From the KSPS PBS studios, its Inland Sessions.

[Love was suffocated by emotions] In this unique episode of Inland Sessions, poet Stephen Pitters is joined artist Frankie Ghee and dancer Olga Loktev.

It's a wonderful mix of thought provoking spoken word, captivating dance and energetic music.

Right now on Inland Sessions.

“The Long March Home.” The scope and fruits blossoming within the imagination, prepares the portal for all human activity to find its fate.

Our story didn't stop but marched like an army bent on achieving eternal joy at each other's side.

We traveled far and wide, ending in the blessed shadow of the Great Spirit where both blissfully glowed.

“With all the love I own this I give to thee” said he, smiling at her once youthful face.

With eyes and wings like turtle doves looking down from above.

Her peaceful countenance replied, with a crystal sigh, “The good I have is your doing.” Hello, I'm Stephen Pitters, and I'm here to talk to you about, uh, poetry and what it's like to be a poet here in Spokane.

We want to talk to you about poetry styles because it's surprising to me.

Uh, I was writing a piece and found that there are over 160 styles of poetry worldwide, and there's new one's ever, you know, all, all the time.

And as I have been trying to write, uh, I have found that.

It's, it's a lot of fun because for me personally, I write for my feelings.

And uh, whatever, you know, whatever impacts me.

Whatever inspired to write, I write about.

Whether it be my shoes, my hair, my hat, uh, you know, evergreen trees, my dog, any and all, I write about.

And, that is, you know, why...

I am inclined and I'm happy that I've had the opportunity to share the wealth of my imagination with, you know, different people, near and far.

“Made Over” Together we chose to rule days, months, and years.

Juntos elegimos redefinir los días, meses, y años without silence.

sin silencio.

It was the utmost celebration.

Era la máxima celebración.

I was truly made over.

Me sentí renovado.

Pride was on my side.

El orgullo me pertenecía.

Her kind words blessed me.

Sus palabras amables fueron una bendición.

She or I which of us is the baby?

Ella o yo, ¿quién era el pequeño?

No man could better be imparted no existe otro hombre a quien se haya dado with such fire in his life.

tanto fuego en su vida.

His bell rings; he sings.

Él redobla; sus campanas él canta She said, “just make me love”, Ella dijo, “solo ámame”, that is something Eso es todo which can never be left behind.

que nunca se puede postergar.

It is to find, the discovery of a lifetime.

Es este encuentro, el descubrimiento de toda una vida.

One of the things that I do is when I go to high schools, I started to... Help the students not feel hampered because when, when you go to school, you usually talk like the big 3 or 4 writing styles Elizabethan, Spencerian, haiku and a few others.

But this, um, technique that I've come up with really works, whether it be students or adults.

And what it is, is...

Taking an object and becoming that object.

Writing what you know about.

For example, you can write a poem about the hair, your hair or your shoes, or you can write a poem about being, a car or I-90 or whatever.

So, those of you listening, I want you to think about what do we would like if you were I-90?

You know, it's like the first few hours of the day.

What does I-90 go through?

What is I-90 saying?

Is I-90 complaining about the semis thats running over its face or its back?

Is I-90, you know, complaining or talking about the potholes that it sees?

Uh.

Things of that nature.

Or if you were a fruit, a particular fruit that you like what would that fruit be saying?

Or if youre- You can talk about your hair.

Uh, you woke up this morning and, uh, you took a shower and you shampooed your hair and such and such, and your hair is saying, “oh, I'm glad that she or he, decided to use a good shampoo today.” [laughs] and so forth, and then go on and on.

and it opens the individual up to experience that which they know and its easy to write.

“To Thee” The heart always knows what the mission is and should be.

I will return to thee like a sweet apple about to be bitten in autumn before it falls.

If I didn't see you again, you would have been with me inside and out.

Whatever was good is due to your heart understanding, which permeated my past and present and lasted until forever continues.

The words my mind had stored, bore themselves deeply like a chunk of priceless gold and silver, crystal, diamonds and rubies.

The value of our times could not be confined, but did.

And so it was.

So it is and will remain in my brain for you not to know or feel wasnt steel but real in my heart.

“The Morning” We met where the test of the mind and heart would come to rest.

What was to be was not inspired nor filled with ire.

The fire sparkle like the thrill that exist in hopes natural aspiration.

She who must be loved was the offering handed to the world by the Spirit From On High.

Her worthiness transpires through mankind due to the basis she contained and framed in her friendly, compassionate sense of loyalty.

From recorded time she was meant to define the very nature of love, the beloved.

Few are so designed with beauty in mind and inclined to inspire the emotions that do not recline.

Their constancy mature accordingly.

They are not restricted from engaging in the freedom their thoughts wish to share, to address.

