Poesis

Introduction

I had a very turbulent 2021. Like many people, for that matter.

One way I dealt with it, was through creativity and community. I'm pretty proud of the creative adventure I went on. For a couple of months, I prepared and performed every week, a 3 minute long 'poetic invocation' of an aspect of my personality, or later on, an emotion. This was an amazing experience and I learned so much about what it means to me to express my character, and to express my relationship to topics like Love, Devotion, and Confidence.

I took a break for a while after that, and went on a rabbithole into Twitter, motivated by my newfound interest in web3 which was starting to blow up at the time. I'd never really...PLAYED, EXPLORED in Twitter before, but this time was different, as I was very intentional about who I followed and engaged with, because frankly I wanted to be inspired. I heard about an account called @visakanv from a friend of mine, and started following him and his ideas. One thing he shared about was the power of doing '100 things', and to that end there was a tradition in that part of twitter of writing a 100 tweet thread once a year.

The idea of that kind of challenge amused and intrigued me, and I decided I would write 100 poems over 100 tweets.

And...well, I just did it. Every day, I'd wake up, and at some point in the day, either at the library, or our living room, or wherever I found myself, I'd knock out as many poems as flowed through me over about 25 minutes. Sometimes I'd go way past that time box and just keep going until some signal inside of me told me to stop.

For 2 weeks I added to this chain of poems, with consistency and great joy, sometimes finding myself a bit ecstatic as I let the words flow into the thread.

The best part was watching how it evolved over that course of time. It started out with every poem just representing how I felt or something silly...but as I kept going I watched a narrative form, about me, finding my voice, finding a sense of creative flow as I weaved the thread. One night during that time period, the muse whispered to me 'this work is called Poesis', and so it was, and I began to share poems about that concept and word.

Eventually it became this extended narrative poem about a magic-wielding, poetic, space pirate captain journeying with his crew on a spaceship named Poesis, to a planet called Akasha to search for the source of creative power, and to win the heart of the Muse in the process.

It was so fun, it was so strange watching this thread evolve and choose a shape and let itself become it.

My main takeaway from this experience is...haha, well, sometimes, it's best to just let go of the wheel and let the muse, inspiration, whatever it is, just draw me into her Self, and see what happens, and love the journey, and the work that emerges from it.

I can't honestly say whether it's 'good' or not. It's silly. And honest. But...it flowed through me, and this imagination, and these typing fingers.

It deserves to live, and be seen, and read, just by the virtue of having been born.

Here it is. Here I am.

1.

Today a handsome rogue, feeling ever so bold Here and now commits to sharing what he knows 100 poems in 100 tweets, pulled from the heart’s hold. @threadapalooza I dedicate this poempalooza to you, A poet’s attempt to infuse his gold into Twitter’s fold

2.

A shitpost: The male urge, After days of good eating Dropping a huge deuce that is Undeniable in quality and girth, With a heart of joy and pride To Let all my friends know

3.

Library, library Wondrous place, yet so ordinary Bless me with your free wifi Haunt me with thy homeless in the bathroom Be irritated with me as I place holds On 5 books at one time I will work in you Lounge in you Space out in you Library, library Let me marry you

4.

I’m having way too much fun, Giggling as I type, warmed by the sun, Lurking in threads, lists and feeds This platform is a barrel of laughs, A jungle of apes, Punks vibing in the corner, Witches in the cut, By the time this day is done I will look back And lament none

5.

What’s the difference Between me and you? From where flows, all of this productive juice? Why does two hours of focus, drain me for the day Yet I watch all these builders, pull 24 hour raids? Is it passion? Is it adderall? Oh dearest muse, guide me to this magic waterfall

6.

Lord help me, because 100 is a lot I find myself kind of excited as I drop tweets into this boiling hot pot Why poems? Why now? I’ve always had a knack for words, Never had to ask how It’s just strange I never thought myself a poet Yet here we are

7.

Frustrating to have ideas galore when consistent failure to execute leaves me sore So much for no laments The Universe removed the rose-colored tints From these soul’s shades. Despite it all, something inside burns Whispers, ‘sharpen your blades’ The dream lives on

8.

