Wow! It is still amazing to realize that my fifth year work anniversary is just around the corner! I arrived in Kingdom on August 20, 2009 and started work on August 22, 2009, launching this incredible Saudi Arabian Journey! As I celebrated with colleagues who were honored on May 5, 2014 for five years of service, it was also a time of reflection and contemplation. So, here is a dream poem in light of this exciting achievement!

I was blessed to read and perform poetry at the International Elementary School this week with 1st place Talent Show winner Rana Nazzal, an outstanding Arabic Poet and Spoken Word artist!

Some of my favorite questions of the day:

“Can men write poetry?”
TP: Yes, of course!
“When did you start reciting poetry”
TP: “If for Girls” was my first poem recited, heavily influenced by Grandmother and Mother; first small speech delivered at 5 years old
“Why do you write poetry?”
TP: My passion for reading books began at age 8, I love words; words have power and can be used to paint a picture.
“Why did you choose poetry as a way to express yourself instead of soccer?”
TP: Poetry moves me!
“How do you start writing a poem?”
TP: Take my journal with me, observe, record, & create!

The day after Dr. Maya Angelou passed, I was in the Heathrow Airport. When the TSA was going through my bags she saw the laminated copy of “Phenomenal Woman” for a chorale reading project. She asked, what do you do? 🙂 I told her my vocation and that I also love the poetry of this great woman; she had not heard of Dr. Maya Angelou! Thankfully, if she read the May 29th London Daily Telegraphic, she will be enlightened and know the whole world is pausing to reflect on our “treasure” as my Sistafriend Adande Imashema Ra put it so well in a Facebook post!

Stepping back to the mic after a 3 year hiatus; by my favorite element, the Red Sea, it is my pure delight to recite “old school” poetry by Dr. Mari Evans: “I am a Black Woman”; Derek Walcott’s “Love after Love”; and sharing two of my own pieces: “Red Sea Salt” and “Happy Hair”.