fighting. obstacles. knowing. ultimate.

success.

www.onefokus.com

I N S I G H T April 2006

Welcome!to the 13th edition of Insight magazine.

Featuring:

Emma Raynor: photography

Claire Forster: poetry “what we do in the summer”

Isabelle Carbonell: photography

Tara Bogart: poetry “Wasatch Front: Park City, Utah”

Jillian Steinheur: poetry

Marja Lankinen: photography “Call me Gypsy”

Walter Lacy: poetry “Little Lady Soul”

Melvin Larson: poetry “His Vision Haunts Me”

Chamira Jones: visual art “His Vision Haunts Me”

Tiffany Teasley: interview “Beat Smarts”

Julio Jamal: music review, “Ne-Yo In My Own Words”

Marja Lankinen: interview “Say Word.”

Editor: Marja LankinenFounders:

Atiba Edwards

Alma Davila-Toro

What we do in the summer.

My heart has a beat

Like the swollen summer sun Blood flows from chest like

solar flares jump rope

and I lose the day

inside the week

in the monthswhen my world is sunbathed

I see the glisten around every

curve.

I remember what its like to belong

In the summer. Me and goddess

vibe to

the rhythm of the molten cores in

us.

I am humbled by mountains climbing behind me

like an afternoon shadow

because She is tectonic.

Summer is the season of clean slates

Summer is be free time

be battered by the tides

be blazing seaweed

out of sandcastles

Be silent time

This is what we do in the summer

If you lace your eyelashes together

tight like a corset binds ribs you can see Earth

the way Sun does:

I held planet like blown glasscasting sapphire light

and like a prism

She broke me

Red to violet I am

Scattered at the top of the her she was my womb

I the pregnant goddess

I could see my toes over the horizon

I could feel her in the base of my spine.

Imagination is

Two Venus fly traps

Planted in my eye sockets

Digesting

Pupils soft as a fly’s wing.

This is what we do in the summer

I find a mind 7 miles deep

hidden behind the curve of the Earth

swallow its seedsLet it grow a water-melon

In my chest

oceans bursting through the fault line staggered

between my ribs

splintered

wide like an infant’s eye.

It isn’t often

I find the mind

To feel the weight

Of the atmosphere On my back

but Great Lakes reflect diamonds

In sunset blues and emeralds

colors that are momentary

if you wear a clock around your

neckcount the ticks

instead of beats from a

grapefruit heart

so I dropped the idea of “now” a

second ago tied my spine to my wrist like the

string of a balloon

lifted

thoughts strum the horizon

caverns of sound drape my shoulders.

This is what we do in the summer.

my legs turn back into tree trunks

my hair back into jungle

words back into soundinto vibration

I am

first philosopher

to realize Earth is round

I am

first woman

before mind was confined to skull.

from up here

I am creature

Bending the planksOf a dock

This is what warm skin does to the heart

What empty calendar squares do to the mind

What untying

from the worlddoes for me.

this is what God’s hair must smell like

7 miles deep

I have seen Earthand nearly fallen off

I am saved by summer

the sun

makes me radiatemakes me remember I can skip along planets

When I am free

as a child

to imagine.

By Claire Forster

Wasatch Front: Park City, Utah

Earth completes its annual revolution,

winter greets Utah peaks with snow.

The mountains, once bare,

grateful for its timely arrival,

oddly resemble a human.

Ancient energy stirs

evenly in both, although

a human remains naturally

interrupted by flaw.

A wise woman

communing with the heavens,

dressed in a white bonnet,

glinting at the town

tucked neatly in her lap.

A young trekker, posing beside her,

clouds hanging around his mouth,

inhaling cold air once exhaled

by pinion pines.

A well-versed vagabond, rising with the morning light,

spinning around in circles, sun in his eyes,

snow gathering atop his worn, brown hat.

