Welcome to The BeZine’s online,
virtual 100,000 Poets for Change event!
This past week, an international aid convoy in Syria was attacked with devastating results, during a ceasefire. Bombs went off, as usual, in Iraq. They also went off in New Jersey and New York. There were terrorist knife attacks in Jerusalem. And knife attacks also in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Police shot (at least) two unarmed African-Americans in the United States. Police shot “terror suspects” in Israel. Iran arrested dissidents. China gave a dissident’s attorney a 12-year sentence.
Climate change has reduced the arctic ice sheets at record levels, this summer just ended. The Fertile Crescent, where Western civilization began, has suffered such a devastating drought that farmers have fled it for years now—a contributing cause to the Syrian civil war and the refugee crisis. The hardened, drought-stricken soil in the region, broken up by heavy war-machinery, artillery shelling, and bombs, has turned into dust that the wind picks up—a contributing cause of record dust storms throughout the region.
It is time for global change
For the past six years, 100,000 Poets for Change (100TPC) has inspired and supported events on a Saturday in September. This year, there are over 550 events scheduled throughout the world. This blog/zine is one of them. The goal is for poets (artists, musicians, actors, even mimes) to band together and perform / exhibit their work in a call to change the world for the better.
The 100TPC themes are peace, sustainability, and social justice. The September 2016 issue of The BeZine, edited by Priscilla Galasso and Steve Wiencek, focuses on environmental justice. This focus relates to social justice and sustainability, but is a necessary part of obtaining peace.
If we still have poverty and homelessness, what is sustained other than inequality? And, without social justice and a sustainable environment, could there be peace? Could peace be maintained without both social and environmental justice alongside environmental and economic sustainability?
Share your work here, today, as part of our 100TPC online event—help us create a space for change. As in past years, the event will be archived and made available later on The BeZine’s website and will also be archived at Standford University in California.
Here’s how to post your work
For today’s online event, our choice is not to put one of the three themes—peace, sustainability, and social justice—above the others, but to recognize that all of these three necessary areas of change interrelate in complex ways.
We invite you to participate. Share your writing, art, music, videos, thoughts that relate to these themes on our website today.
It’s actually easy to do.
- Click on Mr. Linky below and follow instructions for posting a link to a post on your blog:
- You can also post a link or writing directly into the comments below!
Come back during the day
Please return often today (Sept. 24, 2016) to read what others have posted, follow links, like, and leave comments—and to see and reply to what others have commented on your own posts and links. We would love to see an active dialogue!
Reblogged this on The Poetry Channel.
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Michael McClelliann, thank you and your group so very much for your support and participation. Much appreciated. Nothing better than to be united in peace and for the sake of our environment.
Warmest regards,
Jamie Dedes
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Proud to be a part, Jamie. This is when and where we all need to come together for Peace.
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Indeed yes! I’m going to mention you in a comment in a minute Michael. Perhaps you would respond. Thanks!
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Mike’s blog should interest others: https://uncollectedworks.wordpress.com/bemused/#_Toc461439654
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Michael M. Perhaps you’ll tell us a bit about Poetry Channel. I feel like you are a sort of brother effort to ours.
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Well we are definitely in tune with the Peace movement. I think the collaborative poem just added to the Standard University 100TPC archive says it best.
https://forgottenmeadows.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/and-we-are-published-poetsforpeace/
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Thanks, Michael. Bravo!
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How did you happen to start The Poetry Channel and how long ago.
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You’re welcome, Jamie. Thank you. We are all very proud of the collaboration. All but 1 of nearly 200 Poets consented to being included in Praxis Magazine online’s publication of their contribution.
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So pulling that together was the intention to begin with. You didn’t start a site and then move on to publication.
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Publication was not even the intent, no.
Lauta Kaminski, curator for the magazine approached us. We just wanted to do a collaborative poem.
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So “The Poetry Channel” is Michael’s site and the collaboration is not attached to a website or blog.
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If you’re interested, you can download the PDF here:
Click to access Peace-Poem-20161.pdf
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Always interested and hope readers are. I’ll be there when 100TPC is over.
