John Trudell - Rich Man's War

Rest in Peace John Trudell - February 15, 1946 – December 8, 2015

rich man's war
john trudell


hay ah iy ya hey iy ah hey......


rich mans war,
industrial streets, class lines
money talks, turning language to paper pieces
rich man's war free man's society.
raging violent insecurity
nuclear man, nuclear woman
unclear how to act.

rich man's war
Persians cruising Europe.
America Russia
governmental nuclear views
industrial allies cutting the world
as though they cannot see blood flowing
.
rich man's war
Central America bleeding
wounds same as Palestine and Harlem
Three Mile Island in El Salvador
Pine Ridge in Belfast

rich man's war
the poor, starving for food
starving for land, starving for peace,
starving for real.

rich man's war
attacking human, attacking being
attacking earth, attacking tomorrow

rich man's war
thinking of always war
thinking of always war.

with machines for ancestors
new unborn generations
chemical umbilical chords are only wiring
in your electrical progress
human lives burnt offerings to the god greed
with lies for ancestors


there is no truth in some futures
rulers of minds feeding next generation's souls
to the control machine.
sacrifice ritual for the proper technology
with isolation for ancestors

there is only the present bought by the credit material uses
forging chains binding you to destruction
compliments of your deities
the industrial priest.
.
hay ah iy ya hey iy ah hey......
.
no more than neon flash
trying hiding in neon mask
have to face who we really are
at some point we had no choice.
distant star distant light
.
in real world we are human being
in shadow of real world we are
being human.
.
neon mask for neon flash.
distant thunder distant cloud
passions reign
drenched in possession
what we take is hard to do
what we do is hard to take
some ones are crazy or maybe we take turns
dreaming about some kind of life we say
"it could have been different".
but it wasn't because we weren't
no matter what, it turns out the same
a lot of things we said weren't true
industrial stories in an electric instant
neon mask neon flash neon flash.
.
thing is nihilistic desires
civilized gone insane
didn't imagine it turning like this
some things start good and go bad
some things get bad and stay bad.
are we caught in between living a lie or
not living at all?
eliminated choices lost in dreams we let go
memories we never got to have
something else to think about...
waking up in industrial society
surrounded by angry days,
going through motions
of not being.
wanting the best but not expecting it.
surviving paid for in dreams
feeling like a world alone
serving god with the devil to pay.
feeling like something in no place
what goes on in hell anyway?
.
thing is, it has to do with heart.
we have to understand what hearts are for
before we can get back to heaven or paradise
or the power in OUR MIND.
.
hay ah iy a hey e ya hay........

" Follow your bliss but be prepared to live your nightmare" - Mark Reay

Mark Reay and Thomas Wirthensohn

Many of us experience hard times, some more so than others. We decide how we are going to cope. Some of us make it, and cope relatively well, some don't. It is often a secret we keep from others, for a long as possible in order to keep up appearances, because poverty and homelessness in our society is cloaked in shame, guilt, and judgement.

It's easy to sit in judgment of others who don't match our preconceived notions of normal, and so I will say, if you haven't walked in their shoes, refrain from judgement. Truth is, there but for the Grace of God go I.

I thank God I have never been homeless, but many years back I was sleeping quite regularly in my vehicle because I worked two hours away from home, and couldn't afford the gas to travel at one point in time. Hitch hiking and food banks were a regular thing for me, when I returned to University at the age of 56 in 2009.

Mark Reay is a remarkable individual. He kept the secret of being five years homeless living in New York City, sleeping under a tarp, on a friends rooftop at night, and living an entirely different life by day, keeping up appearances, which to all appeared to be glamorous and successful.

Mark Reay is very obviously an individual with great tenacity, courage and resilience, and he doesn't match our notions of the stereo typical homeless person.

This documentary Homme Less is insightful, a revealing real life film by Thomas Wirthensohn about how Mark Reay lived in one of the most wonderful cities for artists, and simultaneously, one of the worst if you are homeless and poor.

