January 31, 2003
Earlier this week, I got an email forwarded to me by a friend of mine who is a member of the National Association for Poetry Therapy.
The original email sent by Sam Hamill, a poet and editor of the highly regarded Copper Canyon Press, asked that every poet speak up for the conscience of our country and lend his or her name to our petition against this war, and to make February 12 a day of Poetry Against the War. We will compile an anthology of protest to be presented to the White House on that afternoon. Read about the history of the effort here. And if you want to submit a poem or statement of conscience, email it to kokua@olympus.net. I already did.
According to today’s Yahoo News, Hamill had expected about 50 responses; he's gotten about 2,000, including contributions from W.S. Merwin, Adrienne Rich and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, whose poem, "Coda," includes the lines "And America turns the attack on the World Trade Center-Into the beginning of the Third World War."
The subject of the Yahoo news article is a report that a literary symposium that was supposed to be hosted by Laura Bush has been indefinitely postponed, and Two former U.S. poet laureates criticized the White House on Thursday for postponing a literary symposium it believed would be politicized. Stanley Kunitz and Rita Dove characterized the decision as an example of the Bush administration's hostility to dissenting or creative voices.
It’s become so easy for me to feel powerless these days. But, between Camilo giving me an email pep talk and a chance to contribute to the compilation of Poetry Against the War, I’m feeling a little better.
Comments now powered by HaloScan. Click here to read this entry's comments (if any), or to post one of your own.
Old Comments (23)
Richard on 01 Feb 2003
Thanks, Elaine, for the e-mail alerting me to this post.
This sounds like an uplifting project and one that I would love to participate in. I have no material all ready written that I would consider submitting so I would have to conjure something new. God knows I've got enough to say about the grave we seem to be digging for ourselves.
Ailina on 02 Feb 2003
I know there are rights and not-rights about comparing our time to that of the 60's, but I often do. Sadly, I wonder if all THIS is going to be what defines this generation. I wonder if the outcome will be our shame-name. Like WWII Germany.
Sherine Khalil on 19 Mar 2003
A Little Spot in the World
Don't point at me your F 16s,
Your aircraft carriers and gun machines,
Don't track me down by satellite
Ultraviolet, infra-red light.
Turn off your cameras and microphones,
I just want to be left alone.
Don't build these barriers of barbed wire
nor plant these mines & springs of fire
Don't splash my name across the news
And mash my brain with all your views,
Your global myth of luxury
Your bulging pockets of misery.
Don't tell me what's wrong or right,
If it hit you in the face you might
not recognise the truth,blind to you.
And when did justice become appointed to
The bully with the iron fist,
With his germ bombs and nuclear mist?
Just leave me in ignorance and the sanctity
Of one spot in the world, just for me.
paul Andrews on 21 Mar 2003
Instead of unnecessary anti war protests we should show our displeasure of the war by not supporting the oil industry. If we boycott fossil fuels the oil companies will have no other choice but to find an alternative to war and fossil fuels. It will also protect our environment and our children’s future as well as all other life that calls planet Earth home.
paul Andrews on 21 Mar 2003
Instead of unnecessary anti war protests we should show our displeasure of the war by not supporting the oil industry. If we boycott fossil fuels the oil companies will have no other choice but to find an alternative to war and fossil fuels. It will also protect our environment and our children’s future as well as all other life that calls planet Earth home.
paul Andrews on 21 Mar 2003
Instead of unnecessary anti war protests we should show our displeasure of the war by not supporting the oil industry. If we boycott fossil fuels the oil companies will have no other choice but to find an alternative to war and fossil fuels. It will also protect our environment and our children’s future as well as all other life that calls planet Earth home.
paul Andrews on 21 Mar 2003
Instead of unnecessary anti war protests we should show our displeasure of the war by not supporting the oil industry. If we boycott fossil fuels the oil companies will have no other choice but to find an alternative to war and fossil fuels. It will also protect our environment and our children’s future as well as all other life that calls planet Earth home.
paul Andrews on 21 Mar 2003
Instead of unnecessary anti war protests we should show our displeasure of the war by not supporting the oil industry. If we boycott fossil fuels the oil companies will have no other choice but to find an alternative to war and fossil fuels. It will also protect our environment and our children’s future as well as all other life that calls planet Earth home.
