My First Poetry Book: Amour Rising

I am putting the final touches on my first poetry book, Amour Rising!! 

I hope to have everything completed by next week so my book can be available to YOU!!

I cover many topics in this book, including love, sex, regret, and my unique experiences as a Black woman.

I thank you in advance for your support!!

-T. Amour...better known as Tai Gooden

New Home, New Name: Upcoming Changes to Love Poetry. Love Music. Love LIFE!!

Things can, and usually do, change!

After two years and many blog posts, I have made a decision to completely revamp my blog.

Love Poetry, Love Music, Love LIFE will go through a myriad of changes this weekend. I will have a new URL, new name, and lots of new and engaging content coming up in the near future.

Why am I making these changes?

Because it is time to take my writing career to the next level! I want a better look, better content, and a more interactive experience with you. So, I thank you for each and every view, like, RT, and comment and I look forward to the future!

-T. Amour...better know as Tai Gooden :)

National Poetry Month - How to Write Poetry!

The first week of National Poetry Month has flown by! If you were like me, you may have gotten behind on reading, writing, and posting poetry of the course of the weekend.

I have had a couple of people ask me what process I use to write my poetry and if there is truly a way to learn how to write poetry.

I have an answer for both of those questions!

When I write a poem, I usually have a random title pop up in my head. For instance, I recently wrote a poem for the popular website For Harriet and the title, "Soul Cord", was a thought in my mind. The poem is about my newborn daughter and the strong bond I am forging with her. To me, my bond is like the umbilical cord we once shared, but instead of sharing my body with her, I now share my soul with her.

After that, I just let my feelings flow. I typically don't write poems that rhyme because I don't think in rhymes in my head. I guess I wouldn't have much of a career as a rapper! I just write from the heart, even if I feel like I am the only person who would understand my words.

And that leads me to the second question. NO, there is no way to learn how to write poetry because there is no correct way to do it. That is the beauty of poetry! You can capitalize the words you want to capitalize and write whatever you are feeling inside. You don't have to rhyme, you don't have to use complicated language, and your poem can be as long or short as you want it to be. 

Life has a lot of rules, but poetry is not bound to any rules. Be free to write what you want!!

-T. Amour 

National Poetry Month: Day 3 & 4 - Langston Hughes

We are already 4 days into National Poetry Month!! It looks like April is going to fly by us!

Since I didn't post yesterday, I wanted to share two more poems with you. Both poems were written by the late, great Langston Hughes, a Harlem-Renaissance era poet and one of my favorite poets of all time.

Enjoy "I, Too" and "Catch"
**All rights reserved to the respective writer and publisher of this material**

"I, Too"

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,

I’ll be at the table

When company comes.

Nobody’ll dare

Say to me,

“Eat in the kitchen,”

Then.

Besides,

They’ll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.

"Catch"

Big boy came 
Carrying a mermaid
On his shoulders
And the mermaid
Had her tail
Curved
Beneath his arm.

Being a fisher boy,
He'd found a fish 
To carry-
Half fish,
Half girl
To marry.

National Poetry Month - Day 2 - Erykah Badu "Out of My Mind, Just in Time"

Today, I wanted to share lyrics from one of my favorite songs. Yes, lyrics do count as poetry!

Enjoy my favorite lyrics from Erykah Badu's "Out of My Mind, Just in Time"

"I'm a recovering undercover over-lover, 
Recovering from a love I can't get over.
recovering undercover over-lover
And now my common law lover thinks he wants another..."

"And I'd lie for you
I'd cry for you
And pop for you
And break for you
And I'll hate for you
And hate you too 
if you want me to...."

Will I share my own poetry tomorrow?? We will see :)

-T. Amour 

National Poetry Month: Day 1 - Maya Angelou

National Poetry Month is back again!!

I will be posting thought-provoking poetry each day during the month of April. I also intend to write a poem a day and I hope you will too!

Today's poem is by one of the most well known poets in the world: Maya Angelou.

Enjoy "Alone" and Happy Writing!

-T. Amour 

**From Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well By Maya Angelou. Copyright © 1975 by Maya Angelou. 

Lying, thinking 
Last night 
How to find my soul a home 
Where water is not thirsty 
And bread loaf is not stone 
I came up with one thing 
And I don't believe I'm wrong 
That nobody, 
But nobody 
Can make it out here alone. 

