Ursula Rucker, Jazz Poet.

Damn, it's so easy to get lost on YouTube.

Thankfully, in my most recent exploration of the website, I came across one brilliant jazz poet named Ursula Rucker.  I knew her voice from a song on the roots album "Do You Want More?!!!" called The Unlocking (<---youtube vid) which, full disclosure, sounds like it's about a consensual gangbang.

In fact, no, that's exactly what it's about.

But it's also about the misogynistic actions and thoughts some men have towards (some?) women, that the female human is a toy created for the purpose of pleasure and propping up their own egos.

And the reality that she, the main attraction of these men, perceives.

"Plys her with familiar lies
Even more familiar still, cause
him she used to love
But he never could quite see above, her mound
A pound of flesh is all she was, no name no face or even voice
So poised, she rises -- Phoenix from the flame
Finally bored with their feeble fuck games
...
Parts lips, not expressly made for milking dicks
and then, she speaks:

Your shrieks of horror bring me bliss, I must admit
The thought that I could shred your tips with eight quick flips
excites me, see y'all fuck with the pussy
but I fuck with your minds
Lack of soul and respect is the crime
This.. was a set up.. now tell me what..... what's my name?"

Now I get that the gravity of the situation depicted in this song is very VERY adult, and normally I don't like songs that pick scenarios that are so blatantly sexual, but here is where the beauty of Ms. Rucker's poetry comes in.

The imagery, the way she builds upon each syllable of every word, not one of which is superfluous, is absolutely beautiful and turns a vulgar scenario into a snapshot into one of the darker, and I'm gonna say more pathetic sides of humanity.  This woman speaks truth not only in this song, but in another of her works entitled "Circe" after the minor Greek goddess/sorceress/witch/etc. who appears most notably in Homer's Odyssey, it is a song I HIGHLY recommend.

It's simply beautiful and on top of that the presence and vocal performance of this woman is absolutely stunning.

It wouldn't be far flung at all to say that if I wanted to make music of any sort, this is what I'd want it to grow into.  Simply, divine.
 
(>^_^)># 

Another Example of "United" States' Divisiveness (Thanks Rick Perry!)

As I was on my way to work this morning, foggy as it was, and tired as I was, I did have the presence of mind to hear one snippet of news on NPR: Texas Governor Rick Perry openly solicits California businesses (I'm paraphrasing of course, but hear me out).

This morning a radio ad was released which not only knocked California's admittedly down-on-its-luck economy, but explicitly encouraged, let's say "outsourcing" from California to Texas.  Such a move would, if well received, blow holes in the already sluggish recovery in California, lowering the state's GDP, and possibly setting it up for more hardship in the future.

Now, let's put aside the politics of his ad for a second, because who knows.  Maybe he is just trying to deliver an altruistic public service announcement to struggling California businesses.  Maybe that's just a better climate for business now.  Or maybe that's just business.

In any case, what really struck a chord with me, upon hearing about this ad, was how much it reflected the shambled state of these United States.  There is division all over, especially in the realm of political parties.  Many Americans, especially during and following the Presidential Election of 2012, feel that it would be more apt to call this country the Divided States of America.

So to see a rather blatant example of this divisiveness play out between Rick Perry and California Governor Jerry Brown, whose responses regarding Texas were none to considerate either, was unfortunate.

And honestly made me feel rather tired.

As much political strife, inflammatory rhetoric, and watching a congress filled with both Democrats and Republicans do literally nothing but bicker and put off making decisions about the welfare of our economy and our country, you'd THINK that we'd eventually tire of it, come back to the center, and work together and compromise where necessary.  Because..you know..that's what FUNCTIONAL democracies do.

But you know...whatever.

So, I watched this video instead.  I'll tune back into the domestic political sphere when there's something of merit to invest mine time paying attention to.

Thank you laughing baby.
(>^_^)>#