dre poetic: words by adrien salazar

Our poetry is the best part of our struggle and the best part of our struggle is our poetry.  – Al Robles

1. The body knows deep things

Two weeks ago I fell ill with something nasty that attacked me with a fever every day and something that felt like a fish bone lodged in my throat. I took an entire week off of work to heal.

I spent the weekend with my family, which I hadn’t really done in almost a month.

I had been stressing out about life and work in the usual way that a fumbling post-grad does not having a solid thing to grasp.

Now I know, my body forced me into a vacation I needed.

2. Graduation

It’s been a year.

How life does happen whether we like it or not.

3. Al Robles

I attended the celebration for Al Robles this past Sunday at SomArts. It was one of the most moving events I have ever been to. The atmosphere was something between a variety show, a community event, and a large family party. Al Robles. The man brings his people together even after he’s left. I want to say something about how the life of Al Robles makes me want to be a better person.

4. The struggle

Today is Malcolm X’s birthday. His memory and the passing of Al Robles urge my revolutionary consciousness to birth revolutionary action. I am trying compadres. I am trying.

5. Seeds

I have been going to meditation for the past several weeks at the East Bay Meditation Center. I am taking a class on the Eightfold Path right now. I am trying to shift the energy in my life. I am taking on beneficial practices, trying to incline myself towards good health, love, and positive action.

Everything I do right now is a seed. I am planting many seeds. And I do not know when they will bear fruit. But I am assured that they will, in time they will.

I can not force the tree to grow faster, but surely, it grows.