Dooba on 26 Mar 2003
To everyone who is ANTI-War- comeon.... give me a freakin' break- 4 real- ok... 1st off, how do you think your sorry asses live in a free country? uh- not cuz you sit here and complain about it... It's becuz our brave soldiers... And as of right now our war w/ Iraq isn't the "draft" these men knew what could happen- they chose to sign up. Now- support our president, if not pack up and get outta the country, where maybe everything isn't so happy go lucky for you!!
Val Strimbu on 27 Mar 2003
WAR, HUH, GOOD GOD! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN'!!!!!!...(SAY IT AGAIN)
War is hell...
And Hell is War...
I don't know what we're fighting for...
I don't believe the tv news...
So conservative, you know, I'm not amused...
I must protest, I must decry...
I must speak up against the tide...
The senseless masochistic ride...
That blinds us to the truth...
War is hell...
And Hell is War...
I don't know what we're fighting for...
(2nd verse...same as the first...)
Jimmy on 27 Mar 2003
As Nancy Reagan used to say about drugs....Just Say No! to war.
Jamie on 23 Apr 2003
You have some good points about the war, but I think you should also look at who is influencing Bush. I mean I'm not trying to get him off the hook or anything, but there are a lot of other people in his administration who influence his descisions. Your poetry is excelent, I think you should look into some of the writtngs and ideas of Donald Rumsfeld, if Bush upsets you, just look at what Rumsfeld is planning on doing to the Middle East. Keep writting those great poems!
THanks for listening.
robert on 27 Jun 2003
OKAY LETS GET A FEW THINGS STRAIGHT,
1)THE COAL
2)MARINE CORPS BARRACKS BERUIT
3)SEPTEMBER 11 2001
4) AN GREAT NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT TAKEN OVER BY TERRORISM IN THE WORLD AND THE PEOPLE THAT APARRENTLY YOU SUPPORT. IF YOU WONT BACK THE PRESIDENT THEN PACK YOUR BAGS AND GET THE FUCK OUT. AND WHEN THEY HIT YOU FOR LIVING LIKE A BUNCH OF FUCKING HIPPIE PIECES OF SHIT KNOW THAT YOU LEFT A GOOD COUNTRY TO BE A BUNCH OF NO LOAD COCKBREATH SHIT EATING CANT CUNTS WHO LIVE UNDER THE BLANKET OF PROTECTION I PROVIDE AND THEN HATE ME BECAUSE I PROVIDED IT TO YOU. IT AMERICA LOVE IT OR GET THE FUCK OUT
robert on 28 Jun 2003
OKAY I APPOLOGISE TO THE USS COLE CAPTAIN AND CREW FOR THE MISPELLING. BUT LETS START AT TOP SHALL WE
1) OCT 1983 MARINE BARACKS BEIRUT LEBANON
2)DEC 1988 PAN AM FLT 103LOCKERBIE SCOTLAND
3)FEB 1993 WORLD TRADE CENTER NYC.NY
4)JUNE 1996 KHOBAR TOWERS DHAHRAN.SA
5)AUG 1998 US EMA=BASSIESKENYA/TANZANIA
6)OCT 2000 USS COLE ADEN-YEMEN
7) SEPT 11 2001 WORLD TRADE CENTER NYC NY
PENTAGONWASHINGTON DC
UNITED AIRLINES FLT 93
NOW IF YOU ARE STILL UNWILLING TO BACK THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE "OUR MILITARY IS BLOOD THIRSTY AND AFTER OIL" BULLSHIT, THEN LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF THE PEOPLE THAT DIED IN THESE RUN INS WITH THE "INNOCENT" RAG HEADED MUSLIMS(MORE BULLSHIT). AND IF YOU STILL DO NOT WANT TO STAND AND BACK YOUR MILITARY THEN GET THE FUCK OUT AND LET US START ON YOU SINCE WE ARE SO FUCKING BLOOD THIRSTY
liz on 02 Sep 2003
Robert, may god forgive you.