 Mark was interviewed today on CBC Q with his long time friend Thomas Wirthensohn, who directed the documentary. I am certain this film will help to break down the stigma and misconceptions surrounding what it means to be homeless and poor, who should not be invisible, nor judged.

"We All Need a Home and a Journey" - Gloria Steinem

Amy Schumer & Annie Leibovitz

A few years back, I got to see Anne Leibovitz give a talk at a book store in New York City about one of her last books, called Pilgrimage. This was truly the highlight of my trip to NYC, because I have always admired her work. She is a great speaker, a philosopher, an amazing photographer and I could listen to her for hours.

Today I learned that the Parelli Calendar has recently published a feminist depiction of numerous women that are clothed, a far departure from how this calendar portrayed women in the past, always glamorous, nude portraits.

Annie Leibovitz had free rein to create the kind of portrait photographs she wanted when she was asked to do this project. It broke with the Parelli stereotypical tradition of objectifying women. It will be interesting if this  project marks a permanent change in how the Parelli calendar will be presented in the future, but it certainly is a hopeful change from the mindless concept of a hyper-pornified culture to where we are "agents of our own bodies" and the conversation  about sexuality shifts, and is defined by our own terms.

Simultaneously it may be a sign of change when you see Playboy magazine no longer engaging in nude photos of women. More than an indication of Playboy developing a politically correct social conscience, I think perhaps this is more about having to compete with a pornographic material so readily available on the internet, and how this has made the Playboy rather redundant.

Pioneer feminist Gloria Steinem who in 1963 went undercover as a Playboy bunny, was interviewed today on CBC Radio. She has previously addressed this topic when she said, " For Playboy to stop publishing nude photos of women, (of course, it never published nude photos of men) is like the NRA saying that it's no longer pushing hand guns because machine guns and assault refiles are so easily available. "

 " Playboy would have to change it's little heart and brain cells in order to express the full humanity of men or women. "

When I heard what Gloria Steinem said about how we all need a home and a journey, it rung so true with me.  And like Annie Leibovitz and all the women she photographed, we all do need a home, that is found within ourselves, on that pilgrimage to find where it is we belong, and where  and how we reclaim our power and our strength.

Sand, Sea, and Smugglers - RTÉ Radio 1 - Nicoline Greer

Anas and Ammar Al-Kadry

As is my routine every night, while in my bed, I fading in and out of sleep, I listen to late night radio. In the wee hours of Saturday nights they broadcast from Ireland, through RTÉ Radio 1, documentaries which are usually very compelling, and I am more often wide awake to listen intently, because these programs are so interesting, often very moving, and leave lasting impressions. 

Within Canada we in the beginning stages of accepting 25,000 refugees, and within my own very rural community we are going through the process of getting prepared to accept a family. I've heard bits and pieces of what life has been like for these individuals, and their families fleeing for their lives, but I haven't heard anything really detailed about what has happened to them. These are powerful stories that need to be told, resulting in a real appreciation for who these individuals are, what they have experienced, as Anas and Ammar Al-Kadry, and for the kind of unimaginable, and incredible suffering, dangers they have endured and overcome.

The documentary story by Nicoline Greer, called Sand, Sea, and Smugglers conveys in an in depth way, that enables us to understand the kind of incredible, resilient strength existing within and among these individuals, a strength that many of us can only imagine in a lifetime.

This kind of documentary, and the stories refugees have to tell, might help us to rearrange our values here in our privileged Western world, and what is really important, and perhaps to even see what own purpose in life might be.

Is Clutter Killing Your Creativity?

I've had a bit of a challenging month attempting to unclutter my mind, by ridding my house of things I've been hanging on to. At least I'm getting it organized to place it curb side for garbage pick-up or released into the ether where it belongs. I truly believe this kind of clutter can block or even kill creativity. During this process I have learned that the relationship between creativity and clutter. When clutter increases, creativity decreases, and it's inverse in nature.