There’s something here for me in this space I can’t quite name it but I know this taste Magic and whimsy Numbers and thunder You can feel it in the air This honest hunger There’s something better for us all And god willing, ample opportunities To fuckin’ ball

9.

Sweet number nine, To you I dedicate this next rhyme You never complain, You never whine You just roll up and curve Flexin’ as you sip your juicy wine

10.

Might be time to layoff ye olde pen Ten in one day, not a bad haul This hero can’t front, it’s definitely a load off Satisfaction in creativity, Maybe not productive? But fuck it, it’s a start :P

11.

Can’t help myself There’s always more to share Once I feel expressed I’m lead up to a new stair The muse is asking, once again For me to donate my energy To the collective ether electrifying the air

12.

I see the game, my cherished love There’s always more magic in my spellbound blood What would you have me call into reality, What would have me speak out of fealty? Maybe I really am an artist Here to kiss the feet she places before me Damn you, beautiful muse.

13.

Everyone always sats that we can choose For me there’s an alarm ringing with no snooze Create weird shit, be honest with yourself dude Maybe that means you’ll be broke How much worse could that be Than a life with no magic and hope?

14.

Is it just me? Or is this tweet storm carrying a narrative A lost soul bleeding from remains of a shiv I inhale life I exhale story As natural as breathing As inevitable as a baby’s teething Fuck with me A bard dying to be properly unsheathed

15.

For 10 years I lived for one alone I have no regrets, I needed to hear that tone After burning in soul’s fire There’s less of me interested in the game of ‘acquire’ What’s a higher motivation, a greater cause to serve…? Something greater than me to sharpen the nerves…

16.

Again and again, I re-devote, I make claims as to what I stand for, As to what I channel hope, Who am I to claim ‘bodhisattva’ Fearful mind whispers ‘thou art a joke’ And yet…what if my voice were truly needed? If I hold back my gift… Certainly nothing will shift.

17.

Poesis The art, the act of making It can be anything, even baking building mechanisms for staking the generation of physical reality, upon a living being’s waking This creative flow got me shaking

18.

The urge to create The urge to make The urge to mate Something powerful inside Driving us forward To a beautiful, ecstatic fate

19.

Surging forth It asks for no explanation It asks for no justification For all our sakes, an act of autotelia From which a soul makes Itself from nothing To something And back again

20.

Something green, something gold Calls out to me from beyond the known It goes by many names, Moloch, bitcoin Tokens on tokens asking to be earned Why am I being coy I’m talking about money I desire her, and know that she desires me Come to me my dear, Let me taste your honey

Surprise lights up the nerves A feeling of wonder A sparking verve I’m very committed to weaving this thread My heart soars when I read what I’ve said A teacher I love asked me once, ‘Don’t you want to do this for the rest of your life?’ Yes. I do, Jonathan.

22.

In my excitement My thirst for poetic enlightenment I may forget To number these documents Forgive me I’m just surrendering to my passion

23.

A huge smile is plastered on this face My life force quickens, dying to keep up the pace Is this flow? This experience of putting on An epic show for the delight of my childlike soul? The body is ready to burst From this electrifying pulse The voice taunts, “Do your worst 😈”

24.

Ah! I was distracted! A little blue notification And my attention is ready to pack it in Oh you fickle mind I still love you Your vigilance is appreciated Grateful that we noticed Because there’s so much more to do!

25.

A quarter of the way through And yet this project still feels so new! For every act of poesis, this poet takes on a brighter hue A youthfulness, long repressed Spilling forth in a torrent of text. I’m so here for this, absolutely, yes.

26.

I feel as though I should say something ‘important’ Some epic treatise on the nature of soul Or perhaps a powerful essay making comparison to Alice’s rabbithole? Nah.

27.

A rainy day Cold and gray Who says it never rains, in Southern California? All the more reason to appreciate The magic of weather A constant reminder of the inevitability of change

28.