JJ Johnson on 05 Oct 2003
"Like Father, Like Son"
He knew, he knew all along
The coming war wouldn't take too long
He knew he had to act quickly to win
But even more quickly for war to begin
To begin the operation and finally crush Iraq
Or he would lose his chance for the mass attack
He set the course for all the lies he would put forth
To target someone to fill the empty shoes of Ollie North
Like father, like son, he needed someone he could blame
But false intelligence only leads to a greater family shame
Now this mighty nation must close the bleeding breach
Of trust, and wisely utilize the people's power to impeach
For the only mass destruction was to Iraqi lives and land
And now he's sure their weapons plan must be beried in the sand
His plan is clear, to create new laws for his absolute power
His corruption built with the bones unfound from either tower
All this time we wondered where all the innocent victims went
Now they've been found being used by King George, the pResident
Claiming to bring justice to US by freeing terrors firm controls
And just like those he hates, unjustly used our soldiers and their souls
Copyright © 06/17/2003 JJ Johnson
http://pathetic.org/library.php?i_memberid=2718
JJ Johnson on 05 Oct 2003
"Nation's Pledge"
I pledge allegiance to his flag
Of the coalated states of America
And to the Republicans for whom it stands
His Nation
Above God
Visibly
Liberating with force
and Justifying all
With fear of what might be
And greed for oil he can sieze
Through too much pride in his country
God Bless the United.... Nations!
Copyright © 04/14/2003 by JJ Johnson
http://pathetic.org/library.php?i_memberid=2718
Now that we have witnessed the tactics our selected Resident will resort to in order to punish those who reveal the truth to us about WMD's, we must be stronger and louder than before. The peace marches in NY City in Feb & March were awsome to participate in. Join us in Washington DC on Saturday, October 25th for another march & rally and help us impeach the madman in the Whitehouse! JJ
Madan G. Gandhi on 31 Mar 2004
WHAT CHOICE?
What choice:
exploded hopes,
blasted dreams,
before and after
the bellowing cannons.
A stern command:
the horror of
gallant men
in battlelines
shouting “kill”, “kill”;
the vultures hovering over,
the blood-dripping skies.
These warring hordes,
mouthing prayers for peace,
hiding weapons
in their sleeves,
opt for hell
for good reasons:
to safeguard honour,
dignity and freedom,
all that goes with national pride.
--Madan G. Gandhi
President, Gandhi Earth Vision Foundation
southasianews@rediffmail.com
http://gevf.exactpages.com
Madan G. Gandhi on 16 Apr 2004
NUCLEAR DOOM
Where are we heading?
Does anyone know
the direction and the flow?
On what precipice bending?
Doesn’t the flow portend
the tragic, fated end of all
that in centuries fruitioned;
a sudden annihilation?
Are we going to begin again,
have we come full circle,
is this the end of all endings,
the point whence we set out in primal times?
Peace love and well-being of all,
the goals our ancients cherished
went about spreading the message
in every corner of the world.
But could not persuade
their fellow citizens--
the consequences of clashes
of powered greed
can spell a permanent nuclear doom.
Madan G.Gandhi on 22 May 2004
In Memoriam: To Rajiv Gandhi
(May 21, 1991)
by Madan G. Gandhi
(i)
Time casts ominous shadows,
lurid clouds of grief,
presaging many a shipwreck
in its tempestuous swirls.
Puzzled, I stand aghast
seeing my dear ones
being swallowed by engulfing gloom.
(ii)
Gosh! my mirror is splintered:
the tallest member of our constellation,
halloed in grandeur,
gone.
In his hour of glory,
cheered heartily by multitudes,
blown away by the blast
to circumambulate in space.
(iii)
How many blood stains have I borne,
I have no count of;
yet I smile
at my wounds, at my burns,
as I enter a treacherous trajectory.
I see many a noose hung in space,
many a moony face in wait,
many a tree and star in ambush.
