ORGANIZER Alfred Harrell for a Triad Poetry Meetup
http://www.meetup.com/triadpoetry/
in conjunction with 100 THOUSAND POETS FOR CHANGE
CONTACT: triadpoetrymeetup@gmail.com
Rhythms of Words
Social Awareness
100 THOUSAND POETS FOR CHANGE EVENTS
September 24, 2011
6-10 PM
A Free Public Event
Tate Street Coffee House Greensboro,
Choose an issue you feel strongly about and speak on it
Poets/Spoken Word Artist: Choose an issue you feel strongly about and speak on it
Musicians /Singers:( no band with larger than 3 members) let your music speak for change
Storytellers: Create images through story for change
Comedians: Add to your gift of to bring laughter as a healing median for change
If you would like to be scheduled into this program please contact me at
mraharrl@gmail.com
Deadline to be scheduled on program August 20, 2011
Open Mic element intertwined throughout program
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=247150768630486
Poetry “Write In for Change” part of 100 Thousand Poets for Change Project
When: 9.24.11 10am-12noon
12 HOURS OF POETRY IN GREENBORO
Where: Central Library 219 N Church St Greensboro, NC 27401 336-373-3617
http://www.meetup.com/triadpoetry/calendar/
Members of the New Garden Friends Poetry Group will guide writers of all levels in writing and reviewing poems in the Booklovers Coffee Shop.
A public reading will begin about 11:30am.
Poet and fiction writer Valerie Nieman, who publishes with Press 53, will teach a workshop for children.
It takes place from 1-4 at the Witherspoon Art Gallery, and is called Peeking Behind the Mask
–Each day we go about our routine lives, but inside we are superheroes or explorers, pirates or rock stars, hiding our secret identities behind a mask of an unassuming face and daily clothes. With the backdrop of Witherspoon’s current exhibition, “Persona: A Body in Parts,” we’ll explore our own secret identities and “peek behind the mask” of famous folks (real or fictional) to imagine their thoughts and lives. One way to enter this secret world is to write a persona poem – persona meaning mask – in which we give a voice to that alternate identity. Join poet and novelist Valerie Nieman in the Witherspoon lobby for a drop-in poetry experience for all ages. In addition, use a variety of materials to create your own magnificent mask to wear. At 3:00 pm we’ll celebrate with live improvisational jazz and a spoken word sharing.
In Greensboro, at 10:00 AM at the Central branch of the Public Library, the New Garden poetry group will offer an open workshop for any adult or teen interested in writing a poem.
Also check out the Weatherspoon’s Annual Community Day and Triad Poetry Meetup for poetry events in the afternoon at Weatherspoon Art Museum and from 6:00 to 10:00 at Tate Street Coffee House. All events are free.
Educations Crucifixion
By Alfred Harrell -Open Your Eyes and Listen Ó 2010 Saturday, May 22, 2010
America, America, GOD shed his grace upon thee
Sweet! Sweet! Land of illiteracy
Land where reading was once fundamental
And
Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetics
Took precedence over politics
Land where
Addition, Subtraction, Division and Multiplication
With its bag of tricks
Acted as the catalyst for more complicated mathematics
America, America, GOD shed his grace upon thee
Sweet! Sweet! Land of illiteracy
America you now hang your children upon a crucifix
To the god of budget cuts and politics
America, America, GOD shed his grace upon thee
Sweet! Sweet! Land of illiteracy
We
Poets
Guardian Angels of written words
From every Mic and stage
Will stand like an angel over Christ grave
Resurrect the power of words
Now lying dead on printed pages
Written by pen and pc
And speak as one educations words of liberty:
Come forth!
Breathe!
Our words for your children
Bleed Eternally!
Rhythm Of Words for Social Awareness
Part of 100 THOUSAND POETS FOR CHANGE
September 24, 2011
6-10 PM
Tate Street Coffee House Greensboro, NC
A Free Public Event
Choose an issue you feel strongly about and speak on it
Play about it
Sing about it
Tell a story about it
Use comedy to help heal
Poets
Musicians/Singers
Storytellers
Comedians
Open Mic element intertwined throughout program
This year’s annual Fall Community Day: Peeking Behind the Mask celebrates creativity, performance, and role playing in conjunction with the exhibition Persona: A Body in Parts.
Each day we go about our routine lives, but inside we are superheroes or explorers, pirates or rock stars, hiding our secret identities behind a mask of an unassuming face and daily clothes. We’ll explore our own secret identities and “peek behind the mask” of famous folks (real or fictional) to imagine their thoughts and lives.
One way to enter this secret world is to write a persona poem – persona meaning mask – in which we give a voice to that alternate identity. Join poet and novelist Valerie Nieman in the WAM lobby, 1-4pm, for a drop-in poetry experience for all ages. In addition, use a variety of materials to create your own magnificent mask to wear. At 3pm we’ll celebrate with live improvisational jazz and a spoken word sharing. Don’t miss this high-energy exploration of hidden realms of the self.