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Interest has been high since the poem published. I am looking forward to the fruits of tomorrow’s 100TPC global events.
Peace,
Michael
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Me too. 550 events per Michael Rothenberg. Wonderful. By the way, I grew up by Adelphi. Lovely area.
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I grew up in Uniondale mostly.
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Nassau County. I went to St. Joe’s in Brentwood.
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I know it. Played lacrosse against St Joe’s in HS
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Actually I went to the St. Joe’s that is part of the convent. All girls. 🙂 … and novices. So we didn’t wrestle except with our souls. 🙂
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St Joseph’s in Brentwood? So I would have remembered that. I graduated in 1978 and am obviously thinking of another school. The Catholic schools were great wrestling teams, Chaminade being the best.
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Oh, I do remember Chaminade. And the miliary school … I can see it in my mind but don’t remember the name. Of course the military school and St. Joe’s H.S. are closed now.
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I Googled to see why I was confused and still have no idea, but my younger brother & sister grew up in Bayside (different foster home). St. Joseph’s was the name of a.vrojp foster home in Sea Cliff where we lived before being placed in foster homes ourselves.
Sorry, I had to niggle that out of my brain. Hate being confused.
Have a good night, Jamie. Good chatting with you.
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Ditto that. 🙂
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Which is something like the meaning of Israel — (one) who wrestles with G-d.
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No, wrestling.
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No.
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A great idea, Jamie!
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Thank you!
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Thank you, Michael Dickel. And here we go …
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“The Emperor’s New Changes”
(Raanana, September 11, 2016)
A hundred thousand poets for change
That’s us.
That’s what we called ourselves last year
And the year before.
So they’ve stopped lynching the poets in Arabia?
They’ve stopped stoning the raped women in Kabul?
What about the mutilation of genitals of young girls?
So they’ve stopped burning down Black churches in Bama?
Stopped desecrating the lands of our Sioux brothers?
How about the carbon they’ve dumped in the atmosphere?
Did they stop that?
Do they believe now the earth is too warm to live on?
Are philosophers kings yet?
Are kings philosophers?
I don’t mean to be cynical
But it doesn’t seem like much has changed since last year.
We’ve read a few poems,
That’s all.
Come to think of it,
Have we really changed,
Except for getting a year older?
If that’s change
Then we better change change
So that it’s palpable
So that we can feed people with it
So that people can walk tall from it
So that people can protect themselves with it
So that people can make love to it
Until change is done changing
And the world is all the Republic we need.
Mike Stone
Raanana Israel
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Thank you, Mike and Raanana! Point taken and perfect to kick us off …
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Thank you for this, Mike!
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Central Station
people decently dressed
wait for trains
for connections
for new termini
new chances
longed-for visitors
or just sit around
watching
impassive pigeons
picking at crumbs –
the man with the robe
the colour of
scorched earth
nips off bits of bread
fancying
it tastes better
than the one stuck
in a corner of his mind
across the rails
huge screens rotate
images of prosperity
shiny roadsters
faces, clean shaven like marble
breasts shimmering
through high-tech lace
a sudden thought
a shiver
the intimation of a silhouette
that could be his daughter’s
the bread in his hand
feels like earth
like the scorched earth
he had left behind
callous fingers
knead it to crumbs
the hand opens
but the pigeons are gone
and the Supervisor
rebukes him
with an uncompromising gaze
(c) Aprilia Zank
Aprilia is a friend of the Zine and also a guest contributor. This is her contribution to this years’ 100TPC. Aprilia is also a lecturer for Creative Writing and Translation in the Department of Languages and Communication at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, where she received her PhD degree in Literature and Psycholinguistics for her thesis THE WORD IN THE WORD Literary Text Reception and Linguistic Relativity. She’s a writer, poetry and photographer. Thanks, Aprilia!
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M. Zane Mcclellan (The Poet Channel) and Mike Stone (uncollected works) have already put work in Mister Linky for all to read and while you’re there, don’t forget to share a link to your own work.