They whisper to each other hallowed secrets of verve,

cleverly disguised in imperial crowns of snow

By Tara Bogart

i have finally learned to see with hazel eyes the graying ashes of the world around me the road to solitude paved with ancient stones of wisdom stepped on time worn weary the rise of senseless violence in the fall of woman – and the temples filled with white plaster cast golden calves desecrated in her image i have learned to hear a cry for womanhood in the hollow echoes of our dirty city streets.

she is coming he prophesied in a book of poetry she is coming.

the woman is coming because homeless men too need spirits to guide them and we have left them only the pavement. the woman is coming because the souls of black folk red folk purple folk white folk lay weeping over the bodies

they have lost to the world.

the woman is comingbecause we of the worldhave shoved mother earthinto the violent darknessof a deserted alleygun tight against her backwe will rape herand beat herand steal all her money.the woman is comingbecause she must –because if she doesn’t come nowit will betoo late.

she is cominghe prophesied in a book of poetryshe is comingand i forgot so easilylike salt slips into the finest cutof a woundbut i have beenreborni have beenrebirthedi have finally learned to seeand i knowshe. is. coming.

the world was endingwhen i woke up this morning.i opened my eyesto unquenchable fires burningoutside the shades of my being –

the world was ending in an unglorified blaze of sadness. but as i crawled into bed after each star had fallen silent and my eyelids closed under the weight of crystal tears the lady of the moon sang me a lullaby so gentle that the world began again.

she is coming he prophesied and i tell you now she is coming because once i read burden in a mother’s hips saw pain and suffering in the way her belly rose and fell like ominous shadows but today i see the resplendent green of a hillside and a meadow that only dreams could contain i hold her baby less than 24 hours and i see the simplicity of the way things were meant to be i read hope in the way he closes his eyes closes his hands and eases life into the world with every breath.

she is comingwith the expansionof rivers into oceansand contentednessinto inspirationi tell youi tell himi tell weonly the luckiest of prophetslive to see their truths realized...she is comingbringingthe world to me.

--jillian steinhauer

HIS VISION HAUNTS MEBy Melvin Larson

Outside the Manhattan Chinese grocery,

he confronted me, imploring:

“I haven’t eaten anything in days!

Haven’t you some change you can give me, Mister?”His blond hair was matted and his eyes were

glazed. His outstretched hand shook.

The other held a battered

portable radio – its plastic dials

had been so often wrenchedthat they were long gone.

As we further spoke,

I could tell he was

mentally ill – perhaps schizophrenic,

budget-released from some state hospital

into inadequate foster careuntil he escaped into the streets.

He was pale and shivering.

He reached into a refuse

container, grabbed a greenish, moldy

slice of bread which hebegan to eat greedily.

I hastily gave him two dimes

and a nickel. As I walked

away, bewildered and guilty,

he said, “Thanks, Mister!”

His vision haunts me.

How many more are there?

This poem, along with the illustration, is included in the book

Days Forgotten: Poems, Prose, and Commentaries,

written by Melvin Larson, illustrated by Chamira Jones.

For more information, email clynette@umich.edu,

or visit Zoë Life Publishing at www.zoelifepub.com.

It will be available after April, but can be ordered in advance now.

Little Lady Soul

Cold East Harlem Streets reaped the birth of a queen,

who wears the love for her city on the sleeves of a university lettermen jacket.

The block ‘M’ reflective of 5 years

Blood, sweat, and tears, given of her self to a system.

No, she beat the system by giving those years to the people she loved.

I damn-near fell in love the first time I saw her face,

A stern scowl that seemed out of place on a girl so beautiful,

But I realize now that it’s just a trademark.

Wrapped in a thuggish blanket, to shield her spirit

From the Wolves that roam the yard.

I see right through the rugged demeanor,

Because it’s hard to hide being a good woman (She stands out like a sore thumb).

An artist in every since of the word…

Flipped words over beat-boxes in the midst of an ill Remix

She spit as if back at home

Somewhere between 125th, and her throne.

Re-defining the translation of her name

from Spanish, to English, and now to universal.

Exhales through pastels, crayons, and chalk.

