A Lyrical Poetic Social

Henry is seen counting money. He is smoking a cigar feeling like a boss because the event is going as planned.

“Alright guys, go get some food and a drink on me. Or on the vendors actually.” He said to the first four poets.

The next four poets walked through the door.

“Oh shit, you all ride together?” Henry asked as he put money away. He assumed they all came together because they all walked in at the same time.

“We was outside prep talking with Kyle. (Henry looks over to Kyle) He nervous.” Vanessa said.

“Hey, here. Put this in your pockets.” Henry sorted the thousand dollar out to each one of them.

“Kyle.” He said as he grabbed his arm. “Look, just act like you around your friends or by yourself like an audition. Just breathe.”

“Alright I’ll just breathe.” Kyle started taking deep breaths.

“Alright good. You want to smoke a joint or you want a drink?” Henry asked.

Every one greeted and introduced themselves. Henry brought them all over to get a drink. They all were talking and people came and met them and took pictures with some of them. They got food, sat, and ate. Henry checked his watch. The first four poets decided to sit in the audience to watch the rest of the poets.

Henry figured he would lose money on the first event but he knew it would gain momentum. He might break even or at a cost of a couple thousand but his poets will be paid for a minute or two performance and that was his goal. He wanted to make sure the vendors got there pay. And he wanted it to be good.

He remembered he read an article sometime ago about a business owner paying his employees more than him. His aunt told him the company she worked for gave all them a ten dollar raise and even though the company wasn’t doing as good making money the company believed in their employees to do great work. He knew in his mind he would need to create a team for upcoming events.

Henry walked back on the platform and grabbed the mic off the stand.

“Alright everybody. Let’s get situated here. Remember when I gave the introduction of the poets, I said I wanted to give these poets our undivided attention. I feel it is necessary we instill this moment. Capture it in your mind. Help bring the element of expression more alive by hearing and listening. Everyone having a good time? You V.I.P’s, you get a meal and a drink?”

He seen some hold up their glass and some said a faint yeah and head nods.

“Alright, it good? Alright. Yes let our private bartender and food vendor know it’s good services. Google review, Facebook five star rating…. (He smiled looking around.) someone out there be like man that poet social was crap bullshit drinks no taste food…. “Hahaha I see you!” No but give them a compliment for being here and putting up with you ungrateful…. (He smiled real big again.) “alright let me get off here before I go into a comedy session. I don’t want to take all the spot light. They be like, ‘hey yo that guy was funnier than Kevin hart. Aye.’ Hahaha. (The crowd chuckled). Alright.”

“So without further a due. I welcome our fifth poet! Kyle!!!” Henry said.

Kyle walked up on stage shook Henry’s hand and then walked up to the mic.

Kyle waited til it got quiet.

The art of expression

A form of therapy for my depression

Vent a gift heaven sent count this blessin

To infinity

A read

A script

Something to remember me.

Just in case you forget.

Just in case I become a ghost

When they hear this they will know

These words make you feel my pulse

Check the live performance

Or hear my voice when you read it

Whether anybody notice

To me the few are what’s most important

We know death is a hard subject to discuss

And lately I been ego dying naturally

I just been wanting to show love…

Cosmos hacking me

A shared vision made from star dust…

Kyle had his eyes closed the whole time. He opened them up after he was done.

The audience clapped. Henry came onto to stage. “Give it up one more time for Kyle. As you didn’t know, Kyle was nervous before coming up here and he did an awesome job! Give it one more time. The crowd clapped again.

“Alright next up my man manny!” Henry said with excitement. Manny came and greeted Henry and Henry walked off the stage.

“How you all doing tonight!” Manny asked the crowd.

He could hear some woo’s and some ‘good’ in the crowd.

“Good good.” Manny said. He had sunglasses on and tilt his head to show his eyes then pushed them back on his nose and took a step back and said, “Let’s go.”

The crowd got quiet again.

The craft the aftermath turnt into a forever last let this last….

The task if you ask… pinpointed on the graphs stick to the plan

Strive for what you want

Be grateful for what we have

Shelter over my head clothes on my back

Discussing the steps at lunch

A master minded grind for the mass

This isn’t a pay to pray donate

And the church don’t get taxed

This that finessing the laws that attract

Innovate blazing the path

Everything final no need for the draft

Keep it old school like

Vinyl when playing on the track

If it money we stack then let’s stack

The crowd clapped. Henry and Manny gave a hand shake and patted each other back.

Henry told Manny, “Let’s get this money bro.”

“You already know.” Manny said.

They parted ways and Henry grabbed the mic again.

