Poetry presents...

I have the distinct honor to present to you a phenomenal poet, Ismael Khatibu. I met Ismael several years ago while attending open mic at a local coffee house and it was there that I was instantly captivated by his spoken word. Since that time he and I have become friends and for that I am grateful.
When asked about poetry and his inspiration Ismael told me, " I have been writing since the day the ink dripped on my etch a sketch! I am inspired by the idea of freedom and its interpretations (or misinterpretations!). I am a three-time member of the Piedmont Slam’s predecessor, the Winston-Salem Poetry Slam Team and I stepped into the organizer’s role in February 2009. I have also been co-hosting since February 2009."

You can find more information about the local Piedmont Slam team and Ismael's bio on the Piedmont Slam website (http://www.piedmontslam.art.officelive.com/).

Every 4th Thursday of the month you can find Ismael along with numerous others at Krankies Coffee house in downtown Winston-Salem. Open mic starts at 8pm and the Piedmont poetry slam starts at 9pm. Due to the upcoming holidays, November and December open mic and poetry slam will be held on the 3rd Thursday of the month. For more details regarding this monthly event please visit the website.



Mount of Olives
by Ismael Khatibu

There is an emerging Christ; face down in the lowest depths of the innermost valleys of Babylon

Where the air gets heavier with each descent into the realm of unfathomable recluses,

Where the breeze’s grip is the heaviest weight, anchoring imagination to a dream deferred

Where illusory shackles are slave ships turned arks and densely packed is a full box of Newport cigarettes in the breast pocket of Sister Clara’s best Sunday jacket.

Her crumpled crème linen with re-stitched lining and its usual scent of nicotine is thrown over her right forearm this hot summer day while the left arm uses every bit of strength to climb the church bus.

Her customary seat is taken beside the choir director;
Psalm book in hand,
A melody in her heart
and a tear in eye as she prays for perseverance.

“But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more” Psalm 71:14

The bus climbs the unpaved road of the Mississippi Delta, turning right onto Mt. Olive Ct.

Bumpy, bumpy is this one-way street, abandoned by contractors, land banked by developers who read from the same psalm book as the choir director and thank God everyday for Katrina.

Gentrification was never so easy.
Cleophus Jackson the bus driver, a retired social worker, who lost his family to sea and sky, recalls the previous three generations where his family members were sharecroppers.

Cleophus prays the next three won’t clean the rooms of wealthy vacationers in the resorts of casinos.
He has seen enough gambling in his life and the shot of gin he inhaled before his first cup of coffee is his testimony.

Then, there are the little ones; with no idea of differences between thirst and drunkenness or any lasting impressions of pain and agony.
They smile, they cry; and they are as momentary and instantaneous as the good tidings showered on them.

Up they grow, from little darlings to societal threats
Up they go forgotten roads weathered by Katrina’s blown kisses.

That and every Sunday morning;
to a shotgun church,
from a rickety bus,
from a broken community reduced to rubble and ash and sporadic existence,
to the highest point of Mt. Zion.

There is an emerging Christ, nomadic, clinging to yesterday for tomorrow’s sake,
lacking everything except spirit because they know as sure as Sister Clara’s hallelujahs egg on Pastor Jenkins,
and as sure as these beautiful youth run back and forth down the narrowest of aisles of this church van without being scolded because the members of Mt. Olive Church knows it keeps Brother Jackson from falling asleep at the wheel,
is as sure as they know that through the work of God, everything will be OK.
And once again,
as in past Sundays
and with diminished numbers that
continue life’s journey, they have arrived safely.

The adults, in dire need of the Word, file out,
followed by the children, largest to smallest,
followed by Sister Clara, who secretly or not-so-secretly, takes her last pull from her Newport
and lastly, Brother Jackson who says a prayer to the Lord for safe arrivals
and also has a quiet word for his deceased wife Brenda.

