POETS WITH A VOICE

Poets have always been at the forefront of revealing the atrocities of governments, religion and the greedy rich, revealing their control, domination, and fear tactics, their destruction of nature and human spirit.

Famous poets who have paid the price for speaking out, to name a few:

The first century Italian poet, Publius Ovidius Naso, (commonly known as Ovid). Ovid was exiled to the barren, barbaric-ruled coast of the Black Sea by the Roman government for writing about love and sex and the harsh laws of Rome and religion. He was never seen or heard from again.

In the 1960’s, the Russian poet, Joseph Brodsky, was condemned and sent to 18 years hard labor for not having “government permission” to be a poet.

In 1936, the Spanish poet, Lorca was executed by the “Franco” fascist for being a poet, because he was more popular with the people than Franco was. The fascist took him into the mountains and his body was never found.

Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda was on the run for several years from the Franco fascist. Fortunately he survived.

Songwriter / poet, John Lennon openly spoke out against the Viet Nam conflict and the atrocities of governments, war and hate. Lennon was hounded by the F.B.I. until, in 1980, he took 5 bullets in the back.

CAN ANYBODY ADD TO THIS LIST: POETS WITH A VOICE...

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Dah I currently can not add to this list but I will give it a looking into. I would just like to thank you for taking me out of the comforts of my mind and allowing me to expand my knowledge it is refreshing for a thinker such as myself to be in contact with another thinker such as you.

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Thank you and I am happy to share this knowledge with you.
Peace and Light,
Dah

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

[quote="dahlusion"]Poets have always been at the forefront of revealing the atrocities of governments, religion and the greedy rich, revealing their control, domination, and fear tactics, their destruction of nature and human spirit.

Famous poets who have paid the price for speaking out, to name a few:

The first century Italian poet, Publius Ovidius Naso, (commonly known as Ovid). Ovid was exiled to the barren, barbaric-ruled coast of the Black Sea by the Roman government for writing about love and sex and the harsh laws of Rome and religion. He was never seen or heard from again.

In the 1960’s, the Russian poet, Joseph Brodsky, was condemned and sent to 18 years hard labor for not having “government permission” to be a poet.

In 1936, the Spanish poet, Lorca was executed by the “Franco” fascist for being a poet, because he was more popular with the people than Franco was. The fascist took him into the mountains and his body was never found.

Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda was on the run for several years from the Franco fascist. Fortunately he survived.

Songwriter / poet, John Lennon openly spoke out against the Viet Nam conflict and the atrocities of governments, war and hate. Lennon was hounded by the F.B.I. until, in 1980, he took 5 bullets in the back.

CAN ANYBODY ADD TO THIS LIST: POETS WITH A VOICE...
[/quote]



Dahlushion, ]i can't recall another, apart from those you cited here. I can only think of Salman Rushdie, and he wasn't a poet. He was a writer on whose head a fatwa was placed by Ayatollah Khomeini for writing The Satanic Letters , a novel which was declared an insultt to Muslims.

Last edited by cousinsoren 05-04-2010 at 06:45:33 PM

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

English Pen is an organization dedicated to human rights and writers standing up for same ...
Their homepage URL is:
http://www.englishpen.org/

They do not separate writers by genre ... on that note, I would offer that writers who are primarily "journalists" can also be "poets" - whether or not that genre is their main source of income - and CousinsOren, i like that you mention Salman Rushdie ... if you look up "Salman Rushdie poetry" on YouTube you'll find him reading Sufi poetry ...

Finally, here are some stats from English Pen on writer persecution in the last couple of years:
http://www.englishpen.org/writersinprison/statistics/
and an excerpt from that page:
Statistics
It is clear that the pattern of arrests, persecution and even killings of writers who speak out has not abated, as over the past year International PEN has monitored over 1,000 attacks.

Among them are 55 writers and journalists killed in 2007, a shockingly high figure, almost double the figure for previous years. While it is not always possible to be certain that the killings were directly linked to the victims' writings, it is clear that at least 18 were deliberately targeted.



Governments increasingly choose not to resort to prison cells to silence their dissident writers, but instead subject them to long, often convoluted trials, most notably in Turkey, where around 60 writers, journalists and publishers are on trial as of February 2008, with some hearings dragging on for many years. Most do not end with prison sentences, but the financial and emotional toll of endless court hearings can wear down dissenters and dissuade others from speaking out.


thx for the thread to share!

