optimist

just a rough recording of some new live stuff. still don't have a proper recording space yet (3 more months!) so no editing/mixing to this. just gotta put things up & keep myself on my toes!

production and chorus BELONG to P.O.S/Doomtree/& Rhymesayers Ent. Taken from "Optimist (We Are Not For Them)
https://p-o-s.bandcamp.com/album/never-better-deluxe-edition

Lost/Music Teacher's Lessons @ VPS

About a month ago I performed two poems at Vancouver Poetry slam, Music Teacher's Lessons and Lost. VPS posted the videos a couple weeks ago and I'm now getting around to post about them myself. Apparently procrastination extends into every frame of my being at this point. Anyway, here are the two videos. At the time these poems were still quite new; I believe this was either the second or third time I had performed them.

Snow Globe (Live at the Hatch)

A few months ago I was given the opportunity to perform some poetry for a Thrive event at UBC alongside other wonderful musicians, poets, artists, (and even a comedian)! The event, which took place at The Hatch, celebrated the way artists are expressing themselves and taking care of their mental health through art. This is my performance of Snow Globe & you can even watch a beautifully shot recap video of the night featuring the poem here! ^.^ goo.gl/vpqHGY

Music Teacher's Lessons (Spoken Word)

It's the start of a new school year which means it's time to get back to recording and performing poetry! This one is called Music Teacher's Lessons. Sometimes poetry, or any art, can be taken too seriously. This was simply a result from that.



Instrumental from Sage Francis' "Waterline" produced by Mark Isham.

Just Like Our Breathing and the Trees/Picture Perfect Expectations: Performed at Vancouver Poetry Slam

I had the opportunity to compete at the Vancouver Poetry Slam on January 25th 2016 and place 5th as well. The two poems I performed were Just Like Our Breathing and the Trees, and Picture Perfect Expectations for the first and second round respectively.

One Month Left of Summer: Performed at Vancouver Poetry Slam

I performed my poem One Month Left of Summer at the Vancouver Poetry Slam on November 30th, 2015.

One Rhythm

If the wind gets loud enough, 
when there are enough trees
 in the background,
then the rustling of the leaves begins to sound a lot like an ocean
and the back and forth rhythm of the waves

In the same way 
the sound of war
after so much of it,

when there are enough motionless bodies in the background,
begins to sound a lot less

like the ferocious pound of thunder

and more

like the gentle pattern of rain

Therefore,

If the wind gets loud enough
and starts to sound like an ocean
both of them
sounding the sway of rhythm -
the sound of back and forth
then you know even Humanity
who bears skin so soft
could start to become coarse

If the wind starts to sound like an ocean

you'll realise they both create waves
and that the motion of them sway
so both sides, eventually, see their light of day

Humanity is a wave

and just like back becomes forth

peace becomes war

But,

If the wind gets loud enough
and the wind and ocean
both start to sound the same
then just like the wind and the ocean
maybe one rhythm
is from where we all came

And maybe today we're ignoring truth

ignoring the cadence telling us 
we're all fundamentally
just a different form

of the same wave

just a different form

of back and forth

But one day we'll realise it

and no longer find ourselves standing

over the remains of those

who carried a different rhythm than us

and were regarded as an obstacle 
in our way