Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Upcoming Violet & Dubblex at Hell's Kitchen Festival featuring Leo Mintek



Saturday, May 18th - 
Violetwrites Ensemble featuring Dubblex 
Performing  at the 5th Annual 
Hell's Kitchen Art Festival

The PlayWright's Celtic Pub
732 8th Ave, between 45 and 46th Street
212- 3548404

We will perform from 12:50 to 1:50 a.m.


Days below, Friday and Sunday we're not scheduled but will opportunity to perform since according to the person in charge, there are always performers who are unable to show up - so we'll be on call both days to make the night move forward!


Friday, May 17th on call to perform for no shows:
Tobacco Road
355 West 41st Street, just east of 9th Avenue

Sunday May 19th on call to perform for no shows too:

O'Flaherty's Ale House
334 West 46th Street
212-581-1542

On May 17th, I am grateful to have Leo "Minimum-Tek back me up at the performing my "Bluetry".

Leo Mintek will perform a few of his own and we plan to also feature Violet & Dubblex, along with tromboetrist Demetrius Daniel.

Leo will be there one day only because he has previous commitments with his band Outernationals. I plan to make the most of that live guitar.

The other days I will be there with Dubblex, and Thomas Hubbard where we will be on call to perform for no shows, probably listed as violetwrites AKA Joy Leftow ensemble. 

Sunday, April 07, 2013

I DENY IT, I AM NOT A RAPPER


The sky moves beneath my feet; a glistening sun burns my feet
I behold in agony - sadness searching for laughter, I turn to old movies
A checkered sunset rises westbound another demonstration of old things turning new
Tempestuous over tides ruin blandishing broomstick houses
A fire consumes my overgrown garden
Rheumy overtures turn on anticipation mode
I wait while I fight fires or let go
The deep dark vilifications waiting below

The sky moves beneath my feet, planets aligned with fate ignites
Success coming in each new breath, intake and release faith
Tremors take hold, separate skin from bones penetrate my will to procreate
A life out of sight a brand new game emerges from flames
I enter a new dimension, time all aglow with hearts and broken rainbows

Forms beneath my feet towers of past delight but mostly hurts out of sight
Letting blame go becomes easier day to day trying to make it burn to incite more delight
Feign letting go, letting go girl is so hard to do
Hold on to just deserts, I got my last swirl in mad swirl swimming in converts following my concerts
I will get mine tonight
The time’s just right
I will get mine tonight

My just delights
Will be mine at long last

Come on and say it with me:
My just delights
Will be mine at long last

XX’s dad insists on calling me rapper and arguing about it is senseless although I deny it. “I am not a rapper.” I say. My Indian physical therapists insist too. “You are a rapper miss Joy.” I deny it again. “I am not a rapper I declare.” I jam my poetry to music, my baby bluetry.” They say, “OK, OK, we don’t know what to call you we want to come out and support you at your next performance.” Call me you what you want. You can’t define my style and there’s the rub, compare me to anyone.

I feel it in my soul tonight, my poetry and voice reveals your heart. Art a la carte is coming to town via Violet. Blowing in with wind.
Living life is out outta sight, and the glory shall be he said to me, death is coming for everyone. I got the right. I overpaid my dues too just like Rodriguez who lives next door to me.

The sky moves beneath my feet at my command
My just delights will be mine at long last, stay in tune for the jazz band
Aligns with sun signs long past due
I contritely join another band with my last strand of energy
Because I will never let go, my words survive.

Friday, April 05, 2013

Stand in line to criticize me


So-called friends gather together to conspire to criticize me. They review and share the litany of my misdeeds, judge my improprieties. Criticized from all sides. Some call me fickle because of how I live my life. If you’re seeking someone to criticize don’t let me stand in your way. Just stand in line I’m about to sell tickets.

One friend knows how to act to fool anyone and she believes her own lies. I remember she fooled two therapists proving two was as easy as one to deceive. She told me one was for her heart, the other one for her mind. She can no longer see what is deception or illusion. She is like me, lives in her private world of delusion. A flimsy sense of right and wrong betrays me; I see the world through a film of gauze and baubles - always let down.

Criticizing is a waste of time and so easy. Eventually, I get tired of your unkind ways and tell you alcoholism is a mental illness. I resolve not to continue to be unkind so I apologize.

Everyone else is more sensible, They know how to avoid trouble and when I say that is what I’m doing - the same as they have done, I’m called insane and crazy though I’ve been called worse. I say the unsaid things no one else says.

I tell Buck Henry, “I’d rather be faithful but when I get unhappy I also get unfaithful.” He laughs and agrees life is like that. I’d rather not throw stones but when so many stones hit you how many do you take before you throw some back. Imagine! A plagiarizer and a drunken fool with nothing to show stand in line to criticize me. Kill yourself slowly, you have someone waiting below you.

You give yourselves leave to play gods to my queen. You’re both so perfect you have the right to judge me so stand in line to criticize me.

You know you’re better than me if we don’t count your predilection for alcohol and prostitutes bragging how much you hate condoms. I don’t need weapons for my two main accusers. She had him write all her papers so she could go to college to become a nurse. She explained to us how God put him there to write them for her. I pray she’ll never nurse anyone I know. Oops my bad, I agree you’re both better than me. Stand in line to criticize me. Friends don’t criticize = for stupid stuff. I resign myself to stay positive and move towards the light so everything will be all right.

I’m selling tickets now so stand in line to criticize me.

Julio says,  “Everyone kicks a falling star. It’s in your planets to be a humanitarian. You have no luck sister because you were a fallen in a past life. Take yourself away from negativity. Don’t think about negative people and only be with those who are positive. Do this sister and stay positive and move towards the light and everything will be all right.”

I’m moving on to a new hemisphere. Bygones are bygones even woebegone. I’d accept an apology but I understand it’s more important to be right. New beginnings are out of sight!

I make a new year’s resolution to make more friends… and to make amends.