Verbatim

18 December 2019 Switzerland Food : Doeboi Tacos Harvey Listen Mia Moore Bqqmbiggi3 Paul Stoddard Chakra Kahn B Dailey Vos Gvbinetti Okin Vee Dynasty Ian Sean Alchemy of Alexa Charismatic Gabe Castillo Cassidy Dakota Sutton ...and more Performers : 5:00p  Freedom Jam Cassidy/Jorge/Dakota/Paul 5:20p Paul Stoddard Poetry 5:40p Chakra Kahn 6:00p Alchemy of Alexa 6:20p Gabe Castillo 6:40p Charismatic 7:00p Mia Moore 7:20p Niko 7:40p Vee Dynasty 8:00p B Dailey 8:20p Vos 8:40p Gavin 9:00p Boombiggi3 9:20p Harvey Listen 9:40p Ian Sean Vendors : Elias Garbiggio Dakota brownies Paris 420 Shop Gabe $10 dabs

You have a way of warming me with your wordplay, silencing me with your stare.. Tongue titillated intimidations you don't even know are there. Vexed by a vernacular which leaves me wanting more. Lips lingering and longing, whispering of the weary hearts we've worn.

I've grown used to getting blown off.. I guess I have a habit of falling apart in hopes that someone else's wishes could come true. 🌼

Open your eye to the truth To the reflection of the world which resonates within you You are all the stars and the world in your hands You are more than anyone could ever care to understand You are conscious You are unafraid You are the feather in the wind And the legacy which stayed You are me, Everything, And nothing, Unified in struggle and contribution Mother tongue spoken In spiritual restitution The hand of God In Her divine retribution Leading in love Against the corrupt institution

Her heart speaks in breadcrumb riddles In hopes that someone could one day find A map of stars through her labyrinth mind

I've always admired fire How she dances in destruction How she crackles in foreign tongues How she captures the glint of emerald moss Fractaled facets of your gaze Captivated in the way I say your name Golden rays beam in the spires Of your desire Even as you look away They say absence makes the heart grow fonder And I smolder a cool, collected blue The longer this wait ensues I'm hanging onto you In a flurry of copper hues Just as the winter bids adieu To her lush russet plume I await the coming season Our connection again can bloom

Her fire burns in copper hues Trying to maintain a cool, collected blue Craves for an engulfing affection Feeding flames For the taste of her own destruction Searing passion resonates within her flesh Smell of rust Encrusted amber russet Blood boils in both war and lust alike Tongue tastes of impure intent Preaches profusely of peace, Still her spirit speaks fluently in fight

My heart craves less man than muse Needs less boyfriend than masseuse Less boy than friend Bodies of independence Living separate lives in the same world Seeking coexistence Swimming similar directions In different oceans

I live for days like today Cloud covered gray The kind I spent a lifetime Trying to move away from Oh how these clouds have become home A refuge from the desert sun Chapped lips And words for matches Spark fire on my tongue Ever soothed By these rain cloud blues My soggy looseleaf thoughts Begin to bleed and run Rs Darko

Clarity comes In the rarity of true connection Soul stripped to the bones Of why And how Who we were From then and now Seemingly misdirected, Now resurrected in Unexpected synchronicities Finding I'm Intertwined in our melodies Of universal truth Love without proof Of personal use Because we don't do it for the ego We do it so they know That love flows Wherever we go From our fingertips And lips Succulence In every syllable Taste of treble in every phrase Rock-a-bye with rubble bass, I see it in your face With every run your fingers trace Along her neck So delicate With a whisper of our tales Stories told in slides and scales Even our silence trails Off into the distance Where our song has yet to be finished Every moment between us Ended in ellipses...

I hide behind this mask to cover up all the faults and cracks I wear embedded into my flesh... parts of me forever unseen even by those who know me best Sometimes I forget where the mask ends while the rest of me projects A facade is an easy scapegoat At times even easier to digest Beware when this shell begins to wear you When it can no longer protect You from imprisonment From the crown to the top of the neck Best defense lies upon introspect Find solace within the rhetoric Unmasked, unfiltered Tongue unsheathed, unhilted Perennial flower wilted Ready to rise once again Phoenix in the form of sunflower Soil shifted, still feeling uplifted Towards the Light of Higher Power Rs Darko

Ink enters my skin As easily as it spills from my fingers and lips Drippy little things Written legacy echoes eternities But flesh decays With a whimper As this mortal tapestry withers So, I welcome his percussive stab wounds time and time again Hoping our grand design could maybe make beauty of my pain Pretty poetic We are Eloquently catastrophic As he glides across my skin Naked and vulnerable Waiting and welcoming to the horrors.. Agitated flesh Feeling aggravated, stressed Clutching to myself for comfort After what I've allowed, What I've paid for I planned for this To make myself his Mark my body with his fist Enclosed around the scythe Disguised As a paintbrush To trace beauty Over my carved away inadequacies Cover it up in ink Cover my whole life in ink! He could have loved me But he could not love the way I think Pondering far too profusely Because my ink knows only how to bleed Paralyzed by what I've overanalyzed Perhaps it was I wh

I just want someone to treat me with care Not to baby or patronize me Not to underestimate or downplay my strength just so they can feel good about "saving" me I want to be understood as a wounded tiger.. My ferocity on pause while you emotionally nurse me Knowing damn well I might snap a couple times as you try, But that as the warmth befalls my body with your comforting touch I will slowly sink into your arms and succumb to the beauty of our vulnerability together

I want love, but I don't want you At least not in a loving way Not in a way that actually makes sense Not the way in which a healthy person connects Because to be honest, I don't know how to be loved without just being wanted for sex Identified from the midsection down Call her "Goddess" and "Queen" Still deny her the crown Truth is, I've grown accustomed to the disappointment Because I've always allowed it And I've found that the biggest let down is I've grown used to being used I want love, but I have only ever known abuse Abuse of my body, abuse of my mind Abuse of my spirit, Abuse of my time And when I'm alone, I abuse myself Reminded of all the times I've wanted to remove myself Masochism seems like the best medicine for my mental health Until I'm staring at an empty bottle And a knife on my shelf I smile and I laugh But I'm a stranger to you still Broken mirror reflections.. It's been a while

