Friday, April 26, 2013

Poem of the Week: Patricia Monaghan

         

Loaded
 

They were always taught that all guns were loaded.
It was a way, he said, to keep them safe.
Don't you notice, he said, how people get shot
by pistols they think are unloaded? The gun
on the living room shelf, the unhidden
luger, the rack full of rifles: the children
 
knew each one was death. Now children,
he'd ask, his hand on a gun, is this loaded?
Mute chorus of yes. Mute yearning to hide.
That was their home. At school they were safe
even when textbooks talked about guns
and described how the buffalo hunters would shoot
 
and buffalo crumple down dead, one shot
enough to bring down the biggest. No child
in that school had ever seen bison, gunned
down or living, seen meat being loaded
on travois by leather-clad scouts, safety
bolts on their guns; no child had worn hides
 
or rode on the plains. But in history hid
critical truths that they sought about shooting
and fear and escape. Learn and be safe,
history whispered its promise to children
like them, learn and be safe. But a loaded
gun holds only one promise. A gun,
 
any gun, threatens use of a gun
no matter how they tried to hide
in books, no matter how they loaded
themselves down with schoolwork. A shot
or two in the evening, then, children,
he'd say, don't think the world's safe,
 
then he'd tell how once he had saved
someone's life with that very gun
over there on the wall and then children,
he'd say, be prepared for the worst, never hide
from attackers, they all deserve shooting,
so all guns must always be loaded.
 
Even dreams weren't safe, for hiding
in them were guns, aimed, ready to shoot.
Even children know this: loading leads to unloading.


-Patricia Monaghan   

Used by permission.
From Homefront (WordTech, 2005) 


Patricia Monaghan (1946-2012) died on November 11, 2012 in her Wisconsin home, Brigit Rest, in the arms of her beloved husband Michael McDermott. Homefront is a collection about the effect of war on veterans' return to their families and the damage to both. Patricia was a poet, scholar, spiritual pioneer and practitioner, activist, gardener and endlessly energetic creator. 

Patricia co-founded the Black Earth Institute with Michael and recently co-founded the Association for the Study of Women and Mythology. The Institute is dedicated to artists serving the causes of inclusive spirituality, healing and protecting the earth and social justice. Patricia published over 20 books including many of poetry.  She was awarded a Pushcart Prize among many others. She was also an active supporter of Split This Rock.
  
Please feel free to forward Split This Rock Poem of the Week widely. We just ask you to include all of the information in this email, including this request. Thanks!

If you are interested in reading past poems of the week, feel free to visit the blog archive.   

Friday, April 19, 2013

Poem of the Week: Pamela Uschuk

              
Pam Uschuk         

Domestic Affairs and Foreign Policy
 

If we shoot past one another
like asteroids on a collision course with Mars,
our tongues acidic with accusations
that scour our hearts like lye
shoveled over a shallow grave,
and if we reach such velocity
in our keening to have the last word,
ragged in its self-loathing, then
how can we open to the first
purple crane's neck blooming against
love's adobe wall or notice
the three year old at the wedding
in Afghanistan, her small chest
abloom with bloody roses
or hear her cry lost
with her mother's to helicopter blades
slapping revenge into blue sky
we all breathe?


-Pamela Uschuk  

Used by permission.
From Wild in the Plaza of Memory (Wings Press, 2012) 


Called by The Bloomsbury Review, "one of the most insightful and spirited poets today," Pam Uschuk is the author of six books of poems, including the award-winning Without the Comfort of Stars: New and Selected Poems (2007 Sampark Press, New Delhi and London), Crazy Love (Wings Press), winner of a 2010 American Book Award and Wild in the Plaza of Memory (Wings Press, April 2012). Translated into a dozen languages, Uschuk won the 2011 War Poetry Prize from Winning Writers, 2010 New Millennium Poetry Prize, 2010 Best of the Web, the Struga Poetry Prize (for a single poem), the Dorothy Daniels Writing Award from the National League of American PEN Women, and others. Uschuk is Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Fort Lewis College. Editor-In-Chief of the literary magazine,
Cutthroat, A Journal of the Arts, she lives in Bayfield, Colorado and Tucson, Arizona.
   
