“When our hatred is too Keen, it places us beneath those we hate” 
                       - Francois de La Rochefoucauld


It’s funny how some summers feel so much hotter than others.  Particularly this summer, we had some really hot days.  I wonder if it’s only my imagination, although beads of perspiration continue to form on my brow.  I keep wondering if I am experiencing a kind of postpartum vasomotor disturbance, from my distress of watching the daily newscasts, or trying to fly past distasteful Facebook posts, and seeing all the insanity that seems to surround me.

Maybe it’s simply hot-flashes, though I thought I had grown past that experience a few years ago.  It might be the strain of watching the politicians gear up for what has already become a nasty battle, shoveling words like dirt.  Yet, I’ll vote again,,, and again...

Or maybe it just feel hotter because I’m feeling a little guilty for just sitting here sipping tea, while committees I recently left still need help, while our economy is still tensely unstable, and hatred and racism is still flaring up all around me.  Guilty, because for me at the moment... it feels like just another ordinary day.  I really don’t know.

From The In The Company of Poets Magazine Archives

Disillusion

Disappointments
are like
stair steps,
one after
another
as the
climb
becomes
insurmountable,
too courageous
for words
in the
late
night
of the
mind--

   - Bobbie Saunders

 
There has been a lot of debate about what constitutes poetry, Poets verses Poets to some extent.  Except poetry can be many different things to many different people.  As far as my own personal thoughts... poetry does not have a specific definition, but many different definitions.

Here at In The Company of Poets we invite a variety of poetic styles, art forms; and even presentation styles, from Slam, to prose, rhyme and rhythm, drama, and even comedy.  In other words, we would like to review your interpretations, your personal language, and your inner most thoughts and feelings.  Because to us, that is what poetry is all about, and how the individual listener or viewer interprets the piece.  How they feel about the language, the literary composition.  It's about the individuals  attempt at understanding the piece.

What is aesthetically beautiful to one person, may not be to the next, but isn’t that what it’s all about?  Creating something that is personal to you, that arouses emotions and thought, and that touches someone else.  Each poem is unique to the person creating the words, and we may never know the true meaning behind the words without actually asking the author.

Through the years, since the inception of In The Company of Poets Magazine, I have had the chance to meet hundreds and hundreds of poets, and skim through that many more collections of poetry and verse, and I have been touched by so many.  We would love to see your submissions as well.

 
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I can remember the first time I met poet extraordinaire Avotcja back in the early 1990.  She graced the pages of In The Company of Poets Magazine with pure enchantment.  Today Avotcja is still a vibrant, talented contributing spoken word artist, spinning her tales and producing entertaining poetic illusions with her words as she performs publicly throughout the greater bay area on an ongoing basis.  

Her radio program LA VERDAD MUSICAL/THE MUSICAL TRUTH w/Avotcja can be heard every Friday from Noon to 3PM on KPOO_FM (89.5) in the bay area, playing the best of African, Caribbean, Jazz, Bomba, Plena & Latin dance music, where I’m sure she takes the time to weave her words on the airwaves as well.  Many days have passed since her appearance in In The Company of Poets Magazine, yet her words continue to be contagious magic. 


 
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I’ve been writing all my life... poetry, short stories, essays, children’s stories, and more.  It was back in the early 1990s when I was really into my passion for poetry and I began publishing In The Company of Poets Magazine.  I was so excited.  At the time, I followed some of the greats like Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, Gwendolyn Brooks, Alice Walker; and of course poets like Robert Hayden, Paul Dunbar, and Langston Hughes.  


Along with the magazine I began hosting poetry competitions.  “The Poetry Joust” became extremely popular in the bay area.  Poets from around the bay attended to attempt to win the $1000 grand prize offering.  Dr. Julia Hare and Dr. Nathan Hare were two of my first participating judges, and I was thrilled when Maya Angelou endorsed the magazine and suggested I contact her son Guy Johnson, who was local to the bay area to appear in the publication.  



The magazine grew incredibly fast, faster than I could keep up.  Submissions came from everywhere; and included places such as China, Guam, Africa, Australia, London, and throughout the United States.  It was a wonderful time for me.  Alas, many things in my life changes, and I was no longer able to continue the magazine, so the opportunity to bring the magazine to an electronic forum, in the form of a television show, is equally exciting to me, offering new opportunities, a new platform, and the introduction of new voices.  I’d like to extend an invitation to poets, writers, spoken word artist and storytellers locally to be a guest on our show; and also welcome your video submissions and links for highlighting on our website.