A Lyrical Poetic Social

Henry walked up to the stage. “Alright Jackie, thank you for the outro. Now we going to do the open mic session. We will call your name and you can make your way up here.” Said Henry.

Henry walked over to Tiffany. “Can you call their names on stage and do the hosting for a bit, I got to attend to some business on the phone.” “Yes, I can.” Said Brittany. “Thank you.” Said Henry. “You’re welcome.” Said Brittany.

During the open mic the poets came out and had a section for them to sit. They were catered with some drinks and some appetizers.

The waiter came over. “Hello everybody, who wants to order first.

Phil looked around. “I’m ready.” He replied. “Ok what would you like?” “A tequila sunrise patron silver.” Phil said.

Jasmine asked for a burger and fries. Keith ordered a bourbon whiskey, neat. Senses ordered two shots of tequila 1800 silver. Annie ordered a grasshopper cocktail. They all agreed to some water and chips and dip and a bowl of peanuts. Mona Lisa ordered a micro beer and a pitcher for everyone. Cole and Jackie didn’t get an alcohol drink. Tony ordered a double cheeseburger and fries and a foundation drink. Kyle ordered some food.

Henry was making his way over when he received a text. ‘Call me bro.’ He stopped and changed direction to go outside the event area. He dialed the number.

It was Russell. “Hello.” Russell said.

“Yo what up.” Henry said. He went outside looking around walking.

“How everything going?” Russell asked.

“Good, good going really good actually.” Henry said. Some people waved at Henry and he waved back and smiled.

“Good, got good news. She agreed. Wants to meet with us tomorrow.” Russell said.

“She going to let us use her spot!?” Henry said with excitement.

“Yes. She said let’s talk about it tomorrow over some brunch.” Russell said.

“Alright, come wake me up tomorrow morning. And when I say wake me up come in my house and wake me up. I might be celebrating with these guys tonight. It was a badass turn out!” Henry said. Couple people walk by as he is talking.

“Alright bro will do and glad it turnt out great! It sell out?” Russell asked.

“Yup sure did bro. Fucking awesome!” Henry said. He was watching the couple walk away to the bathrooms. “Stop by tonight if you can. We probably wrap things up here around 10. Come back tomorrow and help bring down things.”

“Alright I will see if I can stop by later tonight.” Said Russell.

Henry walked back in the event area and approached the group of poets.

“Hey, got great news everyone!” Henry said as he sat down and poured himself a glass of beer.

“What is it big dog?” Tony asked sipping his beer.

“We got the hemp spot.” Henry said and took another drink. He was smiling big. “I meet with her tomorrow.” Henry said.

“Hemp spot?” Cole asked. He looked over at Henry.

“Yeah, there is a place up north in Bellingham, Washington. A lady named Pam Bosch owns a hemp home built out of hemp Crete. Very beautiful home. She going to let us use her spot for our next Lyrical Poetic Social.” He took another big gulp.

“Wow really? That is awesome.” Keith said with amazement.

“I meet with her tomorrow for brunch. Told Russell to wake me up.” Said Henry. He looked around to them. “This means more work for you guys if your up to it. Haha. I told Russell I am going to be celebrating tonight, so just come in and wake me up in the morning. Haha.” Said Henry.

“I got to use the bathroom.” Jackie said so others could move out of the way so she could get by them. She was blocked in by a rail and other poets sitting at the table.

“So, you have a meeting tomorrow with Pam Bosch, who owns the hemp house in Bellingham? Cole asked as he pulled out a pack and cigarettes and started packing them.

Venessa looked at Cole like he was crazy, “You don’t smoke, what you are doing, fool.” She grabbed at the pack of smokes, but Cole moved his hand before she could take them. Cole looked at her and said, “You want to go smoke with me?” he asked Venessa. “Sure.” Venessa replied. They both got up and left.

“Henry, so we going to keep making good money like this or this a one-time thing?” Annie asked a she finished her drink. She looked at Henry and he was in his phone. She nudged him.

“Oh, my bad Annie, sorry was reading this text hold on.” He finished texting Russell in capital letters telling him to come in and wake him up if he doesn’t wake up from a phone call or knock on the door. He then put his phone away as Annie was given him in an attitude but playful. “What was that again Annie?” He asked her as he turned toward her.

“Are we going to keep getting paid like this?” She asked him as she looked at him in his eyes.

“As long as I am conducting business, you will get paid top dollar for your intellectual property and your words and expression. People have been missing the interaction and communication due to these trying times these days. So, what we do is create a social, making it poetic and lyrical.” Henry poured himself a glass of beer.

