http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001848113419
805 St. Clair Ave. W.
Sunday Poetry at Ellington’s joins 100,000 poets for change Toronto Sept. 24, 1:00PM to 5:00 PM
Clifton Joseph, Chi Kalevar, Audry Redman, Jen Kunlire, Marita Hollo with Jenny Blackbird, Kabaka Pyramid, Howard Jerome, Luc Guillen, Sea J., Dwain Wellington, June Harris, Salimah Valiani, Tom Smarta, Steve Hall, Charlie Bobus, Ariel Len, Leah, and Maria Elena Mesa
100 thousand poets for change toronto mission statement
Our goal is to bring poetry back to the center of cultural life. In the same way that the revolution in communications technology has sparked revolutionary movements around the world, so we, the poets of all nations, one hundred thousand strong, will speak on the same day to express our solidarity with those who cannot speak for themselves. Whatever else, poetry is freedom. By speaking to a world-wide audience using Facebook, Twitter and Skype, we will remind all of us of poetry’s great gift to the human spirit – delight.
ORGANZER: Marty Smith
CONTACT: martyhsmith@aol.com
ORGANIZER: Charlie Huisken
CONTACT: charles@thisaint.
Organized in conjunction with World Poetry Movement
Marty Smith on facebook
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/56248734/haiku-poetry-and-paintings
martyhsmith@gmail.com
onecloud on facebook
calling toronto poets,
sign up for events in toronto in september.
suggest events and venues.
telephone poetry line on Queen St.?
post your ideas and contact info here
marty
Will be in Toronto in Sept (live in Yellowknife) & am a poet, Let me know what I can do, where to be, etc.
Marita
Marita, please check in to the Toronto information again. And write me if you have any questions. Best, Michael
Marita Hollo said,
” Will be in Toronto in Sept (live in Yellowknife) & am a poet, Let me know what I can do, where to be, etc.”
hi Marita, keep looking at this page for information. at this time there are no events or venues planned, but when Ideas come forward I will post them here.
marty smith
I am an artist and poet from Scarborough. Very interested! Keep me posted, I’ll keep this site bookmarked too.
Melissa,
hello. please post any suggestions you may have for 100 thousand poets events in toronto. If we are able to organize a large number of poets, we may want to use dundas sq. or maybe we can organize a web broadcast from all the poetry venues in t.o. or …
would you like to be a member of the organizing committee?
marty
I am currently in Barrie but Tdot is home. It would be an honour. Change is a constant but our choices make it happen. Peace Marty
I am currently in Barrie but Tdot is home. It would be an honour. Change is a constant but our choices make it. Peace Marty
hello eb,
i am excited about toronto poets joining with poets everywhere to raise a voice for change, I believe we can organize some great events in toronto and some simo-cast to the 100 thousand poets links around the world.
list your ideas hear and share with your friends.
marty
just to let you know Eb Martin
Next organizing meeting is scheduled for 5:30, Tuesday the 26th of July. Trinity Square Video has graciously allowed us to meet at their office which is at 401 Richmond Street West, suite#376.
Now toronto poets can share their ideas for change on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176783952384356
suggest venues:
Clinton’s art bar
any starbucks
tranzac club
free times cafe
grossman’s tavern
rivoli
the rex
and the streets, parks, library and bookstores
All of them! In NYC there are 6 and in San Francisco/Bay Area 12. Toronto is awesome!
post poems for change here, to be archived in libraries.
I just want to thank the other 99,999 poets for helping to make this happen! See you in September… Meanwhile, here’s a poem appropriate to the tenth anniversary of 9/11…
TO SING ANOTHER VILLANELLE
To sing another villanelle
We climb or, drowning, die of thirst
At the bottom of this well
No fitter rhyme could this tale tell
For we, though last, are not the first
To sing another villanelle
When towers burned in sky-high hell
We found ourselves, our world, reversed
At the bottom of this well
When lovers jumped and others fell
Our parched hearts yearned, before they burst
To sing another villanelle
That sidewalk thump will sound our knell
Unless, in art, that sound is nursed
At the bottom of this well
Though words can never death dispel
Our spirits rise in verse unhearsed
To sing another villanelle
At the bottom of this well
thank you for the poem Max
Charlie Huisken
Organization/plans — 100 thousand poets for change toronto
Hello all,
Our first organizing meeting will be held on Tuesday the 19th at 5:30 at John’s Italian Caffe at 27 Baldwin near McCaul – upstairs meeting room.
