Tuesday, April 30, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 27/30

I can create a scene
A moment that's captured
With an old oranges box
Propped up by a stick
Triggered by a string
Trickery
Maybe
But all the more real
If you believe it is

I can summon an environment
Made up of the air you breathe
Engineer it to connect the mind
With the present
Have them speak in two different languages
Understanding one another
Perfectly

I can
I shall
I will
In time
Create Rome
When ever
Where ever
Just say so
Say
Anything

Saturday, April 27, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 26/30

It's like working with Mercury
It's high science
It's an art form

It's mathematics

Character + History + Plot = "Scene"

Tradition + Situation + Evolution = "Conflict"

Absence + Love + Weakness = "Desire"

To understand the meaning of life, you must live it
Over and over
Filter out the bad
And the good
Keep what's alluring
Compelling
Art







That Thing Poets Do In April: 24/30

Haiku
From the "Greater than Numbers" collection

There is no Legend

Only the palm of your hand

My fist are prophets

Friday, April 26, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 25/30

The eye contact was weird
A little crazy
Please
Let me start over
Past the cusp
Where
We have already exchanged pleasantries
Simply catching up since it's been so long
That I forgot your name
You've forgot my profession

The questions are all out of order
Sorting by systems selected at random
How they roll off the tongue
Trying to keep things
Interesting
The carrot of conversations
Keep it moving
It should be rewarding
But the unknown "X"s
And other variables aren't helping
We'll cross that bridge
Not know "if"or "when" we'll get to it
Thinking too far into it
Let's start over

Where we're curled up like a question marks
The irony not lost on us
Snickering at the silence
Geeked over the possibilities we could fill it with
It's comedic
It's sexy
It's innocent
It's comforting
Even in conflict
Damn artist
Always gotta create shit\
I don't like that
Scrap it
Let's start over

When I ask for whatever you're selling
Hoping it's understood I'm not interested in the product
Segue from features to character
Warranty to "Whacha doin after this?"
Depart with digits on paper
Hanging on to it as if life depended on it
Cause I'm bring this thing back tomorrow
Citing it wasn't a good fit
Try again
New Store
New Product
Starting over

Hello
My name is Nigel
I just wanted to let you know
You walked passed me and didn't say "Hi"
You wanna start over?







That Thing Poets Do In April: 23/30

My imagination is at it's best
When I make assumptions
Creative conclusions
Made from nothing more than
Fabric
Samples
Scent
The rest is processed
With a human evolution type
"YOU GOTTA BELIEVE ME"
Science
Thinking "Me"
Accurate

MacGyver mind
Common characteristics
Used to complete circuits
Create connections
Make "Believe"
Me
Eyes know these things
Seen them many times before
Through gossip
I can picture it
Share it
Instagram rustic
So it looks authentic

True to life 
Flashing before your eyes
Don't focus
Live in the moment
You have only a second
Make your decision
Move on
If you're wrong, you were right
At the time
When confronted with this moment
And asked if it was 
If it is
All they said it would be

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 22/30

What is the look of...
It's got somethin to do with
Uh...
Being in the right place
Wrong timeline
Stayed silent
When you should've spoke up
Blurted the obvious
Instead of staying choked up
What is the look of...

Sounds like (object)
Feels like (concept)
Slippery when caught
Finger pointing at the obvious
Still needing to be taught
Coached
This is how it's suppose to be
According to the look of...

A happy balanced smedium
A collage of colors
Black
Reaching the shallow depths
Of "Thanks. But no yes."
It's not you
It's me
Giving you "The eyes"
It's the look of...

It's got something to do with
Uh...
A pat on the back
And uh...
"God has a woman out there for you."
I don't doubt it
But I wonder if she knows
That she's with the wrong cat
Now
How would she?
No one knows the look of...




Tuesday, April 23, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 21/30

Let me start by saying
"You're welcome"
Not everyone gets such an invite
In person
To join us
Wake up
It's a beautiful day

And when I say
"Good Morning"
It means
"I know you have dreams that haven't come true."
"But you don't have to be sleep to realize them."
Open your eyes, friend
This suburban cul de sac of cubicles ain't us
Was never meant to be "us"
But "we" still exist
Dreamers
Not zombies
Wake up
It's a beautiful day

I've always wanted to have a neighbor
Just
Like
You
I always wanted someone to say "Good Morning"
Too
So
Let's make the most of this
*Grabs you by the collar, jams you into the wall*
Beautiful day
Since we both would rather be pursing our dreams
We might as well say
Wake up
You fucking prick
It's a beautiful day

Monday, April 22, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 20/30

I remember seeing them
Take over subway cars
Covering the doors
Holding the passengers hostage
Force feeding the clones
Culture
"Excuse Me, Ladies and Gentlemen"
This is a takeover

I remember a man playing mariachi music
To bowed heads and closed eyes
The car
Bucking and Shaking
Screaming as if possessed
He walked up and down the aisle
As steady as his guitar
His song
Calmed the car to it's final destination

I remember the two of them
Shoving onto the 4 at 6
Packed to the third rail
I heard nothing but the "Click Clack" of tap
Over power the "Sha-Clack-Clack" from the track
I could see their feet without seeing them move
My Koss Headphones couldn't keep out their groove
Their Stomp
Their Moves
Took me from Borough Hall to 23rd st.

