by Stazja MacFadyen

This Texas summer night
ten degrees hotter than Hades
I'm on my way to the East Side
gonna praise creation
with poetry birthday celebration
at my friend Marla's Java House.

We're gonna shine Ebony Sun
on the heat of the night
with chocolate-melting words
and musical love of life.

I'm on my way to a place
that doesn't exist in a state of black and white.
It's a mentality.
It's a mentality.

Where I'm going
Marla's house is overflowing
with every variety of human gold
every flavor of chocolate and vanilla soul
where angels lift us with voices
named Tanice and Barbara
and Harve' the Love Poet
makes elegant romance with a microphone
because passion never goes out of fashion
where Marvin and Floyd intoxicate
with their presence and birthday presents
where generous gifts unfold on the lips
of Heidi and Krysten
where Edward gives beauty every woman's name
Mary is a little lamb in soft spun verse
and Carolyn's words flow like mother's milk
from the bosom of poetry.

The Kingdom comes to Marla's house.
The Golden rule.
I'm talking about these golden souls of righteous mentality
making a place in the world
not wasting minds
not wasting words
not wasting love.
It's a reality -
a soul mentality.

Stazja MacFadyen is an Austin poet -- even though she now lives in Maryland. She publishes the Austin MAP of poetry events and was one of the organizers of the Austin International Poetry Festival, as well as host of many Austin poetry events.