Seattle Participants Nancy Peacock |
DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS THROUGH POETRY |
puddles of peace irene drennan 2002 The use of words is all purpose. Soft words beget soft response, angry words an angry response. Words can be used as weapons of peace. The Swahili have a coffee hour where coffee is sipped and poetry read. The Swahili believe everyday language should be as elegant as poetry. These daily poetry hours, they believe to be insurance against physical and emotional disorders, a healing hour. I saw a film not long ago where groups of Chinese people get together for tea and poetry. They listen to one another with the utmost respect. They do not compare or compete, thus eliminating stress. It is a way to share our humanity, our daily lives our differences and our not so differences. This month the Czech touring festval called "One heart, One world" left Osaka Japan for Tooley St. in London from there to Salt Lake City, Utah and back toTokyo by the end of the month. This festival displays the work of disabled writers alongside contemporary paintings reflecting their poems. A group of children of the Navajo reservation wanted a writing class. There was no money. A young teacher donated his free time. His reward? Priceless. In two years the kids not only wrote acceptable poetry but exceptional poetry and were invited to the White House by President Clinton to do a reading. After thinking about all these little puddles of peace, I realized that in places where poetry is read I am aware of feeling at peace. At Esther's house or mine or at the library at the About Time Reading Series, at the Red Sky Poetry Theater, Hugo House. The Colleges, Universities, book stores,etc. -- all little puddles of peace. We as lovers of poetry and as poets must spread the word, turn the puddles into lakes, oceans, flood the world with peace. Introduce ourselves to one another through poetry and we just might realize our differences are a gift from the creator so we don't get so damned bored with life here on earth that we wind up in a padded cell. Each one of us is a holy trinity, mind , body and soul. Poetry is soul food, nourish the soul, have healthy body and mind. Touch each other with words. To touch is to love, to touch is the beginning of union. A united world is a peaceful world. And remember an hour of poetry is more satisfying than confession and a lot cheaper than a shrink. |
Seattle Participants Nancy Peacock |