Alone, all alone 
Nobody, but nobody 
Can make it out here alone. 

There are some millionaires 
With money they can't use 
Their wives run round like banshees 
Their children sing the blues 
They've got expensive doctors 
To cure their hearts of stone. 

But nobody 
No, nobody 
Can make it out here alone. 

Alone, all alone 
Nobody, but nobody 
Can make it out here alone. 

Now if you listen closely 
I'll tell you what I know
Storm clouds are gathering 
The wind is gonna blow 
The race of man is suffering 
And I can hear the moan, 
'Cause nobody, But nobody 
Can make it out here alone. 

Alone, all alone 
Nobody, but nobody 
Can make it out here alone. 

3 Positive Practices You Should Start RIGHT NOW

Look around you. From overused words like "hater" to Twitter attacks to heartbreaking news stories, it seems like our society thrives off of drama and negativity. The most popular reality shows are centered around catfights and the top celebrities are surrounded with controversy.

Personally, I get overwhelmed with all of the negative behavior. I have found many ways to cope with the world around me as well as my personal problems and these practices may work for you as well. 

Here are 3 Positive Practices you should start:

• Meditation - We all seem to moving at a constant, neck-breaking pace. Sometimes, we need to take a few minutes to silence our minds and focus on just being in the present moment. I have been meditating for almost 2 years and I look forward to it each day.
• Blogging/Keeping a Journal - Obviously, I love to express myself via writing. Even if you are not a great writer, blogging is a great way to sound off about topics and issues you care about. If you are not a public platform person, keeping a journal is a private way to map out your goals and dreams, vent about frustrating moments, and reflect on the blessings you currently have. The great thing about both blogs and journals is the ability to look back and see your personal growth!
• Paying Yourself- When you get paid, most of your income goes towards someone else's pockets. Make sure you are paying yourself by putting some money away in a savings account and (if you can afford to) a retirement account. I encourage you to take it a step further and treat yourself at least once a month to something nice. Perhaps you like to get pedicures or you like to go to a local lounge and have a couple overpriced drinks. Remember, you work hard for your cash and you deserve to get something out of it!!

-T. Amour

Elle Varner - "See Me Tonight"

Elle Varner is one of the most unique new artists to hit the female R&B scene in the past few years. A few months ago, I featured her on my blog as one of the artists to watch in 2013. And, although she did not release a new album last year, she was getting in some serious studio time as she prepped for her sophomore effort. 

If her latest track "See Me Tonight" is any indication of the tone of the yet-to-be released album Four Letter Word, then we are all in for a healthy dose of good music.

Elle is debuting a sexier and more confident image as she settles into her young career and it shines through this song. Her voice smooth sails over a jazzy, uptempo beat as she sings about covering up her tears and pain. 

Do you like it? Comment below!

Song of the Week: Jay Electronica & Jay-Z "We Made It"

This week, the two Jays of the hip-hop world combined forces and dropped one of the hottest tracks to come out in recent years (this is not up for debate). Yes, it was originally a Soulja Boy song, but we all know he is not known for his thought-provoking lyrics (no shade).

Die hard Jay Electronica fans have been hearing more music from the underground god and, as usual, his religious influenced verses on "We Made It" do not disappoint.

On the other end of the spectrum, Jay-Z is at the point in his career where he can rap the newspaper and people will shell out cash. His star power is indeed that large! But, Jay-Z goes in for the kill (particularly on Drake) and shows the world that he still has the lyrical prowess to slay.

Check out "We Made It" here:

-T Amour

International Day of Happiness: 4 Easy Ways to "Spread the Happy"

March 20 is officially known as International Day of Happiness. I don't know about you, but with all the craziness going on in the world, its great to take a day and focus on being happy!

Today is also the first official day of Spring. No, it doesn't feel quite like Spring in some places yet, but its comforting to know that warmer weather, longer days, and vacations are on the way!!

As you know, my blog is all about positive vibes and spreading love, so I couldn't let today slip by without acknowledging a few ways to brighten someone's day!