“So, what is up with you and Quentin, “Cole asked Venessa, while they were out of the event area smoking. They both took a drag of their cigarettes. She looked at Cole with ‘why you ask’ eyes. “Why you ask?” she asked him. He took a drag and flicked his cigarette and pulled out a joint. “Just asking,” He put the joint in his mouth and lit it. “I can’t ask.” Cole said as he held his breath in to hold in the smoke. He then blew it out and passed the joint to Venessa. She looked at it for a split second and then grabbed it.

Jackie came out of the bathroom and seen Venessa and Cole talking. She pushed the button for hand sanitizer.

“Yeah, you can.” She said as she took a hit. “We are doing ok, we have our ups and downs, but we are making it for the most part.” She passed the joint back as she blew out the smoke.

“That’s good, I am happy for you.” Cole said. He hit the joint. Cole and Venessa seen Jackie walking up.

“Whats up Jackie.” Said Cole. “What up.” Jackie said as she walked by. She looked at Venessa, but Venessa looked the other way. Jackie smiled at Cole.

“So, who is going next Henry?” Phil asked Henry.

“I don’t know, maybe the first four that went first in the beginning.” Henry said.

“This is cool though, what Henry doing here. I didn’t expect him to call you though.” Cole said to Venessa passing the joint to her.

“Shit, he told me he wasn’t going to call you.” Venessa responded.

“Well, here we are huh.” Cole said as he looked to her. He put his head down and then looked up at her. He could feel remorse.

“Look, Venessa, I just wanna-“. “Please. Don’t.” “What?” “Apologize. There no need to.” She needed to stop him from regretting the past. She wanted him to let it go and move on. She didn’t want to bring up the past.

“Cole let’s keep this professional and respectful. Ok? Venessa said giving him a serious look.

“Alright, I got you.” He said as he took the joint back from him. She walked passed him.

“Thanks for smoking me out.” She turned around and said.

“No problem, anytime.” Cole said, knew she didn’t hear the ‘anytime’. She walked back into the event area near the bar section. Cole stood there took a couple more puffs of the joint and then did a motion of like offering and then tossed it to the ground. He went back into the event area where the other poets were all at. They were all watching some of the open mic poets.

“Wow these guys are good!” Said Kyle.

“Yeah, they are. You going to recruit or ask some of them to be on the next event Henry?” Asked Mona Lisa. Henry looked up from his phone. He was busy texting. “Hey!” Mona Lisa said firmly and nudging Henry. “My bad got some things in the works, sorry. Yeah, I am going to review the footage the bro is doing this coming week. But for the next event I am going to use the same twelve of you to be the performers. I mean some of them might not want to but yeah, I got their names and things like that to pick from if they would like.” Said Henry.

The main event poets all talked among each other and watched the open mic performers. After they were done Henry went to the stage.

“Thank you thank you all who participated in the open mic session. I didn’t realize how many poets we have in here. I just want to announce that, I will be taking the list of names and also before you leave please go to where you signed up and at fill out a waiver if you would like to be in the footage my camera video is doing for this event. We forgot to put the permission paper out there when you all were signing up. So, please if you didn’t hear me, please go to the back, the ones who just performed the open mic session. If we don’t see your name on a waiver then we will not display your performance. Again, thank you all. Now, are you all ready to keep going with some poetic lyrical flow!?” asked Henry. He was getting the audience pumped up.

Shouts in the crowd, “yeah.” “Let’s go.” He heard in the crowd.

“Alright alright, I am with you on this I want to hurry up and get to the after party. That what we came for anyway right, some good food and some strong drinks. Just kidding. Our first poet, Jasmine.” Henry said as he bowed out and she came from the shadows as the sun was going down. She walked up to the mic.

“Hello again.” She readjusted the microphone on the microphone stand. She waited until it got quiet. “This one is called Pedestal. Remember I gave you all the introduction of it in the beginning. Here is the rest of it.” She said as she closed her eyes and then reopened them.

Pedestal

You going to put me on a pedestal

Spin me around have me wear a crown

Tell me no where else a worship can be found

You talk about how I lift you up

But one day how you going to feel if I let you down?

Would you be able to forgive?

You see my ex after I did what I did he no longer wanted to live

Labeled a love killer is how they seal her

They don’t know the reasons

The surface is all there see in

What would you do if you had to choose between them?

