Poetry Monday.

i be an artist

i be an artist cuz my great granny was

kept 18 kids alive in rural Mississippi
holding a pistol in her apron to creatively solve any problems
cuz my mama was painting metal church chairs  with red spray paint
using yellow electrical tape to trim our counter tops
cuz she always wanted a yellow and red kitchen
but my daddy paycheck wasn’t long like that to afford remodeling
so she made due
cuz my granny had a whole lotta kids to feed
so she grew huge gardens
and let me help her can peaches
and made medicine
cuz them white doctors be trying to kill us
and who can afford an ER bill
that’s my art school

 i be an artist cuz my hands and mind just keep moving

ahead of me like a motor with no destination
and I feel funny inside when I haven’t written a poem in a few months
cuz lady terror came to me one night in our basement
built a soapbox
as a salve to help me heal from my daddy’s death
created herself to give me some solace
a place to rant and cry and scream
cuz I be mad
and still mad
that my daddy died on a cold hospital table like that

 i be an artist cuz I think differently

and the bills keep coming
so I made something outta paper
someone said they would buy it
since they love beauty
so I sold it
gave the money to the light bill
all is good with the world

 i be an artist cuz I grew up on wooden church pews

watching performance art in the pulpit
old ladies swimming in mid air
foaming at the mouth
chanting Jesus for hours
until
heads flung back and holy ghost took over
poetry spit every sunday
preachers are my art teachers

My great granny Rhodie born in 1894.

National Poetry Month 30 days in 30 days: Poem #1

What becomes?

A bloody maxi pad tied to door knob to ward off evil spirits

Addicts shooting up babies
A two headed dog
Mutant forces
Threesomes in front of churches with no protection
Agent Orange sprinkled on salad as dressing
A freak sighting
Immaculate Conception thru prison walls
Fresh wild boar being served in Harold’s Chicken
Trees bent into the peace symbol by wind
The killing of black babies for skin

 I am worried

Silicone booties and sliced bodies the standard of beauty
Artists locked in cubicles for hours
Hunted black boys laying in morgues cell phone still ringing
Strange occurrences
Words forbidden
Natural anything spit on
Flamboyant freedom rejected
Debit cards over cash
Robots over breathing

I am scared

Celebrate life!

So I have been out of the blog world for a minute. I lost my favorite auntie, Norma Jean on January 31st. This date is also the anniversary of the 6th year of being without the love of my life, my daddy. I also moved into a new house and still have boxes to unpack. Thru it all I give thanks for all the blessings and grace the Creator has shown me and my family. I will be back with more musings and writings on creative empowerment. Life is short. Live strong!

Here is poem I wrote for my auntie and read at her services in Chicago.


For our Norma Jean

this isn’t a poem

its words put together when words can never say enough

its a whirlwind

a big smile

a tight hug from a favorite aunt

that looks just like my mama

its love

this isn’t a poem

its a family story

it begins in a busy house that used to stand not too far from here

with a wild backyard

a warm kitchen upstairs

tall, steep concrete steps

that provided us many scraped knees

all our hearts can remember is

her laughing and smiling

if we counted all the times we heard her laughing

beautiful gap teeth smiling

head leaned back

soul a glow

we are rich

this isn’t a poem

since words can never be enough

to celebrate

to speak on the essence of her spirit

while the body is fragile

it bends

it fails

it gives out

spirit is stronger

no force is greater than pure love

her journey to short for us

lovely many times

bumpy some times

cuz life can serve up bumps and valleys and peaks along the way

her chapters unfolded like a large novel

i wanna keep turning the pages

we wish for more volumes

more hugs

more of her laughs

more comedy

more of her sweet nature

just more

more

more norma jean love

the essence of her spirit

will live on

your brothers, sisters, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, cousins, friends

deep down wish our collective love for you would pull you back here

our tears would drown out all pain

but

with deep breathes

we release you to the creator

rest now

rest in perfect light dear one

the essence of your spirit will live on

Tricia Hersey

from left to right: My Auntie Norma Jean and My mama Jean Marie

How to Create a Spectacle

Step 1
No matter what you must not show fear or ego.

Step 2
Develop the ability to ignore anyone who stands in your way.

Step 3
Learn how to scream like you mean it. If you need a bullhorn I have one you can borrow.

Step 4
Study the art of improvisation. You will need it to get closer to your goal.

Step 5
Create a quick one sentence response to the question: “What are you mad about?”

Step 6
Pick the perfect location and get the timing right.
Note: the best spectacles are the ones that are organic and catch everyone off guard.

Step 7
Don’t be afraid to use curse words. People need to know that you are pissed and not playing around. This is not a game nor anytime to be shy. Stop holding back!

Step 8
Start being okay with people calling you crazy. Embrace your out of control behavior for a cause.

Step 9
Read poetry daily. You will need it for your mission.


Step 10
Find an opportunity to get community members involved. The end result is true social change. Real change comes from the people.

LADY TERROR

Poetry Therapy

Poetry Should Ride the Bus
Ruth Forman

poetry should hopscotch in a polka dot dress
wheel cartwheels
n hold your hand
when you walk past the yellow crackhouse

poetry should dress in fine plum linen suits
n not be so educated that it don’t stop in
every now n then to sit on the porch
and talk about the comins and goins of the world

poetry should ride the bus
in a fat woman’s Safeway bag
between the greens n chicken wings
to be served with Tuesday’s dinner

poetry should drop by a sweet potato pie
ask about the grandchildren
n sit through a whole photo album
on a orange plastic covered La-Z-Boy with no place to go

poetry should sing red revolution love songs
that massage your scalp
and bring hope to your blood
when you think you’re too old to fight

yeah
poetry should whisper electric blue magic
all the years or your life
never forgettin to look you in the soul
ever once in a while
n smile.


from We Are The Young Magicians Beacon Press April 1, 1993

Call to Empowerment

When I was in Peace Corps back in the day I worked in Morocco, North Africa. It was a wonderful, stressful and life changing experience. One of my vivid memories from the experience is the Call to Prayer that blasted throughout the streets on a loud speaker. Aside from the beautiful Arabic singing, I also loved how it mobilized entire communities to stop any activity to pray and meditate.