A radiance grows From within my heart Not just an idea But a palpable, visceral sweetness Like a delicious morning tart Close my eyes and sink in Enjoying the gift of aliveness Always here and generous

29.

Did you know? For a living, I once wrote code It was humble, straightforward work Passing my days in the worlds of react, rails, and node I find myself drawn back to it, slowly but surely The lure of web3, ethereum, worldbuilding Ever so alluring

30.

Hehe, I almost forgot To number this plot At the last second rescued By vigilant thought

31.

Thirty-one I find myself reminiscing on this year The age I found myself totally adrift Unmoored from my previous career The journey I set out on, at this age Helped me integrate, the part of me That identified as a modern mage

32.

As of this weaving 32 is the number of years that I’ve been seeking A way of life that is honest and true Colorful, soothing like oceans’ blue Through much pain and confusion I rise again like the phoenix For a new epoch of creative infusion

33.

The jesus year Why do I find myself thinking about age for this tear? Soon I’ll be there, on January 23rd, 2022 For all the dark and weird for the past 24 months I dunno, I’ve got a very compelling, positive hunch Something is blossoming I’ll ponder it over lunch

34.

A little tired Pulling on this thread Come so far And there’s so much more ahead Stay vigilant, oh you philosopher-king Let the muse swoop down and carry me In her soft, light-bound wing

35.

There’s a beautiful quiet Blossoming within this head The process of poesis Making room for the construction Of a brand new homestead With fields of green And giant, magical world-trees I’ll frolick, swagger and strut Carrying a giant load of wondrous, reality-seeding fruit

36.

Dearest muse, Despite fatigue, At this moment, I choose To give my full attention to you.

37.

Beloved poesis My flowing oasis A place to rest my soul When to me the world feels old I’ll give my all until this thread is 100 poesies tall

38.

Part of me desires to put you to work To see if for us you can earn A bit of support A bit of validation of our creative worth Why worry? Why plan? If it valuable, there will be demand If not, I’m glad I did this The autotelic joy Was totally worth the risk

39.

Sex death and magick Tricksy mischief Something chaotic and wild stirs The will to challenge what I see The desire to subvert what I hear The ecstasy of transmuting fear For the near future, I suspect that my actions and speech will be fortuitously bold

40.

I stop to check in I wait I listen The life force surges The words begin to form The hesitation is purged How blessed I am to give in to the poetic urge

41.

Relax, relax, relax Let in the groove Be flexible and strong Worry not about being wrong Dance your dance, smooth badass Sing your sweet song All Motherfuckin’ Night Long

42.

Ooh ooh Isn’t this a hoot Mr Owl I see you wink I see you look Giggling out loud now I suspect at this point in the weaving, I’m in a silly mood Good! What more suitable wood Could be thrown onto this soulful fire To cook up this whimsical, Delicious, Nourishing, food

43.

It’s a whole vibe To sit here and write While absorbing vocal EDM A throbbing A hum This shit is so good Makes a player want to come over and dance together Get your mind out of the gutter You goofy nutter 😈😜

44.

Alas! I can’t help but rhyme With the number above The first word that came to mind Was ‘war’ Image and feeling runs through me Me and my trusty Titan racing down streets of interstellar colonies Blasting away at fools As swift, sword wielding mechs Threaten and haunt me

45.

A story I want to tell a story A story that rhymes A story that sings A story that purrs The same was my beloved muse does When I give my full relentless gift to her The hands shaking The core quaking Desiring and hoping For poem intertwined with lore

46.

Hope Sometimes it feels like a rope Keeping me from the edge Sometimes it feels like dope Lifting me high, though potentially blinding Hard to live with, hard to live without Heh. Hope is like a scout Seeing what’s ahead To ready and steady the heart For the next part

47.

Patron saint of the lost The defeated The damned The exiled The ignored The unseen I am grateful and honored to receive this title This role is utterly vital Without us, how would we identify the winners? With a smile I accept my part A friend and confidant to all sinners

48.

