Poets, artists and musicians around the world are planning individual events to take place simultaneously on September 24th in conjunction with 100 Thousand Poets for Change in a demonstration/celebration of poetry, art and music to promote social, environmental and political change.
A MESSAGE FROM 100,000 POETS FOR CHANGE CO-FOUNDERS, POETS MICHAEL ROTHENBERG AND TERRI CARRION ~
On September 24, 2016 concerts, readings, workshops, flash mobs, parades, and demonstrations will take place in more than 120 countries around the world. 100 Thousand Poets for Change’s founders, Michael Rothenberg and Terri Carrion, state that peace and sustainability “. . . are major concerns worldwide and the guiding principles for this global event.” All participants hope, through their actions and events, to seize and redirect the political and social dialogue of the day and turn the narrative of civilization towards peace and sustainability. We are living in a world where it isn’t just one issue that needs to be addressed. A common ground is built through this global compilation of local stories, which is how we create a true narrative for discourse to inform the future . . .
“What kind of change are we talking about? The first order of change is for poets, writers, musicians, artists, anybody, to actually get together to create and perform, educate and demonstrate, simultaneously, with other communities around the world. This will change how we see our local community and the global community. We have all become incredibly alienated in recent years. We hardly know our neighbors down the street let alone our creative allies who live and share our concerns in other countries. We need to feel this kind of global solidarity.”
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Information on The BeZine virtual event is HERE. To find an event scheduled in your area or to register to organize one, link to 100TPC HERE. The following is an example of just one of nearly 450 events scheduled so far for September 24th. Other events are ongoing in different places across the globe.
“Lost Horse Press and the Bonner County (Idaho) Human Rights Task Force are teaming up for the fourth year in a row to present a poetry and music open mic for local writers, musicians, artists, students to express their ideas for positive change in our community, in ourselves, in our country, and in the world.
“Join Sandpoint poets and musicians as they connect with artists all over the globe to express their aspirations for a better world. The Sandpoint event will be held on Saturday, 24 September 2016 from 1 pm until 4 pm at Evans Brothers Café. The greater community to join in as readers, performers, or listeners.
‘If you’d like to be considered for a spot as a featured reader or musician, please contact Lost Horse Press at 255.4410 or email losthorsepress@mindspring.com. You may also sign up the day of the event for the Open Mic. Spaces are limited so if you want to be assured a reading/performance time, please register before the event. We look forward to hearing your thoughts for supportive and constructive change!”
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If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.
For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro’ narrow chinks of his cavern. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, William Blake
This is the original Table of Contents from the July 15 issue. Working links to all the pieces are included here.
Faith! In the discussions here you won’t find consistent perspective or theology. You will find faith explored in its many manifestations, religious and otherwise. You’ll find it both shaken and unshakable and in things of the spirit, in nature and humanity, in intuition and in self and family. Unity here is not in things creedal but in the shared values of peace, sustainability and social justice and for many of us – implicitly – in ultimate salvation through artistic expression.
Unitarian Universalist Minister, Rev. Ben Meyers, starts us with an appeal to religions to give their prayers and vigils legs, to befriend one another into the groundswell of local social justice initiatives that ultimately help to inform and bolster global efforts toward equity, justice and peace.This couldn’t be more appropriate as The BeZine “went to press” amid news reports of yet more violence.
You will find our usual diversity represented: skepticism and atheism, the three Abrahamic traditions, shamanism, and the mystical perspectives of Buddhism, Hinduism and Sufism.
Our special selection of lead features and poems are by: shamanic practitioner and psychotherapist, Michael Watson; resident skeptic, James R. Cowles; the always engaging and level-headed analyst, Priscilla Galasso; the fallen altar boy, poet Joe Hesch; professional story-teller and photographer, Naomi Baltuck; our renaissance man in Sheffield, John Anstie; and university librarian, poet and artist, Corina Ravenscraft, on the ultimate triumph of the Universe.
Speaking from positions of their unshakable religious faith are: Algerian poet, Imen Benyoub, on the spiritual joys and family and community connection she finds in the holy tradition of Ramadan; Catholic Theologian, Fr. Daniel S Sormani, theology professor at Ateneo de Manila University, warmly writes about lessons learned from the homely life of the Blessed Virgin Mary; and our gentle Italian literary contributor, Mendes Biondo, tells of inspiration from the Bishop of Hippo Regius (current Annaba, Algeria), St. Augustine. Imen and Mendes are our two student contributors.
Two of our contributors allude to child sexual abuse but a third, Terri Muuss, addresses it head-on and in depth. These are experiences that can strengthen faith in self, though that doesn’t come without pain and work. Terri is featured this month in our popular “Getting to Know You” section.
Our July poetry collection covers matters spiritual, emotional and environmental with excerpts from published collections by Zine regulars: Matt Pasca, Terri Muuss, Myra Schneider, Silva Merjanian and Michael Dickel, contributing editor to The BeZine. With joy we welcome back two lights: German poet, photographer and educator, Dr. Aprilia Zank and English poet, Patricia Leighton.
