Some people call me a poet. Some call me a spoken word artist, some a storyteller. It's all good. 

prose

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Literary medium distinguished from poetry especially by its greater irregularity and variety of rhythm and its closer correspondence to the patterns of everyday speech. Though it is readily distinguishable from poetry in that it does not treat a line as a formal unit, the significant differences between prose and poetry are of tone, pace, and sometimes subject matter.

"Recovering Perfectionist"

“Recovering Perfectionist”

I’ve got a confession to make

I’m an ordinary guy with expensive tastes

I’m not talking about possessions; I’m talking about people

I only want the best

And it doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about lovers or friends

Even though I’m grounded 
my expectations are through the roof

I’ve never needed someone “hot”
but I’m very receptive to cute

I want funny, humble, gentle and kind… 

silly, supportive and accepting with the sharpest mind

Most of all I want someone real

Because you can’t talk my stubbornness out of an idea 

when “I” know how I really feel

It’s hard to escape decades of routine 

but it’s a small price to pay as I await the woman of my dreams

For now, I improve myself while looking for the right fit 

and I haven’t been as successful as I’d like to admit

But that’s more on me, wanting quality over quantity 

and it seems like I always want the ones who don’t want me

All my friends say I’m too picky

She asked, do people often tell you your standards are too high? YES.

But every time I try to bend my mind

My heart straightens me out

Setting myself up for disappointments instead of sharing a love

Instead of being with the person I’m thinking of

Reluctantly settling for the solitude of a continued drought

Waiting for “her” to take me by the hand 

and lead me to the place where my pride can understand

That love is the adventure that cannot be planned

Half the journey is truth and the other half is faith 

and I need to get honest with myself before it’s too late

Standing here beyond belief with an active imagination

Are these really high standards or my own limitations?

A game against yourself is never fairly played. 

Cleaning everything up from a mess that I made

Fooled again by a self imposed charade

senses dismayed, pride now destroyed

Been miserable so long I don’t know how to enjoy

Choosing logic over love

distance over a connection

and you know how us Leo’s need a lot of affection

So I found one after another

instead of keepers I found lovers

And I kept those away

and when I learned to know myself 
a lot of changes had to be made

I wanted value over too many

I looked so hard for perfect women but couldn’t find any

So I chose not to play anymore over “winning”

had to regroup and go back to the beginning

She said; Breathe, keep it simple. 

Spreading joy is the right thing to do

Spread joy and then joy will find you

Breathe, keep it humble. 

Each failure is not the last straw

Know that I am sincere and know that I am flawed

I dig those little quirks, imperfections and every time you make a face

Like me for me and I promise your flaws 

will be perfectly embraced

Going to sleep fearing she’s lost 

but waking up hopeful she’ll be there

caught somewhere between a wish and a prayer

It’s amazing what can happen in the course of a day

I’m not looking for a weekend stay

so I don’t show my cards right away

Now I believe in finding her no matter what it takes 

but when I see someone I like

I always make mistakes

I think about the women I’ve loved…

Strike one; this one could have been fun

Strike two, this one’s not for you

Down in the count am I headed for strike three 

or is the next swing gonna set me free?

Because, for once, I just want to know what it’s like to have her run into my arms

I loved 2 women but is the 3^rd time the charm?

Too many movies, too many books and too many songs

Have caused me to think in dreams

And it seems, I’m as serious as my father, silly as my mother

Gloom on the outside, hope on the other

If I really wanna fix it, love is better than glue

Better than duct tape, crumbly paste and cee-ment too

The mirror whispers

there’s no one better to love than you.

