Last night was my Acentos Feature and I am still elated. I am still high and reveling over the magic of last night. It was so so amazing. It even ended with a strangers kiss who fell in Lust/Love with a few of my words. That was amazing. I so needed a kiss. Nice and long and passionate. It is such an Autumn thing.

My set was strong. I was proud of every poem I read, both old and new. I got so much love from everyone. My co-feature Raj was quality, and peoples faces glowed. I watched Oscar watch me like his son just graduated from University. That was just amazing. Seeing his proud eyes along with Jessica's brilliant star gaze, with Rich and Fish rooting me on... There are no words for that. Maria giving me a great hug. Ellie filming me, Abby listening to me for the first time. My cousin Sarah just loving every moment of my words. Scott being brilliant, following my poetry and adding great amounts to it with his curvy sax. I am elated. I am also surprised that I didn't cry.

Last night I went up against two great readings in the city. One With Edward Albee, Paul Auster, Sandra Cisneros, Don DeLillo, Dave Eggers, Martín Espada, Philip Gourevitch, Jessica Hagedorn, Heidi Julavits, Nicole Krauss, Rick Moody, Walter Mosley, Grace Paley, Emma Reverter, Salman Rushdie, Martha Southgate, and Colson Whitehead.
The other was a Cave Canem reading out of The poets house on spring street.

Talk about difficult odds. The people who came out to see me came out to see me, and didn't go to the other readings. I love them. To all who went to the other readings and missed me, I aint mad, I would've missed me for some of those names too. Just be at the next feature please.

Yesterday was a great day. I went through a complete feature without one suicide poem. Nice isn't it. It was all positive. It was just incredible. And it ended with a kiss. How cool is that?