Rubble rock disguised as comet Weight of the world as it plummets Silver stream dreaming Thrown away on a fleeting wish Shimmering as it burns through the sky in resistance Only beautiful from a distance Empty combustion Fed by debris Ingestion of wishes from anyone who sees Fractals hidden from the human eye Lonely with only the other by its side Third one closed, it cries, But nobody is there to listen Silent screams echo through this existence Of a celestial body who was only ever meant to be observed as it glistens Rs.Darko

I don't need you to be the good guy I don't need you to be anything to me But a goodbye

Broken hearts make for the best poetry. Well duh. My heart is most open when it is pulled Apart at the seams Perforated meanderings Heartbreak songs with double meanings I had not heard before Suddenly I'm smiling.. I'm no stranger to these fleeting in-betweens Romantic tangents Nomadic stagnancy Distractions only ever leave my eyes hungry Famished Put myself on pause til you vanish And I can find myself again Gain my footing once again Ready to take the next step In this self directed relationship Understanding of self, Healing of self Being myself, Being by myself. Finding peace in solitude and solace Feeling brave and brazen To stand up against my thoughtlessness In this conditioned routine Instead of reveling in the process Of thought And creative dreams

Boy enters life Boy enters heart Boy becomes world Boy leaves Boy becomes tree Seasonal; Woman is world Woman creates world in the form of child Woman creates world in the form of tribe Woman creates world in the form of self Awareness Overcomes weariness Presence Overcomes excuses ~~~

I wouldn't have a reason to creep If I thought the only bitch that you were fucking was me Moving on was easy for you apparently So many fish around us Boy, I'm not blind to the sea You say that you were loyal Find that hard to believe You left your love to recoil I kept my heart on my sleeve I'm not stupid Just in tune to it My petty ass Consumed by it Keep saying to "get over it" Been keeping him under me That's what happens when you treat my love cheap Now no one's ever copping my heart for the free Got an all access pass to explore my body Cause he's showing me the loving that you only ever told me Cause he know how to kiss it Yeah he hit it like he missed it I don't gotta be the Misses For him to treat me Goddess and Queen Everything in between Got me soaking up these sheets He's got me moaning Til morning He know how to take me down slowly Followed thru on all the promises you never showed me You acted like y

The greatest revenge is blossoming when everyone tried everything in their power to bury you. 🌱

Booming burst-out Supernova Resounds Unhilted gut twist Knee slap Hands clap Eyes tear Fog Mist I tap myself dry with a handkerchief Ab splints From every punch line hit Boisterously Noisily We bark with laughter joyously No nostril is safe So beware the drink you taste It'll burn through every hole in your face If you cannot wait These comedic sets Have a way of giggling at regrets Colorfully they paint us With the very memories which stain us Tainted blues With yellows to make green Like the rolled up leaves We pass in between.. It's all in how we choose to think Cause you know it's easy to sulk on realities past Instead rest your head, and indulge in a belly laugh

You'll slip away slowly And fade like an old photograph You'll forget about my smile And I'll forget about your laugh All that will remain are fragments of our past In the glimpse of fleeting moments I always knew could never last

Depression has a way of absorbing me into clouds where I can pretend that someone sees something pretty in me... Obscure and ever changing, taking shapes to accommodate his cold fronts... Waiting for a jet engine to fall out my belly and crush him in his bedroom. Unexpectedly abrupt how the daydream interrupts. Depression has a way of occupying my mind in possibilities which distract me from this reality of the mundane. I am not a cloud. I am simply rain. 🌧️

I'm confused about where we left off Cause on one hand you don't want to feel obligation when we talk As if I've instated some invisible bars With my tongue and heart When I've only ever employed them To lay you a sturdy foundation To fill in the blanks of affection and reassurance Where you never felt recognition or acceptance I held space where there should have been a black hole Against my better judgement allowed myself to feel whole -Heartedly I gave you passage to the deepest parts of me Which had been long since cut off The other hand reveals that your love has never stopped That it hurts you to hear me speak to others when my words are soft You want to love me But not committedly Or at least not in a way which wields responsibility Though I've never held you to a single expectation Only ever required honesty and communication Still I stand here now the object of your accusations and projections Victim to your own fickle sensations and mi

To each their own vice Turning my words to tourniquet I smack my arm twice I plug my power cord in Cause God knows I'm not living If it's not reflected in my content Content? (happy) Contempt.. (disregard of) CONTENT Is the new conscious I never wanted this I just wanted a voice So I traded my pen for Swipe And a talk-to-text that can never seem to get my words right I schedule my thoughts for at least three times a week To make sure they see my face and hear me speak Otherwise they'll probably forget about me by Friday My traffic counter says my highest views come by Thursday So I have to make sure to keep them thirsty for my words before the weekend ensues Because that's how this thing is meant to be used To format my life in away which appeals to you It's me, yes Filtered pleasantries, Somewhat, yes Regrettably, yes But mostly me Tailored in a way for you to digest With ease I'm an artist, I'm a mom, I like to help my city,

To be honest, I'm not worried about your attention.. As soon as I hit that mic I know you'll remember why you came in Soaking in the depths of my affections Through these incantations of love No, we don't Need to make it known How much we've grown into this intimacy These past couple months specifically... Because I know exactly who I want to come home with me You see, I don't need you to carve my name Into your two empty wrists Like property for you to proclaim I was hoping maybe We could just Coexist Resist the urge To feed into the Third World dimensions Of starvation For a nation satiated only By codependency The highest consumer market Is that of the heart And I never wanted our dynamic to fall apart To the sweet sound of Disney music And air conditioner jingles If that's the case I'd rather just stay single Allowing our thoughts to continue to intermingle In the freedom of our reflected star freckles Guiding us back to o

Oh Snaps! We're back at it again!! 👌🏼🦂⚡ Prepare for yet another night of communal artistic synergy with your favorite Snappers! Only this time we are mixing it up for August's Belly Laugh theme with our Jokes & Jams event, Saturday inside Unit 246!! We'll be kicking off our features with an improv segment lead by our new friend and fellow Unit 246-er, Christina Gardner; followed by a musical ensemble by ever unique master of not giving a fuck, Paul Carlon; as well as a very special comedy set by Shawn Fitzsimmons! Last but certainly not least, we'll be polishing off the night with an Open Mic Bowl for you Snappers looking to wet your thirsty brains! So come down to Unit 246 on the 2nd floor of The Arts Factory at 7pm, and come hang with us! We are ready to have some knee-slapping good times to kick off this month of Belly Laughter 😆

