I’m thrilled and honored that The Mad Poets Society of PA chose me as their 2023 Poet of the year! I’m looking forward to sharing insight into my poems and new work on their blog starting in April (Poetry Month). ❤️
Starting in April, I’ll be posting a poem each month along with insight into the poem. Some will be old favorites and some will be unpublished. I hope you subscribe to their blog and share with another poetry lover.
Sometimes you have to forget that you’re somebody’s momma, someone else’s nurturer, someone else’s provider, boss, therapist, housecleaner, mentor, hero and role model and just be. Be free. Be in spaces and places no one would expect you to be. Hair and toes out, dancing /swaying/moving/ calling in joy, calling in Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge and every ancestor who conspired to form your hips, lips and freedom. Be seen, be joyfilled, be unapologetic, be around people eager to give without expectation of receiving. Just once my beloved sisters, be fearless. Be free. Repeat often until it’s comfortable.
I’m excited to be featuring at the Rebel Wind Poetry Uprising held at my favorite breakfast spot in Media, Bittersweet Kitchen. This event on January 26th at 7pm is hosted by Terry Rumsey who will also be reading. Come early to sign up for the open mic. Seating is limited. There will be coffee, tea, cake, hot cider and other goods available for sale. There is no fee to get in so please support this business. They do amazing work in our community.
I will also have my books for sale and if you purchase Toni’s Room in advance, I’d be honored to sign it for you. I hope to see you on the 26th!
Refusing the courtesy ride home in the back of the police car.
He was innocent.
No apologies for being accused of fitting the description of someone who was running and not doing anything but fitting the description of every black boy profiled.
A black boy running at night.
The cops told me that he wasn’t running when they stopped him. Thank God, I thought.
Because black boys who run get murdered.
So today I feel sad for you and all of the children we’ve lost to racism.
Today I selfishly thank you.
Thank you George for your life because it may have saved the life of my son.
A black boy who just wanted to breathe fresh air.
A black boy who just wants to feel freedom.
I pray for him.
I honor You.
You couldn’t breathe but he will breathe and run and stop and take breath and return home again today
I pray .
~ M. Tonita Austin aka Toni Love
written on the second anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. 5.25.22
She’s here! I did it Daddy! 💥The paperback version of “Toni’s Room is available for sale! 🤸🏿♀️💓 I dedicated my first poetry book to my children because they are my biggest fans. It is currently available as Kindle version and paperback on Amazon. I am planning a few local book signings and also have signed copies available to order on my website at 👉🏽bit.ly/tonilovemerch . Thank you all and especially my coach Gwenn Prinbeck for gently pushing me to uncover all that I am. “What’s the greater risk? Letting go of what people think – or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?” ~ Brene’ Brown
I am so thankful for all of my supporters who purchased books, hosted book signings and helped promote !
I was interviewed and featured by Connected Woman Magazine last year shortly after the release of my poetry EP titled The Restoration. My expectation was different than the outcome. I thought I would be talking more about myself as a writer and possibly my journey and experience producing my first body of work; I ended up exposing my life story and sharing my experience strength and hope to all of the women (and possibly men) in need of restoration!
Connected Woman Magazine was gracious enough to revive last year’s article and you can check it out for yourself. If you want to hear the CD, you can purchase a limited edition, autographed copy for $10 to celebrate the second anniversary of the release!
I hope you take time to rest, reflect and rejuvenate over the holiday weekend and come out of it restored and ready!
Make today great and remember #loveistheanswer!
The Restoration CD
"Toni's CD is a lovely and intensely positive affair, taking her highly personal, even intimate poetry and setting it to soulful grooves and atmospheric arrangements. " - Robb McCall
Have you had your heart broken and are afraid to love again? Do you feel like you give yourself to others and don’t know how to love yourself? Do you yearn for a surge of passion and romance in your life? Do you love good music and poetry? If you can say yes to any or all of these questions, then do yourself a favor and click the link below to order my debut EP titled “The Restoration”. I intertwine poetry with the brilliant music of Robb McCall to explore all of the above emotions and feelings. As you allow yourself to become immersed in the music and share in my journey, I am confident you will fall in love with love again!
You can purchase the entire EP with the bonus track or download the digital version by clicking the link below:
If you would like an autographed copy of the EP, or a Toni Love T-shirt, please visit my site by clicking here —-> Order Toni Love Music and Merchandise.
All CDs, t-shirts and tickets ordered from my site will arrive with a hand written thank you note and autographed as you choose.
The Restoration is my gift to you. I believe we can do nothing without love first. I offer you a chance to release old love, rekindle your current love or to believe that the love you seek will become more than a dream. Get the love you desire today!
My baby has finally arrived! I’m so excited to announce that my first ever poetry CD/EP is available for purchase. There are six tracks and one bonus track of my original poetry and original music produced by Robb McCall of RPX Productions. I am currently working on getting the tracks formatted and uploaded to CD Baby so that the EP can be purchased digitally but until then you can email me at: tonitalove2@gmail.com and I will send you a PayPal invoice for $15 which covers the total amount of the CD and postage. I have a limited number of these special edition copies and I will personally autograph it for anyone who orders a physical copy. I am also happy to deliver the CD to you personally if you are in the Philadelphia area. Once again, I couldn’t have done it without the support of my GoFundMe.com contributors, family and friends. I’ve shared some of the comments I’ve received about “The Restoration” below:
Dope!
