Ani DiFranco is so freaking amaaaazing. Her concert moved me to tears, the song i dont know the title of, i think its "school night" or something was just such a beautifully written interpretation of unfortunate circumstances.

I feel like writing a poem... later i'll try to translate this feeling into paragraph form. but just to explain: before we went to see ani difranco, we went to the camden house and got a tour of a torn down city covered with drug deals and prostitutes and pollution and crime. but there are people there doing some incredible things with urban gardens and other various projects dedicated to bringing something positive to the city people hope to forget about. www.camdenhouse.org.


continue reading if you wish to interpret this stream of consciousness:


this is but one way to live
only yourself to give
to build ideals based on experience
i'd better adhere to the rules
or they'll kick me out of this place
so what happens when i unconsider the stakes
and do what it takes to listen to that voice i have
the one that doesn't let myself fade
the one that doesn't take the time to degrade just to feel powerful when i'm weak
we're like a team of chaos, constantly working together
so that someone is upset, and someone is higher
we'll keep it well-balanced with pain and disaster
and self-righteous happiness driving on past
this inner city tragedy wiping my window with a rag
next to girls on the corner waiting to be asked
in front of the house housing flesh that's been stabbed
and driving on past is middle upper class, locking their doors
getting out fast
forgetting what they saw, or shelving it behind their bills and work and money
and preoccupations that make them feel like they're going to die of too much to get done.
so they drive themselves, right out of touch with
themselves.
because they were the person left out on the street corner
asking to get in a car they knew would leave them with more
money but much less of themselves. raped of their freedom.
and the corner is the one outside of your job. until what you're doing doesn't fade.
and who you are isn't forced into jade. dead of personal empowering power
that comes out of security and exploring doubts purely and for me
well i just keep on listening and thinking
there are too many multiples to decide what's next
so what happens to happen becomes my at best.
but what happens when i really walk and protest and live as though i am truly blessed with each step?
she steps into the car. her heart beats like mine.


-jo