Unchain Your Mind | National Poetry Month

NaPoMo #1 (Haiku for 1APR15)

I hear your voice, Lord. 

I will let you sail this ship. 

You see what I don't. 

~UnhurdChyld

Have you ever wondered if you were "doing life" right? Like if you ever really figured out how it works and what you're supposed to be doing with it?  

So many people have told me that I should really go into doing Poetry full time. Or they'll ask why haven't I done it yet. Well that answer is simple (maybe not correct, but it's simple)...

I'M AFRAID!!

I'm afraid of my poems not being as good as the poets that inspire me. I'm afraid that my words won't really be heard and understood. I'm afraid that my desire to make a change will get lost in translation. Most of all, I'm afraid that I'm ordinary and everything that I write, anybody else can too. 

A year ago I started back writing and was inspired to start an open mic in 2015. When I began writing last year, I started to get a lot of exposure. People started asked me come and do poems at luncheons and various other events. CD sales were increasing and everything! But I still felt ordinary. Until less than a week ago...

While on the phone with my best friend, we were talking about upcoming engagements that we were scheduled to perform. I told her, "You know what? I think I've performed  for practically every Greek Organization on this island. Except for the Deltas." The very next day I had an email in my inbox asking me to perform at the Delta Sigma Theta Annual step show  with a sold out audience of 630 people. 

I never thought that this is where I would be right now. I'm humbled. Am I still a bit hesitant? Yes. But I'm not in control. "The mind is stronger than my body. God is stronger than my mind."

Unchain Your Mind | Entrepreneurship Novice

Almost an entire week after the anxiety and excitement has died down, I am able to gather some of my thoughts on the Honolulu Premiere of Poetic Action. 

In a nutshell....IT WAS AWESOME!!! The turnout was great, the audience was awesome, and the poets were absolutely phenomenal! And to think, I did all of this advertising telling people, "You won't find another open mic NEARLY as good as this one is going to be on this island."  It sold well...to them. I still had my doubts. I didn't want to be the only poet for the night. I started to think about everything: What if I put too many chairs out and it's gonna look empty in here because nobody comes? What if we can't start on time? What's the plan if nobody decides to sign up and do any poetry? 

Well, people had to add chairs! The doors opened at 7pm and there were some people outside at 6:45pm. I started 15mins after the planned time because I kept trying to give people a chance to get inside, but more people just kept coming through the door! To top it off, we had JUST enough poets to be able to end the show at 10pm on the dot, as planned!!

Everyone had so many positive things to say and expressed how glad they were that I did such an event like that. They can't wait until next month and they said that they're definitely going to be spreading the word and bringing more friends out.

And to those that said they were coming out to support but couldn't make it, you missed a fantastic show! Catch us next month.

My first event as a small business owner, and it was a success! Poetic Action is here!!

LIGHTS! CAMERA! POETIC ACTION!!

Like our FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/PoeticActionLLC 

Instagram & Twitter: PoeticActionLLC

Look for some clips from the show posted there as well!

Unchain Your Mind | New Year, New Poems

Procrastination always gets the best of me. I wrote this blog 30 DEC 2014:


2015 is right around the corner and I am ending this year with a bang! Everything has fallen into place and God has put some amazing people in my path to help me on this journey. But first….I STILL haven’t written any new poetry yet! I’ve had a poem brewing for five months and have yet to let those words meet paper. School, motherhood, and work has been keeping me busy quite a bit, but that’s no excuse.  I need to release and just let it flow.

But on to the good news:

Army – I GOT PROMOTED!! 1 October, 2014 I officially became a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army. So many folks thought that I would never be here. Hell, for a minute, I even questioned if I would ever make it. But I did it for my son. I needed to provide more for him and nobody else was going to do it but me. Thank you JESUS!

Personally – I loved and lost…what’s new. No need to give the whole, “Men ain’t $h!t” schpeel. It happens. But God sure does work in mysterious way. Let’s just say I’m pretty happy with the one He has brought into my life now J

And now the big news…Poetically:

IT’S SUPER OFFICIAL!!

It’s been a lot of hard work and the time is finally drawing near. I am Sole Proprietor of UnhurdChyld. That’s right! I’m a small business owner honey. Working on securing an LLC for another company as well. I’m so anxious for Poetic Action to happen. It’s just so many people out here that have said that they have been looking for something like it. 

So if you’re reading this and you’re in Hawaii, Poetic Action is where you should be on January 15^th!

Now all I need to do is write some new material… :-/. New Year, New Pieces 

“The mind is stronger than the body. God is stronger than my mind.”

Unchain Your Mind | Lights, Camera, Poetic Action

I can't sleep. That can only be due to two things: 1. The Taco Bell that I had earlier 2. I need to write...let's just say that it's the latter.

I always try and keep this updated and I seem to fail miserably when my schedule picks up just a little bit. So much has (and has not) transpired in the last year:

I haven't written a new poem. I'm full of ideas and can't find the words. That's half of the reason why I haven't posted. It's hard to focus on your passion when you have to focus on surviving. Dreams don't pay the bills or fill my son's belly. I don't care what anybody says. I haven't given up on writing, I never will. I've been performing all over the island at different events and I only have one person to thank for that. God brought a woman into my life that has so many connections in Hawaii that she truly lit that fire in me to at least perform and attempt to start writing again. Because of this, I have big news,

Poetic Action is coming to Hawaii January 2015! My best friend and I co-founded Poetic Action September 2012 in Camp Casey, South Korea. We eventually expanded it to two locations in Korea (Camp Casey and Camp Humphries) and it became the largest open mic for Soldiers on the entire peninsula. Poetic Action ran for over a year and a half, although we had both left Korea. I am now proud to say that I will be starting it here on the great island of Oahu in the beginning of 2015.

I've got to write something soon though. I need to get these words out. I have way more supporters than I ever thought. My poems are getting streamed online and my fan base is increasing. I'm taking advantage of all of the opportunities that God is blessing me with. I never even thought that I would be here...I can't stop. I won't stop.

Cam wouldn't stop...RIP

"The mind is stronger than my body. God is stronger than my mind."

Unchain Your Mind | The Fork...

Sometimes I wonder if this journey is for me. My inner fighter tells me to keep pushing but my flesh tells me to just focus on something else. What am I referring to? My journey as a poet.

I’m not disappointed in album sales, I’m disappointed in the amount of people that I desire to reach that aren’t being reached. Maybe I should switch the genre in which is right about. Maybe I should think of profound inspirational relationship quotes like Rob Hill Sr. Perhaps I should focus on making people laugh. I’ve got a good sense of humor. Everyone has an opinion about the government…that could be an option……nah. That’s not who I am, as an artist or person. I can’t expect people to connect with unauthentic content.

People buy, but don’t share. Is it not powerful enough?

I was made to do this. I was made to help, heal, connect, and change. I just don’t know how to do it to its full effect. But I won’t stop until I do. This fork in the road…