Favorite Films and Albums of 2012

As is customary with most critics and/or pundits at this time of the year, regardless of the media venue, I've decided to throw my hat into the ring, as we say goodbye to another year(good riddance!), and proffer my picks for what I thought were my favorite films and albums of 2012. Mind you, I missed out on a lot of films and there were several albums that I unfortunately did get around to purchasing and/or enjoying, but these are what I was able to enjoy, for what it's worth. And rather than list them in order of like, as is the norm for most lists, I've decided to list them alphabetically. Feel free to let me know what you think...

Favorite Films of 2012

Argo
The Amazing Spiderman
The Avengers
Dark Knight Rises
Django Unchained
Harper Lee and To Kill A Mockingbird
Hunger Games
Lawless
Lincoln
Looper
ParaNorman
Rise of The Guardians
Skyfall
Ted

Favorite Albums of 2012

Away From The World (Dave Matthews Band)
Blak and Blu (Gary Clark, Jr.)
Blunderbuss (Jack White)
Boys and Girls (Alabama Shakes)
Home Again (Michael Kiwanuka)
Is Your Love
Big Enough? (Lianne LaHavas)
Little Broken Hearts(Norah Jones)
Making Mirrors (Gotye)
Pour Ame Soveraine
(A Dedication to Nina
Simone) (Meshell Ndegeocello)
World Wide
Rebel Songs (Tom Morello)

Between The Garbage and The Flowers

(for the children of Newtown, Connecticut)


Between the garbage and
the flowers,
I saw you standing there,
partially naked
and beautiful;
crying,
you said,
for all the lost children,
for the loss
of innocence;

you told me your name
was Jesus,
then kissed me tenderly,
on the lips;
you spoke to me,
in poetry,
which sounded like
the sweetest music
I've ever heard,
as if angels were crying.

I wanted to give you money
but you refused;
you simply said,
'love', ' love';
you repeated it,
like a mantra,
and then,
danced away,
as if you had been
a vision;
and I was left there,
standing,
almost kneeling,
between the garbage
and the flowers,
crying,
remembering,
and wanting to hug
the first person I saw.

©2012 Joseph Powell

The Bass Player Is A Woman

She strokes my soul
like she strokes her guitar,
tenderly, yet firmly
with every note she plays;
my savage beast
is calmed
by her melodic flourishes,
her rhythmic tempo
massaging my every pain.
Right now,
in this moment,
we are one,
though we are surrounded
by hundreds.
And as she takes a bow
to thunderous applause
she absolutely deserves,
I could swear
I catch
her glistening eye
staring back at mine
and I smile,
as I clap my hands
in return.

© 2012 Joseph Powell

A Poem For Donny (for Donny Hathaway)

I am trying to write words,
inspired by the words
that you sang for me;

I am trying to calm
the screaming in my head,
I am not certain
I am imagining or not;

I feel your pain--
at least,
I like to believe
I understand it.

Like you,
I want to create art;
I want little ghetto boys,
like the ones
we used to be,
to be inspired
for something greater
than themselves;

I am holding back tears
I wish I could have
cried for you
that day
when I heard;

instead,
I am writing this poem
for you, Donny,
in the hopes
that I believe
that everything
is bout to get better.

© 2012 Joseph Powell