I’m fucking tired. I’m so fucking exhausted. What if I packed my shit and bounced just like your mother fucking dad did? Like his dad did, like my dad and their dads did. And you know what’s sad is A man is... Just a product of his upbringing Lacking knowledge of what a man is And now I gotta raise you into a man but I’m ignorant to what a man is Because these boys didn’t want to man up and handle their fucking dad Bizz Helped create a life and now that life feels abandoned I can’t even go into the next room Because you’re afraid to be abandoned. And nobody can say I didn’t give your dad a million chances To be apart of your life regardless of the circumstances Regardless of who he’s romancin’ or his fucking finances I never asked him for a dollar,  he’s taking you for granted I would never fucking leave you My love for you is bigger than this planet. And I’m not just saying that out of habit, Like an absent parents bullshit caption under the filtered Instagram c

Tea dipped ribbon Fraying at the tips How you soak up And drip The herbs intended for my lips Tea dipped ribbon You were meant to keep my page Now you've moistened me At the fingertips And left my pages stained Blank With the tea I drank Warmed up my body From where my stomach sank Heavy guts have warned me And my vocal chords are raw From incantations to loose-leaf Speak of the visions which we saw It was difficult to see at first Now I feel unhinged at the jaw Tea dipped ribbon How you flutter like my hair The wind may shake you dry But the memory will always be there Faded in the places Where we once were self aware Reflected darkness from the depths within your stare

Go ahead and rally your troops Perhaps that's exactly what we were meant to do Live each of our truths To its fullest extent So everyone has a moment To be represented To be called to arms... We sounded the alarm Like sirens calling out in the momentary calm But we are the tempest And that's why the darkness fears us Tears us in two As we dove into the depths of duality The reality is We've been here before And I'm not afraid to look for you in the eye of the storm Our storm Collected water molecules permeating The cold fronts of miscommunicating We've never needed words to say Relay the echoes throughout our brains The fact remains We've been through much more than the onslaught of this physical plane

The VIBRATIONS!!!!!!!!! As expected, they were better than good. They were phenomenal! Last Saturday was an extraordinary night of holding space, and sharing being, lead by these amazing individuals right here!!!! Kicking us off, Don Conquer (@donconquer) hit us with an engaging performance!! Breaking out props like the jembe he featured in this month's promo shoot, he placed himself amidst the audience and got everyone to join in and be a part of his set! Even acapella, Don commanded the crowd's attention, dropping knowledge on overcoming life struggles and staying aware of the vibrational output of his identity! Our next feature from Lurk Franklin (@lurk_franklin) kept that fire going, as he got the whole room jumping to their feet for his first song! Lurk never disappoints when bringing that hype energy!! He blew the ceiling off The Arts Factory, finishing off his electric set with his song Misfits! Anyone who could share that experience in that room definitely left as a

I've been peeking through the brush Calling for all in need of my touch Light and Shadow Souls Ignite the flesh until all is exposed Raw form Crystallized Connected Source Alchemize Channels unseen To those who lie in between Denial of direction And beginning to believe Tell me what you see without your eyes Tell me what you hear hidden true amongst the lies We tell each other, We tell ourselves Clinging to these limits which we've instilled Cautiously confined to the cast of mortal shells Listen to the whisper of infinity Echoing eternity in the spaces we've been creating To keep us calm and quiet in our separation, Meanwhile, I'm raising riots for our deserved reparations Defeating the complacency Guised as societal normalcy Filtered bliss Plays catalyst to ignorance Be sure of this lesson learned: Convenience is not without consequence. - Rs Darko •••••••• If you have ever felt the calling for more, the time to answer is NOW. It will

In this moment I am everything I ever wanted to be So I think not of death But of legacy The inspired movement Rippling through this reflection of me All the voices which choose To echo my own When I look at all of you I see home Not a place I frequent But a state of being present Never whole until we share these lessons Regression to a fetus When we were perfectly conscious Bridged between divine And mortal mind Until our two gaping pupils Decided to brave the Light The greatest teacher Two open students Let it be taught, not writ And read between strokes of Sanskrit

Friday @ Mona's July 19th • 5-10pm 3766 W. Arby Ave. @monalifeorg Hosted by: Juan Manco & Reese Darko Lineup 5:00 Intro/Welcome 5:10 Sac Poet - Reese 5:20 Open Mic 6:30 Food/Mingle Break 6:45 Yoga with Rayce 7:45 Grounding Ceremony with Michelle 8:20 Noelani's Musical Performance 8:50 Meg Defantem's Musical Performance 9:20 Open Mic 9:50 Closing Thoughts

Good Vibes Scavenger Hunt Lineup 7:00 Intro/Welcome 7:10 Sac Poet 7:15 *OM Bowl * 8:30 Madison Devine 8:45 Pofsky 9:00 Scavenger Hunt breakdown 9:10 *Scavenger Hunt * 10:10 Recon at Warhol's Loft 10:25 Outro/Clean up

I thought I'd gotten over this addiction But your subtle diction Causes friction In my state of tranquility It's true, you're something of a drug to me Every breath of your ecstacy Inspires me Makes me crave you next to me Makes me want you to see I've grown to be a higher me A higher key Than the octave I was on before Sweetest melody I hum whenever I'm bored And I begin to wander to thoughts of you once more I can feel your energy so near Tenderly re-entering my atmosphere Like foreign waters One step away from our next falter So you can flow from me again Manifestation of our reincarnation With every time we 'end' My heart revels in the growth Of our back and forth Forever lovers guised as friends

We'd like to take an opportunity to shine light on fellow spiritual comrade and local business owner Rayce Rayos (@rayce.rayos)! This Vegas native reps the Eastside/DT, exuding lifelong support to his city and the beautifully talented locals who reside here. When he's not bringing people together for yoga every Wednesday, you'll find Rayce running 'S A R A P !, his local shop and venue which has been located inside The Union House since March 2018. Here, he provides a space for locals to come together, supporting and celebrating each other's art/business ventures! "The vision is to empower the individual to look deeper at what they choose to spend their time, energy & currency on. It is our aim to promote conscientious consumption in the world through our own ecologically friendly & locally-based practices. We strive to be a hub of invested creation of varying art forms- from musicianship, fashion & visual artistry to entrepreneurship, charity &a

