(pomegratitude)

Bloody are the kitchen counters

Often are the picking flowers

Fruits and berries on a string

Dinner breakfast summer spring

When I saw her she was smiling

When I held her time was crying

Dark; the forest beyond the yard

Lonely; the time before the Bard

We found words along the mouth

We found birds above the youth

Singing for our generalations

Praying for our protestations

And lastly yet we both were bringing 

Notes of songs best lost while singing

We carried on with notion gone

And other creatures, they moved on

While we two, found among the earth

Fought and built our needed worth

Photo by Sadie Myers. Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Soccer Game

An Attack on the Youthlessness

From the Whole of My Heartedness

....

When a soccer ball is a fire ball

A tree becomes a mountain

Embracing our youth

Requires no fountain

Between the REAL stuff

Is the GOOD stuff

Race

Even if you know you can win

Run backwards

Keep it interest in

A child - tiny in size

Is huge in possibility

Something we can all afford

Trade your size

For their possibility

And share the reward

If a child screams

Scream with them

Louder

If they cry

Draw for them

A flower

Change the moment

Guide their truth

It's theirs - They own it

But they'll share their youth

Let them fly in a waiting room

Swerving and abrupt

Forget the disapproving stares

Who cares if you disrupt

Who says:

The floor isn't for sitting?

The train isn't for singing?

The walls aren't for coloring?

Life is just a bunch of objects

And the beings existing within them

Let's not take it too seriously

Honestly

I mean, sure!

Let's have a sense of space

A sense of responsibility

A sense of morals, values, and goals

Let's have a sense of style and manners and cleanliness

But between all that

Before and after all that

On top of all that

Let's have a sense of humor!

Let's have a sense of play!

Let's play!!

Let's freakin play!!!

Grab a kid and imagine with them

Make them smile

Forget about yourself for a tick tock

And rock their world for awhile

Believe what they conceive

For just a moment

Hone it

And it could be

Possibly

Maybe

Most likely

An endeavor

that changes their world forever

I mean...

That's all there really is, right?

Ever.

What are you for?

Photo by Sadie Myers. Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Selves Portrait: Life is Poetry

 

 We asked a girl walking by (that was in a photography class) to take a photo of us, but it wasn't good. So we took matters into our own hands and used the timer. This day was my favorite in NYC. -S  

Paint Splots

My brother once told me of an artist named Jean Michael Basquiat...

Colors on the brain

And I remain

Intoxicated

By sobriety

Paying attention

To

Society

Two

Before the three

They taught me

And they claim to raise us kids

From their etticacy thrones

But us kids, we'll soon have our owns

And when that happens

As well as for the time being

I plan on being a human

Being

A man

I said that outloud on a yesterday

And it was in stone as the plan

So I found a friend with a paint can

A black tan

And a quick hand

And we walked along the canvas

Tip toe ing

To keep from waking the neighbors. Knowing that results require favors. Baskin didn't invent flavors. And Dogs are the misbehavors. Not the kids.

Dance fool dance

Chance fool chance

And again we learn from those before.

Immagination holds the door.

Saying, "after you."

Photo by Sadie Myers. Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Maker's Music

I want you to know that I was praying for the first time in months when you sent this to me. The world is a funny thing. Life, simple. If we let it be. It is often so hard to give it all up to let our own lives be out of our own hands. I was praying for God to help me speak from my heart, to find truth in the many stories floating in my brain, to show me my path. I was praying for life to happen as it should. A simple prayer.  I feel life happening. I feel God. I feel good.  Love is real.  Life is music.

Photo by Sadie Myers. Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Dancing and Nervous -- His Hand's On My Hip

I have no reason to be here

   Sweating

No experience

   Breathing

No training

   Trying to breath

No tuxedo

   Uhhhh

And NO IDEA what I'm doing

   Just hold on tight

What if I mess up

   I'm so nervous

What If I miss a step

   Is he nervous?

What if I drop her?

   What if he drops me?

Oh boy

   Oh my gosh

Just keep going

   Dont let go

Guide with the waist

   He's looking at my waist

Always moving

   Stay with him

Keep the beat up

   Keep the skirt down

Oh boy

   Oh my gosh

She's so pretty

  Actually...

Like Really pretty

  This is okay

Like Julia Roberts pretty

  He kinda has me

Like young Julia Roberts pretty

  I feel safe

I mean, I guess Julia Roberts is pretty now that she's old too but

  I'm impressed

But she's so young

  Maybe I like This guy

Julia Roberts is...

   "This is fun"

"Yeah. It is."

I should dip her soon

  I kinda hope he never let's me go

Dip her and then go for the kiss

  I could fall asleep

Here we go, music is slowing

  Oh, were slowing down.

Now is the moment

   I think he wants to kiss me

Three...

   He should

Two...

   Oh, his eyes are green

Oh boy

   Oh my gosh


                          ...

Photo by Sadie Myers. Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Yellow Lego

Yesterday I saw a winter afternoon dance like a Friday night.

And too-day they tried to arrest a man; he refused to fight.

