Apollo Theater Honors Prince

Prince first played the Apollo in March 1993, an invitation-only gig with most of the tickets given to Harlem community groups. The incomparable Prince will be honored June 2016 with his induction into the Apollo Theater’s Walk of Fame.

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Honey, I know, I know

I know times are changing

It's time we all reach out

For something new, that means you too

             By Prince

The Chinaman and the Bamboo Tree

                   http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/bamboo-tree-joan-reese.html

The Chinaman and the Bamboo Tree

by Joan Reese

I wish. I wish. For a Bamboo Tree.

I create hundreds of Bamboo Trees on rice paper.

Chinese black ink, makes five shades.

Green and gold watercolor bring the leaves to life.

I wish. I wish. For a Bamboo Tree 

To look and see, everyday, beautiful bamboo tree.

Passing Chinatown Park, I stop and watch

Old Chinaman loving his plot of land.

His prize; six foot tall Bamboo swaying in the wind

Outgrew his little garden.

Toothless Chinaman smiled, pointing to Bamboo tree.

“You want?” My beaming smile the answer.

With small shovel; all his might

Pulled Bamboo from its earthy embrace.

People gathered to watch the Chinaman.

Proud was he, when he presented the tree to me.

My wish granted by the Chinaman and his Bamboo tree.

His gift: too heavy for me to budge.

He lifted one finger, motioning me to wait.

Disappearing behind an iron gate.

Rolling out a  hand-truck, placing in it the Bamboo Tree

His gift to me was complete.

I offered him money.

He fanned my hand away.

My wish was granted for a Bamboo Tree. 

To look and see, everyday, beautiful bamboo tree.

Proud as a Peacock

                       http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/blue-peacock-joan-reese.html

proud as a peacock

by william worthless

The beauty of the peacock is the tail that he can span

when its opened up it goes in to a fan

like a woven blanket. intricate as can be

a mosaic work of art for all the world to see

a canvas full of colors that are very loud

this is what makes the peacock very very proud

Travel Creates Storytellers

          http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/6-bushwick-brooklyn-graffitti-joan-reese.html

Faute De Mieux

by Dorothy Parker 

 Travel, trouble, music, art,

A kiss, a frock, a rhyme-

I never said they feed my heart,

But still they pass my time.

“Moonlight illuminates any darkness.”

   http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/moon-over-ac-joan-reese.html?newartwork=true

“Tell me the story..

About how the sun loved the moon so much..

That she died every night..

Just to let him breathe...” 

― Hanako Ishii

Springtime buds are blooming!

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Creeping Roses

Tender tendrils climb the wall

Up towards the sky

Past the latticed windows tall

Clinging on from high.

Then in springtime buds in red

Pout with lips apart

Inhibitions they all shed

And seduce my heart.

by Paul Callus
http://www.amazon.in/MEANDER-collection-poems-Paul-Callus-ebook/dp/B00QW0ATN0

“People are strange . . .” ― Jim Morrison

             http://fineartamerica.com/featured/rock-and-roll-on-st-marks-nyc-joan-reese.html

“There are things known 

and there are things unknown

and in between are the doors.” 

― Jim Morrison

Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night

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Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light. 

     
By Dylan Thomas

Gray skies are just clouds passing over.

            http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/cloudy-monday-dreams-joan-reese.html

Cloudy Sky - Poem by Shel Silverstein

The Moon she is a pretty girl who lives up in the stars

And that old cloud he's a great old man who loves her from afar

He loves her from afar

When Lady Moon smiles down on him ol' Cloud is all a-wonder

So he starts to sing to her and that's what makes the thunder

Can't ya listen baby that's what makes the thunder

Love is just a cloudy sky as far as I can see

And that ol' cloud up in the sky he got much chance in love as me

://www.poemhunter.c http om/poem/cloudy-sky-3/

A friendship Poem for Valentine's Day

       http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/5-east-village-street-art-2014-joan-reese.html

Ode To Friendships

They're the few people who accept silence over conversation

A relationship like this denies silly promises and persuasion

You don't feel the need to second guess thoughts or measure words

Their love comes in wholes, not halves, not thirds

They're the ones that guide you through when fate takes a turn

Fights, small and large, end in forgiveness, never a burn

You forget about first impressions and the feelings they brought

You're grateful for who they are and you forgive 'em for what they're not

© Kayla Rae Pich

Ancient Tree Roots Hold the History of You and Me.

                  http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/ancient-tree-joan-reese.html

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

~Joyce Kilmer, “Trees,” 1914

The City Needs a Car Like a Jaguar needs a bicycle

            http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/new-york-citibike-joan-reese.html

Life is like riding a bicycle. 

To keep your balance

you must keep moving.” ~

Albert Einstein's letter to his son Eduard, 1930.

There is no such thing as a secret.

http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/secrets-joan-reese.html?newartwork=true

A hard earned truth! I found if I can not keep my own secrets I should not expect another person to keep my most personal information.