I distinctly remember during my art school study, where we were sharing spaces with a fellow students, a cubicle, measuring, oh I'd say about 12'x12', if that. I made an effort to keep our small studio space clean and organized, as did the fellow students I shared the spaces with. It was difficult to work, if not almost impossible. I created much of my work at home.

Students who made a huge mess in their space would inevitably drag their mess out into center of the large room, where you'd accidentally kick something half way across the floor. I think the restricted space  in our cubicles was good for some of us. But for others it wouldn't matter how much space they had, it would be a mess regardless.

Mess is stress, and a big distraction the takes away from my focus and concentration.
Yes there are some artists that work this way and they flourish in their creative and chaotic messiness, but I'm not one of them, because I know it doesn't make me feel good. We all have to decide for ourselves what makes us feel good in our creative environment, and what enables our creativity.

Often I have found I could always measure the psychological state of my well being because it is reflected in the space around me. If I was not in a positive frame of mind because I was exhausted, my house would look like it had blown up. Not a good feeling.

I believe when we hang onto people, places or things, it's based on the hope that one day we'll need it, we don't want to let go, or we are creating some kind of drama in our lives. Instead of being motivated, we can end up with feelings of guilt and shame because we can't move forward unburdened and we can't let go.

I can only speak for what works and what doesn't work for me. Some think that creative people are messy and this is conducive to the creative process and all part of being creative. It worked for Einstein. This has not been my own experience as an artist. Clutter does block, and can threaten to kill my creativity.

I'm looking forward to feeling more unfettered and creative.

Ron Hynes Man of a Thousand Songs

Ron Hynes - Photo Justin Hall

Two days ago, Thursday November 19th 2015, Canada lost a great singer song writer/musician, and human being, Ron Hynes. It's hard to know how to express the sadness that pervades the Maritimes and especially in Newfoundland/Labrador at the loss of a such an individual.

There are certain people in this world that grab your heart and soul. Ron Hynes is definitely one of those. He did this through his artistry as a lyricist and song writer, but also I think most people recognized his rigorous honesty with himself and with others and he touched people deeply.

It makes me happy and grateful  to know he found his own recovery in life, and all the gifts that he left behind will never be forgotten. Recovering people everywhere like Ron, who learned how to save themselves from themselves one day at a time, understanding what he lost, but more importantly understand what he gained in recovery, and the legacy he has left behind, that will live on forever, and will continue to touch hearts and souls alike.

This documentary, I found on CBC Absolutely Canadian, Man of a Thousand Songs, I think you'll agree, says it all.

Poet Laurette of Youth Now

As an artist, and in my past as a Youth Care Worker for 20 years, I’ve seen first hand how art and creativity changes lives for the better. I have also volunteered in correctional facilities. Many adult offenders started out as young offenders.

When youth are in Open Custody there is next to no help or support for them or for their families, once they serve their sentence in open or closed custody as young offenders, many of them go right back into dysfunctional familial environments.

If youth are in therapeutic group homes it’s different, they have more support. They’ll have a social worker, psychologist, family counseling etc.

The way the correctional system is set up, particularly closed custody for young offender, is like the adult penal system and they are simply being preened for prison.These facilities are even referred to as jails, particularly by the youth themselves.

80% of adult offenders inside prison have been sexually assaulted, a good majority are First Nations, many have been in long term foster care, in the system for years, and suffer with mental health or addiction issues etc.

Anything creative IS healthy healing, and therapeutic. They sure as heck don’t have much of a hope of “rehabilitation” the way most prisons are set up presently. So yes bring on the creative opportunity!
I say start trying to understand people, especially youth instead of trying to control them!

Here's a informative article by Sarah Poko who works for The Signal in Halifax Nova Scotia, about Youth Now Radio started by Sobaz Benjamin.

Jackie Torrens tells the compelling story on Atlantic Voice about the Poet Laureate of Youth Now .