Artist in NYC aren't in subways for money
They're an army
Battling clones for the good of humanity
Breaking the monotony
With a sledgehammer
Holding passengers for ransom
A Smile
On the face of Washington
"God Bless"
Have a nice day



That Thing Poets Do In April: 19/30

Diamond girl
Spoken for in silence
Stars sparkle in applause
Congrats
Welcome to the heavens
The benevolence of your presence
Breath taking

Let the wind be the peanut gallery
Speculating what you're doing now
What's it like to be
Wanting be
With you

Wearing white
With bright eyes and smile
The scent of joy dancing for miles
Bells signaling the next chapter
Captured on the script
Written in joyful tears

The boos of a black hoodie
Over powered by white noise
The train of your dress pulling out of the station
Blow off vapors for dreamers
Steam powered romantic
Welcome to the heavens






Friday, April 19, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 18/30

There's that one bass kick
Kind of sounds like a hiccup
Pop Lock with purpose

*snapping fingers*
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

That Thing Poets Do In April: 17/30


It was a summer snow fall
The tree still budding with inexperience
The sky was sea green
I saw myself talking to a women I've never met
The volume of her voice carried a level of intimacy
That suggest we shared a constilation
But
That's not the case

Her lips were pierced 20 minutes past the hour
Bells in my head ringing like usual
Warning me of the approaching dawn
Wanting to wrap this up
Take this time with me
I may want to see it later

It's been  forever since I slept through an alarm
Deep sleep sentences 
Handed down 
From below
Don't judge me
You're aware of all the things that's going on 
While you're still daydreaming
Still thinking
"That would..."
Be
Nice

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 16/30

No one has every met my father
But they know OF my father
They have shook his hand
Reading the story of his palm
Grooves
A record read
Remixed

Never seen his smile
But know his laugh
As a baby's cry
Not everyone hears
Life
And thinks
Joy

Never seen his heart
Kept in his jacket
Or wrapped around his fingers
Shoulder to the wheel
Heels dug in
Tough love
Secured
Careful not to crush hope

Never seen his emotion
It's written in mathematics

10 Wades
4 Girls
3 Boys
2 Lovers
1 Clan

A legacy that legions are made of
Made from
The ever present existence
Of my father

Monday, April 15, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 15/30

I like to listen
Receiving hand outs from strangers
Sharing their souls
Even when reciting code
They share pieces of their soul
Like Marbles

Some are eager to share
Showoff
Present spheres of self
Spilling over into other circles
Close by
Carried away by physics
By philosophy
Bouncing down stairwells
Skipping steps
To arrive at the ground floor
For someone else to find
To share

I don't share
I just listen
Marvel at the souls
Spheres
Passed around in circles
Spilling over boundaries
Colorful and Chaotic
Frantic to collect 
To Share
To Collect
To Share
Spheres

I don't share
I listen
For "Materia"
That way 
I don't lose my Marbles

Sunday, April 14, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 14/30

If he ever DID wake up in a new Bugatti
It would be a miracle
Raising from the leather
Cool
Not cold
Hot
Like Fresh
Made, Daily
Like

You're in no position to "dis"
Or "give props"
Or whatever your MTV Real World sense of fuckin' decorum tells you to do!

Everyone's suit game starts in the amateurs
In P's league
You cant help but get inspired 
Like "Word?"
Catch fire
Like Marley
Yet Smooth
As a Tip Toe
A manduro
Saved for an "Aye, YO" 
Smoke signal

Hopefully
He was picking up on the energy
Nathan P
A New York original

Friday, April 12, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 12/30

Erase the previous

This is "Us" we're talking about

Now
Dance with me
With all the "As if..." in their respected places
I want you to talk to me
My body telling a story
Your body becoming my memory
Sweeping you off your feet
You're okay
Just breathe

Dance with me
Following your body by reading your face
Place your hand on my cheek
I'll give chase

Run, keep pace
Heart beat bass
Love beats so hard
That beat breaks
"I need space"
Love can wait
Just breathe
Til it's time to leave

Dance with me
"If Only..." in our mind
"Love you" in our hearts
My arms at your sides
Step closer
Spin this time in my arms
Promise it will always be this
Sway