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And here’s Carolyn O’Connell’s poem from this issue of “The BeZine” … she sent it for the event and I jumped the gun and published it … read on …
The bark of the old oak shows its wrinkles, scars
written on the vellum of its years, a new ring
spans the finger of its heart, a summer’s history
almost soldered as its sparse leaves crinkle;
sap withdraws in August Drop before painting
the oak then falling to mulch and feed the tree.
This oak has seen our planet change with time
its rivers tamed, fields, and its villages and coasts
redrawn, kings’ rule and die as all men do
their legacy and palaces razed or democratized.
Its seen Sahara’s sands creep to the sea,
ice thicken or melt around the pole’s,
jungles spread, retreat and species change
men flee from famine, war, women weep
and children starve or die upon the sea.
Encased within the chrysalis of power
oligarchs, dictators wield transient decrees
with the cold eyes and furrowed faces age bestows;
for gold and power strips their hearts, yet
their bones will lay with poor men in the earth.
Whose riches can sustain both man and beast
if kindly managed like this ancient oak,
tending to all a share that gives food and cloak
and with respect shelter from the storms of life.
Stripped bones give no hint of state or faith
when they rise with movement of the plant’s shell?
Ground by magma, rock, wave or fire to dust
they may well blow upon the wind to fall
on foreign fields forgotten by their folk.
Each of us is but an oak leaf in Earth’s time;
life a summer’s span before September’s age,
precursors November’s fall to earth and death’s
transformation to mulch to feed the oak afresh.
© Carolyn O’Connell
CAROLYN O’CONNELL lives in Ham, Richmond, Surrey in South London and started to write poetry after working in the Civil Service and the RNIB. She is a member of the Ormond Poetry Group and also a member of her local W.I. She works with Richmond Libraries to promote poetry and has lead workshops, hosted at The Tea Box in Richmond and been a Guest Read at Rhythm & Muse. Having worked on the poetry pRO project her poems have been translated into Romanian and broadcast on Romania radio via the Translation Café of the University of Bucharest.Her work has been published in America. Publications: Envoi, Interpreter’s House. Poetry Space, Snare’s Nest, I am Not a Silent Poet. Her collection “Timelines,” is published by Indigo Dreams (2014, ISBN 978-1-9093575-3-2) Carolyn lives in Richmond, Surrey, on the outskirts of London. Collection Timelines was published by Indigo Dreams http://www.indigodreams/co.UK/bookshop in 2014. ISBN 978-1-9093575-3-2) She works with local groups and libraries. Further information and website http://www.poetrypf.co.uk/carolynoconnellpage.shtml
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“What a strange thing!
to be alive
beneath cherry blossoms.”
― Kobayashi Issa, Poems
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This puts me in mind of the song from “South Pacific” … you’ve got to be taught to hate and fear … thank goodness some are taught to love …
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Robin Baldwin shared Obsession on Mr. Linky
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Jamie Dedes shares a poem and writing prompt on her blog here—and on Mr. Linky.
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Syedah Maryam Iqbal shares a link to her blog here—and on Mr. Linky. Go to Mr. Linky to share links to your 100TPC works!
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I’m inviting people to read this—allies should join this boycott in support of calling attention to the police shooting-lynchings of People of Color. https://www.facebook.com/isaiahwashington46
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Good one to link in here. Thank you, Michael.
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My pleasure.
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“Mock mockers after that
That would not lift a hand maybe
To help good, wise or great
To bar that foul storm out, for we
Traffic in mockery.”
—W B Yeats, Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen
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Sonja Benskin Mesher posted a link to Sunday Morning on Mr. Linky. Go to Mr. Linky to share links to your 100TPC works!
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thanks
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Have linked on Mr Linky…..
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Yes! I saw and shared the link 😀. Thank you!
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A song based on a poem written by John Cornford during the Spanish Civil War.
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New to me, Michael. Thank you!
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It’s a lovely song. A new edition of his book is drawing attention to him once again.
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I’ll have to check it out.
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Just joined in from Sharjah UAE. Glad to be a part of this. Reading all the posts ! Thanks Jamie and Michael.