-dh

RE: RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Last edited by cousinsoren 05-05-2010 at 07:06:20 AM

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Here is some 21st Century poetry with a voice. Thoughts and comments appreciated. -Spence

This poem was inspired by the CSB Story 'The Deadly Passage of the All-American Canal'. 'Over 550 People Have Drowned in What One Expert Calls Probably the Most Dangerous Body of Water in the U.S.'

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/30/60minutes/main6448631.shtml

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6453537n&tag=contentMain;contentBody


The Tragic Tale of Alejandro Vega


Congregate Friends,
and I will spin you a yarn

Of an immigrant named, Alejandro

He's a father of six,
and a man of good standing

Calls his home, Ciudad de Puerto Penasco


A north Mexican town,
a border town at that

Violence and Murder, were rising

How do you protect a family,
when you've lost all hope

And without your morals compromising


Alejandro devised a plan,
but the road alone he must take

He's headin out, north to the border

He exclaimed to his wife Maria,
'If I dont come back"

'Never you forget me" he ordered


He loved his six children,
and kissed them all long

Left with all the food and water he could carry

He peers over his shoulder,
to look one last time

To know this could be the last made him wary


For ten days and nights,
he worked his way to the border

Mexican desert days are a scortchin'

Alejandro took ill,
But he must make good time

If caught, the Cartel would easily torch him


His devotion paid off,
In view, the All-American Canal

He mustered the strength to celebrate arrival

Little did he know,
that the story would go

Soon he would be battling for his survival


The other side of the canal,
freedom within his grasp

Just a few yards he needed to be a swimmin'

As Alejandro jumped in,
He paddled with all of his might

but soon his strength began to a dimmin'


Alejandro fought the good fight,
but his body gave out

his last thoughts turned to his wife and his children

Tears covered by the waves,
Fear escaping his mind

His final thought...never again would he hold 'em


The first reservoir in the canal,
collects the bodies of the dead

Of all of the souls who perished there before him

Alejandro's body was pulled out,
On the American side

Finally at dusk, he'd found his freedom


At the All-American Canal,
Hidden away is a gravyard

Where the body of Alejandro Vega lays a rottin'

Hundreds of graves numbered,
all go by John Doe

A cemetary for the souls of the forgotten


The children asked Maria,
'What happened to Papa'

He left us about this time last season

She looked in thier eyes,
and said 'Babies he'll be fine'

She couldnt bear to tell them the reason

http://www.originalpoetry.com/the-tragic-tale-of-alejandro-vega

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Here is one more......Spence


Gulf of Fire


Once Beautiful Gulf
Engulfed By Waves Of Fire
Lord, What Have We Done


http://www.originalpoetry.com/gulf-of-fire-haiku

RE: RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Last edited by cousinsoren 05-05-2010 at 06:59:35 AM

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Thank you so much cousinsorens, this means so much to me coming from you. I am humbled, I put a lot into this piece. -Spence

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Keep Them Coming...dig, research, find more Poets With A Voice

RE: RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

RE: RE: RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Last edited by cousinsoren 05-07-2010 at 05:20:21 PM

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Howdy,


here is a poet, here on home turf, thats has something to scream:

Meet Hippideeth~ A Promise in Soap ( nice title huh)
http://www.originalpoetry.com/a-promise-in-soap

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Though I appreciate "local poets" with social issues on their minds,
this thread is about "Famous poets who have paid the price for speaking out"
—that price being: death, exile, or imprisonment.

Research, research, there are so many...most of them forgotten.

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Ok, I thought about this man;
Does he qaulify?


THE TREE ABOVE
—THE TREE BELOW
by Timothy Leary
What is above is below
What is without is within
What is to come is in the past
Tall... deep... tree... green... branching... leaf
Root... above... below... thrusting... coiling
Sky... earth... stem... root
Leaf... green... sap
Soil... air
Seed
Soil... visible
Hidden... breathing... sucking
Bud... ooze... sun... damp
Light.. dark... bright... decay... laugh
Tear.. vein.,. rain... mud branch... root

What is above is below
What is without is within
What is to come is in the past

These wooden carvings displayed in her endless shelves
Await
Within each uncut branch—
The carver's knife

—from Psychedelic Prayers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PREHISTORIC ORIGINS OF DNA
by Timothy Leary
Its rising is not bright
nor its setting dark

Unceasing, continuous
Branching out in roots innumerable
Forever sending forth the serpent coil
of living things
Mysterious as the formless existence
to which it returns

Twisting back
Beyond mind

We say only that it is form from the formless
Life from spiral void

—from Psychedelic Prayers

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Nice addition Words! There is still much to learn from Timothy Leary. I have a submission, it may seem rather obvious, but it has not been posted yet, and he has been wildly influential in my life. John Lennon's 'Imagine'. Chapman was clearly crazy and heartless, but he often blamed John's own words for him wanting to Kill the brilliant Lennon. Claiming his words in imagine made him a hypocrite. Stating that John lived a lavish life but instructed to get rid of our possessions, citing the line 'Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can'. Clearly he missed the message that was being offered, but the argument that John Lennon was murdered for his work can certainly be made.

