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
]]>http://www.spoonjackson.com/monthly/index.php?entry=entry100808-1236382010-08-08T00:00:00Z2010-08-08T00:00:00Z2010 Newsletter # 5 Realness people, I hope Mother Earth is blessing you with sweet sunshine. I hope also you have embarked on the journey of reading both of my books released this paste April: “By Heart” a memoir I wrote with Judith Tannenbaum, and my poetry book “Longer Ago” I hope you all are enjoying both books.
Judith is doing some travelling and readings from “By Heart”. We have a small but hard working publisher of By Heart. So Judith must pitch in as much as possible to help get the word out about “By Heart”. We must do a lot of getting the word out into the world about the book. We hope the book will do good. Readers of “By Heart” so far hearts and souls have been touched on many levels.
My poetry book “Longer Ago” self published at online book store lulu.com, my seconf mom Barbro and I are the main ones promoting it. We trying to get the word out about books. We are open to any ideas, help and suggestions. I’ll write and answer letters and do phone interviews.
I recently had great phone interviews with a cool radio producer from KUSP-FM, Santa Cruz, California. The main focus of the conversations was “By Heart” and I also sprinkled some poems from my poetry book “Longer Ago” that helped made a point in our conversations.
But soon the conversations turned towards “Waiting for Godot”, Samuel Becket and my Swedish director Jan Jönsson and we spoke of my days when I played Pozzo in “Wating for Godot” it San Quentin. We had Samuel Beckets full blessings. We had recorded about 8 long sessions. The last session where w spoke of Godot left me jazzed and full of acting energy.
All the flow and realness from Godot days came back up. The radio guy, an extraordinary interviewer, Robert Pollie felt the the energy, magic, love and the unique connection I have and had as one of few people to play Pozzo with Becket’s blessings. To my surprise the interviewer mentioned I would do a great job directing “Waiting for Godot” or some other Becket play. I felt honoured and humbled. He saw my energy on such a deep level.
STAY REAL SECTION
MY OWN DOINGS (poem for my American nieces and nephews)
I know you don’t know me or remember me But I was your uncle once
I know you don’t know me and see me as a rabbit dog fouming of the mouth But you knew once some thirty years ago I was your uncle.
I understand - - I am just a man A lost Jackson - - in a prison where there are over thirty Jacksons all black men in prison.
Don’t get me wrong My doings are my own doing I don’t blame you and I can handle prison.
I have never asked you for money or anything I just believed family was family. Not htat you even think of me
And I am like a dark night to you that never ends.
I release all of you nieces and nephews ashamed that I am a Jackson.
Perhaps I won’t think of you and you won’t think of me your un-uncle Spoon.
I have my family in Sweden and Nevada City I won’t burden any of you even with a thought of you - - but I wish all the best - - sincerely your un-uncle Spoon
CLOSING THOUGHTS
May your lives be full of light, peace, love and realness. May joy fill your hearts.