We find ourselves in the midst of it all trying to blend in.

But sometimes we are yellow clear only able to hide within.

Photo by Sadie Myers. Words by Dustin Whitehead.

American

In 1492 Columbus came to America in search of clothing that was so soft and thin it was almost underwear. It took years to develop the perfect recipe, but it's finally ready and ol' C-squared would be proud.  Unfortunately,  the only way to let the world know about this exciting advancement in clothing technology, efficiency, and style is to lock this small man in a glass box with three very quiet plastic friends to model the inventory.  Enjoy the view.

Photo by Sadie Myers. Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Yellow Line

I found a place to hide

In her neck

My beard tickled

But wasn't in the way

I never read my book

There was always

Something to say

The conversation was deep

The landscape was rolling

Couldn't get any sleep

While Roy was patroling

And the night

Slowly turned

Into day

We went for a walk

Ten steps or so

Took a breather on deck

Though we didn't know

At what time

Our friend Roy

Would be leaving

We saw the sun rise

To then see it set

As our one way came to an end

But the love we were losing

As we left the train

We knew

Would soon be returning

And on our way back

With life in our laps

We smiled

Because we knew

The sun always sets

And the sun always rises

And we don't always have such a view

Photo by Sadie Myers. Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Times Square

The Spirit of a Child ( NYU Day 10 )

 

What if we listened to them

What if we followed them

What if they were the teachers

The facilitators

The tour guides

What if they lead the way

What if their heartbeats were our soundtrack

Their smiles were our paychecks

And their games our entertainment

What if their imaginations were our architects

Their songs our laws

And their dreams were our future

What if we lived in a world where the roads were drawn with crayons

What if every park was an abstract paper mache masterpiece

What if we could go out to dinner

With paint on our faces and sand between our toes

What if every mall was replaced by a hands-on science experiment

What if snack time was our happy hour

And bedtime was a safe time

To go get ice cream

What if we never lost that innocence

What if honesty didn’t fade into an option

What if best-friend-forever-handshakes

Made in a tree house with spit between the fingers

Could actually last forever

What if love wasn’t a silent practice

What if we could say what we felt

The moment we felt it

What if we could all hold hands

And never let go

What if we never said no

What if we could run and swing

And dance and sing

What if we could

Live

With the spirit

Of a child

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.

New York ( NYU Day 9 )

Faded

Elated

Wondering what's next

In a world full of maybe's

When?

Where?

What time?

Key lime pie for desert

And on to the next one

Step won

Billed it

Step too

Live in it

Walk on it

Deserve it

Then possibly

Appreciate it

If it appreciates

Time deviates

Relationship deteriorates

And never reciprocates

The energy

It's he and me

It's her and she

And that's just English conjugation

What about the French

Or the rich

We forgot the polish

And the poor

We make eggs and then close the door

Once we've sent them on their way

EevryThing Will Be Okay

New York

The hub of the country

Spy glass to the earth

Cultures build faster then

Then a city that takes power naps

We don't "mind gaps"

And we don't put limits to birth

What's it worth...

So once I took some pictures

My hand it held on tight

Light poored into the lense

As I fought away the night

She danced between the curtains

And I held her in my sight

Light poored into the lense

As I fought away the night

One never knows what happens

To the poems we start to write

Light poored into the lense

As I fought away the night

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.

New Day ( NYU Day 8 )

Why not emerge from the fog

Said the city

And out came the alleys

And the corner stores

And brownstones

And on came the lights

And the sirens

And the horns

Fast went the trains

And the buses

And the cars

Up and out

Went the suits

And the children

And the dogs

The city said hello

To the founding of the day

And the sun met the morning

with an accidental spray

A splash down the alleys

On the store fronts

To the homes

And the suits and the children

Walked their dogs

With plastic bags

And nobody and nothing

Wanted the fog return

So they chanted from their souls

To the sun, saying burn!

Burn sun burn sun burn sun burn

And they prayed from their bellies

For the world to not turn

But it will in the end

And the night will return

With the dark

And the fog

As the light will adjourn

The sounds will grow faint

Trains and buses will slow down

The alleyways will darken

And the dogs will lay down

Dinner will be served

In the homes

To the children

And soon will be the night

Ready to begin

The suits, they will hang

In the closets of the steads

Corner stores will close

Children in their beds

And finally the fog

Which not so long ago

Had the city in it's hand

And chose to let it go

Will take control again

Bringing on the night

Waiting for the sun

To bring again it's light

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Momentarily speaking... ( NYU Day 7 )

Sometimes there's a moment that exceeds all the others. That stops time and frames a section of a life. Sometimes there's a moment that no one else can see. When all practicality has floated out to sea.  And all that is necessary starts with what we see.

There's a flow in her hair, a wrinkle in the air, and a smile emerging. There's a city full of building, people wandering and milling, barely noticing the day.

There's a moment

Full of life and energy

Flowing in the sway

There's a girl

Found in the imagery

With love on her way

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.

