Greetings Realness people, I hope where ever you are, you are growing and glowing and know that Mother Earth and the sweet moon Diana are blessing you. May you release that long warm howl from deep within.
PRISON DAY
Black prisoners have been on lockdown for over a month and confined to their cells. There has been no major infractions done by the entire black prison population at New Folsom. There has been no race riots, no large scale violence among black prisoners, nor against other colours of prisoners and no prison staff have gotten injured. There was one fight between one black prisoner and one Mexican prisoner. If there had been some major violence this lockdown would be understandable. But this lockdown is baseless, political and stinks of racism. That one fight in no way justifies this JIM CROW type lockdown. All other colours of prisoners are enjoying visits, church, yard and all other prison programs. My friend from Sweden has been here for over three weeks and the prison won’t allow her to visit me based on a lock down that should not be.
BOOK NEWS
I hope you all have my books “Longer ago” which is poetry, and “By Heart”, two person memoir I wrote with Judith Tannenbaum. I cannot tell haw many of my books have been flowing into the world. But I am hearing that people, even strangers who have one or both books have been touched an many levels in deep and real ways. I hope those of you who have the books will write in and let me know your thoughts and if you feel and taste the realness of both books please encourage others to get the books. “Longer Ago” at www.lulu.com and “By Heart” at www.newvilliagepress.net. Enjoy!
WRITING STUFF
I have been pondering and hoping to revise my stage play “The sun is shining” and make it into a one act play. I have also been pondering how my being a teaching artist in prison works. You must make or even create your adjustments on the fly or in the moment. Making sure each lesson has a beginning, middle and end - - that something real and seen or unseen can be taken away from each class. Because we could have class one week and not meet again for weeks or months. Especially now that there are no more arts in corrections in any California prisons. I found that often the 10 to 30 minute silent writing moments I open each class with the most fulfilling, honest, freeing, powerful and holy.
Books I am reading, I am starting slowly to get into my lockdown mode, which means doing my reading, pondering and writing. I am reading James Baldwin’s “Notes of A Native Son”, Clarissa Pinkola Estes’s ph D’s book “Women who Run With the Wolves”, Weis & Hickman’s “Dragons Dwarven Depths”, Anthony De Mello’s “Awareness” and “Writings from California Prison System’s Honour yard”, which has writing in it by a great writer Mr. Kenneth Hartman. Book edited by Luis J. Rodriguez and Lucinda Thomas.
STAY REAL SECTION
I have not played my native flute in weeks and my heart and spirits longs to flow and play in tune with Mother Earth. I am sending a Thank you and a shout out to all of you who sent e-mail to my site. Corinna, blessings and love back at you - - longing to do poetry CD with you. Nina Martins of Norway, Thanks for your kind words. Nancy Dillon, may poetry flow from your soul like snow flakes. Mikael, Thanks for the concert. Scott Nolan, I hope I do get to hear your music - - Pat is always with us.
BIRD STUFF
I got up too late to remember my dream.
I always have dreams, powerful and holy.
Some takes me inside and outside prisons
Animals often speak with me
Or we just hang out silently
As friends or guides
Again this morning I heard
But could not see
The geese just outside
The thick walled window
At the back of the cell
I wonder do they know
I am listening
On the other side
Of the wall - -
Do they feel me as I
Feel them.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
To all Peace G’s much love and realness - - keep being you. To quote William Stafford “Awake people must be awake”. How true. Once awakened, hopefully, when sleep comes, it is a place, a space, where it is okay to sleep, to rest, to love, tobe real and still be awake to dream, to walk. Peace G is love.
Spoon