Thanks for your interest in 100 thousand poets for change toronto. We will need to organize before we can even think about scheduling poetry readings and performance for September 24.
We will be going over a vision statement, divvying up chores — to try to get media coverage and publicity, to arrange venues or a venue, to create a workable doable schedule, to do flyering and postering, to figure out how to cover costs, etc.
Change by Mary Fish
A Poem
. .
. .
. !
. …?
Copyright Mary Fish July 2011
inspiring change in poetry.
reminiscent of e. e. cummings
July 19, 2011
notes from the first organizational meeting.
organizing committee volunteers
Charlie Huiesken charles@thisaint.ca
Louise Bak boxsalon@hotmail.com
E.V. Mary Stephens ee.vee.mary@gmail.com
Max Layton maxlayton@rogers.com
Shannon Pass denverbird@hotmail.com
Marty Smith martyhsmith@gmail.com
We discussed the image, name, and statement of purpose, for the 100 thousand poets for change Toronto group. We want to make an affirmative statement about change in culture to address children’s needs first. also to express solidarity with oppressed or victimized populations for their struggle .
Censorship by some states is a concern so that we want our statement to support movements for free expression of thoughts and ideas. Max will draft a statement that follows the concerns raised in the discussion. Charlie will ask a graphic artist if they will design an image for our group to use on the facebook page and printed material
We discussed venues. we considered that we would like some venues to be non-alcoholic, possibly also a day time, out door event directed toward children that engages families. Some ideas for events concerned skype hook ups to share venues here, and around the wold. The public engagement in the idea that poetry be an agent for change in culture as a theme.
Also we discussed that we would like our event to give voice to those who by oppression are not able to freely speak as we are. we will try to collect poetry from censored poets who’s work we will read.
Shannon will search some sources.
We discussed publicity and media sponsorship. we may do some postering on the street and in the libraries. Marty will check out cost for poster printing and distribution.
Mary will write a press release, Charlie, and Max will develop media contacts
Our Next organizing meeting is scheduled for 5:30, Tuesday the 26th of July. Trinity Square Video has graciously allowed us to meet at their office which is at 401 Richmond Street West, suite#376.
post by marty
an untitled poem for change
by: Cheryl Trudeau
Can’t even lead the old, Appaloosa ponies to water,
on account of my own dehydration.
They remain stagnant unaware of their self-imposed duress.
Suspecting a storm to come, but not enough to break the dam.
July 27, 2011
notes from second meeting
We reviewed Shannon’s inquiry to the CBC, and Max Layton’s mission statement. We briefed each other on the work we did during the week. Also we shared 100TPC news about Bancroft’s plans, a plan for Moose Factory and other events around the world. Charlie told us that Tot Stock is taking place the weekend before our event, and word on the street, the weekend after. We will attend Tot Stock to engage children with poetry and promote our event to families.
There was considerable discussion about what we need to do next. Our discussion focused on contacting venues, contacting writer’s organizations, and developing media contacts. We received an acknowledgment that CIUT will give us coverage. We would like to appear on the radio as guest to speak about the event. Some of the organizations and venues would like to contact are: League of Canadian Poets, Penn Canada, Coach House Press, Much Music, Clinton’s, Rivoli, Ellington’s, The Press Club and the U of T.
We would also like to invite Toronto’s Poet Laureate, past and present, as well as our national and Ontario Laureates.
Charlie will reach out to writer’s groups and venues, Mary and Louise will develop media contacts and inquire about some venues, as well. Mary will draft a letter to use for queries, to writer’s group, venues and media, based on Shannon’s first draft. Mary will also draft a press release using our mission statement.
