Last fall I wrote a poem in praise of internet sensation and vegan chef extraordinaire, Tabitha Brown titled “An Ode to Tabitha Brown.” At the time, I shared the piece through my Instagram account and several people tagged her and encouraged me to send it to her directly. What I thought to be the apex of that experience was ‘Tab’ sharing the piece in her stories on Instagram. But yesterday, something amazing happened that exceeded my wildest expectations.
My wife Leslie was interviewing Tabitha for a piece she’s writing for Blavity about Tab’s newest cookbook, Cooking from the Spirit: Easy, Delicious, and Joyful Plant-Based Inspirations which is coming out at the beginning of October. As Leslie was coming to the end of her interview she told Tab about my piece and how it circulated on social media when I originally posted it. Tab appeared to remember seeing the piece, and Leslie asked her if she would mind if I read it to her. Tab graciously obliged, and I was able to share the piece with her (in the video above). At the beginning of the video, Leslie hilariously is caught in the shot trying to sneak behind me, and Tab’s dog, “Blackie” lets out a loud yelp, but after that, I got down to the business at hand lol.
After allowing me time to recite the piece to her, she commented that it was “a blessing” to be able to receive the praise, and I relished the beauty of a completely organic full-circle moment. Tonight, I am the featured poet at Busboys and Poets in Baltimore and that piece is a part of my set.
And regardless of how the audience receives it this evening, the subject of the tribute got to hear it in real life, and that felt very good!
Info on the Busboys and Poets Feature
If you are in Baltimore or the surrounding areas, I’d love to see you at Busboys and Poets this evening. The show runs from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and my feature is about 20 minutes. Generally, featured poets are brought to the stage somewhere at the midway point of the event, so if you’re in the area and interested in coming, I’d advise being at the venue as close to 7 as possible.
Here are the details:
Wednesday Night Open Mic hosted by Meccamorphosis
Sep 21, 2022 7:00 pm
Busboys and Poets — Baltimore
3224 St Paul St, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, United States
$5 Admission
Yesterday I Read My Ode to Tabitha Brown TO TABITHA BROWN and Tonight I'm the Featured Poet at Busboys and Poets in Baltimore