Last edited by SuSpence 05-08-2010 at 05:38:33 PM

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

all of these responses are perfect and there are so many more
"poets with a voice" to bring into the spot light.

Keep researching!

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

A new movie is out, When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors:
so a voice that hasn't been mentioned: Jim Morrison
I think his death ia questionable?

There is a Lizard King in all of us.

Can you believe someone told the Lizard King he needed to see a psychiatrist? That's like telling us we need a tutor.lol

You don't tell the Lizard King anything, ya here. lol

Harry Chapin

When my kids were little if their new teacher didn't know this song, they sure knew it by the end of the year. Words to teach by...


Flowers are Red
by Harry Chapin

(Spoken)Your son marches to the beat of a different drummer, comma.
(Spoken)But don't worry,
(Spoken)We'll have him joining the parade by the end of the term

The little boy went first day of school
He got some crayons and started to draw
He put colors all over the paper
For colors was what he saw
And the teacher said.. What you doin' young man
I'm paintin' flowers he said
She said... It's not the time for art young man
And anyway flowers are green and red
There's a time for everything young man
And a way it should be done
You've got to show concern for everyone else
For you're not the only one

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

Well the teacher said.. You're sassy
There's ways that things should be
And you'll paint flowers the way they are
So repeat after me.....

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

The teacher put him in a corner
She said.. It's for your own good..
And you won't come out 'til you get it right
And are responding like you should
Well finally he got lonely
Frightened thoughts filled his head
And he went up to the teacher
And this is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen

Time went by like it always does
And they moved to another town
And the little boy went to another school
And this is what he found
The teacher there was smilin'
She said...Painting should be fun
And there are so many colors in a flower
So let's use every one

But that little boy painted flowers
In neat rows of green and red
And when the teacher asked him why
This is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen.

But there still must be a way to have our children say . . .

There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

Dahlushion, ]i can't recall another, apart from those you cited here. I can only think of Salman Rushdie, and he wasn't a poet. He was a writer on whose head a fatwa was placed by Ayatollah Khomeini for writing The Satanic Letters , a novel which was declared an insultt to Muslims.


I have to say that anyone who has ever read Satanic Verses might disagree; I think Mr. Rushdie is, in fact, a poet who writes in vivid and imaginitive prose.

RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

The 18th Century French Poet, Voltaire:


Most of Voltaire's early life revolved around Paris. From early on, Voltaire had trouble with the authorities for his energetic attacks on the government and the Catholic Church. These activities were to result in numerous imprisonments and exiles. He allegedly wrote satirical verses about the aristocracy. A work about the Regent thought to be by him led to his imprisonment in the Bastille for eleven months, until the real author came forward. While there, he wrote his debut play, Œdipe. Its success established his reputation.

Last edited by dahlusion 06-04-2010 at 03:52:20 PM

RE: RE: POETS WITH A VOICE

[quote="SuSpence"]Nice addition Words! There is still much to learn from Timothy Leary. I have a submission, it may seem rather obvious, but it has not been posted yet, and he has been wildly influential in my life. John Lennon's 'Imagine'. Chapman was clearly crazy and heartless, but he often blamed John's own words for him wanting to Kill the brilliant Lennon. Claiming his words in imagine made him a hypocrite. Stating that John lived a lavish life but instructed to get rid of our possessions, citing the line 'Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can'. Clearly he missed the message that was being offered, but the argument that John Lennon was murdered for his work can certainly be made.


[img]http://www.northhighlandsscotland.com/images/photos/210_l.jpg[/img]

Imagine
by John Lennon

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one


Thanks, Spence[/quote]

Reading Timothy Leary's impressionism has always befuddled me, I tend to become absorbed in the subtle and conflicting mechanics of his creations and fail to arrive at the "soul" of his works. [On the other hand, the message of John Lennon's songs have always been clear and admirable.

THANKS, John, for bringing Leary and Lennon, two POETS WITH A VOICE, on this thread of dahlushion.

Last edited by cousinsoren 06-05-2010 at 04:24:18 AM

RE: Harry Chapin

RE: Harry Chapin

Last edited by cousinsoren 06-07-2010 at 08:52:30 AM