Our plan is to use the letter of inquiry to mail out seeking endorsement, support, or participation. Marty will collect the list of contacts from everyone to assemble into a database. We discussed, personal contact, mail, and electronic communications. We will use all methods, primarily personal contact and electronic.
We agreed to use Max Layton’s mission statement.
After the meeting I posted it to FB in a note and got many positive comments
After the meeting Louise solicited Fiona Smyth to design our group image.
If I left anything out please add your impute,.
awesome!
100 thousand poets for change toronto mission statement
Our goal is to bring poetry back to the center of cultural life. In the same way that the revolution in communications technology has sparked revolutionary movements around the world, so we, the poets of all nations, one hundred thousand strong, will speak on the same day to express our solidarity with those who cannot speak for themselves. Whatever else, poetry is freedom. By speaking to a world-wide audience using Facebook, Twitter and Skype, we will remind all of us of poetry’s great gift to the human spirit – delight.
Aug. 3, 2011
notes from the 3rd meeting,
We received three new participants to our group,
Babar Khan
David Swartz
Lauren Stien
We had some introductions and informally shared our efforts at outreach.
We set an agenda to review and approve the
art work submitted by Fiona Smyth,
press release and information letter written by Mary.
choose a venue
SKYPE & webcast
discuss sponsorship, endorsements, and media outreach
Charlie reported that he had written letters to our laureates past and present. We have not received a reply. He also is pursuing venues with some headway but no commitment yet. He is approaching Edward Day Gallery. David and Lauren suggested we approach 401 Richmond.
We will look at public venues in Parkdale, and on Queen St. West. Marty will contact city councillors and community centers for assistance. We may be able to engage the Parkdale branch of the Toronto Public Library. We all agree that the first priority now is to identify a venue for the event.
Marty showed the poster art work with different layouts and text. There was general approval but no discussion. He also said the library will need to approve a poster about 3 weeks before we want it displayed in libraries. The SKYPE and web cast skills seem to be very straight forward. We believe we can webcast from all our indoor venues, and the SKYPE is no more complex than a phone call. David and Marty will check out the projector at the waterfall and find out what cords are needed for hook up to a laptop.
Also, John the tech /sound man at the Supermarket,(also on Augusta) was named as a person we should contact.
David and Lauren told us about the Transcendental Mirror Variety show that they produce, at the Waterfall Tapas Bar, 303 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market. It is a weekly open mike with features and live painting. The venue has a stage with a screen and a projector. We asked David and Lauren to fine out if we can book that space in the evening on the 24th of Sept.
Lauren is able to be our MC
Mary sent an open call to poets, to the U of T, George Brown College, and other Universities. She showed us the press release and letter she drafted. Max requested that the word politics be removed from the press release. There was a great debate on the request but not a decision. The debate consumed the remainder of out time.
Unfinished business………..
Media outreach, ciut radio invitation, letters to cbc, ctv, city tv, much music
event planning, secure a venue
My thoughts are that we have all the talent and resources we need to accomplish our goal, but we are running out of time. We will need to work more independently on getting the job done and identifying details. We need to communicate with each other much more on the internet.
Thank you, and please make comments or corrections.
Marty
Next organizing meeting is scheduled for 7:00PM, Tuesday August 9 at Clinton’s Art Bar
poets in Toronto will read at CINECYCLE & THE WATERFALL TAPAS BAR
on Sept. 24, 2011
Just sayin’
Gnome Alice copyright 2011
riots in London
“looters”
2200 people demonstrate in the Middle East
“revolution”
lose the cup
“hooligans”
extreme policing G20
“security”
misLead a Middle Eastern country
“dictator”
misLead a Western country
“bad politician”
just sayin’
Aug. 10, 2011
notes from the 4th meeting,
In attendance:
Charlie Huskien
Honey Novick ……………… need e-mail address………..)
Gregory Frankson
Dyan Marie
Mary Stephens
Louise Bok
Marty Smith
Babar Khan
Max sent regrets
David, Lauren, and Shannon were absent.
Agenda
1. confirmed venue bookings
CineCycle begin poets list
Waterfalls begin poets list
2. announcements, venues and poets list
3. posters, final artwork and text.
discussion and approval for print.
