Dear realness people, my humble greetings to you all. Summer seems to be moving to fast and all the lockdowns we have had here seemed to move that time along. Yet my heart is happy, free and full of love as is my spirit and soul. The heat over 110fh or 40cc is over now. That heat wave. It was over 100, I am sure in the cells where the little fans we have blows hot air from one end of the cell to another. In the prison chapel there is no air condition so temperature reaches a sweaty 100 in there. Even the visiting at times was over 95°. There was record topping days in a row of over 100 degrees - 12 days. The heat is supposed to die down some tomorrow. I don't mind the heat as long as there is some shade and something cool to drink. Although, this northern California heat is a different kind of heat than in southern California - it is more sticky. My article in the San Francisco Chronicle on self-rehabilitation came out in July the 14th, 2006. Some weeks ago, the Editor of that section did a fine job of placing my article next to the San Francisco District attorney who had wrote an article or reform programs and also some artist, drew a great picture representing how reform could work. I received a few responses to the article and I am glad it was on point, some people say. Fellow prisoners liked the article as well as some prison officials. The uncut version of my article was printed in Newsletter #7.
PRISON DAY
We were on lockdown again for a couple of weeks when a screwdriver turned up missing. The prison asked or announced whoever has the screwdriver to turn it in, no questions asked and the lockdown will be lifted. However, the person who had the screwdriver did not comply, so we went on lockdown for two weeks and the warders searched the prison looking for the tool. When it was time to search the last building magically the screwdriver appeared and a prisoner with deep psychological problems that worked on the prison yard crew, apparently had the unaltered tool in his back pocket of his work clothes. So this lockdown could have been avoided and needless to say no body took kindly that inmate’s deed caused the lockdown. The lockdown is over.
STAY REAL SECTION AND WRITING STUFF
My two creative writing groups have been meeting regularly for the past few weeks and I have the fellows writing memoir type scenes. Because almost everyone in the classes say that they are writing a book about their lives or want to. Whether they all are serious or not I will strive to explore with them the tools they need to write their stories. Also I have established contact with a organization "Prisoner Express", that is based in a college library back east in New York and they do all kinds of work with prisoners and their arts and also have a book giving prisoners program. They print this newsletter and the Editor, Dave, of the poetry section and the history section has become a friend of mine. We have together gathered poems from some of my students that will appear in Prison Express. Their most recent issue, me and one of my students are in it along with an article I wrote. We are hoping to link, through the Prisoner Express, east and west coast prisoner’s works in P.E and show case with that realness to the world. We want the world to see and feel what is really going on in USA prisons, through the Arts - drawings, poems and writings. I have begun to write a lot so my newsletters will be short. I am and have been working on songs, poems and articles. Also Judith Tannenbaum, my mentor and I are working on a non-fiction book about our lives and it is flowing pretty well. So for a while the Newsletters will be shorter. I am hoping to inspire, Louise, my Newsletter Editor and Peace G. and great realness friend to do the first writing of our Peace G. youth Section. I believe in Louise´s writing, power and realness.
BIRD AND PLANT STUFF
The geese are back each morning, that if I could get out into the yard early enough, I can watch them. I know their speech and gestures when they are getting ready to fly off. They seem to be living a good life, all fat and healthy. Have not seen any sparrows but have seen a few black birds now and then and of course the Omnipresent pigeons. They seem to be able to prosper anywhere. Turkey vultures still circle high in the sky. I like watching them at dusk just before they roast. Their circles get smaller and tighter just before they land in the trees for the night or perhaps those were the crows.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
We had a Grammy award winning Native American that came in and taught us how to play the flute. Her name is Mary Youngblood. We did all kinds of cool exercises with the flute and I think I am hooked on it now. Ms Youngblood gave some history of Native American flute plus history of the flute in general. She said in this country most native tribes, the male uses the flute to serenade the woman. So hopefully I will be able to serenade some woman with my flute playing. Ms Youngblood played a couple of her songs and they touched the center of the heart and soul like magic. Realness people, people of love, peace and power may the part of you connected with Mother Earth song like a tree full of birds. One love, one world, one people with endless expressions! Peace G.
In realness Spoon