I wonder and ponder Those of us of the African diaspora Who found ourselves lost and freed in the South With no tribe to name or return to No traditions or stories to steel our hearts Are we cursed here? Where are our gods? Our myths? Our spirits? Forgive me for being dark 🙏🏾

49.

All morning and afternoon Frustration held tight the reins of my soul. This one went for a walk, with hopes of thinking and moving suffering feelings out ’Twas a great success! Productive, creative time Opening space in my chest

50.

Halfway through, This poesis process Proceeds quickly Promising powerful insights And potent creations A half dollar of poems Purchasing beautiful bounties Preparing my heart To level up this fine art

51.

What if it’s all good? Pain, suffering, The constant pulls of shoulds Look my debts My feelings My self In the eyes And bless them each As agents of providence arriving from beyond reason’s reach

52.

As I flow down this stream Lusting after a truly grandiose dream A word appears in my brain Falling upon my heart like rain ‘Responsibility’ Take it, wear it, own it I hate to admit lacking this ability So I must ride it, seize it, Like a surfer of the sea

53.

Catch this big wave Dance on that thang Like the voluptuous beauty You just had to know at the rave Lights flashing Sweat splashing Own the direction Control the flow Leave everybody awe-struck By the end of your grand show

54.

A real showman knows When to turn bright and loud Overcharge the spotlight Illuminate the crowd A true bard Understands when to raise their guard Understated, shy, lure them in with your guise When they’re curious, drawn close Show them your heart, their surprise the prize

55.

Bird of prey, bird of power, soar through infinite skies Call and sing out your heart’s desire Death is promised, so encant and enchant Burst in iridescent flames Be reborn again, scream with joy At good fortune to play infinite games

56.

I read once that a true king is shaper of names With pen and voice, we create new frames Paths of meaning and vibration with which to create A word is a brick. Grammar the cement. Here to build a grand library Atomic vocabulary, the Word that was before all things.

57.

As I continue down this path A unique math Makes itself known. Themes connecting together weaving seams Brave shipwrights crafting vessels To navigate the dark nights of soul Is this Poesis my ship, my muse to carry me through? Yes, surely this is what it’s meant to do.

58.

If Poesis is my ship, then what is the wind in her sails? The smile that arises in the heart When creative power arises like divine gales? As the sun sparks and radiates solar flares We catch the gravitational waves And head out in search of wonder in deep space

59.

Ahoy ye salty space dogs The SS Poesis flies through the astral plane As the hawk soars wild and untamed We’re mapping the cosmos, sapping asteroids for ever more inspo A thousand rowdy poet-pirates Ready, set, let’s fucking go.

60.

This image of me as space captain Is so fucking happening I see it now, the long black cloak The neon-chromatic suit A tasteful cybernetic eye-patch A glass of fine star-wine And always a beauty with which to dine Yes I’m a bit problematic, It’ll (probably) be fine

61.

The vessel fuels itself at this point There is no need to plan To cajole the soul to sit at the console The mind-body itself desires to whole Letting go of control Allows the precious catalyst of imagination To power the warp engine’s growth

62.

What direction calls forth to the crew of this mighty boat? A jaunt down to Jupiter to taste success’ sweet nectar as it runs down my throat? Lets cross through the wormhole of curiosity Engine turned up to full blast to pass through the tunnel’s gravitational viscosity

63.

Yes, I am fully embracing this conceit The metaphor of the spaceship Floating, blasting, casting into the astral sea It feels so natural for a serial adventurer To wax poetic about imaginal space with the magic of verse and grammar

64.

The astral winds blow The heart to and fro Releasing of old wants Misguided ideas producing unhelpful fronts This mage-captain once wished to be normal Not realizing it was suppression and ever so harmful It’s ok to be an eccentric artist To be a radiant star, the sparkliest

65.

There’s an interesting line That runs up the front of this body of mine When eyes are closed And stories are contemplated and told An electric charge, pleasurable and activating Makes it clear to me what is captivating The light reveals all. Nothing more than illusions.

66.

With every revelation A little more power is added To help this ship reach our sacred destination A complete, unhindered expression of flow Cosmic, mighty, bright This energy feeds life, it helps souls grow Granting us passage to a place Where all is available to know

67.