(iv)
The garland quivers,
the hand shivers,
utter blackout,
utter confusion.
The hero who rode lie a colossus
with a bang leaves the stage,
the curtain rung down.
My tongue dry and cold,
all defences gone;
I lose my hold
and mingle my voice in wails.
(v)
Mother stands in heaven in tears,
beloved spouse a picture of grief,
progeny fatherless, forlorn.
O son, come to me, come to my lap,
you had enough share of trials,
enough tribulations, enough calumny.
In bliss abide,
call a day to your Herculean labours;
these augean stables shall never be cleansed.
(vi)
The hand that rocked the cradle,
the eyes that fondled from dusk to dawn,
the voice that soothing lullabies sang,
all consigned to EWAFE.
Search his childhood there, his sports,
his love-play, his exploits, his guts,
search all these in a handful of earth.
anarchy on 09 Oct 2004
It's true all we need is love,
But some are so hell bent on acting in the name of God,
In the name of their church.
Well they're just buildings,
Beautiful as they are,
They blind us to the fact that God should be all around,
Not in four walls,
How claustrophobic that must be,
As he tries in vain to spread the word of love,
Wisdom and respect for the land we live in.
Tired of the news,it's always the same,
Bombs going off, killing in the name of religion,
God better soon speak up and chastise those who need it,
For it's only when we learn respect and forgiveness,
That we won't destroy ourselves and all else that is good.
And as we steal what does not belong to us,
From hands not strong enough to pull away,
We seal not only our fate,
But everyone elses as well.
An ounce of good,
And love for one's own is all that is needed,
To destroy destruction itself.
ps: I'm afraid I can't leave America for my ideals, as I live in Britain, and really do not like the Prime Minister. Truth be known, I wish I lived in Japan.
Adam on 31 Oct 2004
This one is to "robert". If you fail to see the bloodthrist within our military, then you must be ignorant. Have you no idea of the number of civilians killed in the war vesus the number of our own dead. Jus tbecause one does not support the war doesnt mean that one doesnt support america. It means that one does not support the neverending cycle of violence that is only perpetuated by acts of war. You say something about how its ok to kill the Iraqie's because there terrorist and all, but i ask you to look at things fom there perspective. They were a soveriegn country before we went in there. Now they have no government no judicial system and no free will of their own. They see us as the terrorist, as we invaded their country and killed their poeple. A terrorist im someone who instills terror upon others, and thats just what this asministration is doing. They made terror a factor in the everyday lifes of people in Iraq. So if you say that terrorist should die, then what about bush?
Jaacob Thomas on 04 Mar 2005
Thunder in the Distance
I sing of Famine amid bountiful harvests-
Granaries bulge with corn ,
while mute , long suffering multitudes wait-
gaunt and wracked with hunger .
Convoys , trundle down highways
bearing grain to distant battlefields
past emaciated , sun-scourged bodies
pathetically huddled …
beyond starvation…too weak to beg.
Little angels of mercy
‘unhonoured and unsung’
glide gently among the dying
giving surcease ,then
tenderly shutting eyes forever….
their faith in God ,
all merciful and infinitely loving,
shaken to the very roots.
Villages ,lie desolate and abandoned -
not a living soul in sight.
Fields once laden with Nature’s bounty now
reduced to dry , blasted earth.
Enormous swathes of ground,
littered with rotting corpses and skeletons
of three million dead innocents .
Massive flocks of vultures ,
blotting out the sun ,
swoop down to feed
on grisly banquets of carrion.
Jackals, curs and rodents ,in their millions
rustle through the fields of death
tearing at putrid flesh
crunching through whitened bone .
A monstrous pall of death
blankets the entire land.
The stench of a hell on earth
assails the very heavens
…… High in the skies , a faint rumble
pierces the deathly stillness,
as vast armadas tear past ,
in swift arrowing flight ,
to unleash maelstroms of death and destruction
on the enemy
lurking beyond the lofty ranges
that loom ,
a faint blue blur on the distant horizon.
With vaulting heart and soaring spirit -
I sing of Man’s boundless Inhumanity to Man
- transcending all else.