Wanna be on top?

Yesterday my organization (Babel: A League of Extraordinary Poets) held auditions for the next generation of Babelonians (as we've come to call them). It was my first time sitting in the seat which declared me a "judge".

It was an odd feeling at first. Naturally, I'm invested in the group and don't want anyone involved who I don't think is fully capable. Still, it's different when people are brought to the group and we adjust to each other, knowing we were picked by the same people.

The feeling changes knowing someone's coming into the group compliments of my decision. In a way, I was feeling like, "Who am I to tell these people they aren't good performers?" Then, a bug in my head was like, "Who are you not to?" Talk about internal conflict :)

Either way, some of them were dropping gems. It's been a while since I loaded ya'll with quotes from poetry venues and such, so that's what I plan to do. I'll start with their stuff, then keep it pushing-cause I went to a show called The Sound Testament presented by The Lyrical Playground, and it bout' changed my life. Change that, I'll give you poems from Lyrical Playground in another post.

I digress. Here you go. Before you start reading, just say "BABEL!" one time:

"Stain my hair and make me gothic. Marilyn Manson my moral."
"Standing ovation cause I can pass for Caucasian on landlines."
(Furious George)

"We decided to watch the sunrise together and talk of dead author's ideas."
(Brendan)

"Never be nothing more than a secret he would kill to keep from becoming exposed, the only one my sheets and 2AM knows."
"You won't amount to nothing until you're shown something else exists."
"... I guess time don't heal, but I want to."
"... may God show you what the world cannot."
(Elizabeth)

"Stop talking to me in codes. I'm not a padlock."
"Keys mean vulnerability. So, if you could excuse me while I unlock these kisses. I've been wondering what's been hiding behind them."
"Inhale my poetry, exhale insecurity, and be secure with me. So, you won't need these keys to unlock everything."

(Noel Scales, that's a name ya'll might want to Google. I'm just sayin'.)

"A woman's body is her temple. She must surround it with only kings who are man enough to fight the war but never dumb enough to touch the queen."
(Jasmine McCrawford)

Tryouts Went Well,
B