and the boyfriend
Running around the city
carefree and wild
as one can only do
while in college
that most perfect moment
of responsibility
yes, I have a high GPA
and none whatsoever
yes, mom and dad are
footing the bill
Late late night
super late night
after loads of dancing
friends
music
liquor
and that goddamned
hot-as-fuck
Broadway/Lafayette subway station
with the train
that just wasn’t coming
ever
Grumpy old folks
bumping up against
drunk college kids [us] against
power-dining suits against
edgy artist-types
skateboard boys
ditzy bachelorettes
drug dealers
homeless folks
police officers
bow-tied professors
gorgeous fashionistas
hip-hop heads
Irritated
tired
sweaty
pissed off
humanity
NYC humanity
don’t fuck around humanity
where is the
goddamned train humanity
it’s hot as hell
down here humanity
I’m ‘bout to
do some things humanity
the MTA is on
some bullshit humanity
does anyone realize
how late it is humanity
WHERE IS THE
GODDAMNED TRAIN humanity
And just when everything
seemed on the verge
of being some real
verge shit
something ugly and uncontained
a little wild and
definitely unrestrained
it happened
loud and clear and unmistakable
in its announcement
its arrival
its oh yeah, we are so doing this
right here
right now
its New York City
is the motherfucking coolest
its we are rap and
funk and hip hop
Those opening bars
of Naughty by Nature’s
Hip Hop Hooray
if you’ve ever heard the song
[and if you haven’t
go
now
do it]
you know exactly
the sound I’m talking about
that distinctive
unforgettable
flute-like
something or other
I don’t know what that sound is
but I know it’s leading into
a banging ass song
That sound played out
loud and clear
like Naughty by Nature’s
own calling card
in that hot ass
smelly
pissed off
subway station
at the intersection of
Broadway and Lafayette
at god knows
what hour
and everything
and I mean everything
stopped
and listened
And then it really happened
That magical
badass song
took over that
train station
and before
anyone of us knew
what was happening
the entire subterranean space
was moving and
grooving to those beats
and both the
uptown and downtown
sides of the tracks
were swaying
brown folks
black folks
white folks
every damn motherfucker
in motion
hands in the air
like we just didn’t care
forgetting about
that never-coming train
lost for a few minutes
in our competing
chants of
“hip hop hooray
ho! hey! ho!”
I don’t remember when
that train came
but hot damn
if I’ll ever forget
that night and
that song and
my lovely
dirty
gorgeous
disgusting
I don’t give a fuck
New York City
My #WednesdayFreeWrite series is based on what I write during the 10 minutes allotted my writing group’s Wednesday Prompt. As always, these pieces are works of fiction, erupting from my incredibly over-active imagination. They are unedited and unscripted, super loose and probably my favorite ten minutes of the week. They are perfect in their imperfections and I hope you enjoy.
Late last year I started thinking about ways I can step outside my comfort zone and really live life to the fullest. It’s so rare to get a second chance to find yourself be yourself enjoy yourself and since I’m getting one, I want to make sure I do as much as I can to really make it count.
Hence the poetry readings I’ve started doing every week. So far I’ve hit the stage in Jersey City, Chicago, and as of last night, I can officially add NYC to my list.
I said for my 45th birthday I was going to do the open mike at the Bowery Poetry Club and despite being scared shitless and totally nervous, but also mad excited, I did it. Around 8:03 pm I was called up to the stage to read the last poem of the evening.
Check it out:
I’m getting better at this, non?
Either way, it was a stellar way to celebrate 45 years of being on this planet – thanks Bowery Poetry and my good friends Patty, Destiny, and Meisha for coming out to show me some love.
This is my friend, Sharmila, with my man, Matt Damon.
Matt-fucking-Damon!
What a lucky bitch.
I just gotta love me some Sharmila (she’s the same girl that sent me a shot of herself and Uma Thurman, aka, Beatrix Kiddo, aka, one of my hardcore girl crushes).
There are only a few hours left of 2013 and I have to say, I am ready for 2014. I feel optimistic and energized, ready to take on the world and do some big things.
I made some major changes this year, some attitude adjustments that wound up being enormously beneficial on a very personal level. I stopped being a controlling asshole and started learning to let things slide.
I’m a stubborn bitch and change is brutal on my psyche, but I handled my business and think I’m a better person for it. Can’t wait to see what 2014 has up its sleeve.
A big part of my optimism has to do with publishing THE GIRL and refocusing my energies on writing. Although it can be lonely at times, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the process and feel like a new person for it.
On that note, I thought it would be nice to end the year with one of my favorite New York memories. It was senior year of college, we were down in the Lafayette Street subway station super late at night, the trains were fucked up and the station was packed on both sides. Some guys on the uptown side of the platform had a radio and after a few minutes of that annoyed, only-a-New-Yorker-would-do-this, leaning over the tracks and looking for the train, I remember hearing that unmistakable “Give it up for Naughty by Nature”.
You know what comes next.
That beat comes in and it’s all good. By the end of the song, the entire station, on both sides of the tracks, was swaying back and forth, hands in the air, singing “Hip Hop Hooray, ho, hey, ho!”
Seriously, my addiction to NYC is intense. She’s the lover I can never leave, no matter how much she abuses me, acts like a bitch and shits all over me. I just keep coming back for more.
And here is another reason why.
This afternoon, while walking to the gym with my girl, Emily, what do we happen to cross paths with? Some camels and a burro, just chilling on the street.
No lie.
Here is the picture proof:
“No doubt, I’m the playa that you’re talkin about” – LL Cool J
Madhuri Writes Things 