Haiku Empire Stream of the Artistic Consciousness

©2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

He went online

to check his

biorhythms

and mine to

see if we

could be

meant for

each other

and it was thus

he discovered

undying love for

me and alls i wanted

was a cup of tea.

I will read my poetry in Harlem in July for you, if you show. Show some love.

Poets are rock stars dontshoono?

Latina Author

©2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

who runs down stairs too fast,

eyes blurred from crying,

trips and gets bruised only to find

she’s not expected to cry.

Latina Author

©2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

Dearest love, 

i almost awoke in the

middle of the night to ask if

my hair was tickling your nose,

expecting your usual response of

how you so want to be tickled

by any part of me.

but you were gone and i was alone

almost asleep

almost awake,

waiting with bated breath

for this conversation again … 

I will read the full love letter and my other poetry on July 29th, in Harlem, and hope you will be there to listen.

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169638903099984&ref=ts

@2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

what have you done with the alphabet lately?

a              B                                   c                                                            d

                         e                           f

      g

 h                                 i             j         k        l                    m                                                               n     o

p                            q                                                r     s    t                                                                        u v                                              w

x y                     z 

@2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

I give  up            

                 I give in                    

I leap dancing

         into an abyss,

               afraid and shivering,

but his arms catch me

             strong and gentle

more 

            than I imagined

and I have to accept

     his offer of love

as he cradles daisies —

    bright white daisies.

I return humbled

 by such grace.

@2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

I started People for the Ethical Treatment of Puerto Ricans to serve as a tool to unite everyone in the Puerto Rican diaspora. 

Join the Facebook fanpage to keep up with Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans and our allies. Let’s promote each other, forgive each other our differences, leave personalities aside and focus on a common cause: to share with each other all we know, live and breathe as Puerto Ricans.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/People-for-the-Ethical-Treatment-of-Puerto-Ricans/233256120025552?v=wall

We are traditional

We are non-traditional

We are followers

We are leaders

We are innovators

We are hard workers

We are Black

We are White

We are Taíno

We are multiracial

We are straight

We are gay

We are bisexual

We are transgendered

We are urban intellectuals

We are rebellious

We are complacent

We are apolitical

We are political

We are survivors

@2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

I began writing at six to learn English because I didn’t want to be behind in kindergarten.

I quickly graduated from writing simple letters to God to writing short poems. I used to tear them up, thinking they weren’t very good. But I kept writing.

The first time I read my work in public was in a pretty high-pressure environment — in a creative writing class at Smith College at a podium. I had trouble breathing and thought I would faint. The anxiety was unbelievable. Everyone’s eyes on me, silence and their ears taking it all in — this was a crowd ready to argue over a preposition, pause, articles.

My eyes drifted to the tiny bird at the window sill ,and I thought it would be nice to be a bird and not a writer. The professor told me to look at my audience and I did.

I read

I did not pee in my pants

I did not pass out

I did take a lot of deep breaths and flubbed a word or two

Everyone forgave my imperfections, applauded, and then, provided very astute feedback. 

Those writing courses took my talent and years of solitary hard work to get a spit shine.

Latina Author

©2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

I discover too late 

it is my fear

making of love

an inert seed

that will not grow.

@2011 Odilia Rivera Santos

sometimes, words stumble

out and fall down like a drunk

as he leaves a bar

… part of a poem on the subject of love, which I will recite in its entirety in July in Harlem

Men and Women in Conversations about Love in Harlem in July and you’re invited.