We had the Vegas streets hype with the buzz of last month's Classic Lineup... And lemme tell you, these folks did NOT disappoint ❣️😍 After a fabulous warm up with some super talented OM Bowlers, we kicked off the feature sets who kept that fire ablaze for almost and hour and a half of straight VEGAS HEAT! What a way to really dive into the summer solstice, 7-0-2 style! 🔥 Ian Sean kicked us off, accompanied by friends like Amy Divine on vocals, Ellijah on acoustic guitar, and Christian on electric guitar. The well-rounded sound of the live instruments really brought life to Ian's performance of his latest triptych album release "Life Love Death." He kicked off our features with a bang, enticing our audience to their feet to rock with him and his friends! SmokeyTone soon followed, rousing the crowd with a spoken word intro of his usual eloquence, peppered with comical asides and clever nuances which begged the reaction, "you had to be there!" His short s

Hosting for the Lush Art & Words Exhibition is a real honor for me because it directly supports my vision for the art scene as a creator and as a community influencer to see artists coming together, transcending genre and seeing the beauty of their collaborative efforts. I've been an open mic host for over a year, creating Snaps Open Mic for that very reason: to provide a space for artists to discover who it is they truly are, and to allow them to express themselves authentically and unapologetically. Snaps is an acronym for Spiritual Network of Art, Poetry, & Self. Anyone who comes to my event knows that I strive to create an uninhibited environment for these like-minded individuals to face their traumas, reveal their pain, allow themselves to be vulnerable, and, in turn, be supported by others who share that darkness, and can grow together positively through creative expression.

What I need is people to respect my boundaries, and understand and accept this: I am not here to be a pseudo girlfriend to aid your spiritual discovery. I am not here to be your mother from a past life for you to suckle at my energetic teet. At best, I am a shadow worker here to help you discover and embrace the truth of the darkness and pain you carry, and assist you in transmuting that pain into positive communal work through artistic expression. At worst, I'm just another fucked up human being trying to accept and grow through my own traumas. My goal/purpose is not to entertain some third dimensional need for codependent relationships. It is to impact my community and improve myself and my surroundings everyday with intention and contribution to society by way of tapping into divine consciousness and connectivity.

Sticks and stones may break my bones But words find a way to cut into my temporal lobe Enlighten the darkness inside two closed eyes Breathe life into the spaces left in between sighs You've lost your way, and so had I When the ground began crumbling, We turned towards the quaking sky We fly, We've flown I suppose We've always known Exactly who we could grow to be Culmination of all space, land, and sea Time always revolving around me Flowing through As we remain stationery Infinite kingdom inhabited by every King Looking back through the mirror at me I finally see I finally opened my eye to see WE Are the Eternity 🧿

My words cut into my own flesh Like when I said, "I love you" When I knew I could only be second best Romantically relentless Sadomasochist For the pain with which I'm obviously obsessed A slow digress As I start to undress It was so much more than sex The way we seemed to spiritually connect Still lead to an inevitable descent Money and time spent On the plight of emotional investment

Thank you for choosing me as your portal back into human consciousness. I often wonder who we were to each other in past lives. Perhaps you were my father back then. Always teaching me things and nurturing me and encouraging me to keep going. It's strange to think that way, isn't it? But every possibility exists, so I try to allow myself to recognize that residual energy in all things in this timeline. Our connection is something special. The way you reach your hand up for mine feels less like a necessity for your own protection and more like your intention to guide me through your world. I have never met a little boy so reassured in his identity and it honestly freaks me out sometimes. There is so much confident independence in your movements and I have to remind myself that you're still a little boy. My little boy. As you begin to enter your third year, I think of how our bond has elaborated into this beautifully woven tapestry with open ended frays waiting to be ext

Classic Lineup 7:00 Intro/Welcome 7:05 DJ Paul 7:20 OM Bowl 8:05 Interlude - Reese 8:10 Ian Sean 8:20 Smokey Tone 8:30 Brittany Soul 8:40 Theo 8:50 Saucey Downs 9:00 Interlude - Bri 9:10 OM Bowl 10:10 DJ Paul 10:25 Outro/Clean up

Swipe left for some insight into #Classic from Las Vegas legend himself Smokey Tone (@thesmokeytone) ✨ . Tone brings up a good point in stating that if something is truly Classic, it will remain fresh and new with every generation, with an impression which stays untouchable, timeless! ...and we couldn't agree more! Which is precisely why the Snaps Team chose him to feature for this very theme! . There is very little this renaissance man Smokey Tone can't do. You may have caught him on keys jamming or performing one of his renowned covers, or perhaps you were lucky enough to catch one of his wisdom-rich sets of unhilted word mastery! Either way, this man is huge part of the very foundation this art scene has been built upon! . When he's not too busy managing venues and happenings in the Boulevard Mall, or charming people with his boyish smile and baby blues, he is forever honing his craft and supporting his friends around town with all sorts of artistic ventures! . W

I am plagued by thoughts of loneliness Though I am not alone I have my son, I have my friends, I have my work, And I have a community which loves and fulfills me... But in this moment, I don't have you I told myself I would never want to possess nor restrict you from the very world which made me fall for you, And I don't... So when I say "have" I guess what I really mean to say is "half" 'Cause that's exactly how much of myself feels missing in your absence Since I've met you, (Like truly met you with all eyes open) I feel insatiable for your presence I see now why they call gifts presents because to be truly present in another's life is one of the greatest gifts the universe could bestow upon an individual It's in these thoughts that I meet you once again You could be anywhere in the world, and you are, But tonight, I selfishly keep the thought of you closely to my heart Resounding in my mind Giving me peace in wholen

Cries victim behind sharpened teeth Treacherous smile With a poisonous tongue underneath Has a way of persuading My own sword back to its sheath Preaching about pursuit for peace How he manipulates with ease Rs Darko

Swipe left to see what your feature Saucey Downs (@sauceydowns) had to say about his take on Classic! Saucey is one of the most talented artists I have come across in the Las Vegas music scene! With an artillery of bangers at his disposal, he brings a vivacious energy to every mic he touches, enticing crowds of strangers to chant along with his lyrics, converting them into loyal Saucey fans with ease! After kicking off 2019 with his New Year's feature at @thejamlv, followed shortly by the release of his album #SauceMode in March, Mr. Downs has revived more than just this world's love of Cholula!  It's no secret he has taken this city by storm, making #SauceyDowns a truly unforgettable household name with people from ages of 3 to 103 happily singing along with hits like "OMM (On My Momma)" and "Big Mood." You can check him out and subscribe via all musical media platforms to stay in the know with all his upcoming projects and releases. But you know not

Even falling feels a lot like flying for a time.