There are moments where I can’t get many words out of her,

But I can still hear her talk.

I’ve only known a few to walk in similar shoes.

If it would stop hers from hurting,

I’d carry her on my back

So that she didn’t have to move so much.

Bulging discs, dismissed as just another

Obstacle to deal with,

She stands as tall as 5’5 will allow,

Reminiscent of my Mississippi-born mother,

Sometimes I call her mama

On respect alone.

I say that because she’s strong,

I say that because she’s strong,

I say it because you deserve to hear it,

Even if you already know.

From one to another,

My heart to yours.

This is my ode,

to Little Lady Soul.

By Walter Lacy

Since signing as a producer with Songbook,

an imprint label of the esteemed Atlantic Records in March of 2005, Green has

taken the music scene by storm, working with such hip hop sensations as Mike

Jones, Peedi Crack, Baby and Chris Brown. After recently featuring his skills on

Trey Songz’s debut album “I Gotta Make It” along with Texas rap sensation,

Bun B’s debut solo album, “Trill,” the 19 year old producer, known as

Bei Maejor continues to climb the ladder in the music industry.

Somewhat of a natural talent, Maejor began making beats in High School

by using a computer and experimenting with any equipment that he could

find. Eventually, the combination of mixing various sounds and styles evolved

his once tedious hobby into a full-blown career. Converting the basement in his

home, into a make-shift studio, Maejor became determined to perfect his skills,

often practicing into the waking hours of night.

My mom used to tell me to go to sleep, and I wouldget in trouble for sneaking in the basement to make beats

Maejor said. I got obsessed with it.

Beat SmartsBy Tiffany Teasley

If you’ve witnessed LSA sophomore

Brandon Green walking around

campus with headphones and a

yellow SpongeBob backpack, unlike

most students, it’s probably not

because he’s seeking a musical

diversion on the way to class.

Originally the song wasn t even on Trey Songz salbum, but they heard it and thought it was hot, so they

took a song off, in order to use mine Maejor said.

Growing up in Southfield, MI, Maejor began to work with local artists,

developing his reputation as a serious producer. Soon after, a DJ got a hold

of one of his mixed tapes and gave it to his current manager, Delante Murphy

who eventually turned it over to world renowned producer, Troy Taylor.

Impressed by the newcomer’s natural ear for music, Maejor signed with the

label within months.

Traveling to Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. and Miami, this

past summer, Maejor’s schedule continues to become more hectic as his

talent gains increased recognition. However, it’s not just fun and games for

this star in the making, faced with weekly deadlines and assignments, Maejor

is challenged with the arduous task of balancing school and his music on a

daily basis.

I always have assignments and sometimes it s hardwhile being in school, but seeing that my success is growing,

it just motivates me to keep going. Maejor said.

Although his base music genre is hip-hop, Maejor’s style is unlimited as

he explores versatility with his interest in pop, electronic and movie scores.

While Maejor has already reached the level of success that most producers

would opt for, he still has dreams of one day joining the ranks of other top

producers in the industry, such as The Neptunes, Just Blaze and Troy Taylor.

Murphy said,

You might ask how the name Bei Maejor was created. The concept

began with the piano chord B Major, chosen to match his first initial. From

there Maejor changed the spelling of Major in remembrance of his deceased

Grandmother whose middle name was Mae.

We can expect much more from this future music mogul known as Bei

Maejor as he continues to produce tracks that are potentially hit records.

Already listed as one of the top 20 producers to look for in 2006 by

str8hiphop.net, the sky is the limit for this rising star as he takes over the

music industry one track at a time.

In My Own Words is Shaffer C. Smith’s a.k.a. Ne-Yo’s first commercial release. The name Ne-Yo is derived from the character “Neo” of “The Matrix” films. To his accreditation he is a lyricist, comparable to a Donell Jones. Like Jones, Ne-Yo has written songs for many artists. He co-wrote Mario’s smash hit “Let Me Love You”, as well as songs for Mary J. Blige, Musiq Soulchild, B2K, Faith Evans, Christina Milian and Nivea. Production on the album was done by Curtis “Sauce” Wilson, Ron "Neff-U" Feemstar, Brian “B-Nasty” Reid, Ervin “EP” Pope, Shea Taylor, Boola, and Stargate. His lyrics and the well produced accompaniment force you to feel what he is saying.

