at the Downer with Leslie, Sabrina and Akilah

Akilah and me in red

Akilah and Jermiah Super Bowl Sunday

traipsing around town with Sabrina and Akilah

saddened to learn this morning of the passing of my friend Akilah Oliver. last we spent time together was in the Summer of 2010, i met up with Sabrina and Akilah at The Catacombs, our old hangout, immediately upon arriving in Boulder for vacation. i don't think the three of us had been back together as a crew in over 4 years, amazingly the bartender remembered us. we sat at our old table, the big round one in the back of the bar and ordered our $2 double vodka tonics and buffalo wings. talked all kinds of gossip new and old, back in the swing of things from the get go. later we caught a cab to Naropa for a Barbara Hillman reading. the three of us sat at the front of PAC, happy hour tipsy, sweating Summer-in-Boulder sweat, downing our "faculty seats" free waters. afterwards Sabrina and i walked Akilah to wherever she was staying on Canyon St., said goodnight, embraced and headed on our way. RIP Akilah (1961-2011). you were a great friend and brilliant poet. spoke with Sabrina earlier today sharing memories, you are loved and will be missed. xoxo