PHILADELPHIA POETRY MAP!

Looking for a spot to hear or share Poetry? Here's a map a friend recently assembled of some spots holding it down and raising it up!

First Annual GPF: Poetic Justice on the Ave! -2007

Remembering roots, here's to our beginning, and how far we've come!

This is Not A Small Voice! - GPF Youngbluhds 09

The Germantown Poetry Festival Youngbluhds perform their group piece, "This is Not a Small Voice" at the 3rd Annual Germantown Poetry Festival in Vernon Park, April 18th, 2009

The Deepest Love

Bleed into me
become a slave to the way I set you free
from the moment you touch me
Let me provide the endless support you need
pen in hand
write everything you need
etch your pain, and sorrow
here on my lines
and let me serve as a moment of time

I will keep your secrets
and never reveal your fear
unless
you leave me open
Welcoming everyone
to a closed chapter
within your past
that I will proudly reveal
because I will always be here

I am proud to serve as a monument of your past
for these great works of art
keep me company within the dark

I know I hold the secret to your heart
your first and only love
Nothing can compare to me
for I am the only one who can set you free

I know everything there is to know about you
I give you an Identity
and it is I who provides pages free of worry
only seeking truth

Many will come
and many will go
but here
I will remain true

time apart
our bond grows stronger
till you can't take it anymore

my pages will call out to you
and
you will have restless nights
til you return to me
pen in hand
ready to discover once more
your destiny

and Ill be waiting
with blanks pages
for you to fulfill
and
make complete

Then once more you will feel compelled
like your one step closer
to understanding the person you see
every morning when you wake up
and glace in the mirror

you turn only to me
for I am the only one
that makes you feel complete


Whether a monster
full of greed or envy
or a lover
full of pain or lust
I will serve forever more
as the
story book of your life
and you will write
and write some more
and I will never grow tired of what has happened
or what is in store
for we become one
when I am recited
and that moment is reborn

Take me
Use me
and
Never let me go
for I am the food for you soul
the history to your past
and the one who will never let you go

Poems about poems, thanks Adam(Mr.Meora)

These two poems are about poems and this was an excersise Mr.Meora suggested I try- I did- the end result was these two poems. I'm posting them in order of which I wrote them today. And as strange as it sounds IT ISNT HARD! All it takes is some jotted down ideas about what YOU LOVE ABOUT POETRY and then somehow put it all together! But anyways here goes something!
"Secret Ingredient, CHEFT POET"
Lead or ink- it could written in either.
And sticks to paper like the frosting on the flakes.
When you write such a thing there is no such thing as cheating- you can do anything.
Sing? Maybe?
No, you don't have to cuz you want it to be a Green Eggs and Ham kinda thing.
No doo wop or ringy ding ding?

Well that's too bad, but it doesnt have to be this long. Only needs to stand alone and be strong.
And you'll never hear me say this again, "We have a secret ingredient.................[it's called] Creativity."


"With A............"
With a poem there are many possibilties. To change the word of the World like Obama;
To break N.Y CITY down and find-still-buildings growing from the roots of the streets;
To write a letter to your pen that reads,"more ink please";
To exprees yourslef in a bathing suit in the snowy winter or to consume a hot-chocolate with the souls of your loved ones floating around in the form of steam;
To know if you jump up and down to a brilliant sound, the loving crowd will-hopefully-follow;
To see yourself in the mirror and tell the World,"TO SHOVE ONE cuz I aint the same as nobody else.......
..........With a poem"

So I hope everyone enjoys. And I guess I'll catch you peeps later.
PEACE&LOVE, Vern.

I DARE YOU!

The clock ticks,ticks and tocks.
Moving smoothly and stealth-like, time is approaching you.
Kiss,kiss your time is up. And if you feel the need go ahead,your time is done here.
Make it quick and desserted-show no fear.

The end is dry and you feel the pain,so GO AHEAD,I DARE YOU! End this game........

Time is no longer with you. It sides with your enemy. It's stopping,stopping no more seconds,no more bleeding.
But now you face more suffering and eyes that cry agony.

Redemption was there-YES-you had that option,but you chose to ignore it.
Now your close by and on the egde.
Your mind is conflicted and you think of revenge.
The knife is grasped tightly,breaking the palm of your hand.
Your lips smooth and trembling,yet you still don't understand.

I DARE YOU! I Dare you to move that knife and plunge it deep somewhere within your body! I DARE YOU!
DO IT FORE ME! FOR ME!
FOR ME,FOR ME!

But she can't ,she can't allow herself to love anything but herself!
So do you wanna know what she does?

She hands me the knife-my heart- and I put within me again. Because, she refused to accept the fact that someone was in with her.....
Shame..........
So,I DARE YOU!
I dare you to come back to me with regret and that pittyfull smile you'd run across your face that half says I'm sorry.
I DARE YOU!
I DARE YOU!
The end is dry and you feel the pain ,so GO AHEAD,I DARE YOU!
End this game................

welcome!

wassup poet! welcome to the brand-new blog for the germantown poetry festival's young blood poetry workshops! this blog will allow you to connect with other poets from the workshops in between our monthly gatherings. using it, you can share your work with your peers and get their valuable feedback. feel free to post a poem that you are working on or post a comment on someone else's poem. occasionally, we will post writing exercises or quotations to inspire your writing. feel free to do the same. as you enter into the conversation, just remember to keep it real & keep it positive.

so who's posting the first poem?

peace & poetry,
yolanda p, fest director