Waiting to grow until I know I’m not alone

The best things in life are shared 

but I’m scared to be only for myself

I need to focus on my needs 

but my mind’s on someone else

Living for one, I have my doubts, 

like I might be missing out

So I continue to watch with one eye open and one eye blind

Afraid I could miss her 

and afraid of what I’ll find

But the longer this goes
the more I’ll be prepared

and the more I’ll see 
there’s no good reason to be scared

And for that moment, for that reward

I will have to take a chance

Completely willing to trade a lot of risk for a little romance

In matters of love

I’ve learned enough to realize I don’t know what I’m doing

And I overthink my thoughts when I think trouble’s brewing

So I march along defiant until I can find the most amazing girl

It might be the only way I could enjoy living in my perfect world

She said, you must become what you want to attract

that’s the only way you’ll know

If I really want the perfect woman… 

then I have a long way to go.

"November 5th, 2008"

“11-5-08”      by Edwin R. Gomez

 

I’m Proud of my country today

I woke up with the same smile on my face from the night before
I’ve got a love hangover
my head is throbbing with pride and my mind’s finally at ease
After 8 years, I finally feel like we can collectively breathe
These tears come not from pain they come from pride
Joyful tears that for too long have been trapped inside
Because I have a case of hope and I’m hanging on to it
I’ll be happy to share it with you... just as long as you let me hold it.

In a manner of hours I went from apathy to energy, from blame to change

For the first time in my life I’ve told the world what I think
And it tickles me to learn you were thinking the same thing
That while the melody was nice
we needed someone new to sing
And this new song... is so sweet
Forgive me if I’m constantly humming, it’s stuck inside my head
But unlike the pulsating beats of the crooked elite, I don’t want it to leave

I’m obsessed with this joy from nothing, a path that was not to be

We thought this could happen someday but two years ago, no one knew or had the slightest clue
All the cynics, established names and famous faces couldn’t stop this auspicious debut

Even all the dirtiest players in the game couldn’t smear the word

They couldn't believe that the movement was for real and our voices would be heard

I look at the man on the tube and I can see me.

Half this half that, no entitlement, no silver spoons
Working hard for everything and nothing is assumed
I look at the man on the tube and I see me

If we've learned anything we've learned

The future of this nation is not one race

it’s a combination of colors that we're starting to embrace

The future is Tiger Woods, Alicia Keys, the shortstop from the Yankees... and me

This melting pot is coming to a boil
and abnormal has become less strange
I open the door for you and extend my hand
c’mon in, welcome to change

The face of America is no longer hockey moms, soccer dads, socialites or fakes

It’s integrating mixed breeds, minorities, young ideas, accidents and mistakes
Because 9 states came back and this ridiculous hope revolution has begun
There’s no need to feel offended by a happy ending
where yesterday lost and tomorrow won

I was worried the game would play us all, class culture wars, lies and old habits to break

I wondered when the measure of a man would be more than how much he makes
I was worried that people couldn’t see how bad we need to turn the dusty page
And usher in a new modern age complete with the defeat of Palin and McRage

But America came through. The population surprised me and energized me

And one man in particular organized a fire inside me
that was previously disguised as hate
for all the ones in control of a wasted state
for all the ones who’d use deceptive means to an end
This man transformed my hate into the type of love for us all that makes the world great
And to me
that’s the measure of a man my friends

It’s hard to even believe it but it’s a brand new day and

I’m hoping in the days ahead this smile doesn’t go away
but even if it does
I’m gonna savor the hell out of this morning anyway
So thank you Barack, thank you Michelle, thank you Tina Fey

My 2012 Buffalo Infringement Festival Show, Young Hearts and Old Minds; the poetry of Eddie Gomez

9 Years

9 Years

I haven’t accepted surrender but sometimes I don’t fight it
Please stop telling me tomorrow is going to be alright
I’m a soft voice in a loud place, a not so friendly face
Impolite but kind, faced with another lonely night

I read like an open book without the benefit of chapters
One big mess, neatly organized in distress
I don’t know any other way; this is who I’ve become
Confused but all knowing, walking in place but always growing

They say I feel too much but my hands have gone numb

Looking for chemistry, struggling with my history
Despite the lengthy drought, I won’t back down.
I still dream when I’m awake, I won’t settle for fakes
I have the directions but I still take the long way around

They say when you’re not looking for something you’ll find it
But in this specific quest a one track mind leaves me blinded
I want to learn the art of fighting without fighting
Right after I master the art of poetry without writing

Nights are hard to face when I can’t have what I want
I walk into walls when I try to walk through them
I close my eyes and then it’s no surprise: I fall too hard then I fall apart
All the things I could have been, I’ve never been so how could I be a has been?