Where all the dimensions cross Is the throne of the great and mighty final boss The last place in all of time and space They stand ready with spear and magic To test the souls of those who request passage I will not be stopped, I will reach the goal Stand aside you did goat

68.

Your courage is vast, and your heart bright Your tongue is silver, and direction right. Are you prepared? Do you really want to see? Does thou have the skill to best me? Maybe you do, maybe thy don’t If thy will is to reach Akasha You best pray and hope.

69.

Oh Odin God of wisdom and magic Is this where we’re at then? How tragic. This captain and this Poesis Have made up their mind With sword, blaster, and rhyme To change our fates, to shatter time. Show me your wit. Show me your runes.
Do you heart that? My favorite tune…

70.

A greater bard there never was, Born in the dirty south, under yellow sun Hear my boast old man, you better run. The engine is ready, the crew is rowdy In the words of the great Master P We bout it bout it. Yeah I took there, I don’t fight fair. Get smacked by my dope hair!

71.

Tsk tsk tsk Your repeated mistake is your overexposure to risk Young wild pirate captain… You expect far too much to just happen To best me you must employ reason To reach Akasha you must refine your intuition Now show me why you deserve to stand in my presence

72.

I deserve nothing though I desire everything That’s good enough to me I thought I could just believe myself to be Worthy of all righteous things But I live in a world, in a society I will earn the people’s trust Through repeated acts of responsibility

73.

I assumed that I could charge forward Go all out, full force like a mad bull It’s not healthy, it’s not ok I am a human, I need rest, I need to feel safe If I act like a madman, what will become of my ship? Of my crew? Of my family? Indeed Odin, I’ve been a fool…

74.

I can hear it in your voice I see it in your heart Mage-captain, you’ve found a deeper understanding Of the highest art. Serve the people. Serve the muse. You have the power to choose. The responsibility to weave, create, open doors. You may pass. Know that my spear is yours.

75.

With spear in hand and knowledge of runes, This enlightened crew passes through to Akasha’s orbital moons… Celestial bodies harboing life and phenomena It’s tempting to stop and admire the totemic automata… Focus. Full speed ahead. The muse awaits me in her bed.

76.

The final stretch The last quarter My beautiful ship, ever so fresh Enters atmosphere, ever closer The heart begins to race I can taste the end of the chase Must stay present Have to maintain order This captain will transcend his lust For the sake of his lover Wait for me…

77.

Fear and hesitance begin to take hold The closer I get to my goal Will we stick the landing? Will my voice persist, resonant and commanding? Will the Poesis reach Akasha’s Records in one piece? Will the crew stick with me until the final feast? I pray to Odin to victory…

78.

The turbulence and fire of re-entry relents The platinum vessel, radiating beauty and aesthetics Lands on new, familiar lands, filled with mystical hints The crew rushes out, excited to end their time as ship-bound ascetics I know this place. I smell mystery. Why ‘re’-entry?

79.

Captain and crew, disembark to gauge the world’s mood Rivers of wine, and angelic beings looking ever so fine Whisper and wave, promising good times. A sky that changes, without rhyme or reason, from blue to black to red, with no regard for season.

80.

There’s nothing quite like it, This world of imagination and amusement. Beasts of light and random features Roam the forests and seas, these hybrid creatures Wolves of fire howl and burn Quantum butterflies pop in and out of turn Giant laser snakes Disregard my personal space

81.

This long and winding road An ethereal, non-linear experience Like I consumed venom of a certain toad In a haze of action and reflection all of my fears and desires on display this infinite projection I’m tired and so is my crew I pray that the goal will soon come into view

82.

The body is exhausted The mind is scattered The trials of Akasha are numerous & crazy I fear I will soon shatter “One foot in front of the other” The muse whispers, nearby, with the gentleness of a mother I can see it now, Akasha’s crown May this be the end of my long frown

83.