Offered biannually, WAM Community Days are open to all ages and feature hands-on art activities, performances, gallery games and plenty of opportunities to explore the museum at your own pace. All ages welcome. Free.
The list of Triad Poetry Meetup poets and other local poets is growing hopefully there will be at least 20 poets or other artist signed up for this event plus the walk-in open mic voices for Triad Poetry Meetup four hour role in this movement.
12 HOURS OF POETRY IN GREENBORO 9.24.11 Poets from the New Garden Friends Poetry Group will guide writers of all levels in writing and reviewing poems in the Booklovers Coffee Shop beginning at 10am. A public reading will begin about 11:30am.
Poetry “Write In” part of 100 Thousand Poets for Change Project
When: 9.24.11 10am-12noon
Where: Central Library 219 N Church St Greensboro, NC 27401 336-373-3617
http://www.meetup.com/triadpoetry/calendar/
Students from the Creative Writing program at North Carolina A&T State University will be performing poems and mentoring writers at the “Peeking Behind the Mask” event.
Persona poems let participants “Peek Behind the Mask” at the Fall Community Day, Weatherspoon Gallery, UNC-Greensboro. Poets of all ages wrote and performed in the public square.
Here is one poem used in the program – organizer Valerie Nieman’s “Prelude.”
Prelude
Rosa Parks at Her Booking
Now, isn’t this a moment –
The policeman takes my hand as gentle
and respectful as you please (though I suspect he doesn’t).
You might just say it’s the uniform or the office,
or familiarity with the task, how many
fingers he’s set to ink and then to paper.
Every finger has a print only to itself, they say,
but I wonder if there is some difference
black to white, like nap of hair or curve of lip.
If you jumbled the cards, could anyone say
this soul belongs in the front of the bus
and that, by this arabesque, in the back?
He takes my pointer and presses it down,
rolls it side to side,
white on black, black on white.
A piano teacher might take my fingers,
place them so, so, and so
before the first note is struck.
Rhythm Of Words for Social Awareness was the final part of the 12 hours of poetry in support of event. There were approximately 70 people in attendance at Tate Street Coffeehouse where this event was held.
Over 20 different poets shared poems about a great variety of issues facing us Americans and people the world over. There were poems about war, racial disparities in the American justice system, educational issues, child molestion and religious hypocrisy.
PlAcEs written and read by Alfred Harrell-Event Organizer, Rhythm of Words A Social Awareness Event at Tate Street Coffeehouse September 24, 2011
mommie. Daryl touches me in PlAcEs
I KNOW BABY.
HE TOUCHES YOU WHEN HE HOLDS YOUR HAND TO CROSS THE STREET.
no mommie. Daryl touches me in PlAcEs
I KNOW PATTIE.
HE TOUCHES YOU WHEN YOU’RE SICK TO GIVE YOU MEDICINE TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER.
mommie. Daryl touches me in PlAcEs
I KNOW BABY.
HE TOUCHES YOU TO MAKE SURE YOUR SEAT BELT IS FASTEN RIGHT.
mommie. Daryl touches me in PlAcEs
I KNOW PATTIE.
HE TOUCHES YOU WHEN THE KNOT YOU MADE IN YOUR SHOE LACES COMES UNTIED SO THAT YOU WON’T TRIP OVER THE STRINGS.
no mommie. Daryl touches me in PlAcEs
I KNOW BABY.
HE TOUCHES YOU WHEN HE TUCKS YOU IN ON THE NIGHTS I HAVE TO WORK.
HE TOLD ME SO.
HE TOUCHES YOU TO SCARE THE BOOGIE MAN AWAY, CAUSE HE LOVES YOU.
no mommie. no mommie! NO!
HE TOUCHES ME IN PLACES! HE TOUCHES ME….HE TOUC….HE TOU….
no BABY! no!
Daryl’s a go-o-o-d man! THE ONLY DAD YOU’VE HAD SINCE YOUR dad left!
no mommie! no mommie NO!
SEE…MOMMIE…SEE
he touches me in PlAcEs
he gives me ice cream in bed… mommie
he hold open my legs when he feed it to me
SO I WON’T SCREAM
SEe MomMie-sEE the Stains on the sheEts
No BABY! no that’s just where you had a BAD dReaM and wEt the bed
no mommie-no! Daryl TOUCHES ME in PLACES!
please MOMMIE? plEAse? BELIEVE ME.
I’M YOUR BABY GIRL.
BEFOre HE came i was your WORLD
you still are BUT DARYL my MAn
and what you say CAN NOT BE…you see
mommie……………He tou……ME……n……..plaCES
First of several video uploads of Rhythm Of Words for Social Awareness part of the 100 Thousand Poets for Change (Shot at Tate Street Coffeehouse Greensboro, NC)