New to our pages in this issue are:
Connie Spearing who writes of finally “seeing” her Irish grandmother with the accidental discovery of her family’s history during and after World War 1.
Sandra Renew’s‘s poetry expresses her opinions on the state of the world. She wonders who sleeps at night? Who is lucky enough to live in safety and peace?
Anca Mihaela Bruma, citizen of world, educated in Rumania, is a poet who writes spiritual autobiography. Anca wanted to incorporate some lovely music and art into her posts. Due to copyrights in one case (Dorina Costras’ art) and technical incompetence (mine) in the other, we are unable to share Dorina’s paintings or Anca’s soundcloud recordings. However you can view Dorina’s work HERE. You can listen to Anca on soundcloud HERE.
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One last word: DON’T FORGET TO SAVE THE DATE … Saturday, 24 September 2016 is The BeZine’s 100,000 Poets for Change, an eventwhich we host virtually. This event is part of an important annual arts initiative for global solidarity and peace, social justice and sustainability. Reader participation is invited and encouraged. This is a good time to share your work in the service of a worthy cause. As is our tradition, all submissions will be archived here and at Standford University. Instructions for participation will be provided on our blog that day with Michael Dickel serving as Master of Ceremonies. Between Michael and me, the event will run from morning in Israel to midnight in California. The theme this year is Environment/Environmental Justice. More detail HERE.
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Now, come friends. Read. Nourish yourselves at our table …
In the spirit of peace, love and community
and on behalf of The Bardo Group Beguines, Jamie Dedes
Founding and Managing Editor The BeZine
Access to the biographies of our core team, contributing writers and guest writers is in The BeZine blogroll where you can also find links to archived issues of The BeZine (currently in the process of updating), our Mission Statement and Submission Guidelines.
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NOT POETRY BUT I know a lot of readers here are multitalented. This just came across my desk and it sounds like a wonderful opportunity for someone. It’s “a project of PBS/POV and the New York Times. The Embedded Mediamaker project will allow a documentary filmmaker, creator or creative technologist rooted in documentary storytelling to work for 20 weeks at The New York Times alongside some of its most creative journalists. The mediamaker will work with The Times and POV to create new forms of documentary and interactive content with a team of Times writers, editors and visual storytellers involved in Race/Related, a newsletter and reporting project exploring race as it is lived today.’ Details HERE.
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Opportunity Knocks
NEW YORKER Poetry submissions:Poetry is reviewed on a rolling basis. Send up to six poems per submission, but please submit no more than twice in twelve months. We do not consider work that has appeared elsewhere (including Web sites and personal blogs), or translations that have already been published in English (the original text may have been published.) Simultaneous submissions are welcome; please notify us promptly if a poem is accepted elsewhere. Response time averages two to six months; after three, you are welcome to query the status.” Details HERE.
THE ATLANTIC “is always interested in great nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. A general familiarity with what we have published in the past is the best guide to what we’re looking for. All manuscripts should be submitted as a Word document or PDF. Succinct pitches may be submitted in the body of an e-mail. To submit nonfiction, send your manuscript or pitch to: submissions@theatlantic.com. To submit fiction, send your manuscript to: fiction@theatlantic.com. To submit poetry, send your manuscript to: poetry@theatlantic.com.” The Atlantic
THE APPLE VALLEY REVIEW welcomes submissions of poetry, short fiction, and essays and submissions are open year round for work that has both mainstream and literary appeal. “In other
words, please send us work that is both accessible and finely written. . . . This is not currently a paying market. However, all work published in the Apple Valley Review during a given calendar year will be considered for the annual Apple Valley Review Editor’s Prize. From 2006 to 2015, the prize was $100 and a gift of a book of poetry or fiction.” Details HERE.
STORM CELLAR “is a national literary arts magazine with a special emphasis on the Midwest, appearing in print and ebook editions. We want your prose, poems, chimeras, and ideas penned on envelopes in buses and train cars. The magazine aims to publish amazing work by new and established writers and artists, present a range of styles and approaches, and be as un-boring as it can. If you write one thing to be read while waiting for the all-clear to sound, send it here.” Details HERE.
CICADA YA (14+ years) lit/comics magazine “is looking for fairy tales and folklore with a twist—we want you to take familiar stories and dress them up; dress them down; give them some bite; shine a different light on them. Tell us a dark and weird tale from your culture, or show us something new. Let the wolf win. Stick all of those tired old folktale tropes in a blender, add genre-savviness and a dash of hot sauce, and serve over ice.” Deadline for submissions of short fiction, poetry, essays, and comics pitches is August 20, 2016. Details HERE.
The Tahirih Justice Center stands alone as the only national, multi-city organization providing a broad range of direct legal services, policy advocacy, and training and education to protect immigrant women and girls fleeing violence. Come out and support some of New York’s most powerful artists as they perform to raise money for a worth cause. $10 suggested donation all going to the center. Thanks to Terri Muuss for sharing this with us. Lifting the Veil Facebook Page is HERE.
August 7 at 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. EDT at BrickHouse Bewery & Restaurant 67 W. Main Street, Patchogue, New York 11772.
