we say hello
from the same state as longfellow
and edna st vincent millay
the northeast rocky coast
where the weather be cold as othello
but the heart warm welcome to maine
where we all put print on the page
and we offer motivation and encourage each
to mix wonder and love with ink pens
till we learn something worth teaching
we reach out and touch people when we speak from the stage
and we each air our pain like it's laundry
we take comfort in solidarity, it’s like a posse
a safe space where we all meet
so i offend you when i talk then i offer my apology
with my arms open for a hug
tryna cultivate a community of trust
a willingness to simply sit and listen is enough
if there’s poetland residents present represent then give it up

CHORUS
what you know about poetland
spoken word so potent
it’s no doubt we could throw down lyrics always profound
bang like a gavel up in poetland
slam like pinatas to the ground up in poetland
blow like a spark to a powder keg in poetland
poetland
this is where i am
i said, power to the poet that's a resident of poetland you know it fam

me i'm from DC
by way of VT via BK in NYC
but even when i was a little kid in UT
i had never ever seen such beauty as in Maine
so i moved here, can't complain
the local poetry scene was totally welcoming to me
it's so sweet that you know i got love for PV
and RV, remain at peace, don’t train y’all speech
cause we gon keep kicking it
until forever wordsmithing
as the temperature dipping like a constellation
we be non-complacent
and we’re thankful
that we’re making powerful change
it’s like a renaissance
cop that gratitude attitude
never stop
say what you’re feeling like you're very honest
power to the poets up in poetland
proud to be a resident of poetland
you know it fam

CHORUS

i put on for my city
portland where i stay if you wanna come kick it
i'm transplant but i'm gon stay that i'm gon stay living
in the capital of maine and the written word
hope you heard listen good i'm that boy from the district
and i do miss it like the point of statistics
but i'm settling like a coin in the wishing well
in vacationland, making stanzas