New Yorkers Wear Open Faces

                http://joan-reese.pixels.com/featured/manhattan-14th-street-joan-reese.html

I Wish

by Joan Reese

I wish to create a day of serenity.

No one can make me blue!

New Yorkers wear open faces.

No one is in a rush,

Young men give ladies

Their seat on the bus.

People speak kindly,

Greeting with a gentle touch.

Ears hear with content.

Men and woman dress with style and grace.

The music of nature fills my head,

Honeysuckle scents the melody.

I wish to create a day of serenity.

I'll spend all day reading in bed!

                  

BoogieStomp! Rocking in NYC

boogie stomp.com  Watch Boogie Stomp Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTc7K6DbVZQ

2016 "The Year of Celebrating Our Differences"

The highlight of my week is attending the writers group at Middle Church.
To my delight, one of our brilliant writers is Timothy Bellaria. His books and workshops are helping children to understand we may look different on the outside, "We are all the same inside." For twenty years, I taught special education in the New York City public schools. I highly recommend teachers and parents to order his books. Let us all help "2016" be the year of Celebrating our Differences.

timothybellavia@yahoo.com 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD_iAANLVYo      http://www.amazon.com/Timothy%20D.%20Bellavia/e/B001KDVQ8Q/ref=la_B001KDVQ8Q_pg_2?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB001KDVQ8Q&page=2&ie=UTF8&qid=1451353419
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_D._Bellavia

The best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles.

            http://joan-reese.artistwebsites.com/featured/garden-smile-joan-reese.html

Be not beguiled by world's insidious wiles;

O foolish ones, ye know her tricks and guiles;

Your precious life-time cast not to the winds;

Haste to seek wine, and court a sweetheart'ssmile.

Written by: Omar Khayyam

Santa Loves Brooklyn

             http://fineartamerica.com/featured/santa-loves-brooklyn-joan-reese.html

The Russian Futurist Vladimir Mayakovsky was moved when he first saw the Brooklyn Bridge in 1925, as he described in his poem:

 Brooklyn Bridge

...it stretches on cables of string

to the feet of the stars.

I stare

as an eskimo gapes at a train,

I seize on it

as a tick fastens to an ear.

Brooklyn Bridge--

yes....

That's quite a thing!

It's Rather Dark In Here

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It is Dark in Here
I am writing these poems

From inside a lion,

And it's rather dark in here.

So please excuse the handwriting

Which may not be too clear.

But this afternoon by the lion's cage

I'm afraid I got too near.

And I'm writing these lines

From inside a lion,

And it's rather dark in here.

by Shel Silverstein

Marilyn Monroe's unpublished poems

As a young girl, I wrote in my diary I wanted to be like Marilyn Monroe.  Today, I discovered Marilyn Monroe wrote Poetry.  I spent an enjoyable evening reading her writings.  I was quite fascinated; I selected one my favorites poems she wrote to share with you.    http://joan-reese.artistwebsites.com/featured/marilyn-monroe-joan-reese.html

I believe that everything happens for a reason:

people change so that you can learn to let go, 

things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, 

you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, 

and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

by Marilyn Monroe        https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/07/27/marilyn-monroe-fragments-poems/

Let America Be America Again

      http://joan-reese.artistwebsites.com/featured/proud-to-be-an-american-joan-reese.html

 

Let America Be America Again - 

Poem by Langston Hughes

Let America be America again.

Let it be the dream it used to be.

Let it be the pioneer on the plain

Seeking a home where he himself is free.

Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed--

Let it be that great strong land of love

Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme

That any man be crushed by one above.

                     https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/let-america-be-america-again

He takes away my breath!

        http://joan-reese.artistwebsites.com/featured/graffiti-of-horse-nyc-joan-reese.html

The Love-Chase

by James Sheridan Knowles

What delight To back the flying steed,

that challenges The wind for speed!

seems native more of air Than earth!

whose burden only lends him fire!

Whose soul, in his task, turns labour into sport;

Who makes your pastime his! I sit him now!

He takes away my breath! He makes me reel!

I touch not earth - I see not - hear not.

All Is ecstasy of motion!

Will you love me when I grow old?

http://joan-reese.artistwebsites.com/featured/pink-love-graffiti-nyc-2014-joan-reese.html

When You Are Old

William Butler Yeats

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true;

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face

Every leaf speaks bliss to me....

              http://joan-reese.artistwebsites.com/featured/green-leaves-joan-reese.html

Fall leaves fall

by Emily Bronte

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;

Lengthen night and shorten day;

Every leaf speaks bliss to me

Fluttering from the autumn tree.

I shall smile when wreaths of snow

Blossom where the rose should grow;

I shall sing when night's decay

Ushers in a drearier day.

Be Yourself Everyone Else is Taken

Good Morning America

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"Be yourself everyone else is taken"        Oscar Wilde