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 canβt 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
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.
Live Poetry Event: Tonita Austin, Sibelan Forrester, Alison Lubar Wednesday May 18, 2022 β 7pm Fergieβs Pub 1214 Sansom Street and on zoom β Registration Required
Come out and hang with me in the City!
I’m excited to share my poetry for the first time at a Moonstone Arts Center event with these gifted poets! There will be an open mic and loads of fun and poetry β€οΈ. I will also have copies of my book “Toni’s Room” for sale and if you already have a copy and want it signed, please bring it with you. They make wonderful Mother’s day gifts.
This intensive word/ thought/ emotion, self-truth-culling, seeks to be a journey of healing, art, therapy, and authentic conversations about life that will result in the creation of individual works/excerpts of EPIC memoir poetry. Each student is invited to perform their created works at this live-streamed event.
Check out the live streamed event on the SIFT Media 215 You Tube Channel tonight, Sunday January 30th from 6-7:30 PM. It’s a creative masterpiece to heal your soul, with the finale by Ursula Rucker!
MAD POETS SOCIETY . Join us tonight for the next Livin’ on Luck reading at 7 pm! We will feature Pat Kelly, Toni Love, and Francesco Pasqualino. Open mic will follow hosted by Brooke Palma. To register, use the link below. See you there! Registration Link: https://wcupa.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0udu-srzkrH9MkU0-RXt2oPzi1gB9giaND?fbclid=IwAR0S58sEyLeH2zARcRshO0mkZv0lSfzBDaXuLypAu1WDa0QYqKQLZzxsDIQ Pat KellyΒ is a writer from Harrisburg. He writesΒ poetryΒ and fiction that explores the dark fringes of humanity and its impact on time and memory. He is currently working on his first collection ofΒ poetry, Buried Litanies, which is both a means of personal therapy and a voice to his repressed experiences with childhood sexual abuse.
Tonita AustinΒ also known as βToni Loveβ is a giftedΒ poet, singer, activist, and writer born in West Philadelphia. While attending Columbia University, Tonita was a student of Amiri Baraka and performed in Ntozake Shangeβs βFor Colored Girlsβ as the Lady in Orange. Her writing is influenced by both experiences. She is a contributor to the anthology The Black Body and featuredΒ poetΒ in the 2018 and 2020 Winter/Fall edition of the Philadelphia Arts and Urban Literary magazine. The Restoration EP is her first published recording; Toniβs Room is her first published book. Toni currently resides in Media,PA
Francesco PasqualinoΒ is a restauranteur and writer living in Pittsburgh, PA. Francesco has supported many artistic groups including The InternationalΒ PoetryΒ Forum, The Hillman Center for Performing Arts, and TheΒ MadΒ PoetsΒ Society, He has had the honor of studying with Ted Kooser and Mary Karr. His writing appears in Voices in Italian Americana,Β MadΒ PoetsΒ Review, Main Street Rag, and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. You’ll find his culinary insights on Attenzione! A Writerβs Journal on his restaurantβs website,Β pasqualinos.com.Β He has also shared his family recipes as an invited guest on WQED public television. Mad Poets Society Β· P.O. Box 1248 Β· Media, Pa 19063 Β· USA
Not only is this a poet’s favourite time of year because poets are summoned to perform and share their work. But it is also a wonderous time for those who love poetry because you can pretty much find poetry anywhere during this national poetry month. A poem in your pocket Can be found scattered amongst stores in your community and you’ll find poetry online and social media so It’s a wonder full time to just get filled up on poetry.
Of course you can go on Amazon to grab a copy of my Poetry book “Toni’s Room; a poetic journey to restoration” If you order from my website you’ll get an autographed copy and while supplies last, a free copy of my poetry CD titled “The Restoration”.
Stay tuned and come back and check out the space from time to time I will publish some poems that Are not included in my book or on this site. Love words, love writing, love expression, love one another, love poetry!
Hey August is my birthday month and I am celebrating this special occasion with you!
If you or one of your friends and family purchase a copy of my poetry book Toni’s Room during the month of August, you will receive a free copy of my limited edition poetry CD titled “The Restoration”. FREE.
So if you have a poetry fan in your life and you were thinking of gifting them this book, now is the time to grab it! Visit my website , choose the shipping option for Toni’s Room and you’ll automatically get a free CD in the package. Just let me know who to autograph it to if it’s not you. Thank you for all your love and support. I hope you are staying safe and well during this time and remember poetry is a great way to keep your mind occupied!
She’s here! I did it Daddy! π₯The paperback version of “Toni’s Room is available for sale! π€ΈπΏββοΈπ 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 ππ½bit.ly/tonilovemerch . Thank you all and especially my coach Gwenn Prinbeck for gently pushing me to uncover all that I am. βWhatβs the greater risk? Letting go of what people think β or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?β ~ Brene’ Brown
I am so thankful for all of my supporters who purchased books, hosted book signings and helped promote !
Mother’s Day is always bittersweet for me. I know as a Mother that there is pressure to smile and gush at the numerous mother’s day wishes, cards and love from my kids, but even after seventeen years, I still awaken with a small void knowing I can only speak the sentiment to my own mom, and seek to hear her respond in soft whispers of the wind.
When I was asked to collaborate with the phenomenal drummers and artists Sistahs Laying Down Hands for Mother’s Day I immediately said yes. Every performance together has been a gift to me and as I tapped into my intuition I knew that I needed to be in that space on that day, I just didn’t know why. I chose to recite a poem I wrote as part of my grief work after my mother transitioned. I was in my first trimester and I thought God to be so cruel to take my mother when I was first becoming a mother. Writing helped me come to terms with the loss and my faith and I recite this poem to help other motherless children feel that it’s okay to speak the pain of grief and release it.
I didn’t know that at the dawn of Mother’s Day this year I would be admitting my first-born to the hospital after spending hours in the emergency room. Everything in me wanted to cancel the performance but I had committed and my son told me “you should do it Mom, I know you’ll be good”. So with little sleep and a strained voice I sang and performed my poem surrounded by the healing energy of the drum. It was where I needed to be and I am grateful for the opportunity to receive the strength and the spiritual support through art.
My poem is about 5 minutes in, but you will want to watch from the beginning for a wonderful spoken word of remembrance of mothers and of course the powerful hands of the Sistahs Karen Smith and Miriama Koroma! You can search this blog for the words to the poem.
May you be continue to feel the nurturing of a mother’s love in spite of where she may or may not be in your life. Love comes in all forms. ~Toni Love