In My Own Words has 12 tracks and a bonus track. Some of the stand out and dynamic tracks are “Stay”, “So Sick”, “When You’re Mad”, “It Just Ain’t Right”, “Mirror”, “Sign Me Up”, Get Down Like That”, and “Sexy Love”.

“Stay” feat Peedi Peedi is a track where hedescribes his feelings for a girl he is infatuatedwith.“So Sick” is his smash single that talks about thefeelings he still has for his ex-lover and how lovesongs invokes these feelings, which make him“so sick” of them.

Ne-Yo– In My Own

Words

by Julio Jamal

“When You’re Mad” is a nice concept, headdresses his provoking of his lovers anger justto see her mad, which makes him feelpassionately for her and leads to great sex.“It Just Ain’t Right” is about him reminiscing onhis prior relationship while he is involved in hiscurrent relationship. He calls his ex, who is alsoin a current relationship, to see if she does thesame. This song is produced very well and thereinterpolation of Switch’s “I Call Your Name”which is the cherry on top of a great song.“Mirror” is a song where he tries to convince hislover to make love in front of the mirror.“Sign Me Up” sounds like it has elements of“The Best of Both Worlds”, it is a bounce trackabout his attempts to win a girls heart (contract).“Get Down Like That” is a soulful track where

Ne-Yo addresses a girl who wants him to cheaton his current girlfriend. The production on thistrack is full of soul, as is the sample they used tocreate the track.“Sexy Love” sounds like a Michael Jacksonsong; it is about Ne-Yo being sprung out on thegirl’s love and sex appeal. It is catchy andsounds great.

Though Ne-Yo may not possess the power vocals of a John Legend or Anthony Hamilton, he does have a distinct voice and singing range. Ne-Yo should not be compared to legends, however he is as good as his contemporaries Chris Brown and Trey Songz. Some of the cons of this album are some songs just seem repeated, as they have the same subject matter; or he rarely hits really low or really high notes All in all it is a great album that deserves to be purchased. Remember, in the music game it’s “Buy or Die”, meaning buy the album or good music will die. Because who really wants to listen to terrible lyricism in the future?

Ann Arbor, USA. Poetry capital of the nation.

… or soon it could be.

Once a city, now turned Mecca for poetry-enthusiasts, Ann Arbor

offers what many cities are just now catching on to: the power to spoken

word. “Popular in every major city” in the US, Ann Arbor has earned its

reputation as a city at the forefront of a spoken word movement;

heralding homegrown names like Claire Forster, Molly Raynor, and

Jeff Kass, and attracting talents, Lauren Whitehead and Mariama

Lockington to its stage, Ann Arbor has become the place for Michigan

spoken word.

But how did it get that way, and where did the surge come

from?

By way of a teacher named Jeff Kass. From New York to California to Ann Arbor, Michigan, Jeff has seen the rise of spoken word around the

country. “I was teaching at the time in Union City, California, and my

younger brother, James Kass, was writing, and he was going to them

[slams], so I went to them and performed at one.” From there, “James started an organization called Youth Speaks to give free after-school

creative writing workshops for teenagers. He held the first ever San

Francisco youth poetry slam in 1996. I went to it, and I thought it was

really powerful, so I brought it back to my school. The second poetry slam

was really huge; it got bigger and bigger. Then I moved here in ‘99 and it’s been flourishing ever since.”

Why spoken word, what does it do for us as a

culture?“It just fills a need,” said Jeff. For everyone who grew up in the hip

hop generation, there is a “respect for people who can verbally express

themselves in a skillful fashion, and that’s what hip hop is.” Also, spoken

word “comes from the heart, and we live in a time where you don’t get that a lot. To see people actually doing that is really powerful. It harkens

back to something ancient. Human contact, honest conversation, creative

expression, and ‘I want to hear what this person has to say’.”

