ORGANIZER: Richard Olafson and Linda Rogers
CONTACT: ekstasis@islandnet.com
I am challenging the people of Victoria to geurilla poem one another on September 24 and forever after, to write poems in icing on cakes, to chalk sidewalks, to leave poems in pockets, to paint or embroider their clothing with activist poems, to call into radio shows and read poems that encourage positive change, to make poem cards for those we love and admire. All activist poets will be designated honorary assistant poet laureates at The Well on September 24. 7:00pm – 10:00pm.
Download the Press Release for Victoria-BC
BACKWORDS AND FORWORD
In the beginning, there was a world
that needed a word and the word
was go(o)d, master of the unbroken
universe, mother of the wheel that
breaks like the poet who sings in his
change like the sea, like children
with begging bowls, begging for new
words to plant in the garden of
good and evil. This is the dialectic
of smash and fix, beautiful verbs;
dirty blood filtered through kidneys,
dirty air wet-cleaned in forests, dirty
deeds transformed by alchemists,
dirty water washing stars, our
clean windows on the firmament,
deaf composers listening with their fingers,
children thinking backword and forword.
This is change as simple as breathing.
Expired, the soul has weight and we
rediscover the lightness of being, only
twenty-one grams: our holy vocation
to catch and release its mysteries
as the river runs through us, revealing
the word that is love made visible.
In Byzantium, the words for change
are bozuk para, meaning broken money,
and nothing is lost in translation.
Long ago and far away, only hungry
beggars would touch these fractured
alms, but now that we’ve cracked
the world, an enigma engine that
drives itself, everything broken is
holy and we get to pay it forward.
Linda Rogers-Victoria Poet Laureate
i have been ”in” since hearing from michael… and so in nar future to keep in touch with others, too. nice to see how it is taking off more… so many good ideas and wishing good networking, for that is it for now! amy, and will send in more ideas, soon. sent some to michael, and am interested in those of everyone else’s too. best! amy
Hi Richard. Count me”in.” Put me on the list and let’s keep in touch.
thanks
Claire (Paulette)
Hello…
I, too would love to be involved….I would love to read and help foster this event in other ways! Looking forward to seeing this come to be! Artists for Change…eARTh!
Bronwyn
Oh! And just curious where the Victoria event will take place? What are some of the ideas? Indoors? Outdoors? Both?
GUERILLA POETRY IN VICTORIA
CALLING ALL POETS TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THE WORLD
Parents are always telling small children to “use their words”
when they are frustrated. Whether it is wanna cookie, unrequited
love, extreme weather, extreme politics or just the desire to see the
grass grow faster, we can all dust off our spells and use our words
to make it happen. That is the job description of poets, and we are
all potential poets, whether we are hip hopping, dubbing, praying,
cursing, making promises or wishing.
Victoria’s poet laureate Linda Rogers challenges all of us to
witness for change and share your experiences at The Well at 7 pm on
Saturday September 24. That’s 100 Thousand Poets for Change Day,
when people around the world will be rhyming, cursing and free
versing for better times ahead.
The poet laureate will be “prizing” innovative activist poets who
come to the Well to share the surprising things they have done, so
The Well audience can witness their witnessing and vote for audience
favourites.
She suggests you hang poems from trees, ice verse on cakes, put poems
in shop windows, chalk them on pavement, stick them in shoes and
pockets, stand on a soapbox, paint or embroider your clothing with
poetry, or call up radio stations with haiku. The only limit is your
imagination. Get out there and poem. The world needs you.
See the attached press release for more details, or contact Richard
Olafson at ekstasis@islandnet.com