That Thing Poets Do In April: 11/30

In a perfect world
I would be judged as one
First time product of
A through B
My conclusion viewed as isolated
Results
Less than flattering
There will never be a "Next Time"

In a perfect world
I am "Me"
Not "Them"
"They"
"Those types" or "Their kind"
I am "Nigel H. Wade"
Don't dress me with fears
With Assumptions
Masks or Hats that fit someone
Non-Nigel H. Wade

In a perfect world
I have a story
Stretching as far back as that gavel
As far back as that hammer
As far back as 
"Place your hands behind your back 
As far back as you can"
As far back as you can stand
Before you have to take a break
Change topics
Check Facebook

In a perfect world
Innocence is never questioned
Life is not a privileged
Death is not a destination
Freedom is
Free
As far back as the Sun setting
The Sky closes it's eyes
Good Day...

Thursday, April 11, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 10/30

How do you kill a man?
It's easy
Use fire and burn him
Use water and drown him
They're sons of Icarus
Trying to be fly

Weighed down by perception
Get Big
Posture up, Peacock
Fan out wings
Imposter flight
Stay
Fly

Posse Up Penguins
No Tuxedos tap dancin
Just "Suit and Tie" Swag-Jackin'
Pretending through emulating
The "self" you saw in another
Insist on calling him "Nigga"
Instead of "Brother"
Birds of a feather
Faking 

On wax
On tracks
On TV Screen

On Dancer
On Prancer
On Vixen
Dear me

Rudolph with the infrared beam
Run and take flight
Fire
For fame and fortune
Let it Rain
Water

How do you kill a man
It's simple
They're sons of Icarus
They'll kill themselves

Sunday, April 7, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 6/30

I don't know who she is
Just know she exists outside of my fantasy of "perfect"
I see her like most would see a mountain in the distance
Visible but...waaaay over there
Still
Not animated as water
With all it's metaphor properties
Not spiritual like the wind
She is just part of the scenery til you're standing at her feet
Each smile, nod, "hello" is a step toward something greater
Heavenward
Testing my strength, gradually
Inclined to think bigger
Better
All that time building 
Being a muscle head
My thoughts were never trained for this

Her polite words are genuine
I'm not use to that
"Is she flirting with me?"
No
There is not a breath of sex anywhere in her stride 
Towards me
As welcoming as it is
I over train when I think of what shes thinking
Worried about "what if"s
Am I crazy?
Is this a fair
What if she's trying to trick me?
What if I can't remember the tricks of this trade
Because I'm just a silly rabbit 
And tricks are for kids?!

I'm not making any sense
She tells me money isn't everything
Everything is free
So I shouldn't pay her any mind

That Thing Poets Do In April: 5/30

They came in like a parade
Throwing the corpes of those before him
Singing songs of victory
Surely there will be brighter days like this
As if the world had 2 suns
Idiots
Singing 
"That's my boy" and "Make us proud'
Forgiven them, hermano...
They know not what they say

As the dancers passed by with horns blazing
Leading the float carrying him by
We locked eyes
He gave me a head up
I head nod
That exchange would reply sooner or later
He got his scholarship
Someone thought him so wise and above the curve,
They are going to pay him to see if he can advance the way we think
Be something more than what was thought
It's a time to celebrate 
And I thought otherwise

People are always talking about the Rose that rose from concrete
But, never talk about how it is plucked all too soon
Placed in a vase
Left to wither a long, agonizing death
Perhaps left at it's roots
Crucified by the stares of non-believers
"You don't belong here"
Crucified by those higher achievers
"You don't belong there"

A rose up for auction 
Cast your opinion
Win an "I told you so"
Lose nothing
Except a rose
Who's glory is shoved under envy
Faded
Just like...
*snaps fingers trying to remember*
...that one rose that almost made it.




Perhaps

"I believe things will only get better"...You're a liar/ I wish the words of your mouth weren't such a contradiction to your image


Keep your head to the sky with this yoke on your back/ Can't see it/ All you have are memories of when you could lift your head and the faith that it's still there...still blue/

Thursday, April 4, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 4/30

When Christians were being persecuted by the Romans
I would like to think that
When one stumbled upon the other
There was enough humanity in the Holy Spirit
That neither cared if one was this type
The other, that type

And such
Seeing how the community needs poetry
I would like to think that there is enough
Passion in the pen
Think that there is no need to draw battle lines
Between Hip-Hop
And Hypocrisy

But...Now,
I see it's necessary

You
Are
A
Puppet

Not no "might be" puppet
Or "Possibly" puppet
You come to the mic with strings
Being pulled by someone else
Thinking it's your own passion in the pen
Drawing these deep metaphors
Laughing at how you drown out the critiques

Jim Henson's lyrical master piece
Theater
Act like you have one original thought in your
Block(head)
Good grief
Hood rich
Ignorance is bliss
Paid in full by applause and finger snapping
Splitering
Breaking
As the season comes to a close
And you show you're worn out
Worn down
Throw out

That Thing Poets Do In April: 3/30

"How are you?"
I steer clear from cynicism
A sarcastic answer will reveal decades of questions
Regret
"What went wrong"s
And, honestly
I believe she asks because she's passing time
Given to her
What kind of cat would I be to turn down an offer to share?