Loved it and the music enhanced the words. I would like to purchase a copy to share also!
Don’t ever stop doing what you’re doing!
You made me believe in love again!
I need three more copies!
Captivating!
Blown away in the most literal sense of the word!
I am thrilled at the responses but I think you should get your own copy and form your own opinion 🙂
I truly appreciate your support and thank you in advance for the LOVE!
I am looking forward to being with you at the Rebel Wind Poetry Uprising tonight (Thursday, 1.26) at Bittersweet Kitchen – Terry Rumsey
TONIGHT! Thursday, January 26, 2023 7:00 PM Start Time Bittersweet Kitchen https://eatatbittersweet.com/ 18 South Orange Street Media, PA 19063
Featured Reader: Toni Love – Celebrated author, performer, poet, & singer Poet of Ceremonies: Terry Rumsey – Political activist, social commentaor, & writer
Open Poetry Reading to Follow Featured Reading
Baked goods, coffee, tea, and cider will be available for sale tonight. Please support Bittersweet Kitchen, since they are supporting performance poetry.
Kiss Kiss These lips They are eager for your gentle touch The anticipation of soft skin against skin Tender Moist Oh how I love the sensation of your tongue Gliding ever so slowly around my oval Moving deeper inside Teasing my anticipation Increasing my drive Feeling warmth and compassion each time our lips collide I can’t take the multiple explosions anymore So I moan some form of your name Begging you to come up for air To give these lips One More Kiss
#takecareofmetuesday This photo by @zamanifeelingsphotography I call my “ok God, what’s next?” stance. It was taken on a night that was a pivotal moment for me because I was surrounded by people who believed in me and didn’t want anything from me but to see me shine. I let go of my plan for the evening and let them help me, and it was greater than I ever imagined. I was the spotlight performer and ended up bringing a 3 piece band of good friends and we shut the place down (check out a clip of the performance below)! ✨️
When the rug is pulled out from under you without a warning, you can either stay where you’ve fallen and wait for someone to pick you up, or you can take the time to meditate and envision the beautiful, safe replacement “rug” God has in store for you, get up and go get your blessing. ✨️Just for today Let time take time, say no to people who are constantly taking and not giving and do what brings YOU joy today. ✨️Trust the process, everything will come full circle God I’m listening
Sewey Hole Family presents Bruiz and Friends , a Live poetry reading filmed at the infamous Pen and Pencil club in Philadelphia. The event including poetry readings from James Feichthaler, Bob Zell and myself, Toni Love will ONLY be viewed on the Facebook page of Keith Outlaw so visit the Event page to access the link to watch us live.
I hope you are able to check out the show. I will be reading a few new poems but please support and grab a copy of my poetry book or CD from my website and I’d be happy to autograph it for you.
Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies…
~Erich Fromm
Last nights episode of This is Us hit me to the core. I have been a fan of the show since it’s inception, not only because the writing is so beautifully woven but I was particularly impressed at how perfectly they captured the personality and stressors of being a gifted black male in a white world. Randall reminds me so much of my own son and although I am not a white woman, as a sole parent, I can relate to her character as as a mother mostly raising her children on her own.
This episode brought back the deep sadness that I felt as the caretaker for my own mother. The hospice nurse coming to let us know that she had 48 hours left with us and the goodbyes we had to say as we stood sobbing by her side. It was the most heart wrenchingly beautiful moments I’ve ever experienced. At the age of 35, in my first trimester, carrying my first born in my womb I wished time would stop in that moment and raise her up just to see me through my pregnancy. I carried so much grief for so long afterwards, not just for myself but for my unborn child who would never know how it felt to have a loving, nurturing grandmother hug and kiss them. So of course my tears flowed during the goodbye scene, both affirming the end of this part of her journey and experiencing the writers vision of a soul’s transition from this life to the spirit world. I saw myself in the only daughter, the last one to say goodbye moments before she took her last breath. I saw my brothers, I saw my Godmother, her best friend letting her know it was okay to go and that she’d take over the nurturing.
I saw the sadness, the pain and the peace.
I saw the joy when Rebecca was finally reunited with her true love.
There was so much that reminded me of my own mother’s transition, yet what hit me the most was how Rebecca questioned if she had done enough as a mother. The what ifs that I often feel especially when my children are struggling with school and life. The questioning and guilt I feel when I leave them alone or with a caregiver because I just need some time away from all of the heavy responsibilities of giving and mothering. I adore my children and I wouldn’t have it any other way -well, maybe I would have a regular housekeeper! – raising them on my own, but I think society places such a burden on the custodial parent regardless of why the other parent is absent from parenting.
I am thankful that I have loved ones who remind me that I am a loving mother, and that I am doing the best I can with my children. I remind myself of how much I’ve sacrificed to provide for and support them. I think one thing the writer didn’t get right is that our loved ones continue to show up for us, care for us, help us and nurture us even after they transitioned. I’m sure I will do the same for my children and loved ones when I transition.
And because I have several decades of healthy life remaining in this lifetime, I am committed to incorporate #rest into my daily living so that I won’t have to wait until my transition to experience true rest.
Toni's Room 