My first venture into self-exposure

it was an exhilarating experience, really. i ended up reading a poem i had written about imperfection, because i wasn't yet ready to read one about love and lust.

the spot itself was so inspirational. it's located right down the street from martin luther king's birth home and the place where his coffin is located. i could feel his spirit in the room, and that went a long way in motivating me to read the poem. he had the courage to defy social law and demand his rights as a human being, knowing full well he was putting his life in danger. the LEAST i could do is read a poem. my action wasn't nearly as courageous as his, but it was a major move nonetheless.

the only thing i hate about this photo is the fact that i was wearing a belt that was not flattering and it made my shirt poof out like i had a gut or something. other than that, it was cool.

now that i've finally read a poem, i've gotta improve my stage presence. i was so scared while i was up there that i couldn't even look at the audience. i was reading from my paper the whole time. the fear was still hovering around me like a casket. hopefully that'll improve the more i do it.

thanks to joe and ed for the encouragement. i was thinking of you two while i was up there, because i knew you two were waiting for me to tell you how it went. i couldn't NOT do it at that point.