RUMORproceeds go the Syrian-Armenian Relief Fund. The collection is by Silva Merjanian. “Rumor is a stunning tour de force of passionate, life-affirming poetry. Silva Merjanian evokes time and place with both grace and authority. Poetry is obviously a tool for her own healing and in that she brings us face to face with the human condition in all its complexity, beautiful and loving and devastating cruel, and she does so totally without pretension.” excerpt from CELEBRATING AMERICAN SHE-POETS (19): Silva Zanoyan Merjanian, Borrowed Sugar, Borrowed Time – War-torn Lebanon to Peace in California
HANDS & WINGS, Poems for Freedom from Torture (White Rat Press, 2015). The poems in it are freely shared by A-list poets. The proceeds go to help with the rehabilitation and support of torture victims seeking protection in the U.K. For purchase contact Dorothy Yamamoto: dorothy.yamamoto@whiteratpress.co.uk
100,000 Poets (and other artists) for Change, 2016
AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM 100TPC COFOUNDER, MICHAEL ROTHENBERG: “On September 24, 2016 poets, musicians and artists around the world will be organizing poetry readings, parades, gallery exhibitions, music and dance performances focused on issues of peace, justice, and sustainability. This important annual global act of solidarity is the core activity of 100 Thousand Poets for Change, a non-profit organization.
100 Thousand Poets for Change offers an opportunity for a peaceful global discussion of issues such as war, global warming, poverty, racism, gender inequality, homelessness, gun violence, police brutality, lack of affordable medical care, censorship, and animal cruelty. Individual organizers are free to choose the specific topic and focus of their local event. If you are interested in participating in this global action please post sign up HERE.”
THE BARDO GROUP BEGUINES will host a virtual 100TPC event on September 24 with American-Israeli poet, Michael Dickel (Fragments of Michael Dickel) as Master of Ceremonies. Between Michael and me the event will run from morning in Israel to midnight in California. You can share your work through Mr. Linky (instruction will be provided) or in the comments section of the blog post that day at The BeZinewhere you can also enjoy the work of other artist activists.
Work may include anything on topic: poetry, essay, short fiction, video (music, mime, dance, dramatic monolgue), art and photography and so forth. The topic we’ve chosen this year – selected by Rev. Terri Stewart (Beguine Again founder) – and supported by our core team of poets, writers, story-tellers, artists and photographers, musicians and clerics is Environment/Environmental Justice. As is tradition, all work will be archived on the site and at Standford University in Stanford, CA.
FOR YOUNG POETS
STONE SOUP is a magazine founded in 1973 to encourage children ‘s creativity. It focus is “to inspire young writers by publishing the best work by their peers. We have published over ten-thousand pages of writing and art by children.” Submission details are HERE.
STRIVE FESTIVAL (England)Friday 5 August 2016 – Sunday 7 August 2016 “Calling all young thinkers, dreamers, movers and shakers: unleash your creativity at Strive festival. Strive is Southbank Centre’s festival for 15- to 25-year-olds. Curated in collaboration with our Youth Ambassadors, the festival celebrates and showcases the creativity, new ideas and artistic passions of young people today.Whether you love music, dance, poetry or visual arts, Strive is packed full of performances, practical workshops and careers advice to inspire and empower you. Details HERE.
THE POETRY SOCIETY (U.K.) is “committed to supporting poets at every stage of their career – many now established poets began taking part in our events and competitions as children, through teenage years and into adulthood. Our Young Poets Network, and events for emerging poets mean that you always have access to advice and company as you develop your craft. . . . We are committed to supporting poets at every stage of their career – many now established poets began taking part in our events and competitions as children, through teenage years and into adulthood. Our Young Poets Network, and events for emerging poets mean that you always have access to advice and company as you develop your craft.” Details HERE
YOUNG AMERICAN POETRY DIGEST, National Schools Project encourages “student writing and provides an audience for student poetry. We want kids excited about writing . . . The National Schools Project, initiated in 1994, is designed to share our youth’s talents with others, supply a national audience for student writing, and provide a publishing opportunity for young poets. Schools around the nation are invited to participate in the project by submitting their students’ most creative poetry. A panel of educators reviews the poetry submitted and selects poems to be published based on a list of literary criteria.” Details HERE
A POETRY PLAYGROUND
Youth and Adults
POETRY SOUP “is simply the world’s best and most comprehensive poetry website and poems resource…with quotes too. PoetrySoup™ is an easy-to-use, comprehensive, interactive, and fun international poetry community for all poets and lovers of poetry. Read, search, comment on, and share quotations, short poetry, funny poetry, love poetry, sad poetry, friendship poetry and more.” Details HERE.
TIDBIT
ZEN and THE ART OF ARCHERY: Paul Muldoon – Advice for Young Writers (If you are reading this in an email, it is likely you’ll have to link to the site to view this video.)
PAUL MULDOON (b.1951) is an Irish poet with some thirty collections and a Pulitzer Prize. His bio is HERE.
THE POET BY DAY SUNDAY POESY
Submit your event, book launch and other announcements at least fourteen days in advance to thepoetbyday@gmail.com. Publication is subject to editorial discretion.
Beguine Again, Spiritual Community and Practice
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 