He paints me in hues Of watercolor skies My body, his canvas, Stroked gently By the strands of his eyes Had I ever known true love like this? Forbidden touch Of Moon and Sun Nightly blessed By his goodbye kiss

I keep my chaos quiet & manageable Easily digestible Because God forbid I am too much For you to consume In one bite I am cumulonimbus billowing in the night The calm before thunder The peace before the plunder I am a rebellion brimming under dirt clots Plotting in strategized riots Navigating through internal battles To awaken the human cattle We don't have to agree & settle In order to stand together In the clamorous rage which surrounds us Let us take shelter in our own quiet chaos

We resonate in the thick Of our mothers' dirty mirror reflections Raw and delicate Swarming in the filth of our sins and misconceptions

I hung around waiting for another to use me The way he did There was something about his brand of abuse That somehow made me feel alive Still invisible But held together by the glue of his gaze When days blurred into nights And I disappeared into bottles The message imprisoned behind my fractured glass read "Save yourself, girl." And so I did.

Classic Karaoke Lineup 7:00 Intro/Welcome 7:10 Song Bowl Meditation with Saul 7:30 OM Bowl 8:00 Classic Karaoke 9:00 Storytelling with Bri and Reese :) 9:15 Refresh 9:20 OM Bowl 10:20 Reflect/Close

You grip the world beneath your fingertips Reminding yourself To always hang on No matter how you start to slip Seemingly insane Yet never too far gone away You travel place to place Touching everyone With the warmth of the sun Emanating with elated radiance Gravitational The way we dance Sensational The energy exchanged between our hands Your laugh could fill a room with smiles Resonating your inner child I've been searching for you in years and miles Just to transcend both time and space I find the answers to the universe Written across your face Living language in the form of pencils and paint The world is your canvas Beckoning for the brush of your existence

Never give anyone benefit of doubt. You have nothing to benefit from doubt, except greater wisdom to stay the fuck away until shown otherwise. If they have not clearly communicated to earn your trust in that regard, then you have no business filling in the blanks. 💯

Fool me once, Shame on you Fool me twice Fuck you

Fluent in sailor tongue And sand dollar skin He moved like ocean Just to catch my drift

She was all sunshine and curves.. He was looking for the scenic road home.

I got time To listen to you whine About this body of mine Why does she show it all the time? Calling something art doesn't make it fine For shame Body frame Disgraces her family name By never falling into line Unclothed skin Unclothes she who lies within Her know-how Could never prevent Anatomy from becoming A proclamation of sin What is this shell But porous flesh We cannot resist As the blood begins to swell That's why we use it to sell Our goods, Our time, Ourselves Pray tell The cost of living this kind of hell Universe created no creature more Disgusted by their natural form Openly abhor The human part of being Collective consciousnes Filtered through cracked screens Attempt to keep our chaos clean Haunted by the thought That we are better off unseen

A state of mind in which I catch myself more often than I'd like to admit... Hung up. Hung up on petty disappointments, ridiculous self-imposed expectations, and comparison to others' lifestyles, however completely unique from my own. I'm sure I'm not alone in this sentiment. It's hard to not feel the plight of such earthly matters like biological clocks and lifestyle envy when we exist within mere snapshots of this reality through several filters of pleasantries and aspired perfection. Being someone who has suffered from body dysmorphia throughout my entire adolescence and well into my young adulthood, I had thought I had grown out of this mental/emotional sickness with my days of eating disorders long behind me. How untrue this has proven to be. Even with topics like self-acceptance and body positivity on the forefront of my artistic pursuits, this past week has revealed what a grueling, continuous process deconditioning oneself from these combatants against

Touch Event Lineup 7:00-7:05     Intro/Welcome 7:05-7:10     Sacrificial Poet 7:10-8:00    OM Bowl 8:00-8:10     *break* 8:10-9:00    LYfoundation's Ecstatic Dance 9:00-9:10     *break* 9:10-10:10   Connections Concepts for Blues with Mark & Jeanne of Unit 246 10:10-10:30 Outro/Mingle/Cleanup Vendors Whose Thought Anyway Charismatic Ashley Dawn Piece By Reese

Dark recess, While I reflect On the opposite side Of moonlight, Tells me I don't deserve you And it is right You are Never meant to be Something to possess Your presence A blessing, Our lessons learned Lessen My lack of purpose For you, I continue For you, I grow For you Are me, Sun, And so much more. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This little boy is the love and Light of my life. He illuminates me even when I am mostly darkness. I do not exist to steal his shine, but to reflect this back to him in his own darkest hours. Growing through what we go through. I will never give up on myself because I will never give up on him. Last week was a hard one. Depression is weird like that. One could be living in a state of bounty as I feel I am now. Spiritually, creatively, communally fulfilled, living a life of both physical and divine purpose in the integrity of my beliefs. Still the darkness lingers.

We humans Are Slippery little things I slipped into D e p r e s s i o n You slipped Out of sight. -Rs.Darko

Sleeping angel I could see you from any angle With a mess of curls Entangled Around my fingers I start to drift and linger Half sleep demon Half teddy The sun's creeping up I'm not ready Consciousness Peaks behind two heavy lids Funny how our bodies seem To always perfectly fit Maybe just a little bit squished But I could stay here for hours Deep in our cuddle Christening you with my infamous drool puddle Nothing subtle about The way you've knocked me out With the comfort of your touch Warm bodies beckoning Like the pull of the sun Still I'm as stubborn as the moon As she stalls to leave No rush in stirring We stay flirting in between Rising and hiding In a veil of sleep

My love for you is a distraction from risking letting someone close enough to truly love me. I'm more afraid of taking a real chance, and being hurt, than I am of withstanding your lukewarm rejections time and time again. I'd rather feed into the complacency of your maybe, than stake it all on a forever.