The Muse awaits At the top of this world I can see the energies coalesce & swirl One foot in front of the other We climb to witness destiny unfurl The hearty crew of the Poesis sings as they ascend the mountain Just a little further now I can see Her waiting at a fountain

84.

The moment we reach the summit It becomes clear that we really done it The Muse strides toward me and leaps into my arms, Overcome with relief at my avoiding harm. We passionately kiss, finally united The crew cheers, happy to see their captain’s heart righted.

85.

Loers united at last Now it is time to make a final pass Hand in hand, captain, muse and crew walk into the Akashic Records The storehouse of all genius, The library accessible only through beingness My love, she gently pulls me to a shelf, There’s a book: How to Love Self

86.

Together we open the tome The words, clear as water, seep into my dome “The trick to loving the Self, is to know what it is” “If the Self is all that exists in awareness, Then it’s just a matter of choosing to love the mess To love the stress To love the woman in the red dress”

87.

Somedays it will be hard to see the good in the personal ego So choose to focus on a cherished hero When you love at all, you are loving the Self When you love at all, you are loving the all There is no separation, It’s just a matter of clever selection

88.

Space pirate mage-captain, Wielding love, wisdom and spear What will happen? What new possibility will appear? I tell y’all what, listen to me now I’m gonna mil this knowledge like a sacred cow My ship, my crew, my eternal gorgeous muse? I love you all, till I finally fall

89.

The Captain glowing in Love grows mighty wings like those of a dove Raising Odin’s Spear, free of the ghost of fear The captain gives a new order, loud and clear “My crew! Whom I love as my own, Go forth and play! Let your genius be known!” The crew cheers, raising big beers

90.

And so the crew of the mighty Poesis Cut loose with wild joy all over their faces Hearts uplifted by Akasha’s essence With each other and the imaginal beasts they were fully present These big hearted, eccentric pirates Danced, feasted and sang, in love and fearless

91.

Celebrations are completed, and it’s time to leave lest the night be repeated. On the bridge of his craft, With a smidge of attitude considered daft Surrounded by loved ones The Captain marries the Muse, and where mouth meets mouth, The destined lovers fuse.

92.

And so the SS Poesis Mighty, space-faring vessel Living treatise with creative expression as thesis Blasts off into the astral In search of treasure romance and adventure

93.

Now here I am. Transformed once again Through making and creating Using my god-given hands. I didn’t know I had it in me. The capacity for consistent poetic expression, It’s enough to make a lesser man envy My infinite ability To sweet words off their feet

94.

After it’s all said and done I must say that was a whole lotta fun. To ride the wave of energy Each day an opportunity to imagine and see What the Muse wanted to express through me As always she delivers God damn I love that witch Her touch always gives me the shivers

95.

Now I’m sitting here In my childhood home Both body and mind traveled Across space time to a forgotten zone From city where it never rains To land where thunderstorms and tornadoes Batter the horizon like every day. That’s kind of an exaggeration Don’t mind me I’m an aberration

96.

Fuck it, I’m feeling a declaration Something inside of me cries for expression My name is Matthew D. Huff The Archangel of Dopeness, Griot of the Stars King of the Universe, The dude you definitely need to fuck with. Forever braggadocious and precocious

97.

What I lack in money I make up for in genius Where I’m scarce in resources I’m abundant in creative forces I make no excuse All I do is choose To be authentic and true. Sometimes I’m weak. Sometimes I’m strong. But I promise each and everyone of you I’m in this for the long

98.

I wonder now. What exactly did I learn? What did I make? It feels like I just did some serious digging And dissolved something fake. My truth in this moment right now Is that I need to trust that I know How to be someone free and proud An unruly man, loud, floating on a cloud

99.

Coming to you live from the Dirty South This is the Captain of the SS Poesis That Dude With The Cleanest Digital Mouth Allowing all manner of riff raff, silliness, irreverence Borderline madness May all of you who read this Surrender completely to your weirdness

100.

May all living beings be free of suffering May all beings’ hearts constantly be touching May we all be filled with loving kindness May all know profound poetic justice Unleash your voice, let your juice flow May you always know That you got a friend right here Forever yours.

THE END