My friend and colleague, Mary Fillmore, An Address in Amsterdam, considering why she was continuing to write about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam and the many forms of resistance that had existed there, said that while she understood she would probably not change the minds of those who support the administration’s actions, she could encourage those who do understand how critical these times are to resist, to stand up.
Deena, i'm sorry, i'm NOT on "either side", but i do see that you fall for the mainstream narratives over and again, in spite of your good works. This dismays me. Educated people with big voices - being led around by the mockingbird media! Time to look at both sides of the issue - we have been invaded, and it's a 200 year coup. The Republic established in 1776 was dismantled by the brits and their corporation-deceits. That is the actual point here. The brits gained sublime control by 1863 with their fake corporations that sound like our American names
Thank you for going so deeply into this conundrum that all writers face now. We must write, but we must also stand there, and if violence begins, sit and be quiet. The James Baldwin quotation puts our work in proportion: it is important but it does its work in tiny, tiny increments.
I read this and each day's horror news and scream and pray and stand. Stand and scream. stand up to protest. And scream.I go to my own book, "Kneel Said The Night" and reread one of its poems titled, aptly, "STAND." where a critic had said "she raises a “tumult of hands that reach through smoke keening call it — salvage — scream — prayer.” I paste the poem in here...because i do not know what else to offer...beside my standing. And my rage. and love.. love, If we can stand it. yes, that. xxx, margo ...................
..................."STAND "
"If ever I raised a daughter in this now—would I name her 'time bomb' and wait? Char-lunged bird of no paradise left—Who holds the winning hand? Phoenix, have you any will left to rise In flames or in ice or in effigy —stand — This tumult of hands that reach through smoke keening — call it — salvage — scream — prayer Stand. The black wind blows through me. Imagine the coils of organs inside a body do they want to be held by the skeleton around them when it burns? While it is alive? The forests are collapsing inside the body. Weight of scorch-stained air closing them in, their bloods drumming Who can they beg to hold them? How long will they still dare to breathe? Once in the flames, did martyrs have a moment of wanting yet, to live? One time I begged a lover to hold me, after — Does a tree, when she is wrapped in hands of fire beg to be held? Tumult of hunger we say world Avalanche of hands we say greed Phoenix, have you any will now, still, to stand ? "
....................................( — for all lands burned, and burning— )...........................
That this is a repeat of my family’s WW 2 exp except on a grotesque scale teaches me ironically to not fall victim to lies and to know precisely what the lies and distortions are and how they emerge. It helps in anticipating what’s going to happen next. Yes it’s a showing up in any way individually it suits us as displayed in the creativity of the streets here where I live which is not far from the action. There’s a lot of singing of Stand by me, dancing, drumming, artwork graffiti, all spontaneously erupting. And there are some who decry the lack of leaders of the stature of mostly Black leaders of years ago but it’s harder to decapitate the diverse threads that makes us stronger. I see POC getting bolder and smarter and many 20 year olds like on YouTube are so sophisticated and actually make me believe that everything my generation did is not for nothing but actually has helped them to multiply. They are the children of the generation that came of age on 9/11. Trump and Co are incapable of truly leading, let alone rule, anyone. Their hatred of the POC is who they are and I like to believe that the energy of Lamar and his incredible stand - in They not like us, that enables us to disconnect from ideology that runs counter in any way to who we are. The right has no idea what they’re giving birth to.
Thank you Deena for writing the words that embolden us to stand. Together.
Deena, i'm sorry, i'm NOT on "either side", but i do see that you fall for the mainstream narratives over and again, in spite of your good works. This dismays me. Educated people with big voices - being led around by the mockingbird media! Time to look at both sides of the issue - we have been invaded, and it's a 200 year coup. The Republic established in 1776 was dismantled by the brits and their corporation-deceits. That is the actual point here. The brits gained sublime control by 1863 with their fake corporations that sound like our American names
have i told you lately how much i love you?
Thank you for going so deeply into this conundrum that all writers face now. We must write, but we must also stand there, and if violence begins, sit and be quiet. The James Baldwin quotation puts our work in proportion: it is important but it does its work in tiny, tiny increments.
I read this and each day's horror news and scream and pray and stand. Stand and scream. stand up to protest. And scream.I go to my own book, "Kneel Said The Night" and reread one of its poems titled, aptly, "STAND." where a critic had said "she raises a “tumult of hands that reach through smoke keening call it — salvage — scream — prayer.” I paste the poem in here...because i do not know what else to offer...beside my standing. And my rage. and love.. love, If we can stand it. yes, that. xxx, margo ...................
..................."STAND "
"If ever I raised a daughter in this now—would I name her 'time bomb' and wait? Char-lunged bird of no paradise left—Who holds the winning hand? Phoenix, have you any will left to rise In flames or in ice or in effigy —stand — This tumult of hands that reach through smoke keening — call it — salvage — scream — prayer Stand. The black wind blows through me. Imagine the coils of organs inside a body do they want to be held by the skeleton around them when it burns? While it is alive? The forests are collapsing inside the body. Weight of scorch-stained air closing them in, their bloods drumming Who can they beg to hold them? How long will they still dare to breathe? Once in the flames, did martyrs have a moment of wanting yet, to live? One time I begged a lover to hold me, after — Does a tree, when she is wrapped in hands of fire beg to be held? Tumult of hunger we say world Avalanche of hands we say greed Phoenix, have you any will now, still, to stand ? "
....................................( — for all lands burned, and burning— )...........................
That this is a repeat of my family’s WW 2 exp except on a grotesque scale teaches me ironically to not fall victim to lies and to know precisely what the lies and distortions are and how they emerge. It helps in anticipating what’s going to happen next. Yes it’s a showing up in any way individually it suits us as displayed in the creativity of the streets here where I live which is not far from the action. There’s a lot of singing of Stand by me, dancing, drumming, artwork graffiti, all spontaneously erupting. And there are some who decry the lack of leaders of the stature of mostly Black leaders of years ago but it’s harder to decapitate the diverse threads that makes us stronger. I see POC getting bolder and smarter and many 20 year olds like on YouTube are so sophisticated and actually make me believe that everything my generation did is not for nothing but actually has helped them to multiply. They are the children of the generation that came of age on 9/11. Trump and Co are incapable of truly leading, let alone rule, anyone. Their hatred of the POC is who they are and I like to believe that the energy of Lamar and his incredible stand - in They not like us, that enables us to disconnect from ideology that runs counter in any way to who we are. The right has no idea what they’re giving birth to.