Please feel free to forward Split This Rock Poem of the Week widely. We just ask you to include all of the information in this email, including this request. Thanks!

If you are interested in reading past poems of the week, feel free to visit the blog archive.   

Friday, April 12, 2013

Poem of the Week: Ruth Forman

       

Stand

why so afraid to stand up?
someone will tell you
sit down?

but here is the truth
someone will always tell you
sit down 

the ones we remember
kept standing
  

-Ruth Forman 

Used by permission.
From Prayers Like Shoes (Whit Press, 2009) 


Ruth Forman is the author of three award-winning books: poetry collections We Are the Young Magicians and Renaissance (both from Beacon) and the children's book, Young Cornrows Callin Out the Moon (Children's Book Press). She is the recipient of the Barnard New Women Poets Prize, The Pen Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award, The Durfee Artist Fellowship, the National Council of Teachers of English Notable Book Award, and recognition by The American Library Association. She provides writing workshops at schools and universities across the country and abroad, and has presented in forums such as the United Nations, the PBS series The United States of Poetry and National Public Radio. Forman is a former teacher of creative writing with the University of Southern California and June Jordan's Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and an eleven-year faculty member with the VONA-Voices writing program. Her latest collection is Prayers Like Shoes (2009) from Whit Press. Forman currently lives in Washington, DC.
  
Please feel free to forward Split This Rock Poem of the Week widely. We just ask you to include all of the information in this email, including this request. Thanks!

If you are interested in reading past poems of the week, feel free to visit the blog archive.    
 

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

April Sunday Kind of Love: Pam Uschuk & Ruth Forman


APRIL
Sunday Kind of Love
Featuring
Pam Uschuk & Ruth Forman


Pam Uschuk  


Sunday April 21, 2013
5-7pm
Busboys & Poets
2021 14th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
Hosted by
Sarah Browning & Katy Richey
$5 online or at the door

As always, open mic follows!
Co-Sponsored by Busboys and Poets &
Split This Rock



Called by The Bloomsbury Review, "one of the most insightful and spirited poets today," Pam Uschuk is the author of six books of poems, including the award-winning Without the Comfort of Stars: New and Selected Poems (2007 Sampark Press), Crazy Love (Wings Press), winner of a 2010 American Book Award, and Wild in the Plaza of Memory (Wings Press, April 2012). Translated into a dozen languages, Uschuk has won the War Poetry Prize from Winning Writers, the New Millennium Poetry Prize, 2010 Best of the Web, the Struga Poetry Prize, the Dorothy Daniels Writing Award from the National League of American PEN Women, and others. Uschuk is Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Fort Lewis College. Editor-In-Chief of the literary magazine, Cutthroat, A Journal of the Arts, she lives in Bayfield, Colorado, and Tucson, Arizona.  


Ruth Forman is the author of three award-winning books: poetry collections We Are the Young Magicians and Renaissance (both from Beacon) and the children's book, Young Cornrows Callin Out the Moon (Children's Book Press). She is the recipient of the Barnard New Women Poets Prize, The Pen Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award, The Durfee Artist Fellowship, the National Council of Teachers of English Notable Book Award, and recognition by The American Library Association. She provides writing workshops at schools and universities across the country and abroad, and has presented in forums such as the United Nations, the PBS series The United States of Poetry and National Public Radio. Forman is a former teacher of creative writing with the University of Southern California and June Jordan's Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and an eleven-year faculty member with the VONA-Voices writing program. Her latest collection is Prayers Like Shoes (2009) from Whit Press. Forman currently lives in Washington, DC.

Speak Out Against Proposed DC Arts Funding Cuts!



Despite a $400 million surplus for the District of Columbia, Mayor Vincent Gray's proposed budget cuts $6 million in funding for the arts.

How does this contribute to a rich and vibrant life for our city's residents? In just one example of the difference city funds can make, Split This Rock can now offer after-school poetry clubs in a dozen DC public high schools. Next year? Probably not. Unless we can get the funds restored.

We urge you to take action and protest the mayor's proposed cut by contacting your Councilmembers. Find their contact info here. Tell them to restore arts funding to FY2013 levels!

