Steve Mason, a soldier and poet who became the unofficial bard of the Vietnam War, died Wednesday of lung cancer. He was considered by many to the the poet laureate of Vietnam Veterans. In 1984, his poem "The Wall Within" was read at the dedication of the Vietnam wall in Washington D.C.
In the 1970's - Mason began writing love poems. But would go on writing poetry on the wounds of war and published a trilogy of such poems.
From The Wall Within
"There is one other wall, of course. / One we never speak of. / One we never see, / One which separates memory from madness. / In a place no one offers flowers. / The wall within. / We permit no visitors. / Mine looks like any of a million / nameless, brick walls / it stands in the tear-down ghetto of my soul; / that part of me which reason avoids / for fear of dirtying its cloths."
He was survived by three daughters and one son.
Steve Mason, Vietnam War Poet, Dies at 65
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Northland writers group
Sunday - Northland Writers with three of my poems before them debating do we focus on trashing one, or all of them?
Actually - they were very constructive and the process was relatively painless. Hence, I wonder if they are becoming softies, or if I am getting better... :)
Actually - they were very constructive and the process was relatively painless. Hence, I wonder if they are becoming softies, or if I am getting better... :)
Friday, May 27, 2005
Ready to let go of this week...
Alas, Friday has arrived. This has been a week from hell. Not only that, it has been a part of a string of such weeks. Besides being Friday, I am starting to feel somewhat human again. Not great mind you, but I can almost feel that hope of normalcy again. Normal is such a great place... Wherever and whatever it is.
I have to laugh at Ivy's post from several days ago where she quotes Henry Ward Beecher...
"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?" And just think, in the 1800s he never saw a Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com.
I am supposed to present some of my writing Sunday afternoon at the northland writers group so I need to get my stuff together tomorrow. Then Sunday evening, following writers group, it's back into the city as, I plan to read at:
I have to laugh at Ivy's post from several days ago where she quotes Henry Ward Beecher...
"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?" And just think, in the 1800s he never saw a Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com.
I am supposed to present some of my writing Sunday afternoon at the northland writers group so I need to get my stuff together tomorrow. Then Sunday evening, following writers group, it's back into the city as, I plan to read at:
Prospero's Pit
Sunday, May 29
6:30 PM
1800 W. 39th
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 531-WORD
Thought for the day....
Everyone who drinks is not a poet. Some of us drink because we're not poets. ~From the movie Arthur
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Q & A with Sam Hamill
Read MARGARET BIKMAN'S, TAKE FIVE
A short Q & A with Sam Hamill, founding editor of Copper Canyon in Port Townsend, poet, translator and founder of the nonprofit organization Poets Against the War, reads from his latest compilation of poems.
The Bellingham Herald
A short Q & A with Sam Hamill, founding editor of Copper Canyon in Port Townsend, poet, translator and founder of the nonprofit organization Poets Against the War, reads from his latest compilation of poems.
The Bellingham Herald
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Poetry In The News
This might be worth checking out.... Poetry inspired new Wallflowers album.
An interesting look at some changes in writer workshop models at 2005 Iyas Creative Writing Workshop in the Philippines. ... Putting the 'work' back into 'workshop'
The gap between J.K. Rowling's success and the attention afforded these 14 British women is mammoth... but their work is now in Early Modern Women’s Manuscript Poetry an anthology.
New Jersey student's life cut short by cancer in 1996 continues to have impact - Letting words fly -Student poetry café celebrates life
"If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." ~Toni Morrison
An interesting look at some changes in writer workshop models at 2005 Iyas Creative Writing Workshop in the Philippines. ... Putting the 'work' back into 'workshop'
The gap between J.K. Rowling's success and the attention afforded these 14 British women is mammoth... but their work is now in Early Modern Women’s Manuscript Poetry an anthology.
New Jersey student's life cut short by cancer in 1996 continues to have impact - Letting words fly -Student poetry café celebrates life
"If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." ~Toni Morrison
Amnesty International Takes Aim at U.S.
It is not especially surprising to me that Amnesty International's 2005 report accuses the United States as shirking its responsibility to set the bar for human rights protections and said the government has created a new lexicon for abuse and torture evidenced by the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay.
Independent reports by the Geneva-based ICRC have previously raised concerns. The ICRC has had access to the prison and is known to have expressed concerns to the U.S. Government.
The AI report cites "Attempts to dilute the absolute ban on torture through new policies and quasi-management speak, such as 'environmental manipulation, stress positions and sensory manipulation,' was one of the most damaging assaults on global values," and further called for the camp to be closed down.
AI admits these human rights deficiencies came with a rash of terrorist actions, including the televised beheadings of captives in Iraq, but says governments forget many victims in fight against terrorism.
It is worth noting there are many other violators the group pointed to in report. Sudan as one of the worst human rights violations this past year. Zimbabwe, Haiti, Bangladesh were also cited. As was China for forced abortions, Nepal for rapes committed by soldiers.
AI did point to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in June to allow prisoners at Guantanamo challenge the basis of their detention as many of these individuals have been held for over three years with no formal charges.
visit the Amnesty International site at - link
Independent reports by the Geneva-based ICRC have previously raised concerns. The ICRC has had access to the prison and is known to have expressed concerns to the U.S. Government.
The AI report cites "Attempts to dilute the absolute ban on torture through new policies and quasi-management speak, such as 'environmental manipulation, stress positions and sensory manipulation,' was one of the most damaging assaults on global values," and further called for the camp to be closed down.
AI admits these human rights deficiencies came with a rash of terrorist actions, including the televised beheadings of captives in Iraq, but says governments forget many victims in fight against terrorism.
It is worth noting there are many other violators the group pointed to in report. Sudan as one of the worst human rights violations this past year. Zimbabwe, Haiti, Bangladesh were also cited. As was China for forced abortions, Nepal for rapes committed by soldiers.
AI did point to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in June to allow prisoners at Guantanamo challenge the basis of their detention as many of these individuals have been held for over three years with no formal charges.
visit the Amnesty International site at - link
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