But, if I say, "I'm fine."
She may peer closer
She my rough edges
Conclude I'm a liar
Point at the journey plotted
Course
Push finger against window
Pain
Put finger to tongue
Find me bitter...
...a bit salty
The knick in my Armor
The dent in my posture
"This chip on my shoulder?..."
I assure her
"...it's a birth mark. I swear."

Shit, Damn, Mutha Fucka

Mind you, I still haven't answered her question
"How are you?"

So, I'll tell her
"I'm cool."
Not cold
Heart still beats a nice Burgundy
Beauty is still found in a smile
And frecklesh
And dimples
And simple things
Like being
Cool
Old man playing the blues type
Cool
Wardrobe in sorrow 
Handkerchief drummer
Slightly out of pocket
Complete with the high hat
Sharks to match
Cool

Like pretend kisses when we breeze
The inhale when I squeeze
The "Peace" when we leave
Cool

New
Years
Cool

Night forever
Young type
Cool

New
York
Cool

"Glad to hear..."

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 2/30

To The Voice In My Little Brother's Head After His First Crash

Buttery goodness of silver dollar flappys

Whack-a-do shit, and all things "Happy"
Mondays are paraded as the whipping boy
It's Tuesday
Something must take its place
The kill joy that ended your weekend vacation from everything relevant
Turned "Turn Up" into "YOLO"
I'm glad that you and him are still here

The Holocaust

Slavery
Mere child's play to a father
Bent
Asking questions he already knows answers to
Cares not to hear the answers for
Just wants to watch your brain
Melt into a vexed puddle of goo
And see it spill clear out of your eyes
Like water

You will be re-built 

Again
Don't keep count
Time is payment to the living
You have been paid in punishment
I'm glad you and him are still here

Disconnect from social media 

All seeing eyes on everything
Few will understand what they see in you
After all, it's hard to be surprised these days
Realty TV is not, really/
So, the crazies aren't crazy if we're all in on it
That's called "normal"
Easy to stomach
Everything else is "ab-normal"
Be careful
"Brand New" scares fools easily
More so clones,striving to be extra-ordinary
Control all these things
Above all
Fear
Though I was shocked to see the two of you
I'm glad you and him are still here

Monday, April 1, 2013

That Thing Poets Do In April: 1/30

Keep me distracted
Surrounded by "What If"s, decorated as dreams
No need to open my eyes

Focus on the positive, call me "courageous"
Call me "crazy" when I point at the negative
Choose to only be happy

Show me the blue sky and clouds shaped like things in front of me
If only I would look down
Notice how green the grass turns brown when it's no longer sweetened by sunshine
Keep your head to the sky
Over head, full bodied torque, rainbow shoot
Buzzer beater, between defenders
Of good or of evil
It doesn't matter, it's fun living in the moment
Don't complicate it by defining it
Go Academics
Go Competition
Go "Us" vs. "Them" vs. "Honorable Mention"

Corn Snacks and Credit Card "Cash Back"
Make-Believe the money is there with those that will believe in that lie, too
Investing in your future by investing in your debt
Robbery
Inside job from on the bandwagon
Backseat
Tailgate
Open seasons on Beer and Bad Decisions
Good time
Eat, Drink
Bats, Balls
Him vs. Ya'll
For every 7 drunk, 1 has to be sober
Hot cup of fruit punch with a twist of liquor
Lite on the Miller so you don't get fatter
Feeling free to feel guilty once you're off your feet
Swear not to do it next week
Feel free to renege on your speech

When "We" and "The people" are two different things
And the government is a giant in the hill sides among other things
Trinkets and Medallions
Lucky Charms
Silly consumer, Tricks are for hoes
Pimped to John Doe
Who's against immoral behavior while on talk shows
Radio
Entertaining those campaigning for transparency
Through distraction

Look at what they're doing
The world is getting too small
Can't turn a blind eye no more
Did you see what they did?
Have you seen where they've been?
Did you see them kill him?
Did you see the bone poke out his shin?

Did you see what they said?
That's not what I heard
In a hurry to forget the past
Fast-forward to who's fault it was
Watch

Clock on your smart phone
Play time on the tablet
Zero and Ones made easy
Social status redefine
Which "1" means "Human"?
Which "1" is mine?
Where am I?
What am I?
What is it this time?