December 2, 2023 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

The Pride Poet’s Corner “After The Music” By: Brian Sonia-Wallace

The “After the Music” video animates a poem written especially for the holiday season by West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace. It combines Sonia-Wallace’s poem, read aloud by the poet himself, with holiday card artwork designed by West Hollywood artist Steven Rahbany and animated imagery from Zoo Crew Productions. The video was produced by the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division in collaboration with Zoo Crew Productions.

AFTER THE MUSIC By: Brian Sonia-Wallace

Praise the Zoom call.

You’re on mute, love!

Can’t hear you — 

(secretly) Praise (the bad) connection.

hakanhshcolkasnlldkvmlksdv

Praise our home offices, our home schools,

our home gyms, our closed bars, our kitchen dances,

our cooking fails, our odd jobs. Our rented 

U-Hauls. Our promises to stay.

A

In a workshop (online, duh), my friend Dorsay,

a resplendent seventy five, crowned in Diana Ross curls,

shares her poem: butterflies, a lover’s caress 

and then — Why should I not want to just die?

A

She seeded concerts across the city for decades. 

Now, it’s impossible to sing together. Everyone is slightly 

out of time. What happens  after the music? 

We gape and stammer, but Dorsay — 

A

she booms laughter, claps her hands. 

We’re here aren’t we? However we gather, 

it’s a party. Our face parade, through lag and crash, and latency,

logging on against erasure. I’ll be there

A

next week, writes Dorsay. A late night promise.

The next morning, bougainvillea shocks pink 

across the sidewalk. I leave the Russian bakery 

with a loaf of black Borodinsky rye.

A

Praise the long walk, with no end. The right now.

Our newly fragiled bodies.

That awkward, grateful way we hold each other

at any distance.

A

*with permission from Dorsay Dujon, founder of Make Music LA*

Related Posts

(Video) Culver City’s Annual Tree Lighting Sled-tacular

December 1, 2023

December 1, 2023

Culver City’s Annual Tree Lighting Sled-tacular successfully brought the holiday spirit to the city’s residents. A large crowd happily sledded,...

(Video) Via Veneto, a classic Italian restaurant

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Via Veneto, a classic Italian restaurant with real ingredients and delicacies from Italy. You can tell that the restaurant is...

(Video) Author, Drummer And Member of The Doors John Densmore Speaks

November 15, 2023

November 15, 2023

At DIESEL: A Bookstore in Brentwood Event About His New Book: The Doors Unhinged: Jim Morrison’s Legacy Goes on Trial....

Film Review: Down Low

July 30, 2023

July 30, 2023

FILM REVIEWDOWN LOWRated R90 MinutesReleased March 11, 2023 By Dolores Quintana “Down Low” is funny. It’s a lean 90 minutes...

Film Review: The People’s Joker

July 23, 2023

July 23, 2023

FILM REVIEWThe People’s JokerUnrated92 MinutesReleased September 13, 2022 (Toronto Film Festival) By Dolores Quintana “The People’s Joker” is a heartfelt...

Ballet at the Broad Stage Memorial Weekend – Meet the Talent!

May 25, 2023

May 25, 2023

Westside Ballet of Santa Monica returns to the Broad Stage with special guest artists kicking off Friday, May 26th, with...

The Problem with Pride Outfits and How You Can Change It

February 20, 2023

February 20, 2023

Since pride month’s official declaration in 1999, we’re reminded every June of how far America has come following New York...

“Made With Pride” Artisan Marketplace Premieres at The Santa Monica Place

June 14, 2022

June 14, 2022

In celebration of Pride Month The Santa Monica Place in collaboration with Streetlet and SaMo Pride premiered “Made with Pride”...

Happening Now: West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ Arts Festival

May 23, 2022

May 23, 2022

By Susan Payne Happening now through the end of June, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival celebrates the artistic contributions of...

California Trans Child Molester Gets 2 Years In Juvenile Facility

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

A Los Angeles County judge ordered Hannah Tubbs, a transgender California woman, to serve two years in a juvenile facility...

WeHo Premieres the ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood announces the premiere of the Moving Image Media Art (MIMA) program and the worldwide debut...

LA Street Will Potentially Be Named After Anti-LGBTQ Singer

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

A portion of Bailey Street may be renamed to the late Mexican Mariachi singer ” Vicente Fernandez Street’ – a...

WeHo Spreads Word About Free Covid Testing

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood is reminding residents that free COVID-19 testing is available for them.  Demand for COVID-19 testing...

Green Qween New Queer-Owned Cannabis Shop Will Open Downtown

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

Green Qween, a new queer-owned and queer-driven cannabis shop, will open in downtown on April 20th.  The shops owners, Andrés...

2022 ‘WeHo Reads’ Series Celebrates the ‘Road to Joy’

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood invites community members to celebrate literature and local authors with its 2022 WeHo Reads literary...