I recently returned to New York from Dar es Salaam. While I was there, I made a Swahili hip-hop music video with some of my friends. This is what it looks like.

Today, the same day it was announced that the police officer who choked Eric Garner to death will not be indicted, my poem, “Pantoum Found in Eric Garner’s Last Words” went up on Entropy Magazine’s series of poems bearing witness to recent events of police brutality. I wrote it right after it happened back in July, and it’s saddening that it’s still relevant, that his command “this stops today” still hasn’t been heeded. The best way I could respond was by using the man’s own words; each of the lines are taken from the video (below) of his death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ka4oKu1jo

In much less maddening news, one of my poems “On Miracles” is being performed at Emotive Fruition next Tuesday, December 9, 7pm at Botanic Lab Bar on 86 Orchard Street.

Friends: This Sunday, October 26, 6pm I will be reading my creative nonfiction at the always-lovely Eagle & The Wren series. It takes place at Two Moon Cafe, 315 fourth ave in Park Slope.

I’m particularly excited, since this will be my first public reading of prose. Link below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/650912641695289/

Friends:

I am giving my first poetry reading in a few months Wednesday night at 7:30 pm for Ink.ed MFA, a new literary series bringing together NYC-area MFA students and recent alumni (I am also poetry editor for Ink.ed). Hope you can make it!

New poem “Rare Soul” was launched today in Spry Literary Journal. Enjoy!

My latest ‘found pantoum’ is up today at Booth. Enjoy “Pantoum by Thelonious Monk”.

If you’re curious, the source text is set notes given by Thelonious Monk, as transcribed by Steve Lacy.

Friends: I’m back in New York, and giving a poetry reading on Sunday evening with some other lovely folks. Hope to see you there. (Unfortunately, I disabused myself of a rather epic ‘stache before realizing this would be a ‘Movember’ reading).

Sunday 6pm

Two Moon Cafe

315 4th Ave

Brooklyn

https://www.facebook.com/events/534920316591849/

Yesterday 2 new poems of mine appeared online, “Pantoum Found in Howl” in Thrush Poetry Journal, and “Memento Mori” in Strange Horizons.

In other news, I recorded a verse on a new Swahili hip-hop track “Umbeya” by MadBrain, an old-school Swahili hip-hop artist here in Dar es Salaam. It’s pretty hot. Hope to share it with the world soon.

One of my found pantoums, “Pantoum by Bob Kaufman” is up today on B O D Y. Although Kaufman has been my favorite poet (and his face tattooed on my back) for several years, he always said he wanted to die completely anonymously, which must make me a real prick for constantly reminding everybody of his existence.

In other news, I’m off to Dar es Salaam tomorrow to participate in the second annual Swahili Hip-Hop Exhibition. If anyone happens to find themselves in the area, don’t miss it!

Swahili Hip-Hop Exhibition 2013

I answered a few questions for Redivider’s Contributor Spotlight (temporary link). My poem “Pantoum by Leonard Cohen” was included in their most recent issue.