V1 (rap) I'm cleaning out my closet Yeah, I'm cleaning out my fridge Y'all up in the freezer Pray for cryos or whip-its So you can stretch this life out While you slomo each second The foolish fumble time While the minutehand ticks I gave up on immortal Cause my finite's truly blessed If you talk less You'll feel the universe regress And expand within the confines Of the you who manifests I used to pray for freedom But it's beyond the politics *Hook* Digesting My dressing Both sour and sweet My third eye Is tasting Your flavor of the weak Tell me Oh tell me What fills in that space Between Two closed ears Behind that smile on your face V2 (sing) Oh I don't need a flow To tell you what I know Socratic Ecstatic Transcending what we own If I've been burning bridges It's because I need to fly Respect the resurrected We perceive through our mind That energy is cyclical Around and 'round it goes I feel happine

How do I answer the question "What's wrong?" First thought was to apologize For my faltered song And dance Entranced By the emptiness in my hands So much disappointment where I stand That I can barely stand Behind this smile Still they proclaim their demands Mistake my kindness For boundless, My positivity for soundless motives, and guile Fake recognize fake I guess, With masks worn like fleeting styles Just to cover up the scars and burns These struggles left behind Like dog-eared pages Haunting with promises of their return I'm trying to learn acceptance To grow with my pain With every turning page But the ink is too fresh I fear the smudge left at my fingertips Leaves every clean sheet tainted With my former self And my spine misshapen From every chapter I've ripped from it In hopes that I can forget And write myself a new ending All they see is a pretty cover Bright and smooth With a laminate protector Over my hard, leather bo

You call me "beautiful" Like an accusation Pointed fingers Lead to misdirection Thinking this is a competition When I couldn't care less For your opinion

Hey y'all! . SO tomorrow is the last day of April! Which means IT'S GONNA BE MAY! (Yes, I said that in my best Justin Timberlake impression).. and that means Bri and I have the pleasure of introducing you to this month's theme which is.......... *drum roll* ........INTIMACY! 🔥💞👌🏼 . . Intimacy is often associated solely with sexual interactions, when, in fact, it is defined as "closeness," or "familiarity." . Too often we forget to pursue a level of intimate understanding of ourselves, constantly expending our energy (sexual and otherwise) outwardly. . For May, we are rebuilding/fine tuning these connections with ourselves and with others, remembering that Intimacy comes in many forms. Of course the sexy stuff is fun too, but what is sex without trust, without communication, without understanding and acceptance? . Please join us on this journey as we delve into the importance of healthy connections, boundaries, and exploration of our inti

I wake up dizzied by thoughts of you Circling round Like a knock out, Then I spend the rest of the day Icing away the pain Bumps and bruises on my decrepit heart Riddled like graffiti street art In stitches and scars, You itch my idea of wholeness How your gaze holds me like a spotlight In the warmth of your fleeting affection I've never known this kind of attention And I long for the days of ignorance Before making your acquaintance Before initiating this Back and forth dance Of readiness Unsteadiness Of hoping to bask in your loveliness To waking thoughts of how much I'm dreading this Love me, love me not Petals dismembered Like limbs from my lifeless body Hoping maybe someday You'll land on "love me" This hope remains My heartache's only remedy Echoing in masochistic melody Bloody and still outliving the disappointment of our yesterday

People often compare love to the sea or to the moon Sonnets, prose, confessions to These aquatic and celestial bodies Swaying melodically through The infinite oceans of time Time We do not swim through time We exist And time swims through us Residing only within the confines Of these mortal minds Why shall I compose some quaint, misconstrued Rendition of my love for you Another whispered syllable In cliche comparison, To something so earthly and so variable Though I have not all the answers (Though perhaps I might) My love for you transcends the night Transcends the water refracted light Glinting from your charcoal eyes Two lustrous pebbles smoothened from years of tumult We victims to this human construct Both love and time alike

🎤 True #hiphop lives on in this young cat, representing #lasvegas in the dawn of this musical renaissance. In the world of mumble rap and crafted personas, one thing I recognize in Theo is his distinct lyrical identity and confident performance delivery! Keep an eye out for this guy cause he is definitely an artist on the rise! Theo releases his song "Great (featuring Captain)" in only THREE days on April 26th, as the first single from his album "Manifest" due to be released in June! 90 percent of the album is produced by a talented artist from Belgium who goes by the name Orlando or (OB), with whom Theo has been working for the past 7+ years! Theo became acquainted with his music on YouTube several years back, the two connected, and they've been working with each other ever since, never once being able to work together in person! It is a true delight to know Theo, both creatively and personally! He is a hard worker and has such a vivacious spirit in every

* Reese's Verse* I been running from shadows Haven't gone very far As the sun's going down I feel them stretch on the tar I keep running and running Follow the brightest of stars But I been running on empty And I don't know who you are Secrets come and go Can't escape the shadow Waiting by the window Just to watch the world go Don't know this girl in the mirror Close my eyes to see clearer She screams and no one can hear her I scream out NO ONE CAN HEAR HER Feel the darkness creep in My heart beats up in my ears And so the nightmare lives on I'm drowning deep in my fears Everybody is screaming (3x) *Hook* Can I tell you a secret (2x) If I do, will you please Promise me that you'll keep it

I told my rapist I loved him Because I did And in some ways I still do Even in the dark cloud of shame Whenever someone mentions his name Even though I never wanted to Do the things we did Somehow I convinced myself I asked for it Agreed that it would be our secret That hush upon my lips Turned to quiet consequence The loss of innocence At age 8 Bred two decades of self hate Which only boys and other poisons could satiate Medicated through the pain, but remained confused Allowed my body to be consumed Mistaken passion from sexual abuse I told my rapist I was sorry the day I finally refused At age 14 Torn between Continuing And screaming I was so scared to lose him Lose his attention It's so fucking disgusting to reminisce On the fact that throughout my adolescence This is what I understood of intimate affection At age 15 I would have done anything To no longer be a "virgin" To casualize sexual interaction Convince myself This was common p

