My beloved wisdom womb surrounded by soft, brown flesh protecting magic forgive me for wishing you away
For cursing you and shaming you as I wrestled you into the jeans bought too tight just to impress that boy stuffing you inside girdles and other undergarments designed to control and confine your beauty
succumbing to the misogynist media narrative seeking to dissolve you in the name of purity and perfectionism I was taught the process of dissipating you never the power of your sacred protest
Forgive me for forgetting your sacrifice during the abortion
The day you held and protected my first born as I laid stretched out over my mother's casket
I, for a moment, failed to remember the grace and light you allowed when I only saw darkness
Growing and cradling my grandmother's eggs to bring forth life when I didn't know how I would even live
Your strength and determination to hold two nine pound babies to term How you held my sorrow for the three who I would never see My rainbow child still recalls the soft and calming swish of your cascading melodies / music she continues to push out into the world on her own
Even sliced and laced after two cesarean section, you still hold move beautifully How could I be ashamed of your capacity to heal and nurture us all If I never cried for you, I should never try to hide you
So I vow now
No more 'Spanx' or disgusted gazes in the mirror when you show yourself to the world You are my lifesaver My miracle maker My healer and the source of all my creation I love you and thank you My wisdom womb
Hey poetry fans, if you haven’t been to the Imperfect Gallery located at 5539 Germantown Avenue in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, you are formally invited to come out during the entire month of March.
The entire month will be dedicated to Women artists, and if you want to see me and the phenomenal Sabriaya, (check out her full bio on her website) a poet, educator and storyteller, then mark your calendars and stop by The Imperfect Gallery on March 14th, 2024 at 6PM. The $15 cover supports the artists with work on display, the performers and the beautiful art gallery.
Seating is limited, so please come early.
I’m honored to be sharing the “stage” with all of the talented women who will be in the space, and sharing some poetry that you’ve never heard before.
Feel free to drop a heart below and share your excitement about coming. Your presence would mean the world to me!
“The Mad Poets Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt arts organization, is an integral part of the Philadelphia writing community. Mad Poets has grown from humble roots and a handful of poets at Media Borough Hall in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, to over 100 members in six states. It is an active organization of poets and writers who have joined together for camaraderie and critique with heart, to celebrate the creative soul and to promote the literary arts. “
In just a few months, I will have to give up my crown to another worthy poet. Each year they choose a poet who is given the opportunity to feature their work on their blog along with insight into their inspiration for the poem that they choose for the month. I am proud to be a mad poet and I thoroughly enjoy every event, poetry reading and book review that I’ve experienced and am in awe of the creativity, brilliance and compassion of the poets I’ve met.
It has been an honor and challenge to choose 12 poems out of all that I have written, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. I hope you hop over to their blog to check out the poem that was featured in January, as I think about what I will choose for February. Which love poem should I choose?
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.
Hey I hope you’re coming out on May 18th to check me out. I’ll be reading from my book Toni’s Room along with these fabulous poets at Fergie’s pub. But if you cannot then click the link below to get all the information you need to register for the virtual zoom reading. I hope you can join either way, but if you come out, you can get on the open mic. ♥️All my love, Toni
Elevator available, open mic and refreshments afterwards.
Repost from the Mad Poets Society of PA newsletter:
Friends and fans of poetry! Our next First Wednesday poetry reading, at 7:00 p.m. on April 6, will feature two wonderful poets: Tonita Austin, aka Toni Love, and James Feichthaler!
The reading will take place in the Ballroom, *upstairs* at the Community Arts Center, 414 Plush Mill Rd., Wallingford, PA. If anyone has questions or needs info about the CAC elevator, contact series host Sibelan Forrester at <sforres1@swarthmore.edu> or leave voicemail at (610) 328-8162.
Light refreshments will be served, and an Open Mic will follow the featured reading.
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!
We’re shipping out more orders of autographed copies of “Toni’s Room” today! Thank you for your support!
I have to thank you once again for the love and support I was shown in New York City 2 weeks ago. I am still floating on that cloud and really received a wonderful response to sharing a look inside of my poetry book Toni’s Room. Everyone who attended said how inspired they were. There were tears and laughter and they loved being able to see the poetry come to life during my reading. Thanks again to the amazing Karen Smith, percussionist extraordinaire who accompanied me on my visit to Harlem. We had a great time and it was a fabulous homecoming for both. A donation was made to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America in memory of my mother Ethel Connor who transitioned from the disease. All purchases through the end of this month will contribute to another donation. 💙
I hope you will consider purchasing a book as a gift and there are still a limited number of CDs left to add to your purchase.
A few have already purchased books as holiday gifts.
Order a copy for the poet or aspiring writer in your life. My youngest fan is 8 years old, my oldest is 72! 💓
There are two options: Direct purchase from Amazon
or order from my website with shipping if you would like an autographed copy.
Honored to share the stage with some of the best artists in Philadelphia as one of the poets performing a tribute to Ursula Rucker Wednesday, June 19th 7pm at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia! 💓
My friend and musician extraordinaire Richard Tucker will also be honored. The lineup is amazing I hope you will come out! 🎶🎤
Toni's Room 
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