Whoever is fortunate to encounter them while in the world is likely to be overcome and not endure tempest or duress.

Amare is the cloak she carries with beautiful tranquilly like imagination, floating, basking in a calm green sea with courage that agrees with this divine blessing.

One of the things that I started doing is when I meet someone and I ask their, their permission to write a poem about them, I will ask their name and then I will, go online and, you know, find out what the meaning of the person's name and of all of the synonyms that, uh, that the person that comes up for that person's name.

So like my name is Stephen and my color is purple.

and my name means, you know, royalty.

So your name has so many incredible, you know, parts to it.

Not only in this language but in other languages or other cultures, all of those particular things.

Uh, you find out and you keep writting, you know.

So, you have all that information building up.

So when it comes time to really write the poem, what you have, uh, available to you is a wealth of information, and all you have to do is come up with a story line that fits the various, interpretations, synonyms for that person, whether the person is, um, honest, compassionate and so forth and so on.

And I mean it just, all the meanings for your name.

You should try it out.

You'd be surprised.

You know.

All the things or what is your astrological signs?

All of those particular things make the story.

And then writing the piece is so much easier because you have all this information, at your disposal.

“The Best Version.” Her radiant aura attracts the best version of what another soul can be.

There is a place in her atmosphere where the world can sing and not hide its brilliance.

She can be a twin in origin.

Nobility and excellence reside in her with resolve.

Life for her was ascending from her beginning.

She is ever willing to collaborate with principle denominations by thinking outside the frame.

Creativity flourishes in her active mind that is quick to nurture the necessities of those lacking vision.

The demand of adult living is not a dulling convention, but a challenge to be assumed and redirected into positive retrospections.

Virtue and strength carry the mantle of ‘The Daughter of God” from the Highest.

Her respect is without the tears that will not make their way across her face.

Being in tune with the world, she fashions the means and purpose of its Creator by supporting His needful creations with her artful sensitivity that blooms like the “Clematis Brianna”, “a viticella hybrid flower with rich violet-purple sepals and white central bar.” Life is to be lived like an intense desire which invigorates, stimulates while walking through the garden in the midst of heaven.

This next section, uh, is what uh, in the book is called Lines That Shine.

Any poet or any writer likes to create good lines.

So these are like the good lines that I was able to pull out of certain poems.

And so this is one of those poems with what I think are the good lines.

So the poem is “Blinded Emotions.” Love was suffocated by emotions.

Trust couldn't discern a clear avenue to progress.

Once we swore to adore.

Her heart held a sweet cinnamon scent.

In a phrase neither of us chose to belong.

We punished tenderness and strangled sensitivity.

Life at times is a tedious proposal and too expensive to continue with this arguement.

Life often creeps like defeat that is unable to find a cozy seat on which to sleep.

When love is still the will to act is suspended.

So these are the lines that shine.

I go and I try to find these lines that stand out.

Which is what you're trying to do when writing special poetry, so that if I say to you, you know, quote me a line from Shakespeare, folks will just be able to, you know, Romeo, Romeo, where art thou?

Well, this is what I'm attempting to do with these lines that shine.

Is give a line that someone might, Ah, I remember that, or, you know, and they can use the line.

So.

So it helps as a poet, when people are quoting you.

[laughs] This is my collaborator.

Olga Loktev.

Okay.

And we are here to talk to you about our collaboration.

The collaboration.

“The Caretaker.” I think it started with the culture in my background.

And you were interested where my parents came from and who I was.

And then I appeared, and then you're like, oh, I want to write a poem about.

Yeah.

It's more or less a writing technique that I've recently developed, which is to find out, the person's name and the meaning of the person's name.

And the meaning of your name is...

The caretaker.

The caretaker.

And holy.

And holy.

Okay.

So when she told me her name, I went home and I Googled Olga.

What is the meaning of the name Olga?

And I took all of these notes.

and then, boom!

I wrote and I sent the poem, you... Fell in love with it.

Once I read the poem, I was like, wow, this really describes who I am.

That's right.

All those synonyms.

Yes.

And then afterwards, Stephen decided to contact one of his musician friends, and he composed a piece of music for me that I could choreograph to.

Her brightness is as the Lord promised.

The rays of His blessing shines upon her shoulders, a legacy to share with those she would come to care for.

She is the caretaker, a golden haired angel who drifts through and above space.

Her grace speaks of wisdom guided by the Holy Spirit.

Wherever she roam, she transforms the landscape with her superb dance talent that enhances the life of others.

Those in need of being uplifted seek out her magic, her creativity to paint poetry in motion like an orchestral movement of body parts, glowing, parading in synchronicity.

She brings together the dreams of the young, the old and the in-between that they may grow and evolve into gentle red birds capable of coasting beneath the sky.