“Nice nice I like that. In this world we gotta be about this money. But at the same time we must acknowledge the ones before us. And we must learn from their mistakes. This next Poet goes by the name of Vanessa. Please welcome her to the stage.” The crowd clapped. Henry and Vanessa gave a slight hug. Both were smiling.

“Well hello…. Looks like a nice crowd.” Vanessa said as she took the mic off the stand.

“Moment

Of

Silence.” Vanessa stated in a soft tone.

Shot out to the ones before me

For this is not my own story

Individually it may be but you see

Conceptually I am you and you are me

It’s called community and the diversity

Isn’t the barriers that keep us from unity

It the powers that be when they program us to only see the color of the skin

The racial divide kept well alive

They aren’t human like me

We all on here this planet just beings

Walking the earth connected to all things

Its all about the energy and confronting the toxicity best way is to cleanse

Mind body and spirit

If there is any thing you can take from me is this live your dreams

Be courageous the process the doubt the critics don’t fear it.

Again, the crowd clapped.

“Thank you.” Vanessa said with a sign of relief. She was also nervous but didn’t express it like Kyle.

Henry walked up to Vanessa stepped to the side and bowed to her in respect.

“Yes thank you Vanessa.” Henry politely said.

She smiled at him and went down the stair off the platform.

She went to the back of the stage and sat down next to Kyle and Manny.

“Good job.” Manny said.

Vanessa grabbed her purse. “Thank you.” She replied.

“Next up is a good friend of mine. She too has come a long way to vent. Please welcome Annie.”

Annie walked onto the stage. She took a deep breath as Henry stepped aside for her to grab the mic off the stand. She looked at him and he nodded his head. She grabbed the mic and Henry walked off the stage. The crowd went silent.

(She took another deep breath)

I can only hope you can relate. (Her eyes closed)

With the intuition and the feeling it make. (She opened her eyes)

That core feeling (she put her right hand on her stomach) do I listen to what it telling me. (She shakes her head)

The vibe is off force shield (she motions her hands to create a bubble around her being) of energies. (She grabs the mic on the stand with both hands)

I know it’s hard but I would

Respect you more for your honesty

I don’t think you see what I’m going through

Oh why why my loved ones dying on me! (She raises her hands to the sky)

Imagine me crossing out names (she acts like she has a piece of paper and a pen in her hand crossing out names) on the family tree.

Feeling abandoned (she brings her arms cross folded in front of her like hugging herself) sorry if I damned them.

It was all unseen but the panic attack makes it hard to breathe. (She grabs her chest)

I do know one day we all have to leave

Heaven and hell I’ve experienced it in this reality (she examines her arms as they extend outward like she is examining her being)

The hell like an unannounced predator off it leash. (She makes a run motion looking behind her)

The anxiety pressing me turns me mean (she makes a mean face) and sharp (she makes an upward motion like a upper cut punch) like the letter T on all edges (she shadow boxes a little bit)

I need to be brave and them demons I behead them…. (She makes a motion to cut a imaginary demons throat. She then moves a couple steps to strike another one and turns a full circle with a back hand strike motion)

Only to turn around to watch them get back up when I knocked them down.

The lights go on the stage fade to a dim. And an abrupt of claps started to echo through the wood beams holding up the roof.

The lights come back to normal.

“Thank you all for coming out.” Annie said.

She turned around to walk off the stage.

Henry came out and grabbed the mic.

“Alright y’all we going to take another break. I know these are very short appearances but these are somewhat of an introduction for the people performing for you tonight. I know some of you are poets yourself and we will have an open mic after this next set. So what we will do is take some time for you all to sign up over by the bar. So how about another 20 minute break. Please feel free to buy a another drink or some more food. These guys are local businesses so support your local economy. So 20 minutes to 30 minutes we be back. Thank you.”

Henry walked off the stage. He went in the back of the stage and saw all the poets standing around. Well the ones that performed already.

Two poets for the next set walked through the back door. It was Jackie and Arnold. Henry was checking his phone for any missed calls or messages.

“Hey Henry, how are you?” Jackie said. Jackie was a good friend of Henry. They been friends since grade school. She was one of the last featured poets of the night.

“Hey.” He gave her a real friend hug.

“Glad you could make it Jackie. I appreciate you being here tonight.” Henry said.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world Hen Dog.” Jackie said smiling.

“Oh here, I’m paying every one a thousand tonight. I want to create a team of poets and I think you twelve might be the team I want.” He handed her the envelope. “And oh, I put in another five hundred for you showing up.” He whispered in her ear.