So what would you tell someone just getting in to spoken

word?“Poetry is not something that is written by old dead people about old

dead subjects but poetry is right here, and now. You can write poems

about your sweatshirt or your earrings, or the guy walking down the street,

anything can be subject. And you can use any kind of language. Use your vernacular. Use your slang. Use your hip hop. Use all that,” said Jeff.

And so they did. Molly Raynor, who has, for many writers, become

the inspiration for their entrance into poetry, started early in spoken word.

"My mom is a professional storyteller,” and “that's what got me into it at avery young age,” said Molly. “She told me stories from before I was born –

like in the womb - and even before I could write, she would have me tell

her stories and then she would write them down. She has documentation

of my first poems.” Molly performed for the first time at her great

grandmother's funeral. “I was twelve. She [great grandmother, Dinya] died when she was a hundred and five. And she’s been a huge influence on

my writing, because she was the first storyteller in our family that came to

this country and passed down her stories on to us. Her stories tend to end

up in a lot of my poems.”

Similarly, Mariama Lockington sees her family as incredibly influential in her life and writing. From the blending of poetry, music, and

family, Mari has come to write some of the most melodic and beautifully

crafted poetry anywhere. “I see members of my family as musical

instruments,” said Mari who believes she brings music into every part of her life, even without meaning to, and her family is always at the heart of

her writing. She describes her sisters as “incredible. beautiful. inspiring.”

It is also through writing that Mari finds she can organize the most

important things in her mind, and get down her thoughts through “an art

form that has been constantly there.” Mariama explains, “I would movearound” to different cities, start over again, but “it was poetry that stuck”

with me. By way of words, Mari has found one source of personal

expression.

As for Lauren Whitehead, she found her entrance into spoken word by way of walking into the Michigan Theater her freshman year at

Michigan. “I was always looking for an outlet … to fit into the orchestra,

into the choir… and then I saw Molly (on stage).” After seeing her

perform, Lauren said: “How did she do that? I want to do that,” so she did. She went home and wrote, and soon performed her poem, I used to Sang at the Uclub poetry slam. “The audience scared me to death,” but

“you came with some fire or got booed off the stage” said Lauren. “I got

off the stage shaking like a leaf,” but it was “the most affirming shit ever.”

Now, a poetic force and three year National Poetry Slam contender,Lauren is one of the strong voices in poetry. “I want to fill the room with

my voice ...” she said, and to be sure, she has.

Claire Forster explains her connection to words and worlds in:

“I train my mind to see the poetry in everything. Poetry is the jump-off for the way I live my life,” but without Jeff Kass (former teacher at

Pioneer), “there would have been no jump-off.” From the teachings of

Kass and Roger Bonaire-Agard, from her Spanish classes, archeology

lectures, geology, biology, philosophy classes … “the randomest classes” …

Claire has found a life in which she thrives. By “looking at things with different questions in mind,” Claire constantly pushes to reach another

perspective.

What else are you interested in?

“Love. It really is the only thing that is keeping this world together,” said Forster.

What do you want people to know?

“You don’t have to be like the story you see on TV. Girls want to

dance like Beyonce. No, be you,” said Lauren. “Apply what you’ve been

taught always. Make a theory for yourself.”

What is your favorite poetry?Molly: “My favorite poems are the poems people will never hear.”

Jeff, what do you want people to know?“I believe that everybody can be a writer. Just try. Tell your stories,

because people want to hear them.”

And so they have. Five poets, five different stories, lives, and voices

who have found the same connection and passion through spoken word

poetry. The great thing is, this kind of poetry is going on everywhere. In Ann Arbor, in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, there is an entire

population of people passionate about words like Jeff, Lauren, Molly,

Claire, and Mariama. And they’re doing it: on the stage, they are changing our world.

fighting. obstacles. knowing. ultimate.

success.

www.onefokus.com