I think it would be a great idea to have a "call to empowerment" in communities all over the country. Maybe a poem, positive quotation or meditation could be read or sang from rooftops on loud speakers all over the hood. Five times a day we could use sound and words to heal ourselves and to empower and uplift.

My work as lady Terror is one of creative empowerment and an experiment in guerilla art, spectacle and performance art. My latest stunt was the releasing of balloons with a poem tied to it. My hope is that someone will find the balloon, untie the poem, read it and be inspired. It's also symbolic of a lesson that I re-learn daily: You must let things go in order to receive. The more you give with purpose, the closer you get to living out your life's purpose. Life is beautiful but also rough sometimes. I believe deeply that poetry and words are therapy.

Enjoy the footage from the stunt filmed last week and my original poem "The Cubicle Project," whch was written at a call center, cubicle job that attempted to kill my creative joy. Pain can bring art sometimes. What poem or quotation would you want to release into the air as a gift or have blasted on loud speakers in your hood?



If you enjoy my mission please think about bringing me to your school or organization for a Creative Empowerment Workshop or to create a theater project. Lets build!

Lady Terror Re - Imagined

I have been in a re- invention period in my artistic life since I created the character "Lady Terror." Almost three years ago, while attempting to write through a huge case of writer's block, Lady Terror came through. I believe it was a culmination of years of rage and a super pissed off attitude about injustice and oppression that molded Lady Terror. Soon, I was ranting and screaming poetry through a real bullhorn and on a soapbox built just for me. Ranting became the means to solve social problems. The bullhorn became the desperate symbol of voice and empowerment.

I have been writing and performing poetry for over 10 years in the traditional sense. Write poem on paper. Read it on a mic. Sit down. Repeat. I love the simplicity of poetry and pride myself on my ability to express myself through words. But, as I grew as an artist the above ritual became to neat, clean and predictable. I longed for messy and surprising. I really longed for performance, spectacle and theater. I wanted to shake up the day and shine a bright light onto the issues truly destroying my community. To date I have installed the following art spectacles into the community:

1. Poetry reading marathon at Chicago's Largest Parade, Bud Biliken. I read the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks on a bullhorn for hundreds of passerby's. The lady Terror mission believes that reading and writing poetry is a healing tool that can spark imagination and change. Check some video footage:

2. Created a one night only poetry show i front of liquor stores all over the South Side of Chicago. The South Side, like other inner city communities, are lacking in creative resources. I brought the art to us by setting up small performance venues outside on sidewalks.

3. As part of damali ayo's project "National Day of Panhandling for Reparations" I begged for change for reparations downtown Chicago on State Street. For an entire afternoon I begged for the money due us after 400 years of slavery.

4. Yoga in the hood was one of my favorite stunts. As a protest against the inequalities that exist between white and black communities, I created mini yoga studios in the lobby of fast food establishments.

As I move into the New Year. I am excited about the opportunities for Lady Terror. I'm planning a stunt in honor on MLK, Jr. Birthday Celebration, developing my current one woman show "I Will Not Calm Down" and writing a new one, participating in a Experimental Puppetry Festival, submitting a proposal for a Street Festival with Flux Projects and creating volunteer opportunities to start back collaborating with young people. More soapboxes will be built and more bullhorns screamed through. I'm ranting in 2011. What about you? What are your creative and artistic hopes for the New Year?

Why I love the Soapbox?

"Dont' do that, " "What will people think?" "You should.."
"Stop being a hater," "Don't curse if you are mad, " "Don't cry," -Even at a funeral when you have lost a close relative, we in America say, "Don't cry. It will be okay."
The silencing and quieting of America....

I have always been excited by people who make a scene. The unexpected. The organic and untamed. The out of control.
Absurdity and the extreme. I mostly, deeply connect with freedom of expression. Above is a replica of a slave auction block. Slavery being the ultimate act of inhumane silencing. The need to be heard crosses all boundaries. The soapbox will be seen and the bullhorn will be heard. Be heard. Hear somebody!!

Booking for Lady Terror!

Hey Ranters:

I am organizing my calendar and booking shows for the remainder of the summer and def for the fall. The "Lady Terror Experience." I offer the following:

Workshops
I specialize in facilitating, interactive workshops that revolve around writing. I have taught fiction, poetry and essay for children as young as 6 all the way thru adults in their 70's. Any topic or theme can be developed into a workshop.

Performance
Previous gigs:
Guest Artist for the class "Performing on stage solo" at DePaul University School of Theatre, Chicago, IL
Guest Artist and performance for class "Reviewing the Arts" at Columbia College Chicago
National Day of Reparations Day www.damaliayo.com
Guerilla Art Spectacles and protests

Spoken Word
Over 15 years experience performing as a spoken word artist
Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award Winner
Ensemble member of Guild Complex's poetry performance incubator


Email me at: Ladyterroreducation@gmail.com for bookings, prices and more information

I LOVE colleges, universities, public schools (all ages), community centers, not for profits, alternative schools, all places of worship, street corners, barber/beauty shops..EVERYONE loves LADY TERROR! Lets rant, build soapboxes, plot on oppression, write manifestos and read poetry.