We’re bound by it, truly. The color of the sea and sky. It’s expansive and inescapable. I haven’t read Perry’s work but I adore Sherald. Thanks for reading Olivia.
2. I so miss beef patties, I had to learn to make them from scratch. That Dat MacPatty (did I get that right?) sounds HEAVENLY. Is it like $25 because ox tails are like gold bars now?
3. I love reading or being read to when it comes to poetry. I need both the expression and the cradling.
4. Your poem on blue is gorgeous. And I am wearing blue today to feel calm. My back wall is blue. Maybe I will take a photo to show you.
1. Yea and she is a tiny thing lol, she had platform shoes on and I was still towering over her 2. Hahaha close $18! And yet still worth it 3. I like both too, there’s nothing like reading that something that resonates yourself but there’s also a joy in receiving something just as the artist intended 4. I love all the blue, and as usual your hair is gorgeous.
It’s so hard to pick one. I LOVE hearing poetry performed. The chills I feel when someone performs their work in a way I could never expect or imagine literally can move me to tears but reading poetry is like a salve for my soul. Both equally important in their own way.
For the food: toss up between taco 🌮 and beef patty because I have access to those easily and have them more consistently. However a chopped cheese sounds delicious and would be a welcomed treat
Thank you so much for the mention and support. Appreciate you.
I know exactly what you mean, when a great line comes through the “side door” and knocks me off balance I’m like WHOA in the best way. The next time you’re in the city, you gotta get a chopped cheese from where they originated in Harlem. Deeeeeelicious! 🤌🏾
I think I like hearing poetry performed more. My current hobby is puzzles: puzzle books and jigsaw puzzles. As for the sandwiches? Hmmm...I might have to go with a taco. I eat those the most.
ah! datz deli is definitely on my list of places to try! & thee Debbie Allen! ahhh so exciting! i’ll be on the look out for the podcast drop! thank you for the mention! cheers to a bomb ass sandwich! 🥪
Well, hearing poetry perform is a great splash. Reading will be fine if the vents are not in your immediate City.
I like your earlier writing when you weren't so busy. It seems like you were more laid back and the words flowed like ski slopes, curves, and inclines. But it seems like now you are so into a lot of growing and writing the tone, cadence, and simplicity in your older writings.
I may be wrong but since you return you don't have the splash you shared earlier in your writing.
I know you have it inside of you because when I first engaged substack, your writings were so honest, courageous, and authentic. Maybe you need to go through beneath the hood.
With that said, I expect you to return to the black girl from Brooklyn scratching to get out. Now that you are out the engine seems like you need a fine tune.
UPDATE: Growth happens. I appreciate you for being a long-time reader and am happy to hear of your connection to my past work. I write to better connect with myself and it sounds like it has supported you in doing the same. Since returning from sabbatical I feel really proud of sharing work that makes me happy - a large part of that joy is poetry, especially since noticing an intersection between my ease in the creation of it and my readership's enjoyment. I plan to continue creating works of all lengths and types, all of which are honest and authentic. I hope you continue to find inspiration, connection, and meaning in my writing.
Thanks for a more critical response of getting into your head. I appreciate what you do despite what is going on in your head.
I found out and from a lot of your writing, the best writing is uncensored. When you can tell the truth which I have learnt from your writing when I begin reading you. That is what kept me returning to your newsletter.
I said often to myself, that if a young black woman, from NYC Brooklyn, could share her vulnerabilities, unavoidant to what others may feel or think about her in her space, I decided and aspire to tell my story nuance.
I think what I like so much about your writing is your phrasing, honesty, authenticity, imagery, tone, cadence, and simplicity. I think that is what made your voice resonate quality with me.
That a black girl could write like James Baldwin, “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” like “There Eyes Was Watching You,” a Novel by Zora Neale Hurston, or The Bluest Eyes, by Toni Morrison whose character imagery is so colorful.
Thank you again for getting more in your head. Thanks again!
Enjoying this in conversation with Imani Perry’s Black in Blues and Amy Sherald’s American Sublime. Blue is very much so in the air😜
We’re bound by it, truly. The color of the sea and sky. It’s expansive and inescapable. I haven’t read Perry’s work but I adore Sherald. Thanks for reading Olivia.
