This Is Our Reality: 16 Chaos Poems

For the last few years, I have been active at Haight Ashbury Street Fair's Art Walk (produced by Andrea Fuenzalida) doing Chaos Poetry. It's where I show up with some sort of engagement process and have a conversation with passersby (aka strangers). I turn that conversation into a poem, and then I perform it back for my new neighbors. This year I co-wrote 16 Chaos Poems.

It's become an annual tradition for me, one that leaves me both full and exhausted. It is an honor to witness people's realities and a responsibility to tend to it in ways that honor and affirm their truths. It is a way for me to truly inhabit my artistic practice: the art of relating to one's self, each other, and the Cosmic Mysteries.

This year, I used Conversation Cards by Shahrazad Squad (produced and designed by Raeshma Razvi and illustrated by Parisa Parnian) to spark the co-creative process. I invited co-creators to pick an image that stood out to them. I then invited them to describe the card. I followed up with questions about feelings and emotions. Next, came an inquiry into any stories, dreams, or memories stirred.

Each card has a question on the back. After diving into the front, I flipped it over and asked the question. Most people took a moment to ponder the question. Some questions landed a bit better than others, so I asked follow up questions to dig a bit deeper or perhaps find a different direction.

I then acknowledged that we, Us Two, were in a moment together. And in another moment we, each of us, would be in another moment no longer together. So I asked, "Is there anything you would like to leave in this moment? With me?"

Many people thanked me for my service or . They really appreciated a moment of connection and BE-ing. Others had nothing to leave behind. One loved my eyeliner. I was grateful to receive all of the stories and gratitude shared.

I asked my final question, "What do you want to bring into the future?" And here's the collective poetic response:

There isn't objective reality anymore

There is Dubrovnic

A welcoming vibe while existing in the chaos

Greater connection to purpose

There is no objective reality

There is romance, real romance

Getting out and going and doing art at night

Openness to conversations with strangers

Being a witness to the flow of time

There is no objective

There is hope

for success

for clarity

for BE-ing

for happiness inside you, me, her, them

This is our reality.

Photo by Mark McBeth

Photo by Mark McBeth.

Photo by Mark McBeth

Photo by Mark McBeth

Photo by Andrea Fuenzalida

Poster by Andrea Fuenzalida

VINCE

ancient yellow symbols

resonate warm vibrant aeons

witnessed in 80s DMT

do not blend in

It's all perspective

JORDAN

in the midst of chaos

relax, focus, kick back

laugh at truth told as wisdom ages ago

play 2001 rocks and fly round the City

ach an intimacy revealed as tears in departure

eThis is where I improve

STEVEN

wake up and

float mid-air

rid yourself of fear, sext man

let loose

be gay like childhood books full of fantastical animals

wake up and

FUCK!

writhing bears all around naked

Impregnate me with wholehearted romance

ALLISON

gather your people around campfires under the full moon

as Monkey and Parrot witness

childhoods form from shared community

Where all blends together like exquisite eyeliner

BEN

look out the slightly bigger window,

the one that's the top right of an oval

and see a slightly bigger sun

and the two purple pyramids erected

in front of two similarly shaped mountains

this landscape--not mine--evokes curiosity

it's all slipping away

the contract broken

float like bubble gifted and

May ther be clarity at 40,000 feet

JENELLE

in the Secret Garden monkey rests in lady tree's boughs

below a smorgasbord feasted on

by flamboyant guests playing chess

above moon full

and then you whisper knowingly,

"spider."

she screams!

a Secret Garden no more

This is why you don't play tricks

CLAUDIA

queen of the bright noonday sun

stand above your city and survey all your rays touch

observe those small far away boats

observe you all the way up there

golden dreams radiate attraction

do not got back to childhood lands

invite presence through openness to what is now

talk to a stranger

you are a queer queen

You hold your own

NANCY

once catholic only meant universal

a celebration of life where

all had food, home, love

their wishes fulfilled; their nightmares vanquished

we floated in air like fishes in water

free

and verdant gardens of honeysuckle and jasmine and magnolia

bloomed everywhere

we were content

Take me there

LUWA

Tales by Moonlight

acting out ancestor's story, like

Tree of Plenty under whom

all are fed

all are cared for

all are protected

stories where

monkey is relative

thought and meaning are encouraged

questions flourish

we make our way

we chart courses separating obedience from autonomy

These tales by moonlight

QUINCY

do yoga on a cocktail glass

and balance yourself with fish balloons

remain light so memories return

like days with grandpa or

that whimsical feast after fist fights with cartoons

laugh

and let your laughter

BE

take in all--past-present-future--

this is life

Remember

SCRAPS

slip into whimsy

a place that feels oh so much like home

among vibrant Oregon forests filled with

magically marvelous creatures savoring desire

slip into whimsy

place your hand on his knee

in your hometown and sense care

slip into whimsy

this is your purpose and your courage

Slip into whimsy

STEVE

look!

the moon makes all seem small

shifts perspective towards wonder

crystalizing destiny

alchemizing family

crafting memory

like Uncle John's Band

happiness is personal

It's Dubrovnic while gassed up on anesthesia

ELWYN

straddle limbo

between mountains and cities

between San Francisco and Texas

between floating and grounded

whisk away friends from senior year

and watch movies in living rooms

with new friends from State

feel the wind kiss skin

Chill in the chaos

VANITY

hold the fruits of your labor from your colorful world

tenderly

relish fuchsia clouds

soak in sun shining

i want what is healthy for me

i want fellowship

i want ease

i want chorizo with eggs and refried beans and jalapeno and tortilla

i want it all

for you

for me

for her

for them

For Us All

BRIGID

peel back your layers

expose yourself revealing your four arms

juggling like a goddess trying

to connect the world

favor those who favor you,

A Modern Woman

HAVEN & LARINA

lanterns upon flowers upon lanterns upon flowers upon lanterns illuminate

and decorate a table around which difference

gathers, breaks bread, plays checkers, eats

a whole bowl brimming with fruit

where all are offered opportunities

to learn

to grow

to witness truths other than the falsehoods of childhood

carry forward this table and

May olive trees thrive once more