Remember: the Chairman and at large members represent us all, so please write to them too!

With gratitude, 
Split This Rock 

**

Partner Statement on the Mayor's FY 14 Arts Budget Proposal

The Mayor's FY14 budget proposal includes a $6 million dollar year on year decrease in local funds for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH). The DCCAH is a central support for artists, arts education, and arts organizations in the District, and DCCAH grants are essential to the arts in all eight wards. We are outraged at this proposed cut, and ask the Mayor and Council to reconsider, and level fund the DCCAH (at least) for FY14. We call on our communities to take action to protest this cut, and invite participation in DC’s Arts Advocacy Day on April 17, 2013. We also call on our allies in the public, the media, and non-profits, to speak out against the proposed cut.

Sincerely,

Philip Hutinet, East City Art
Robert Bettmann, Day Eight
Jack Hannula, Arts Club of Washington
Joy Austin, Humanities Council of Washington
Shanti Norris, Smith Center for the Arts and Healing
Christie Walser, Project Create   
Rosemary Reed, Double R Productions 
Joshua Simmonds, DC Youth Orchestra Program
Jon Gann, DC Shorts Film Festival
Philippa Hughes, Pinkline Project
Sarah Browning, Split This Rock Poetry Festival
John Cavanagh, Institute for Policy Studies
Andy Shallal, Busboys and Poets
Paul Woodruff, Warehouse Theater
Wanda Aikens, Ward 7 Arts Collaborative

Arts Advocacy Day spokesperson Phil Hutinet, COO of ARCH Development Corporation and Editor-in-Chief of East City Art explains, “The reduction in the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ grant making ability outlined in the Mayor’s proposed budget jeopardizes the vitality and revitalization of neighborhoods by reducing funding for a key component of the city’s infrastructure - the arts. The arts have sparked vitality into many neighborhoods, including H Street NE, East of the River and Brookland. That is not possible without stable funding for the DCCAH."

DC's Arts Advocacy Day is organized by the DC Advocates for the Arts in partnership with the Arts Club of Washington, the DC Youth Orchestra Program, the Humanities Council of Washington DC, the Warehouse Theater, the Pinkline Project, East City Art, DC Film, Ward 7 Arts Collaborative, the Institute for Policy Studies, Split This Rock Poetry Festival, Project Create, Busboys and Poets, Double R Productions, and the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts.

To learn how you can participate in DC's Arts Advocacy Day on April 17, visit http://www.DCAdvocatesfortheArts.org.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Poem of the Week: Dan Vera

            
  Dan Vera     


The Borders Are Fluid Within Us 
 

This is what is feared:
that flags do not nourish the blood,
that history is not glorious or truthful.
  
I sleep and dream in two languages.
I gain wisdom from more than one fountain.
  
I pass between borders
made to control what is owned.
The body cannot be owned.
The land cannot be owned,
only misunderstood or named by its knowing. 


-Dan Vera    

Used by permission.
From Speaking Wiri Wiri (Red Hen Press, 2013) 


Dan Vera is a writer, editor, and literary historian living in Washington, DC. He is the author of the poetry collection The Space Between Our Danger and Delight (Beothuk Books, 2008), and the editor of the gay culture journal White Crane. His second collection, Speaking Wiri Wiri, was the inaugural winner of the Letras Latinas/Red Hen Poetry Prize. His poetry has appeared in various journals including Notre Dame Review, Beltway Poetry, Delaware Poetry Review, Cutthroat, Gargoyle, Little Patuxent Review, Naugatuck River, the anthologies Divining Divas, Full Moon On K Street: Poems About Washington, DC, and DC Poets Against the War. He's the co-creator of the literary history site, DC Writers' Homes, and on the board of Split This Rock. 

Please feel free to forward Split This Rock Poem of the Week widely. We just ask you to include all of the information in this email, including this request. Thanks!

If you are interested in reading past poems of the week, feel free to visit the blog archive.    
 

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Call for Proposals: 2014 Festival

TT7
 
Split This Rock Poetry Festival: 
Poems of Provocation & Witness 2014

CALL FOR PROPOSALS:
Panel & Roundtable Discussions, Workshops, & Themed Group Readings

DEADLINE: JUNE 30, 2013 
 
Submit via our online form: 

Split This Rock invites proposals for panel and roundtable discussions, workshops, and themed group readings for our fourth national poetry festival, scheduled for March 27-30, 2014, in Washington, DC.