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Reena Prasad posted Tags on Mr. Linky. Go to Mr. Linky to share links to your 100TPC works!
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Some thoughts about engaged poetry (poetry of witness, activist poetry, political poetry, protest poetry, etc.) and examples from two poets of the early 20th Century, here, on my blog.
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Di posted As if on Mr. Linky. Go to Mr. Linky to share links to your 100TPC works!
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drowning on Mr. Linky…
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Tamam Tracy Moncur added the link to her video in Mister Linkey. I share it here to make sure it’s not missed. Thank you, Tamam.
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Here’s a link to my poem written for Earth Day but it is about sustainability and our precious Earth. Thanks so much for hosting us! https://poeturja.wordpress.com/2016/04/22/earth-day-april-22/
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Thank you! 🙂 Much appreciated.
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Sustainability fits so well into the September BeZine theme! Thank you.
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Terror and Beauty
after Yeats
A woman’s protests resound
as she pleads for her husband’s life
her video broadcast calls for justice
while he falls for being black.
An unknown child is pulled from rubble
that was the home in which he slept
before death dropped for morning skies.
A man walks the streets, unseen
by all who pass, his only crime
unable to pay for a roof above his head.
He lies in the savannah, a rotting carcass
prey to vulture, poachers residue
he had a tooth of ivory, hence his death.
Two cheetah cubs parade on leads
toys for elite boys, status symbols
their mother mourns them.
Sometimes a name appears
Ali, Kevin, Lorraine , Keith
Elephant, Gerrapah, Cat,
and fades to be replaced by others.
Beneath skin of fur all blood runs red,
and beauty rises to terror for justice.
—Carolyn O’Connell
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Very nice, Carolyn. Thank you.
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Thanks Michael, hope it meets the criteria?
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Criteria? 😉
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🙂 It’s lovely! 🙂
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I am linking everyone to my post for World Peace Day 2016 that went out over my blog. In order to achieve peace, we must BEcome peace! If we are tense, angry, frightened or confused, we shall only create more of that energy. The quotes in my post address these statements! ❤ Peace be with you . https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/world-peace-day-september-21st/
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Washed Up
So many dead people
caught in the crossfire
created by the the money men,
the arms traders,
the super ego-ed politicians.
They lie dead where they fell.
Flesh and blood transformed to
fertilizer to nurture the seeds
and grow the crops, in a future
they will not see.
Their bones decaying to dust
to form the building blocks
of homes they will never inhabit.
Dying where they fell,
over there, not here
and not looking like us.
Unseen or soon forgotten
by us here.
But the dead washed up
on holiday beaches
look like our flesh and blood.
They’re wearing our clothes.
They’re washing up to haunt us
in the Old World.
Then there’s the living,
washed up alive
and by any means necessary
moving on to bear witness,
if any one is listening.
To bring the horror home
to those who created it
in the Old World.
Bringing it home to the Old World,
but not as yet to the New.
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So many lives lost…so many ghosts.
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Exile On Inhumane Street
I stroll down Avenue A tahini
breezes dripping from the corner
of my mouth. Passing a flat screen
store window showing Bollywood
Bang Bang. Stopping for Italian
with lanyards of aniline in my
linguini. They say accents change
every fifty miles, then why is it the
wind changes every fifty seconds?
Is it geothermal or ocean energy?
Global warming scientists say stay
away from oceans and deserts.
What if I want to have your ocean
for dessert, feed it to the nine hundred
and fifty thousand homeless soldiers
in America? Invisible veterans.
I’m given rice advice. I’m pissed I
can’t make rice right and I’m amazed
at your maze of maze and how much
you make selling to high fructose corn
syrup factories. You’re a corn star baby!
I heard Peter The McCarthy King urged
the UN to declare Long Island a no falafel
zone. He wants to fly them to Jorden
in an extra falafelary rendition and torture
them with ketchup. I heard today a jewish
family came home to Denmark in 1946
after being in exile in Sweden. After
three years the goose was still in the oven.