4. promotion,
start using radio show guest spot.
get interviewed for college newspapers. go to readings
5. event planing, stage management for each venue. sound techs.
6. request for endorsements and sponsorship.
Everyone got to know each other with some informal chat and Marty
provided some background information to Greg, and Dyan. The discussion
on bookings quickly went to congratulations to Louise for getting the
CineCycle on board and booking lots of talent for the show. Marty has
confirmed the Waterfalls as well for a show after 9:PM .It is believed
that Lauren will M.C. at the waterfalls, Mary or others may share the
duties at the waterfalls. Babar is contacting the owner of the Bovine
also. Dyan asked us if she could stage a show for 100 Thousand Poets
for Change, as a Poetry Breakfast in Bloordale, Sept. 24, 10:30 –
12:30 in the morning, House of Lancaster, 1215 Bloor Street West,
Toronto.
Today she posted it on f b…..so the show is on there as well .BRAVO.
We’re negotiating with the city to have a stage in
Trinity Bellwoods Park for part of the day.
(This e-mail arrived from the city today )
Hello Martin,
This email is being sent to advise that the 100 Thousand Poets for
Change has been granted sponsorship from Councillor Layton to utilize
City of Toronto, Facilities Management meeting/event space for a
one-time only event on September 24th, 2011.
Attached please find our Terms and Conditions package which requires
signature on the pages indicated. Please read all documentation, sign
where required and return only those pages which confirm your
signature, back to our office on or before August 17th, 2011 to secure
your account / booking with our office. (please scan and email back).
We will require more detailed information before we can proceed with
booking your request. Please send on organization letterhead,
location you are requesting, times, (to and from) you will require a
space and number of people expected to attend the event.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
Kind Regards,
Vanessa
(We should discuss this asap by phone, fb and or e-mail to provide a
description of the event. I can draft a description tomorrow. Marty)
And also Charlie is in discussion with the people who run Edward Day Gallery and
MoCCA (David Liss and co.) are being approached about the possibility
of using their courtyard for part of the day.
Mary got price & equipment information for Scadding court community
centre and two other venues and set up a fund raising site. We should
all promote and share the site.
There was a lot of discussion on managing the talent list and stages.
Mary has two celebrities who want to appear here via SKYPE, we need to
consider promoting who will appear where, when. on talent there is
much to say and I took poor notes. Everyone should be supplying the
information of who they have invited in writing please.
Charlie still is processing a media sponsorship with ciut, Babar will
contact Nik Beat to arrange for us to appear on his show. Marty sent a
request to now magazine for media sponsorship and a feature, but is
not certain he directed it to the correct person.
Marty showed a draft of the poster for library distribution, We did
discover what info. the group wants, but agree we need to name the
venues and give a contact. It should be clear that it is a call to
poets to read as well as draw the public to the event. Dyan Mari
offered to finish the poster. Marty e-mailed her the text and art.
Charlie asked if we could make stickers and maybe use them for
fund-raising, maybe pins as well. Marty will price out the project.
promotion and event planing are the tasks before us now
stage management and production equipment. We are going with venues
with equipment so far. We will need to address these concerns in a
more direct way soon. We will need electricians, and sound people, as
well as stage managers and talent services or support people.
everyone should post and share information about the event, soon we
will be on the radio, and hopefully in newspapers. I sugguest all of
you post your profiles, bios, CVs, artwork, film and poetry on the
blog page for archival by LOCKSS
Thank you for posting this, Marty. Important details of what it takes.
I learn from you, and from reading this site.
Toronto poets are on fire now!
Awesome, hugs and kisses to Toronto!!
poster by Dyan Marie
http://www.super8porter.ca/CineCycle.htm#eventsnext
Aug. 16, 2011 notes from the 5th meeting,
report on venues,
CineCycle Louise is coordinating the show. I believe that all the
talent is in place and all the equipment is on the location. Louise
will advise us if she requires any expertise for audio, lights, or
projectors.