She has been consecrated like the rhododendron flower whose name meaning is Olga, a testament to its respective timeless endurance.

Devotion to the Highest is the passage that strengthens her conviction.

I had a dream, in it my eyes witnessed a dynamic body floating, fluttering like a monarch butterfly.

The elegance it displayed was that of a human.

Her remarkable spirit flowed like the wind covering what it instills.

Up and down, she appeared at times to stand perfectly motionless in mid-air.

I fought to understand the apparition.

For the mind to succeed patience and logic assume the primary mode of communication.

My determination never forced its application but tried dutifully to learn how artistic collaboration is formed.

I was once a supporter of the soldier's creed.

I strive to protect the myriad of each day and conserve its importance with deepest respect without question.

Kindhearted souls, however are constantly on patrol to ensure the world remains balanced.

This was one of those times.

Their goodness however often encounters challenges from those who are not as committed to self-sacrifice.

Being responsive and dependable in the inner strength of of which she carries is deep inside her embodiment.

Common sense nevertheless stands close by minute by minute like a drum majors orchestrating the marching band.

Improving oneself is the first step to be taken.

Existing has a certain beat that is created by the preaching the spirit uses to keep the door open for another to gain assistance.

If that rhythmic quality is severely interrupted.

The house will perhaps fall and crash like fire eating at its foundation.

Only dust thereafter is likely to remain as a symbol of emotional pollution.

There is no one who can deceive what life knows how to do, which is to take care of the family.

She, the youthful starlet is there in the mirror at first sight and into the darknening eve.

She tries always to be of assistance to those requiring the reinforcement.

There is no pretense in her spirit, only the true image of compassion which she willingly unfold for the betterment of another's life dream.

Greetings.

My name is Frankie Ghee.

I'm a singer, songwriter, uh, poet and teaching artist here in Spokane.

And I'm fortunate to be able to share some of my poems with you today.

The first one is called “The Music of My Heart.” The music of my heart is rock music Loud and angry joyful and reckless It's got a great beat, and you can dance to it The music of my heart is jazz It's cool and complicated You just want to chill with it So, you chill with it The music of my heart is folk It's earthy and real Warm comfort food A long walk in a shady wood The music of my heart is a symphony Of my own creation It is tragic comedy Bold statement and apology The music of my heart Is stillness Quiet contemplation Gratitude and meditation The music of my soul Is the song the universe sings to me In the voice this moment requires Although, it may never sell The next one I'm going to share with you is called, “I Don't Hate the Rain.” Don't get me wrong I don't hate the rain I have nothing against A dark, menacing sky Storm clouds on the horizon Splashy puddles Soggy leaves Or muddy paw prints on the sidewalk But I am in awe today Of the clear, blue sunny The bright whites And dark tree silhouettes Against the perfect canvas The crisp and crunchy Days of midwinter Here Where we live!

The next poem is called “Because I Get to Live Here.” Because I get to live here I will celebrate all of this In still appreciation I will not try to claim it as mine It has never been mine Because I get to live here I will not battle or rage To keep this majestic wonder Only for my own eyes I will seek to live a better life In honor of my great fortune Because I get to live here I will soften my gaze Seek in others a common love Joy and Gratitude because we get to live here.

Love has a name, and it is old and wise like wintertime It holds the ancient spirits of water, of earth and of fire Honor At the dawn of time, souls were bonded As was yours to mine We are forever Love has a name, and it floats young and free on a summer breeze It holds the hope of youth and the joy of unending spring Honor Each time I look on you, I start a new life You give your heart to me, and I breathe with you Love has a name, and it is constant, steadfast, ever changing and right It holds the exhilaration of morning and calmness of night Honor As the tie that binds souls together The universe designs we are forever Love has a name Honor Honor The name of this next poem is “I See Myself In You.” I see myself in you We are the same I see that we are complicated Judgmental and kind I am proud of you Because we are of the same universe We are on the same team If you win even if by sacrificing My chances for victory We win I see myself in you We are the same I see that we are vain and childish We are full of life and we are joyful We are vengeful and clever, Forgiving and naive We are not cut from the same cloth We are each but threads in that fabric Which cannot be torn I see myself in you Because I am you The last point I'm going to share with you today is called, “The Dance.” There is a light I see it only when wrapped in utter darkness A music I hear only when closed off from sound This is the artwork of my spirit This is the music of my soul These are the sights and sounds I will hear in death This is the me that is not my thoughts Not my memories Not my shell This is the driver The poet The me that existed before any of this Just the light The music And possibly a dance Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to some of my music and poetry.

And I just love to share music with you so hopefully, Youll hear more.

Thank you so much!

Hear more from the artists on this program on the Inland Sessions podcast.

Available now at ksps.org/podcasts