Slowly they stream through the church doors and take their customary seats in the pews.
The choir is assembling, preparing to ‘Get Right with God”.

And while Katrina’s baptismal waters recede like a departing thief and the deep sigh of her gale is completed,
communion glasses still tinker and crackers still crumble
and the voices of twenty robed in purple velvet rises as one Christ emerging from three days of death to sing and shout
that even though levees may break….
our spirit does not.

Ismael Khatibu
Copyright © 2009

Time

I listen to the sounds of the clock resonating in my ears causing a deafening sound.
I watch the days go by and the pages on the calendar turn.
I see the sun rise and fall faster and faster.
And yet time seems to stand still.
Tick Tock-Tick Tock-Tick Tock.

Today turns to yesterday.
Tomorrow turns to today.
Minutes turn to hours.
Hours turn to days.
Days turn to months.
Months turn to years.
And yet time seems to stand still.
Tick Tock- Tick Tock- Tick Tock.

I'm still standing here waiting for you to come back to me.
Waiting.
Wondering.
Is this real? Is this a dream?
Time races by and yet for me it still feels like it was yesterday.
Tick Tock- Tick Tock- Tick Tock.

Featuring Sea Glass Artist: Amy McDonald!!!!

I am very excited to introduce, Amy McDonald, a talented Sea Glass Jewelry artist. Along with enjoying my own personal piece of jewelry made by Amy, I had the opportunity to interview Amy regarding her life and art to find out a little more about what inspires her.

Amy lives in Maine where there is a lot of snow and plenty of availability for inspiration. Besides being a jewelry artist, Amy is a full time mother of 3 and a hair stylist. Her husband is a BIG hunter and total outdoors man and her kids are 16, 12, and 1.

Amy's beautiful work can be found on Etsy, which features handcrafted artists around the globe. Her Etsy shop called, Sea Treasures by Amylee, can be found @ http://www.amylee34.etsy.com. Amy's pieces are made of Sea Glass found from the beaches in Maine. She absolutely loves making Sea Glass Jewelry and has spent a lot of time locating each piece of glass for her jewelry.

In Amy's words, "Up here in Maine we have lots of beaches, so my whole life I have beach combed and collected sea glass. My fondest memories are of being with my grandparents as a little girl and walking the beaches every weekend picking up sea glass. Well, I'm 34 now with LOTS of SEA GLASS. Being a stay at home mom I have found my creative outlet. I wanted to have a lot of jewelry but didn't want to pay their prices. Everywhere I went I found pieces I didn't care for and they were expensive, so I started my own line! I think I have always had a passion for this, in high school I took a pottery class and instead of making bowls and cups, etc. I made a beaded necklace. I think I get inspired easily, there are a lot of things that are so beautiful it gets me thinking, weather it's my catchy names for my pieces, or wonderful colors on a bird. My favorite color is purple and I love browns and aquas together. I have a work shop down in our finished basement with a drill press, (it's my husbands that I took over) but my creating happens in our dining room, it has much better light. My absolute favorite thing to work with is the glass. Holding it up to the light and finding just the right beads. It's a great thing. I was very nervous to have a shop on Etsy, I thought what if I don't sell anything or what if people don't like my items, but the experience has been wonderful, everyone has been so nice, and supportive of one another. Lots of helpful tips to be shared. The thing that I find to have helped me a lot are my pictures of the items, you really need to use props that really make your item stand out. When I did that I started to get more views and hearts and even SALES. "

Amy feels it is very important to buy handmade to support other artists and their talents, knowing every item is made with love and that the artist is sharing this with everyone. Amy says, "I hope everyone who purchases an item from me loves it as much as I did making it."

Besides being found on Etsy, Amy can be found at one of the largest craft fairs in Augusta Maine, located at the Augusta Civic Center November 28-29, 2009. If you live close by please stop by and see her beautiful work. If not please be sure to check out her lovely Etsy shop, I know you won't be sorry.