Snaps Shadows Lineup 7:00 Reese Darko show open/welcome 7:15 Gabriel Castillo speaks (@ castillocomedy ) 7:25 *5min break* 7:30 Brianna sacrificial performance 7:40 Paul Carlon (@paul.carlon) 7:50 *10min break* 8:00 Kentrello (@hellokentrello) 8:10 Chimmie (@chimmie) 8:20 *10min break* 8:30 Agez (@ageoflv) 8:40 OM Bowl 9:00 *10min break* 9:10 OM Bowl 9:50 Raffle Winners 10:00 OM Bowl 10:20 Closing thoughts/group meditation Live Painter Brooke Carter (@bpcproductions) Vendor Charismatic (@charismaticdion)

It takes two to tango, But only one to dance Leaves me shuddering at the thought Of a second chance At romance Time ceases With my heart Again in your hands What I know of seconds is they have a way Of always slipping away Slowly When the clouds resonate a dark gray Heartache hangs closely And I'm mostly Expecting The onslaught of rejection Guts twist In the midsection Redirection Of my intentions Suddenly I'm craving your attention Daydream indulgence In the different dimensions Of your affections What is love but another segmented season To dive into believing That we fall for honorable reasons To revel in the death of all the reds and golds To grasp at every syllable in quiet spells on untouched scrolls Reigniting our ember souls Misspoken words are the only ones which seem to be heard Side by side, two estranged worlds Intersect and twirl Cracks in her porcelain mask reveal the face of a scared little girl One second was split for these emo

I give my time, you want my space I give my words, you want my taste I give my rhymes, you want a place Immortalized by my grace I give my flesh, you want my skin I give you solace, you want my sins I let you in, you want within Rims only frame the places we cannot hide Lies corrode the surfaces of every human eye

And just like that, our Shadows event is nearly a week away. 🤟🏼 This theme has stirred up a lot of darkness and demons for our featured artists, myself (Reese) included. Thankfully, this community has empowered me to a point that I can be confident in embracing that darkness as a beautiful facet of who I am as an individual, and what I contribute to the world as an artist. Remember that you are not the sum of your past mistakes. All we can do is try to see those life lessons to fruition, allowing for growth and further complexity to these seemingly mundane existences. How can we be nothing, yet everything all at once? Accept every piece of strife this life has to offer, knowing that an additional layer of black paint can only accentuate a vibrance in this life which our naked eye has only scratched the surface of seeing and understanding. We all have shadows... And as light beings, it is pertinent to recognize them in all their many forms. What are shadows, but light obscured? T

I have been feeling nostalgic as of late.. nostalgic for these words and feelings which have since turned foreign to me. To love with a fragile heart is a dangerous game... Scared and fickle, still she upturns rocks whose affections lay hidden from her. Bold little thing. Far braver and more boisterous than I. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Those of you who know me might have heard me consider myself "undateable." No, this is not to say that I don't feel love. Quite the contrary, I feel love so deeply, too often to the point of self destruction. Since separating from my marriage, the last year and a half has incurred a period of immense introspection and growth for me. This time has taught me so much about the proper use of ego/self love versus intuitive empathy, and my ability to control how every situation affects me. I used to feel I was at the mercy of my emotions, blindly lead by these feelings whether they positively served me or not. "A walking, bleeding heart&

She keeps her pocket full of stars, And the clouds in her eyes Woman of wild She's got the world between her thighs

Crooked smirk, chubby cheeks Some people say you resemble me But you are every bit unique Peppered with the duality Of your Daddy's interests Your Mama's mischief Your Grandma's heart And your Papa's affinity for Sweet Tarts Silly and smiling we sway and sing You get that twinkle in your eyes when you're learning, Beautiful little thing The way you suck your lips in when you're thinking... Or when you're hiding something Brightly radiating Like the days of summer on which you were born Water in Sun resonates warmth A balance between adventure and emotion Equally tumultuous, waves of ocean Crashing playfully against the shore When I look at you, I see more.. More to experience, more to grow I daydream about all the places we'll go To give our Wild the space it needs To wiggle our toes Test all the waters we have yet to see I promise, I have so many plans for you and me They're closer than you think Just reach up for the star

I am the sum of these parts Wearer of scars, Collector of hearts, Creator of systems and stars Universal utero Third dimensional antihero Now Subtract the overblown ego Add all my past transgressions I can't let go Multiply my spirit by romance and wine Divide my efforts by space and time I am the sum of these parts An effortful collection Once fearful of death in nothingness Realized resurrection Through the depths of introspection I am Light Casting your shadows in every direction Skewed from the mould we were built in Original sin Plagued darkness In the vast abyss of the cosmic I'm not the same being you once saw Radiantly beaming between the empty spaces Light years ago Surrounded by different faces Who have since shone and passed Self-destructed Supernova blast They say this life is fast But it is preciously finite Celestially eternal Balance of both Shadow and Light Mortal plight Lessons for third sight Revolutions have not made me wise

Enchanted Night Lineup 7:00-7:15 Open/Welcome 7:15-7:30 Meditation with April 7:30-8:30 *Enchant* 8:30-8:45 Mantra Chant with LV Kirtan 8:45-9:00 Song Bowls with Saul 9:00-10:00 *Enchant* 10:00-10:10 Motivational speaker Kismet 10:10-10:20 Meditation with Logie 10:20-10:30 Close/clean up

Soak into my flesh like the first rain of summer Absorbing into my cracked asphalt surface Quenching all the crumbling pieces with dewy affections Oil upon canvas sheets Slither and drip lazily Fulfilling me wherever I feel blank Empty space ridden heart Homeostasis for colorful words and art Bandaids for wounds which still itch and ache

⚡👌🏼⚡ What does this mean to you? To some it means "okay.." To some it's a game to play which when looked at allows you to punch that person.. To some it means the number 3.. To some it means 666.. To some it may be a severely incorrect way to attempt to snap one's fingers.. Let me tell you why each of these applies to and is significant to our Snaps Fam.. ** Because we are okay, we are going to be okay It is going to be okay, and then it will be better. Fun in the form of games we play, pranks we pull, jokes we say.. It breaks us from our fetters Of society Mindlessly indulging Into habits of straying away from 3 A reminder that 3 represents divinity Holy Trinity between Infinite Spirit, Self, and Community Additionally Triple 6 is not for Satan's flock, Instead it is bounty, positivity, and best of luck Angelic proof that Light awaits to rear the storm With selfless love in two open arms to hold And no, that's not how you Snap, But it