After twenty-five years I’m still hangin’
out on these Lower East Side streets
chasing the ghost of Ginsburg, howling
at the International Space Station gliding
toward orbital sunrise wondering if the
astronauts gave a standing ovation as
they passed the soul of Johnny Cash in
the cosmic heavens high above New
York City. Yeah, I saw that space
station once before from the top of
my Green Mountain meditation place.
Just as I was watching the bright light
glide quickly across the dark cosmos
of the New England sky, there was a
rustle in the trail head trees behind me.
I turned, only to find a bloated old
moose with stars in his eyes and
branch mark stripes on his forehead
wiping blood from his lips after
he just devoured my goose.
Russ Green
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An interesting contrast in the mix of places…Lower East Side connections…the baked goose…nice.
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Kinga Fabó asked me to post two poems for her:
Kinga Fabó
False Thread
Seasons jam up.
Drill through the spring.
Winter, summer start attacking.
The flood makes a run.
Surging again and again
stalls and then throngs ahead.
Under the sea, the land is shaking.
(The unhoped front comes with such commotion.
While the other is dragging a heatwave.)
The shipwrecks of the lips: pilling of syllables.
Slurs and stutters.
Breaks and floods the words with anger.
It hits. Or gets hit by a syllable
culminating above on it.
Gives no time to get resentful.
There is its double if it bales out.
None holds a grudge against none.
It hits. Or let others beat it.
The client is the same man.
Hiding in my shadow.
Matters not what I say or do.
There is no love: Spring’s been postponed.
It might be hiding in my shadow.
Snip. I’ll cut you up, you false thread.
(An iceberg broke of fin Greenland.
The woods are on fire around Moscow.
The air is poisoneous above Moscow.)
(Translated by Gabor G. Gyukics)
Kinga Fabó
The Transfiguration of the Word
Open, the sea appeared asleep.
Carrying its waves.
A pulse under the muted winter scene.
Throwing a smile on the beach.
A nun-spot on the hot little body.
A color on the broken glass.
A gesture that was once closed.
Lovely as the sea stood up.
Throwing a smile on the beach.
I wanted to remain an object.
But, no, immortality is not mine.
I am too strong to defend myself.
Waiting for punishment.
This and the same happened together.
Silently, I sat in the glass.
Only the spot wandered on the naked scene.
Sounds did not continue.
Only an omitted gesture.
Happiness like an unmoving dancer.
Beatings on naked, bony back.
And the sea will no longer be immortal.
(Translated by Zsuzsanna Ozsváth and Martha Satz)
(Read more of King Fabó’s work here.)
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Corina Ravenscraft posted ~Price Check~ on Mr. Linky.
Go to Mr. Linky to share links to your 100TPC works!
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Sonja Benskin Mesher posted . the power house . on Mr. Linky.
Go to Mr. Linky to share links to your 100TPC works!
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Michael Rothenberg posted these links to Livestreaming 100TPC events—check links for times.
100 Thousand Poets for Change Livestream: Check them out!
TIA CHUCHA Sylmar, CA–Poets Soapbox:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-poet-s-soapbox
Birkirkara, MALTA
http://bambuser.com/channel/omarseguna
Los Angeles, CA
The 100,000 Poets and Musicians radio show
http://laradiostudio.com/CamChat
Doha, QATAR
Live ON FB
https://www.facebook.com/QatarUniversitysliteratureclub/
Rome, ITALY
https://www.youtube.com/user/OnlyAgnese (video and audio)
https://www.spreaker.com/user/agnesemonaco (audio only)
su : http://www.usertv.it/
Graffiti Bleu Worldwide (Blog Radio)
http://gbleu.com/100-thousand-poets-for-change-podcast-on-gbleu-radio-coming-soon/5/
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Left a poem at Wind Eggs
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Thank you!
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Sonja Beskin Mesher and Reuben Woolley shared . visible spaces . —a collaborative series on The Holocaust—on Mr. Linky.
Go to Mr. Linky to share links to your 100TPC works!
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Sonja Beskin Mesher share not of war on Mr. Linky.
Go to Mr. Linky to share links to your 100TPC works!
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