I was sick outta work
on my hands I had time
in between all my naps
I came up with this rhyme
it started with a tickle
then my throat got sore
so I bought all the Airborne
I could find in the store
I was sneezin’ and wheezin’
all laid up in my bed
had a pain in my dome
like a vice around my [...]

my life is
a paradox–
a passionate
tango
of
already
and
not yet
I have lived
so many lives
this young body
holds captive
an old
yet
playful soul
I have come
so far
from where I began
and yet
still have
so far to go
I have swept
up the shattered
remnants of my
broken heart
and yet
have still
to drink
the sweet nectar
of love’s true bloom
I have conceived
of a dream
and it is alive
and kickin’
on the womb of my soul
and yet
it [...]

there is something heavier than lead
weighing down my heart
lead is
the color of this day
the color of once bright eyes
that sparkled and danced with life
lead is
the color of the shadow I see
in the weary reflection staring back at me
the color of being older than my years
there is something heavier than lead
weighing down my heart
lead is
the color [...]

these days
life is
less
without you
music
my song
dancing
is less without you
my days
my thoughts
my laughter
is less without you
my dreams
my poetry
is less
without you
hundreds of moments
go
unshared
unknown
without you
my joy
and
my sorrow
is less
I look for you in
the faces
the conversations
the jokes
the journey
and all of it is
less
without you

You may or may not know that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  DV, while not often talked about, is one of the most prevalent forms of violence.  In various settings I have recently inquired about the number of people who have been directly affected in some way by DV and overwhelmingly there was 99% [...]

I am totally, 100%, a bonifide Tia Chucha’s groupie.  If the place had a fan club, I’d run for president; I’d flood the inbox with gushing fan mail; I’d moon about it on my social network status–oh wait, I already do that one.  Well anyway, you get the idea, I just love the place.
Why do [...]

winding home on an
empty, curving, two-lane
I am caught in the
unblinking
silver stare
of the moon
my sham of
being fine
is easily seen through
I falter and finally
I let go
two steady streams
flow from their wells
down hot cheeks
over trembling chin
past choked throat
en route to
douse
the burning pain
in my heart

Estoy aprendiendo a hablar español.  Este es mi primer poema en español, así que si usted, por favor, perdona mis errores. 
Esta es mi familia:
somos
abuelito y niño
mujer y hombre
moreno y güera
sangre y agua
hermana y hermano
Esta es mi familia:
somos
poetas y músicos
maestros y estudiantes
activistas y visionarios
líderes y seguidores
pensadores y trabajadores
Esta es mi familia:
somos
rotos e intacto
desesperación y [...]

I’ve long been against the idea of explaining poetry, giving background info, or providing the context.  To me, this seems to take something away from the meaning a reader may derive for herself or himself.  But recently I’ve heard some interpretations of my writing–actually more specifically of me–reflected back to me and it was so [...]

Saturday
whatever on your list needs doing
whatever errands need running
whatever bills need paying
whatever runny noses need wiping
whatever diapers need changing
whatever lawn needs mowing
whatever papers need writing
whatever books need reading
whatever trail needs exploring
whatever road needs driving
whatever work needs tending
whatever cupcake needs baking
whatever stillness needs being
whatever meal needs savoring
whatever conversation needs having
whatever moment needs remembering
whatever song needs dancing
whatever [...]