Candlelit calling To enjoy a foreign aroma Remedy me In sultry Smoke kisses Wafting Spirits lifted Memories sifted For taboo treasures Gifted in the form Of extreme measures Hardships The way soft hands develop callous To gain strength and resilience In forward movement Internal growth Yields communal improvement For those claiming they do the most When they're barely even manning their posts Neither teacher nor preacher Simply observer and student Got volumes of notebooks I been scribbling from coast to coast

Extrasensory Perception from within Her soul-spilled canvas

Don't make me snap Cause I'll react Quick with a comeback Wordplay stay witty I've been talking pretty since flashback Nowadays I'm still that Girl with a backpack Full of notebooks and snack packs Pocket full of shit talk Fresh outta take-backs I'm no stranger to the cold So I don't take shit personal You need to feed your mind daily Try to quench your starving soul Relinquish control Delve more deeply into discipline Focus on finding balance Instead of drowning in restrictions My mission starts with sound intentions, Big dreams to change the world Some insist I got a heart of gold Truly, just an ordinary girl With stellar goals and strong memories Those hard times will never leave me So I let it lift me up and lead me Instead of being beaten down and bleeding They told me to stop dreaming But the clouds are where I stay gleaming Reflected where I once projected Meditated where I once medicated Combatting bad habits Of giving in and feeding Into whatever

PSU 1) X.Darvi (@bigyinenergy) 2) Dreamwaker (Dylan H) (@dankyd420) 3) Jen (@jenfromjapan) 4) Audrey Forbes (@odd_rays) 5) Jazsarae (@jazsaraelove) 6) Dead Money (@deadmoneylv) 7) Tony Wayne Kenobi (@tonywaynekenobi) 8) Reese Darko (@rs.darko) Visual Artists (Vendor/Exhibit) 1) Devil's Petals (@devilspetals) 2) Nikki (@soulbunni) Live Painter 1) Sol.Leigh Lineup 6:45-7:00 Set Up 7:00-7:30 Soul Cypher 7:30-7:40 Reese Darko  (@rs.darko) 7:40-7:50 Dreamwaker  (@dankyd420) 7:50-8:00 *break* 8:00-8:10 Jen  (@jenfromjapan) 8:10-8:20 X.Darvi  (@bigyinenergy) 8:20-8:30 *break* 8:30-8:40 Tony Wayne Kenobi  (@tonywaynekenobi) 8:40-8:50 Dead Money  (@deadmoneylv) 8:50-9:00 *break* 9:00-9:10 Jazsarae  (@jazsaraelove) 9:10-9:20 Audrey Forbes  (@odd_rays) 9:20-9:30 Raffle Winners 9:30-10:15 Open Mic Bowl 10:15-10:30 Close/Clean up

You spread your branches out wide Enough to catch me Coarse and rigid bark Dripping sweet and sappy I find myself wandering outside On days like these To enjoy an afternoon swing Back and forth, Back and forth Not always sure If I'll keep coming back Maybe One day I'll stay But what's the fun in knowing that I know I never said for keeps But freedom sometimes seems so lonely And my love tires, As she sleeps  Dormant within me Still playfully hung up By what used to be her noose Now just looking for a sturdy branch to tell her This isn't the kind of game you have to lose Something about tire swings in summer Always sounded like good news Unaffected by the loose screws Barely hanging on by worn threads Even amongst an icy winter frost I seek the softness of your breath Leaving behind secret whispers Decoded on foggy panes Stories of what comes after springtime rains Familiarity of this space

Electric Soundscape Just Mondaze Soulace Kingdom

R. Frost was onto something when he predicted ice Because the coldness of your gaze Bites Like the desert wind Piercing through loose fibers As we wander these winter nights Thoughtful Thursday @thepoetslist "Ice Cold" poetry prompt

I wake up wanting to touch you Feel your breath between my fingertips Warm contrast To cold exteriors Begging for forgiveness As we brush against these strange sheets Tainted with secrets you've carried for me Midnight reveries Distracting thoughts Become my normalcy Insatiable love letters Whenever I hold these hands together In prayer In between nights shared, Pillow talk, and sweet nothings All which remains.. Reflected solace and tear stains Private conversations Sensations Begin to surface Quick fix Whenever I'm feeling nervous Questioning correlation Between my dreams and purpose You know me Like no one ever has Still I love you in anguish and impasse Not once have you complained Told me how heavy the burden To bear my pain Because you love me Like no one ever has And when I touch you My tension dissipates As I can finally relax Unwind with the subtle flick of your movements Tracing syllables unspoken Rendering this poet usele

Drown yourself in my Electric downpour Currents storming Through parched veins They don't know my name But they feel my pain Coursing through them Affluent affliction Hearts and headaches beat the same

If he can't stimulate both your mind and your heart, why let him attempt your clit and g spot?

Distant hearts closely catch a beat Melodic synchronicities, I tap my feet Smiles flash to a lit up screen Barely strangers With a couple beers in between Unfamiliar sheets Warmed textures with a singular heat Comfort whenever our gazes meet Nostalgic for that high school sweet When I interlace your arm around me Feelings lifted Like balloons with no strings Give me your time, Give me your everything Even momentarily "Do not disturb" Posted below the room key

Let me be your mirror So I can reflect my favorite parts of you I know you struggle to see Disenchant you of your ego So you can find beauty even in every broken piece Mosaic, melancholy Your story is not that of fairy tales Eyes turned towards the sea With neither wind nor holes amidst your sails Calm waters, prepare for tumult and storm Nourishing secret gardens, You'd rather walk amongst your thorns Taste of sweetest nectar Kept hidden like Eden's lush They try to drown themselves in your fruitful touch You question your ability to trust The fragility of yonic lust The stars have never been too big To satiate your captivated gaze Navigating this celestial maze Just to live amongst their haze Stardust fractal debris I wish that you could stay Gravitating towards me.. The way Moon dances in every phase Dark circles traced Spinning nights into daze I am the ocean calm rippling at the sight Of your beauty, So close lingering in the sky I could almos