Playing games but this is not the same

They ask how I can love more than one

Said I want my cake and eat it too and then some

In a world where honesty is rare

So, when I tell you the truth it’s because I care

Your intuition got you running through my phone

Telling me you’re going to leave like I never been alone

Give me it’s this or that dictating me on how to act

No no I’m not confused at all nah

You the one who gave me signs of falsifying

Red flag that you were the one that was lying

At least when you finally asked you had the feeling and when you asked, I wasn’t denying

You see from the outside looking in

All your friends think they know what it is

You knew I was coming out of a hard relationship and still had feelings

You said you be there for me to find healing

You see I have insecurities as well

So, when you didn’t pick up your line and the look in your eyes I could tell

You and your expectations of me

Love holds no records of wrong

But here you are reminding me

And all along you was two timing me

What, looking at me crazy like I didn’t know

So before you call me a hoe for your information she the one that told…

I share this with the ones going from one relationship to the next without any time to put past emotions in check

I could give you a million reasons

But if you can’t understand then what’s the meanin

Call them broken promises

But this is what honest is

You going to put me on a pedestal spin me around have me wear the crown

Tell me no where else a worship like this can be found

I don’t want to be worshipped I just want to be understood I want to be supported I want to be free from expectations

I want true love and that right there is hard to find

For years I’ve been cold hearted and for the dearly departed I wish Cupid missed but he made you the target

But hear is my advice to you

Never put someone so high that when things don’t go right you lose sleep

And not everyone is for you and not everyone is for me.

A couple people gave her a standing ovation. She said thank you and walked off the stage. Henry came up next and introduced Senses again. “Senses coming to bring it.” Henry said before Senses appeared into the spot light. Senses grabbed the mic from Henry and nodded his head to Henry. “Hello hello hello, here we are again. I am going to tell a little story. True story actually.” Senses said as he put the mic back on the mic stand. He took a short moment. He grabbed the mic off the stand.

Brainiac

Brainiac maniac (He holds the mic with his right hand and points at his head with his left-hand making swirling motions).

just landed in SeaTac (he brings his left-hand down motioning like an airplane landing)

remember where I came from I can’t (He shakes his head and brings his left hand up by his chest)

Maybe the clouds (He points up and brings his left hand up by his head)

I gave props to the pilot for putting me on solid ground (He crosses his arm over his chest acting like he is pointing at someone then brings his hand back in and acts as if motions his hand palm down like he landed on the ground)

Grabbed my luggage (He acts like he picked up a handle to his luggage with his left hand)

that when I seen her she looked so thuggish with that short skirt and timberland boots in a fit army fatigue bunned up hair and some round glass shades on.

Shot fired bang bang (He places his hand over his heart)

dropped a piece of gum and sniffed the air. (He acted like he put some gum in his mouth and then sniffed the air)

I made my approach (He takes a couple steps to the right) and asked if she needed any help.

She looked…. Eyed me up and down. (He moves his eyes up and down and slightly moves his head up and down. He then faces the crowd)

Politely declined. (He shakes his hand chest level)

I told her she fine she said thanks.

She walked away… ever since she been on mind and them thoughts I can’t shake. (He points at his head again and shakes his head)

Knowing I will never cross paths again. (He looks down at the ground)

But never lose faith. (He then looks up)

Just so happens she in the city for the same thing I am. (he smiles and looks over in her direction)

For this event there she stands and now she, my friend. (He then looks back toward the crowd)

Because before this Henry invited us to his house. (He points out everything and then makes a thumb ups gestures and points with his thumb behind his back)

And to my surprise there she stood enchanted in every way. Shining like a diamond. (He acted like he was holding a diamond and observing it)

I had to stop in my tracks.

Now don’t lie when I ask. have you ever been in the presence of a female, and you didn’t know how to act?

Yeah, that was me. (He points at himself)

My heart start beating faster, and I thought oh shit please don’t get anxiety. Self-talk calm down breathes. (He takes a deep breath)

I grabbed a cigarette to put me at ease now science has proven cigs don’t help but let’s make believe. I puffed on it thinking cigarette be stinking so I put it out. (acted like he put a cigarette out on the ground)

Sparked a joint to cover the smell that when she came out.

She said, “Hey, I know you, you were at the airport.”

I took a hit before I replied. (He acts like he takes a hit blows out the smoke)

She asked if she could have a hit. (He acts like he passes it to someone)

Now we both high.

The first thing I told her was I was going to write a poem about her. (He grabbed the mic with both hands looking in her direction)

Told her I couldn’t shake her from

My thoughts (He moved and gestured as if he was talking to some of the audience on the other side of the room)

She didn’t reply she kept hitting the joint.

I told her I’m going to get straight to the point you believe in love at first sight.