House of Lancaster Dyan is coordinating the show. Babar wants to be
the MC. Dyan said she has another person in mind. Poets who may appear
are; Sandra Alland, Steve Venrite, and Mary Milne. Other poets may be
invited. Dyan has an idea for a PWYC breakfast, with proceeds going to
the Bloor W. library branch nearby or a woman’s shelter also in the
neigbourhood. We need to find out if the House of Lancaster has a PA
we can use, and if we need a sound engineer to assist. Dyan also wants
to “put art in places that need attention” . Her thoughts are to take
poets to bus shelters, the Library, or the woman’s shelter for
impromptu readings. It is unclear if she wants to advertise this or do
a “gorilla” event. Marty suggested that we end the poetry breakfast
with a poets parade to the sites Dyan suggested. Charlie wants us to
find out about printing a parade banner. Dyan visualize her bus
shelter event taking place at night. Charlie suggest we create a flow
of events from the House of Lancaster to the Market, then on to the
CineCycle down town.
Waterfalls Tapas Marty and Dave are coordinating the show. They are
about to test the projector there and discover what cords are required
to connect the projector to a lap top. The Waterfalls has all the
equipment but we could use some expertise. David will MC and Mary may
share those duties. Mary has suggested a number of poets to appear,
Also Dave and Marty have poets who want to read and Louise has
suggested some poets to the Waterfalls event. Marty’s vision for the
show is a web cast from the Waterfalls to the 100tpc broadcast site.
Marty has poets in Cleveland, Sheboygan, and Brantford who want to
appear at the Waterfalls via SKYPE . He will ask them to use a
webcast instead so they broadcast not only to us, but anyone. Marty
would like to show a talk about how slavery was ended in North
America, by Artist, Sam Kerson. http://vimeo.com/27516054
Also Mary and Louise may add some screenings to the Waterfalls
schedule. The time is tight to present all the ideas for this show,
some cutting may occur. Honey Novick will read or sing, and Marty
would like to invite Josh Smith from Buffalo to appear. There just
may not be time for an open mic.
Announcements and Poets list,
We need to make a blog page or a wordpress page that shows all the
event information in one place. Dyan wants a designer to assist with
the overall look of 100tpc toronto. The banner at the top of the
100tpc blog needs to be changed. Marty requested to be named an
“author” for the site so he can edit our page. We need to assemble a
comprehensive list of poets who are reading at each venue. Please send
a description of your show to Marty with all the features appearing
named. Then we can upload the information to the site we design and
begin promoting.
Also, Marty is to discover the cost for posters, stickers, broadsides,
and parade banner printing and distribution. The poster design is
awaiting approval from the Library for their in house distribution to
about 300 branches. Mary said she can print posters at work. We need
to decide how many items we want to print and where we will
distribute.
We may want to place advertisements in the many neigbourhood newspapers.
We want to get our event announce on radio and tv. We may be able to
get free community service announcements.
Organizational concerns,
There was some discussion regarding our goals as an organization.
Marty has started a data base of the names of people who added
themself to the 100tpc toronto FB event page and community page. The
data base could be used for a mailing list, if contact information is
added . We may want to send a news letter or stage other events after
the Sept 24th event .
Media sponsors,
Dyan has asked BIG the business improvement group to be a sponsor.
The request to CIUT is still being processed.
Has any one requested other sponsorships?
GSMP, (Global Sync Media Productions) has offered to be a media
sponsor. GSMP was founded by a collective in Kensington Market in
1997, …to promote kensington market artist and the arts locally and
globally… GSMP, published the Spirit of Kensington Artzine in 1998
and 1999.
In 1999 they published the Kin of Kensington CD, featuring kensington
market musicians. In 2003 they started bellvueparktv on youtube where
they publish the Kin of Kensington II, a collection of 21 music videos
marking the beginning of the 21st century. The collection stands at 6
music videos so far. http://www.youtube.com/user/BellevueParkTV
In 2010 GSMP published “the passionate creation” a collection of short
verse poetry with paintings from onecloud, in both a limited edition
artist bound, print edition as well as on line.
http://www.docstoc.com/profile/martysmith1
Global Sync will bring computer equipment, video equipment,
technicians, an inkjet as well as laser printer. to the project. They
will facilitate the webcast from the waterfalls and help document the
overall project. GSMP would like it’s logo displayed on printed
material, and would like to use it’s webcast channel on ustream for
the webcast from the Waterfalls. The 100tpc toronto planning group may
decide to register a broadcast channel with the 100tpc name at the web
site suggested by MR and TC at big bridge.
