Shades of Afrika - Feature Poet Until. . .

I was invited to be a feature at the beautiful Shades of Afrika "Griot Cafe" by Darryl Lewis known as Subject Matter. This was my very first twenty (20) minute feature as well as my first time attending here and it was enjoyable. Loved the atmosphere, the welcoming of everyone, including the owner. The establishment is airy, arousing with aromatics and just speaks to your soul of creativity. 

To be surrounded by such creative beings, like Subject Matter, ShyButFlyy, Felicia and more was sweetly nice. I will return in the New Year. However, meanwhile, I need you to check out this place; it carries essential/body oils, they do custom framing, they have a salon and book store along with many other trinkets to buy. 

Shades of Afrika

1001 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90802

(562) 436-2210

https://shadesofafrika.com/

Follow creative beings:

@shybutflyy

http://www.shybutflyy.net/home.html

Darry Lewis as Subject Matter

https://www.facebook.com/Caligold7772007

Felicia Cade

@risefelicia_speak

Exquisite Poetry Spit . . . Everybody Radio Poetry

Update: 

This was a fantastic show. I loved the structure and set up and really enjoyed that I was allowed the opportunity to show my poetry chops. 😄

 If you would like to learn more about our my journey, the history I have with LaLa Deville/Everybody Radio Station and to hear poetry. 

Click the link below
⇣

https://www.talkshoe.com/episode/5508003

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Tune it.

Listen.

Comment.

Call in.

With you "The Poet I am" Long After

The Poet I AM

In awe of me
When I take the stage
    to freely express what i need to speak

In awe of me
When I open thine lips
    to freely express the words on my sheet

In awe of me
When you see
    there is no paper
    there is just she

Sharing my memorized
   poetry ...
    but with...
Great tone
Great emphasis
   with great pause
When I pause
As you're hearing this

Serve you great rhythm
with my honesty and realism

Creativeness
   as I story tell
I project and enunciate well

You will get my gist
You will get my lesson
You will get my revelations
You will get my confession

I'm sultry
  and my spirit is a blessing
my light shines bright
and when i'm done
it' will be alright

You'll find that you could and can relate
You'll find that I was worth the wait
You'll find that when I'm gone
My words and all of me . . . have or will resonate
with you... long after

by Until. . .  (c) 2018-November 1st

Poetry

A vocal ink

An Emotional Sheet

How could you not indulge

       in letting your soul speak?

That's writing.

                           

                      ~Until . . .

    Ⓒ2014

       

Unexpected surprise

Hey everyone!

I hope all is well. So listen, I'm on one of my favorite websites, Cooking Light and I'm scrolling for recipes and I see this. Do you see it? Yep, that's right, an ad about me on Reverbnation.

Wow! I couldn't believe it.Thank you to Cooking Light for having ad's, and thank you to Reverbnation for picking me to promote. Shout out to my partner Wolftix and Wolfgangs Production. 

If you would like to hear the song that Reverbnation is promoting of mine. Please see the link below: https://www.reverbnation.com/poetandspokenwordartist/song/28765569-frozen-ft-cera-bellum--until

 Sometimes the best things happen unexpectedly.

Thank you for your support and many blessings to you!

Warmly,

Poet & Author Until. . . 

Tea & Verse Update 8/25/18

This event was nothing short of amazing. The theme of this Tea & Verse was to pay tribute to our favorite poets as well as share some of our very own poetry. Some of the tributes were to Paul Dunbar, Nikki Giovanni, Charles Bukowski, Maya Angelou etc . . .

This gave us poets a chance to give light to those who inspired us, share why and how. Our audience were more than great. They were a highly participative crowd and the intimacy made it sweet and joyous.

As a poet, outside of internationally and if you're blessed. You'll get to travel many local nooks and crannies and meet a plethora of eclectic, eccentric and quite interesting people. Most of these experiences you will enjoy, but as time goes on you will begin to revisit a word in your vocabulary that everyone uses but not often act upon. It is the word humble, (humility). When you come across those artists that have no idea of that word's meaning, you will in your entirety start to appreciate the ones who do, so much more. 

I have to say, that was the beauty of Tea & Verse presented by Jasmine Colbert. We were all in the likes of each other. We as artists understood each other's shine, talent and spirit. It was splendiferous!
We as artists came together to pray before the event began and in my heart I know it was God who resonated in that whole room and illumed from within us all. 

In my head I like to believe that all poets are friends and we all know one another from around the way. Though that may not be true. I can assure you that on Saturday, it was my vision of what I usually think and see. At this event, I learned that what you believe can come true, people of great rapport and wonderful attitudes, they do exist. I also learned that I didn't have to wane myself in any way. 

We appreciated each other, complimented each other and dare I say, there were no egos, no judgement, no pompousness at all. 
It was already recognized and respected of what each has done whether we heard of them or not. We were all so supportive, motivating and inspiring one another and it turned out to be a beautiful soiree. 

The Lord smiled on us all and as a feature, the word blessings I received, were tremendously overwhelming for me. The poems I shared were "All The Way" by Charles Bukowski and "I Married My Mother" by Nikki Giovanni. Then for my poems I shared "The Day My Book Was Published" and last, of course not at all least, I shared the whole reason for my existence;
Dreams "Are Meant To Be Lived"pt.

My message was absorbed in the way I had hoped. People understood my advocacy of my need to re-ignite the spark of following dreams. They were also open to take a sample of my Dreams "Are Meant To Be Lived" Oolong Tea. 

Well received and I couldn't be happier. I want to give a BIG thank you to the lovely Jasmine Colbert who put Tea & Verse together. If you would like to learn more about Jasmine Colbert and the rest of my fellow poets, please see their pages below. Click, read, share and repeat and next time we hope to see you at the next Tea & Verese!

Remember: "Poetry is me. Therefore I am Poetry." ~Until

Jasmine Colbert: https://www.facebook.com/jasmine.colbert.92

Urith Walker: https://www.facebook.com/urith.walker

Totress Beasley: https://www.facebook.com/totress.beasley

Totress Beasley, Jasmine Colbert, Urith Walker, Until (Quanda R. Graves)

Save The Date . . .

Get Your Tickets Now!!!

Tea and Verse 

with Jasmine Colbert, many others and me.

Until. . . .

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tea-verse-poetry-salon-and-tea-gathering-tickets-47497013847?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=esfb&utm-source=fb&utm-term=listing