Aubrey The Poet breathes philosophy within poetry like stars connecting to our spirits telling a story. Aubrey says, “I’m not asking you to walk on water. That’s impossible, but possibly parting the sea to walk on a few puddles and alter the faulted lines that lie beneath me.”
Aubrey Simpson also known as Aubrey The Poet brought his strong spirit, much like that of Poet Langston Hughes, to MusicTree: A Festival of the Arts. His words will leave you feeling convicted and God at fingertips and hearing the echoes of your own heart beating for a purpose.
Aubrey carries the lit torch of the poets before him to bring forth a message to move our spirits. These words flowed from his lips, “Don’t let your death be a whisper. So, speak loud enough that worlds begin to move, and die loud enough that when the mics are off, you’re still on,” in his poem, Die Out Loud.
Below is a video clip from MusicTree: A Festival of the Arts of Aubrey reciting his original poem, “Die Out Loud”.
Die Out Loud
Aubrey is well known in the poetry family in the Nashville area after moving from his hometown of Chattanooga, TN. “The thing about poetry, like musicians, you kind of develop a family,” Aubrey says with a smile. Aubrey explains that Imani Rhema and he have always looked out for each other after meeting at a local coffee shop in Nashville, TN. Aubrey the Poet adds, “We’ve always called each other if we needed someone to perform.”
I, first, met Aubrey The Poet at Soulfood Poetry Café’s poetry awards at the Hard Rock Café in Nashville, TN hosted by Imani Rhema. I was very moved by his performance in front of the Black Diamond Band. I’ve noticed Aubrey’s strongest poem always wakes everyone up as he performs his original piece “Die Out Loud”, which was inspired by the death of Traevon Martin.
He began with this poem at the Hard Rock Café and also at The Brew in Manchester, TN. His words get inside your soul, sizzle for that moment of epiphany when you realize you must stand for something and be heard.
Due to my being so impressed with his performance, I felt I needed his voice inside my head as I drove home that night so I bought his poetry cd. I learned that Aubrey was once noted as “The Love Poet”, and said he didn’t want to be put in one box and labeled.
I must admit when Aubrey performs a love poem, his words are like butter on your morning toast and much like the sizzling tone of a Barry White song, leaving you breathless and in love. My favorite love poem by Aubrey is A Conversation Without Emancipation. The line that flatters me most is, “And as we’re dancing amidst our own astrologies, I tip the Little Dipper just to get a sip of your sweet nectar, and just like Hector, you are my Helen.”
If you would like to see the performance of this particular poem, check out the video clip from Soulfood Poetry Café Awards and go to 10 minutes and 20 seconds within the video.
Aubrey travels abroad spreading the message to build a foundation to grow from pain. These poetic words linger in my soul like a prophecy from Aubrey the Poet:
“A movie is nothing without a soundtrack. I move to the beat of my poems. Praying to stir up a storm. And you. You can see in my eyes the quiet riot on the rise. Right now, my mouth is split like the Bible. I’m out here speaking the truth. I spit like Jesus; teaching parables to the youth. You can take it as blasphemy, but ask me what people ask for me. I lay down philosophical foundations at the bases of my carpentry and build a house on top of it and call it a ranched out brick split level, POETRY, that neither hurricane, nor flood, nor earthquake will destroy it.”