Next meeting?
We forgot to schedule the next meeting. Please, every one suggest the
best time and location for them self. The Art bar poetry series has
moved to Paupers Pub, 539 Bloor St. West, on the second floor.
Myself, I liked the early meeting time more, and maybe we can return
to Trinity Sq. Video at 401Rrichmond.
100tpc toronto planning group
Charlie Huskien
Honey Novick
Gregory Frankson
Dyan Marie
Mary Stephens
Louise Bok
Marty Smith
Babar Khan
Max Layton
David Swartz
Shannon Past
The House of Lancaster
1215 Bloor Street West, Bloordale, Toronto
Sept 24, Morning 10:30 to 12:30
Jump-start community-building 100 Thousand Artists for Change with a morning breakfast poetry event. (The House of Lancaster’s exotic dancers have the morning off!) Come out to join us for your morning meal and enjoy the poetry, dance and music.
100 TAFC, House of Lancaster Poetry Breakfast is a pay-what-you-can fund-raising event with proceeds divided between local Savards Woman Shelter on Bloor Street, neighbourhood Perth/Dupont library and the performing poets. This event is encouraged by BIG: Bloor Improvement Group and the Bloordale BIA
. . . . . . . . . .
The Waterfalls Indian Tapas Bar and Grill
303 Augusta Ave, Kensington Market, Toronto
Sept 24, After 9 PM
Webcast to 100,000 poets for change world wide
SKYPE readings from Greenland, Sheboygan Wisconsin, more……
. . . . . . . . . .
CineCycle
In the old coach house down the lane behind 129 Spadina Ave., Toronto
Sept 24, Doors 8 pm
100,000 Poets For Change invites you to an evening of short readings, performance and video screenings by:
John Barlow, Lynn Crosbie, Powys Dewhurst, Christine Duncan, Jemeni G, Mike Hoolboom, Min Sook Lee, Darren O’Donnell, Priscilla Uppal and others.
The first of an annual salon night of readings, performances, screenings, interventions and networking that aims to bring diverse communities and audiences into an environment of artistic and social intermingling.
Mark us down. Of course we want to see you there.
. . . . . . . . . .
100 Thousand Poets for Change, Toronto Mission Statement
Our goal is to bring poetry back to the center of cultural life. In the same way that the revolution in communications technology has sparked revolutionary movements around the world, so we, the poets of all nations, one hundred thousand strong, will speak on the same day to express our solidarity with those who cannot speak for themselves. Whatever else, poetry is freedom. By speaking to a world-wide audience using Facebook, Twitter and Skype, we will remind all of us of poetry’s great gift to the human spirit – delight.
Our Man Jack
our man Jack
a voice for change
not a voice in the wilderness
not a voice from the mean streets
our man Jack
a man of class
one who let his passion take action
one who gave his voice to justice
justice for one and all
our man Jack
a voice for civility in government
a voice for freedom in society
a man of action
our man Jack
who gave his best for all
we give our best to you.
We give our best to you
oh, Jack
we give our best to you
we give our hope to you
oh, Jack
who gives us a vision to hope for
who gives us a justice to dream for
who gives us the courage to stand
in the face of wrong doing by any
who don’t cherish this beautiful land
who gives us the courage to move onward
keep justice the vision we brand
so our children and their children also
will have children, and children again
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Layton
If poets are meant to give voice to the voiceless, then on our sinking planet the voices least heard are those of the species going extinct!
I will be glad to read my poem from their point of view – it is titled:
“I am an animal, not a human being”
On any occaison where animals are the centre of the meeting’s concern I will be glad to express my concerns for them by reading my poem titled “I am an animal not a human being”. This and many other animal poems and poems of planetary impatience can be shared..
Thanks for considering!
Chai
416 657 8421