Back 2 Life Back 2 Reality....

I am stuffed... Yes, I have had yet another Lump crab cake. This time with fried shrimp and sourdough rolls. I washed it down with a Heinekin, a sweet mango drink and a power-ade. I have a slight buzz, my back's hurting and my feet are throbbing!!!!
I have never walked this much in my entire life. I spent the day in DC. No I did not visit most "historic" monuments and other geography/history answers to middle school quizzes. After arriving at the Federal Triangle station, we walked a few blocks to M and something or other Grill. I pigged out on tilapia with chile lime sauce, grilled asparagus and carrots, which was off the chain, though a bit overpriced. After the meal, my co-workers and I went our separate ways. Them for history, me for Our-history and future....there wasn't much time for a formal tour so I caught the train to the Shaw/Howard station and went straight to Howard University. Every city I visit, I look for and try to visit one or both of the following areas, depending on the time I have available: 1) an Historically Black College/University or 2) a black community. I want to see where we live and/or how we are educated.... In addition to touring Howard University, I went to the African American Civil War Museum. Now, I did walk past and catcha glimpse of the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Pentagon, Courts, etc... a walking mini tour so to speak....
Last night was a POETRY WASH..... Marc hooked me up with a dude, Dry Fish, but he was busy doing something or other. He called pretty late and well, I was doing my own thing. All in all, I had lost faith in the Balitimore Poetry scene sans Talaam or Marc. Dry Fish stated the joint was kind of rowdy, or at least that's what I heard him say.
Tomorrow, I am suppose to return to the great State of Texas. Still not sure, as I have friends in DC who will be free for the weekend, and New York is only a train ride away...
All in all, I like it here, it's what I imagined, except the poverty and loitering is unimaginable... There are some places in this city that look EXACTLY like The Wire and The Corner. I know it's was filmed here, but DAMN! Not outside New York or maybe (old) New Orleans, have I seen people nodding out on the fcking streets. Not just one, I mean a LOT... I saw this lady carrying a trash bag of personal items and she was like a nod walking. Every few steps she would stop dead in her tracks and lean..... Tonight near the Harbor, a dude was dressed in plastic bags sleeping on a park bench. Yesterday during lunch, on the way to the Market, I walked past a man sleeping on the sidewalk, he was SNORING. It's pretty depressing, and am not sure how it would impact me in the long run, cuz my heart goes out to the mentally ill and chemically dependent. I have worked with the population most of my adult life. It's very sobering, and different than the homelessness, mental health issues, and chemical dependency that impact my community and state. It, like my throbbing feet, are reminders that it would be too painful for me to bear, I do not belong here, and I am only a visitor...
Baltimore is a beautiful city, full of people who look just like me... I mean there are strong black bodies, pretty and handsome black faces, grand proud black smiles, and black laughter despite the oppressive situations. It has a strong Black/African American History. I checked out the African American Muesum yesterday. It was a gorgeous building/facility. I believe it was Fredrick Douglas who said, to paraphrase, "I am purchasing property, where I was once considered property."
So maybe I didn't need to go to a poetry spot to get what I needed, perhaps the spoken words I needed were those inaudible sounds and movements from the belly of the city, the faces of the people, the history of it's streets, and the blood in it's voice, that also glistens it's lips....it has truly been an inspiration, indeed....
I pray that we are watching the same stars and that our worlds are not as far away as we believe, and not much different than what it seems.... so, dream.. dream with me...