My Port of Call

Published on by Tosha Michelle

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Every time I’m in NYC
I start thinking I should
change my life.

Stop acting my digits.
Set fire to the rain with Adele.

Climb the Empire State
like Spiderman.

I’d be Vera Wang to the hilt
Stylish, polish, beautiful.

And then I think of where
I come from, my blood deep
roots of sweet tea and grits

Magnolia blossoms and
ancient oak trees stooped
over like sage crones

Of some warm song with
just a touch of twang coming
out of my Daddy’s guitar

I think of Southern charm
and those gloriously still
moments just before dawn,
when we rise with shine and
crow.

And I realize there’s a lot
to be said for flawed and small
for canned jam, for tangled forest
where blue birds lives and kudzu grows

And suddenly, I just want
to be me and who I am.
And who I am
can’t wait to be home again.

-Tosha Michelle

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105 thoughts on “My Port of Call”

      1. Just did, my lil sweet pea and it was fiiiiiiine.
        -what in the world of crapstocks and grumbleflaps are we talking about?!-

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I never know what you are talking about.. Maybe, because I don’t listen but mostly, because you are a loon. Headed out to consignment shop. I’ll be on the look out for a muzzle for you. The universe will thank me. You, Yorkshire wankerdoodabbledoo

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      3. You don’t have to listen, gumbleshock, you reeeeeaaaadddd! Dur!
        Or maybe you hear me in your head, like a Nutter. Awwwww bless. Happy shopping, love plum.

        Liked by 1 person

      6. And maybe all of me loves all of you but only if you are all me. Mind blowing, no? Remind me, self, why didn’t I have boys instead of girls. I’m still waiting on T. to get ready. Holy crap. Let’s gooooooo! I’m going to think if ways to embarrass her in the store. Wish me luck, me or you. Or you or me! Tata

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      1. Short story, how did the phrase “just do it” came upon, in the early 1900´s hundreds a cool and smart sells person just saw an execution in the U.S. The guards when ordered to fire at the inmate they just couldn´t bring themselves to pull the trigger until the inmate who was fed up yelled up them “just do it!” so the sales person saw this in the newspaper and now…..
        😉 But you don´t have a southern accent, at least in the music I heard

        Liked by 2 people

  10. There’s no place like home.
    I start clicking my ruby reds, as soon I see the city limits sign of my near by small town.
    It felt so genuine the way you decribed, where your heart lives.
    Have a blessed weekend.

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  19. This gave me chills. I never knew the land of kudzu and sweet tea, until I moved South in 2001. Now I know no other home, and I agree – it is fun to spread your wings and fancy living in NYC. A wonderful city, I felt very at home there. If I was 21 again, with no responsibilities, a song, and a dream, I’d be gone. You are wonderful lady. ❤

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      1. Me too. I think you could still teach me a thing or two about Southern Hospitality. You may even convince me to like grits. 😉

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  20. yes you can’t take the Southern out of the girl. When I schooled in Houston I was complimented with the you do not sound like a Northerner, lol and had no accent. if you were in NY you should’ve let me know. I could’ve used Southern charm to enhance my day, 😉

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  23. When in Rome (or NYC) right? It’s the thing about visiting other places, whether it is via our poetic imaginations or physical travel, we can become actors and actresses, kind of like grit lovin’ Tosha by day but superwoman by night 🙂 I love this and it resonates so well!

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  24. I’m not from the South, BUT I am from the country! There’s no place like the place where we were born!
    Tosha, if you post anymore of your songs, will you please tell me? I heard one I thought was you, but never found out for sure.
    Peace, love & songs to heal us all,
    Sherrie
    Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
    http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
    Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:

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