1. YOU SAW DEBBIE ALLEN
2. I so miss beef patties, I had to learn to make them from scratch. That Dat MacPatty (did I get that right?) sounds HEAVENLY. Is it like $25 because ox tails are like gold bars now?
3. I love reading or being read to when it comes to poetry. I need both the expression and the cradling.
4. Your poem on blue is gorgeous. And I am wearing blue today to feel calm. My back wall is blue. Maybe I will take a photo to show you.
1. Yea and she is a tiny thing lol, she had platform shoes on and I was still towering over her 2. Hahaha close $18! And yet still worth it 3. I like both too, there’s nothing like reading that something that resonates yourself but there’s also a joy in receiving something just as the artist intended 4. I love all the blue, and as usual your hair is gorgeous.
It’s so hard to pick one. I LOVE hearing poetry performed. The chills I feel when someone performs their work in a way I could never expect or imagine literally can move me to tears but reading poetry is like a salve for my soul. Both equally important in their own way.
For the food: toss up between taco 🌮 and beef patty because I have access to those easily and have them more consistently. However a chopped cheese sounds delicious and would be a welcomed treat
Thank you so much for the mention and support. Appreciate you.
I know exactly what you mean, when a great line comes through the “side door” and knocks me off balance I’m like WHOA in the best way. The next time you’re in the city, you gotta get a chopped cheese from where they originated in Harlem. Deeeeeelicious! 🤌🏾
I think I like hearing poetry performed more. My current hobby is puzzles: puzzle books and jigsaw puzzles. As for the sandwiches? Hmmm...I might have to go with a taco. I eat those the most.
Puzzles are nice. I like crosswords and sudoku a lot. I like shrimp tacos the best. Thanks for reading Teronda!
Chopped cheese for the heritage engrained in me.
🫰🫰🫰🫰🫰🫰🫰🫰🫰
Snaps for the poet 🙇🏾♀️
ah! datz deli is definitely on my list of places to try! & thee Debbie Allen! ahhh so exciting! i’ll be on the look out for the podcast drop! thank you for the mention! cheers to a bomb ass sandwich! 🥪
I want to the one in Manhattan and it did not disappoint. And they stay open super later too!
If it's one thing about Ms. Debbie, and Ms. Phylicia, you can certainly run into them on these NYC streets! Dope post Rachel!
Well, hearing poetry perform is a great splash. Reading will be fine if the vents are not in your immediate City.
I like your earlier writing when you weren't so busy. It seems like you were more laid back and the words flowed like ski slopes, curves, and inclines. But it seems like now you are so into a lot of growing and writing the tone, cadence, and simplicity in your older writings.
I may be wrong but since you return you don't have the splash you shared earlier in your writing.
I know you have it inside of you because when I first engaged substack, your writings were so honest, courageous, and authentic. Maybe you need to go through beneath the hood.
With that said, I expect you to return to the black girl from Brooklyn scratching to get out. Now that you are out the engine seems like you need a fine tune.
Uhuru
UPDATE: Growth happens. I appreciate you for being a long-time reader and am happy to hear of your connection to my past work. I write to better connect with myself and it sounds like it has supported you in doing the same. Since returning from sabbatical I feel really proud of sharing work that makes me happy - a large part of that joy is poetry, especially since noticing an intersection between my ease in the creation of it and my readership's enjoyment. I plan to continue creating works of all lengths and types, all of which are honest and authentic. I hope you continue to find inspiration, connection, and meaning in my writing.
Thanks for reading and your feedback Preston!
Thanks for a more critical response of getting into your head. I appreciate what you do despite what is going on in your head.
I found out and from a lot of your writing, the best writing is uncensored. When you can tell the truth which I have learnt from your writing when I begin reading you. That is what kept me returning to your newsletter.
I said often to myself, that if a young black woman, from NYC Brooklyn, could share her vulnerabilities, unavoidant to what others may feel or think about her in her space, I decided and aspire to tell my story nuance.
I think what I like so much about your writing is your phrasing, honesty, authenticity, imagery, tone, cadence, and simplicity. I think that is what made your voice resonate quality with me.
That a black girl could write like James Baldwin, “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” like “There Eyes Was Watching You,” a Novel by Zora Neale Hurston, or The Bluest Eyes, by Toni Morrison whose character imagery is so colorful.
Thank you again for getting more in your head. Thanks again!