I don't understand ( NYU Day 6 )

As

The elders debate

The fast gain wait

And nobody fits

What's desired

No one gets

Or they would have it

Sad it

Is

We

In no hurry to see

That what was

Is

Gone

Our reception fizzes

And no one pays attention

To the mystery

So why mention

What is history

We gave up the face to face

And started screening calls

Bought gold plated personal space

And built neo ivory walls

Then

Ring Ching

We found a chick chock dove

Which required none of the above

What a relief

Regardless of belief

That humans can hide

It's exceptable to reside

Inside satellite coverage

Lazy are our passings of time

And the colors often change

The necessaries are sublime

And the dealers are strange

But we fill out the forms

And we do as they say

Ignoring all the charms

That might get in the way

Headphones in the ears

Texting away fears

Hiding in the screen

Never to be seen

Yet no one saw it coming

When technology took over

Just like no one started running

When asked to send red rover

Let the children play there silly games

While adults the world run

As this world that is full of names

Won't share the childrens fun

It's the avoided conversations

That are sure to hide the way

These unneeded installations

To "enhance" the everyday

I don't understand

Remember when people made plans with each other?

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Lego Man ( NYU Day 5 )

Dance, foolish fellow

Let it out

Open your joints

There is a world out there

You know this

Now do something about it

I know you

Colorful on the outside

Smiling

Content with existence

Happy enough

But where is the soul, sir?

What happened to the costume parties

The pickup lines

The awkward morning afters

“Where are my pant’s”

That’s what you used to say

Now it’s just a still glare

A lonely flower on the head attitude

I don’t understand you

You… …

You…

You Plastic man!

Have some decency!

Share some of your leftovers from Bennigans!

Go with me to a ball game!

Laugh at our fat next door neighbor struggling to check the mail!

Drive drunk!

Man, I thought you had heart

Your whole world is out of focus

A distant mirage

And you just stand there

With that smirk on your face

And your yellow hands

This friendship is over

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Untitled... ( NYU Day 4 )

 

Marks on the snow and who didn’t know found out because the marks they

were colorful. Wonderful was the spirit of the room and one can only

assume that which they don’t know and have nothing to show for. We

chauffeur ourselves onto these canvas lapels next to our autographed

headshots.  These pictures of our faces we create by stippling moments

beside moments until an image shows.  But there is no closure to the

competition unless the other team shows. So we extend the pregame with

turkey dinners and funny quips.  And that rips into us causing naps on

parent’s laps before they are old enough to crawl. Raw and assuming.

Consuming paperback folders on the broom room floor for the strangers

benefit.  Generating what is honest out of what happened by accident.

Like a confession that isn’t wanted on either end, so it burns duel

sidedly until someone lends an artistic eye.  Whether it’s he her or

that guy, me you or WIFI, we find connection.

Congratulations on your achievements and always remember to dance at

birthday parties and bar mitzvahs…

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.

DAY RIDE ( NYU Day 3 )

A ride

In the park

A day

Light to dark

Dark to light

Anything but tonight

Never let it end

The stride: never bend

And the journey

Ever last

Just fast enough

This water fountain

Mountaining my mind

As we watch from behind

The spinning

As we watch from as close as we can

Doing what

One can

Change their world

Attempts to range the weather

Never knowing what’s better

Today, yesterday, or tomorrow

So let’s invest in right now

Attest somehow

For a policy on happiness

The sun

The water

The ride

The future of the present

A present for us to share

Hope in the hearts of our eyes

We open to let the light in

And

In it comes

Happy to be there

Unfair to those without

The lost and full of doubt

But what for

What’s it about

They ask

Tempting themselves

To neglect their selves

Putting presence on the shelves

Of existence

We should

(to be sure)

Never do that

We should

(to be pure)

Embrace

Replace worry

With hurry

Up and stay

Who we are

Truly

Be a star

Fully

On the sky of the Metaphor

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.

Can you Fly? ( NYU Day 2 )

There was a flower on the waves

But where were you

Where were you

I'll tell you what's exciting

I'll tell you where I lost my verginity

And why I swim against society

I'll tell you why I have friends

And where it all begins

There was a tree at the top of a dune

There was a sky beyond the moon

And I put myself there

Nightly

Eveningly

Evenly

Without an agenda

Pensive

Thought was extensive

Deep

Like the reefs of coral

That I want to investigate one day

What say you

Where were you

Why were you doing

Were you busy

Did you have a tree

Or a fence post

Or maybe a friendly goat

That cleared your path

Ate the waste

I want to buy roses to break them Swearing oaths

And then bake you mango cookies on a plane

I'll tell you what's insane

Before I met you I didn't know you

And I sure as hell couldn't see you

In my heavenly sweet dreams

What's disturbing

I'll tell you

What's perturbing

I'll explain

What is fun with learning

Every game

There are no rules to this

No promises

No expectations

Only sandy walls

Camoflauged as explainations

It's all for free

And full of words

But perhaps those are for the birds

And the creatures of the

See

Somewhere past the flower is an ocean

Can you fly

Photo and Words by Dustin Whitehead.