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Meet my mom, Anita!
I write a lot about her, because I lost her to terminal cancer at the end of 2009. Losing her changed my life in ways I still don’t understand. When the world lost Maya Angelou on May 28, 2014, it seemed fitting to make a video honoring them both.
First, my mom reads “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” then my mom’s memorial video showcases that reading.
BTW, I can’t stop laughing at what a HORRIBLE director I am to my own mother!!
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This poem was written upon the fatal overdose of Philip Seymour Hoffman, but not made into a video poem until the passing of Robin Williams. As an artist myself, I remain fascinated by the ways people who are creative are destructive of self.
You were the greatest actor of your generation, Philip. In you, we lost more than a person; we lost a creator of culture.
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A reflection on my experience at the 2013 World Poetry Slam. Stage fright, after all, is the reason I make video poems in the first place.
Interesting piece of trivia: the music to this piece is from the original score to “Dear American Youth Pastor.” Ultimately, we had to replace it for licensing reasons, but I still love the violin and strings in it.