She laughed and coughed. (He fakes cough)

She was flattered and blushed. (He is looking in her direction)

I told her it’s not true love or lust I’m after (He turns his attention to the opposite direction again)

If she would come to liking me and being here was a plus she said look I don’t mean to bust the grape I have a man. (He starts walking toward the other side he is looking)

I said I understand get him on the phone because I’m going to tell him he a lucky man. And that she in good hands. (He stops at the end of the stage and starts walking the other way looking at the crowd)

You see I don’t violate I congratulate. (He stops in the middle of the stage)

She said he probably wouldn’t appreciate. (He puts the mic down by his side and then brings it back up)

For heaven’s sake another man can’t take a compliment.

Again, the crowd applaud as Senses waved and walked off the stage. Henry came running up to the mic a little bit. Senses felt relieved it was over. He walked by some of the other poets, Kyle and Phil. Phil stood up and took a breath. “Good one senses, I liked the story.” “You like that one.” “Yeah, it was cool.” Phil said. Phil heard his name, “I’ll be right back.” Phil aid. He walked up the stairs to the stage. Henry gave him the mic. Henry smiled at him and turned to walk off the stage. “You all ready?” Phil asked. The crowd went silent.

Senses sat down by Jasmine. “Who was that too?” Jasmine asked thinking it was to her. Senses looked at her with enticing sparkling eyes. “Guess.” Senses said. “Hmm.” “You already know why you playing.” They both came close to each, and she pushed his shoulder away. She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Hey just keeping it real.” Senses said.

Defined hustles

You see I honor my struggles because it defines my hustle.

Them late nights that tappin on the window.

Them early mornings whatever it maybe I does this for my kin folk.

No joke go for broke I hearing loved ones hanging it up from a rope.

For the devastation at one point had me pacing back and forth contemplating what’s this life for!?

Why I got to be in this turmoil the ashes burned and spirits coming out the soil?

They are never nice. The hatred from bitterness and self-hate when life used to be sacred and also being loving to the children we create.

So much pain. Some have no sense of empathy. This pain I sit here and say what do I do with it. Speak it sell it hustle this paiinnnnn.

I fell to my knees with the falling rain…

total disbelief when the angels came.

Felt that energy spirit given strength.

Gifted with synergy so others could gain

For my enemies I give thanks and pray

finding peace, no art of wars of today

I find relief when the clouds are dark gray

thunder beings listen to what they say

That third eye sees receives the quantum wave

A mind free of programs of yesterday

Best believe I’m with-it giving game

Sharing poetry trail set a blaze

Internal eternally see my flame

my mind at ease my all I truly gave

Some couldn’t believe I’m not in a grave

why creator wanted me to be saved

question was key what it going to take

To the one who created me give thanks

360 degrees protected by sage

Some might envy a spirit that can’t break

see I took a dive in that ice cold

Lake

Electrifying synapse of the brain

So, I can weed out the real from the fake

Hey what you mean I didn’t come to play

The audience gave Phil a standing ovation. He took it all in while Henry made his way to Phil. Henry was astonished as well. He gave Phil a forearm handshake. “Wow, give it up for Phil one more time!” Henry said proudly. “Wow, just wow.” Crowd clapped here and there. “Hey camera man you got recorded?” Asked Henry. The camera gave a thumbs up and a head nod. Phil walked down the steps and was greeted by the whole team.

“Yo, you came with that one yo!” Cole said smiling, shook his hand and gave him a half hug.

“That’s the business bro!” Keith said, gave Phil a handshake and a finger snap. He then proceeded to the stage as Henry was introducing him.

“Fire bro.” Jasmine said to Phil. She gave him a hug.

“Nice.” Senses said and shook Phil’s hand.

“Came with it, bro. Good job. Representin.” Manny said giving him a fist bump.

“I knew you would come with it. So far you got MVP.” Kyle said smiling and shook his hand.

The others were also to greet Phil and give him props. Keith was on stage now. He held the mic instead of keeping it on the stand.

Acapella

The flow of the poetry

Like a hoe I’m courtin thee

Thank you tho for supporting me

Nothing over here is forgery

Them mans and em not extortin me

Habits get old adapt better ones that the lord in me

The struggle to overcome

Like it was premeditated true story

From that wicked to glory

Poison gone now it water they pourin me

Make that contract simple no back door in me

Keep it professional to the rules act accordingly

I’ve outlined the agreement and I’ll read them an orderly fashion.

Number one we do not tolerate any sexual and or harassment.

Two transparent for all transactions

Three due diligences before any termination.

Four after three years employment a two-month vacation.

Five children birthday including your is paid vacation.

Six in five years we double their wages

Seven no notice shall be given to partnered company if anything changes

This that what you company going to do for me type view

No bigger bank takes little bank we breaking the rules.

Look we got ideas for days

Putting them together in marvelous ways

Money was made for people to barter and trade so more money to the people it should stay.

And if you hate to get out the wave.

The crowd clapped.