I want her, she wants him, she wants me, I can’t see
I extend my hand and get the boot
There’s too many reasons why I wanna be an old fashioned guy
But these hipster girls are so damn cute

The days move faster, the weeks get greyer
The idea of intimacy soothes and scares me
Because it’s been too long since I let someone through
Disappointment is a fact of life when you choose 1 over 2

Watching people make upgrades, my thoughts feel betrayed
Missing out on moments, choking on irrational fears
Every potential fling ends the same, and there’s no one left to blame
Because this temporary thing’s been going on 9 years

I don’t think you’ll ever find yourself poor by giving
And I don’t think you can live your life without deciding on living
So maybe it’s the surrender that has to go
My standards have never been low
but my patience is wearing thin
Maybe it’s time to put away my pride
and finally let the love in

Performing at the 2011 Infringement Festival

Performing at the end of my 2011 Infringement Festival show doing a tired, rough version of "This is What I Learned Since I Got Older" at Space 224 gallery. (video credit: Colin Dabkowski, Buffalo News)

Beach House

Scribbled this one today while wishing I was somewhere else...

I built my beach house in the sand

With less than perfect plans

But I’m hoping that you’ll stay

Before it washes away

Before it returns to where it came

Before I go and do the same

It’s everything I want to share

But I need you to be there

So I’d like you to commit

and come over for a little bit

You could build lasting memories

At my beach house with me

Coming soon...

The 2012 Buffalo Infringement Festival will take place from July 26 through August 5 all over the streets and venues of Buffalo. While there will undoubtedly be a ton of fun things to see, be sure to look for my show Young Hearts and Old Minds, poetry by Eddie Gomez. Join me for everyday poetry for a lifetime of adventures, simple words for a complicated life and the newest and best of my work! Join me as I take you on a journey between growing up and growing old, keeping the joy of a youthful spirit despite the wisdom of age and time and finding the balance to enjoy an adult life while also finding the humor of it. I'll show you in musings ranging from passionate to silly that it is always possible to embrace your inner child and appreciate life while we deal with the reality of young hearts and old minds.

The schedules will be released in a few weeks. Keep an eye open.

Gonna get Slammed! (5-9-12)

I absolutely love poetry slams because the performances are often explosive and the perspectives can really range. I say the more perspectives the better. Slam reminds me a lot of abstract rap from back in the day which was my favorite period of hip hop. It's rhythmic and cool. Popular music and television are all about bitches, money, sex and selfishness. Poetry digs deeper. Plus slam is more entertaining than a simple, conventional reading. It's interactive and the audience is not only encouraged to be loud and proud but 5 of them actually get to judge too!

My style is definitely influenced by slam but I have as much Robert Frost as I do Buddy Wakefield in my foundation. That is why I am a bit intimidated reading at slams. My style, while more entertaining than a stuffy old fashioned reader is not quite as dynamic as performance poets who can sometimes be jumping, stomping, falling and screaming while "performing" their pieces, usually from memory. It's hard to be as demonstrative reading from a paper and with my nerves and anxiety when I read, memorizing a piece is something I have not been able to do as of yet.

Regardless, I have read at a few slams and tonight I will do so again. I took my poem "The One Hit Wonder" back to the lab and I re-worked it better to my liking. I think it flows nicely now and also better tells the story while staying truer to the metaphor I selected to tell it. Basically, it's tighter now. I will also be performing a new piece called "Bully" I tried out last Friday at a open mic on Allen. It went over better than I thought and while inspired by the tragic events that claimed the life of area teenager Jamey Rodemeyer earlier this year, it is an autobiographical piece based on my own experiences dealing with bullies growing up. It acts as both a testament to what people like Jamey, I and so many others have had to deal with and are still dealing with from these misguided souls and also serves as a F**K YOU to all the bullies out there who tear other people down and push them around.