The pioneering poet and activist Adrienne Rich, who died just a few days after the last Split This Rock Poetry Festival, wrote: When poetry lays its hand on our shoulder... we are to an almost physical degree, touched and moved. The imagination's roads open before us, giving the lie to that slammed and bolted door, that razor-wired fence, that brute dictum There is no alternative.

With our world crying out for alternatives, and in honor of Adrienne Rich, we welcome proposals that help us travel the imagination's roads: What is this new world to which we are traveling? How are poets and activists using poetry to get us there? 

We are especially interested in proposals that share lessons from innovative projects at the intersection of poetry and social change; that draw road maps based on the teachings of our foremothers and fathers, living and dead; that help us cross boundaries of all kinds that might be blocking our way along the imagination's highway.

We invite you to read over the schedules of the first three festivals to get a sense of the broad range of topics and approaches that appeal to organizers. Visit www.SplitThisRock.org and click on previous festivals' "Program & Schedule" tabs.


PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
 Sonia Sanchez Split This Rock 2008 Opening
Split This Rock Poetry Festival: 
Poems of Provocation & Witness
 
March 27-30, 2014, Washington, DC

Split This Rock calls poets to a greater role in public life and fosters a national network of socially engaged poets. Building the audience for poetry of provocation and witness from our home in the nation's capital, we celebrate poetic diversity and the transformative power of the imagination.

Split This Rock Poetry Festival invites poets, writers, and activists to Washington, DC, for four days of poetry, community building, and creative transformation. The festival will feature readings, workshops, panel discussions, youth programming, activism - opportunities to imagine a way forward, hone our activist skills, and explore the many ways that poetry can act as an agent for social change. Learn more about Split This Rock and the festival at www.SplitThisRock.org


CHOOSING A FORMAT

Panels/Roundtables - A panel or discussion may consist of 3-4 persons, with one person designated as facilitator. Please tell us what questions you wish to explore: why is this conversation timely and necessary, how will this panel further the goals of Split This Rock? How are the members of your panel uniquely qualified to lead a conversation on your proposed topic? We have a strong interest in interactive conversation and community building, so please describe how you will involve participants in the discussion. 

Workshops - Please tell us exactly what you have in mind for activities and how participants will benefit both at the festival and afterwards. A workshop may be led by one person or collaboratively.

Themed Group Readings - Readings might showcase voices or perspectives that could otherwise be missing from the festival program. Please tell us if there is a coherent theme or organizing principle for your reading that makes it a natural fit for Split This Rock.


COMPLETING THE APPLICATION

This year we have switched to an online submission platform. Simply go to http://splitthisrock.submittable.com and click on the "2014 Festival Panel Proposals" category to submit!   

Please title your proposed event, include brief biographical information for each participant, and provide a description of your event, using the online form.

Please note: Panel presenters must register for Split This Rock Poetry Festival. (Past festival registration has been only $75, with a student rate of $40. Given the ongoing recession, we are hopeful that we won't have to raise rates in 2014.) Scholarships will be available so that all may participate.

There is no limit to the number of proposals you may send, but be sure all proposed presenters have agreed to be part of your panel before you send it to us. Take time to develop your proposal and bear in mind that this is a very competitive process. (In the past we've had to turn away many strong proposals.) We value diversity within the panels, creative ways of interacting, ideas that are new to us. We also value history. Take a look at the schedules of the past three festivals to see what kind of discussions have taken place in the past.


One final note: Split This Rock has a small staff without a lot of time for double-checking information. Please follow these instructions carefully. Remember:
  • Give your proposed event a meaningful name.
  • Provide FULL contact information for all your panelists/facilitators.
  • Remind all panelists/facilitators that they will have to register. Generous scholarship funds will be available; we will post a simple scholarship application when festival registration opens.
  • We regret that we don't have funds to pay panelists and workshop leaders.

Questions? Email us at info@splitthisrock.org. We look forward to reading your proposal!