Here are 4 Easy Ways to "Spread the Happy":

• Call Your (Insert Distant/Older relative here):
• When was the last time you called your grandma or Aunt Sally? Pick up the phone and call a loved one tonight. You never know if you will get another chance to and your voice will surely brighten up their day!
• Compliment a Stranger
• When you see a woman with a killer outfit or a guy driving your dream car, take a moment to let them know how you feel! Your compliment may be the confidence booster a person needs to make it through a rough day!
• Pay it Forward
• If you hit a store or drive through today, pay for the person behind you. Unless, of course, their total is too high. Then don't pay for it LOL!! I kid, I kid. But, if its a total you can swing, help another person out. Once again, you don't know what kind of struggle a person is going through.
• Give Your Time
• It doesn't matter if you spend time with family, friends, or at a local shelter, donate some of your time and do something you love. Today, my husband was off work and we are going to spend time with our daughters (ages 4 and 3 weeks). Time is constantly fleeting and the most precious asset you can give to another person!

Stay Happy Folks!!

-T. Amour 

Faith over Fear: Moving Towards Our Dreams

Happy Friday!!

Can you believe we are already halfway through March?? 2014 must have its running shoes on!

As the first quarter of the year comes to a close, it is a great time to reevaluate your goals and to see what you want to accomplish over the next nine months. Breaking goals up into quarters is a great way to create more defined deadlines and to make those massive mountain-like goals seem more attainable.

There are many things I have not accomplished yet. For me, the beginning of the 2014 marked the final months of my pregnancy and all the preparations needed to welcome a second child. So, I feel a bit frustrated about letting some of my personal goals take a back seat.

But, there is a more important issue at hand and I am sure every reader can relate. Many of the moves I have wanted to make have NOT been made due to FEAR. Fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, and fear of failure keep us from living the full lives that we are destined to live.

It is so easy to stay in a comfort zone. So easy to keep that book of poetry to yourself. So easy to skip an audition. So easy to get up and go to your 9-5 everyday, stare at cubicle walls, and count down the minutes until you can leave. So easy to put all your eggs in one basket with a single, steady paycheck. So easy to keep quiet about something you feel SO PASSIONATE ABOUT. And so easy to say you are doing "good, fine, okay" when you are empty on the inside.

How can you and I break out of our comfort zone and live a full, exciting life? We have to take a leap of faith. We don't know and cannot control the outcome of many situations. We have to realize that there will be setbacks and we will feel the sting of rejection. It is apart of taking a risk. But, we have to have faith! How can we grow and thrive if we continue to do the same thing? And, we can't expect new outcomes and opportunities if we don't try an alternate path!

Grab a pen and paper, write down specific and measurable goals, and bring life to your vision!

Let's agree to have faith over fear. Have faith in your talent and faith that you DESERVE to live your dreams! Life is much more than the "rat race" we all run...

-T. Amour 

New Music Video - Trey Songz "NaNa"

Trey Songz is back and apparently getting ripped up for the summer in his latest video, "NaNa". The club and radio friendly first single from his upcoming 6th album, Trigga, features Trey getting his workout on with a few gorgeous ladies. It's not the type of video I expected for the single, but it makes me want to buy some new workout gear and get in motion.

There has been a ton of buzz about Trigga on several social media sites, but we will have to wait until June 2014 (tentatively) to see what direction Trey Songz is heading with his music.

Until then, enjoy "NaNa"!

Making Moves in 2014

We are 25 days into 2014! Time is certainly flying by.

Raise your hand if you are still keeping up with your New Year's Resolutions!!

No one? Okay....but why not?

Everyone is all about "New Year, New Me", but most of us abandon that mantra before the end of January. We decide it's too hard to make certain changes and we go back to our familiar lifestyles.

So, what is the problem?

I believe the goals we set for ourselves are too lofty and vague. Many of us want to "lose weight", "get healthy", or "be happy", but what does that mean? Until we make our goals quantifiable and we explicitly state what we want, we will get no where.

For example, I knew I wanted to write more this year. But, instead of just saying "I want to get paid writing gigs", I sat down and thought about how many times a week I want to write, how much time I wanted to spend, and how much I wanted to get paid for my skill set. I took it a step further and researched who I wanted to write for. And that is where my focus is.

Break your goals down as much as possible. I find it easier to make a weekly "to-do" list to help me make small, but steady strides toward my end result instead of looking at it in a yearly perspective. If I work each week on what I want, I will get there. And so will you!

I wish you all the best this year and I look forward to enjoying more poetry, music, and life with you!

-T. Amour