The 5th monthly Pure Ink Poetry Slam starts tonight at 9pm at Merge Restaurant on Delaware. There is a $5 cover and the slam usually goes from 90 minutes to 2 hours. Each poet gets to read 2 pieces although there are 2 separate rounds so the poets don't get to read them consecutively. This will be my 4th time attending and 3rd time reading. It will most likely be the last slam I read at for a while as my focus is shifting to getting ready for my 30 minute long "Young Hearts and Old Minds" show at the 2012 Buffalo Infringement Festival this summer. Stay tuned for more information on that and hopefully I'll see a few friendly faces at the slam tonight!

Starting on the road to the 2012 Infringement Festival...

I'm starting on the road to the 2012 Infringement Festival (which happens late July) and my feature performance. First stop: Cafe 59, 59 Allen Street as part of a special First Friday poetry open mic, 7pm. FREE!

Next stop...

I'll be reading at the Caffe Aroma open mic on Monday night 4/2. It usually starts around 9pm and the cafe fills up fast. Hopefully the weather will still be warm that night so people can hang out inside and out, helping to ease the congestion. After that it looks like I will be at Merge for the 4th Pure Ink Poetry Slam on Wednesday night April 11th. Come on out and support your local poetry, namely me! 

"Kate"

Not enough life and too much regret

I caught myself wishing one too many times
My tongue betrayed my heart once again
Even in this silence I speak freely of these crimes
Beauty shining brightly in this darkened room
A smile unreturned, a thought undone
I ache inside until my laughs are dry
The missed opportunities of possible fun
Lacking the definition but hurting the same
I could not articulate my admiration
A wishful glance is all I could spend
A momentary touch without validation
Just a minute and a smile to remember
The image of a girl that won't go away
If only I knew, if only I tried
A face staring blankly with nothing to say
Stuck with these frequent trips to this faraway place
Where we could have pleasant conversation
Reflecting to my realization of the prettiest face
Declaring my thoughts without reservation
Eyes so lovely with hands I could touch
Beauty the likes of which I may never know
Just give me one more chance to charm your heart
I wish I had said more than hello

Reading "Angry Poet" at Merge/Pure Ink Poetry Slam (2/8/12)
(credit: Julez Withaz)

Reading at my first poetry slam, (2-8-12), Merge Restaurant, Pure Ink Poetry Slam, Buffalo.

"Fear"

Someone once told me I had to face my fears in order to beat them

But I often find myself too petrified to look them in the eye

I’m my own worst enemy and I’ve got the scars to prove it

I die everyday yet everyday when I’m reborn I’m afraid to die.

My glance won’t meet yours, your smile might go unreturned

My mind speaks out loud to you in a voice that’s seldom heard

Because my lips quiver and I start to shiver despite my sweaty brow

Ten minutes from now I’m stuck again wondering how I always let fear get the last word

Fear is but a 4-letter word and 4 far too long I’ve let it control me

Dreaming big and doing little is nothing more than dreams betrayed

Understanding fear is a habit I have to break is what it takes

Waking up to see that I’m no longer afraid of being afraid

I see courage is virtuous. I see courage is wise.

I know courage is the only thing that can keep me from coming undone

But too often I get defeated by fears that can’t be beaten.

Instead of trying to defeat them I must learn to overcome

"A Flower's Love"

Oh the life of a simple flower
The only beauty it seems to know
Is the glow of the sunlight
And when that summer wind blows

With its face against the air
And its feet on the ground
Without a care in the world
Until she comes around

She stays but a moment
But the flower cannot forget
The beauty of the butterfly
And the moment that they met

Oh the life of a simple flower
The patience it must learn
While it bends in the breeze
And awaits her return

First post!

After reading my poetry out for roughly a year now I decided to put together this little site to showcase videos, pieces and promote when I'll be out reading. Stay tuned!