They say what you think shall become
what is
shall become
you
in the future
the man again (returns)
with no legs
and no hands
and yet
he’s reaching out
he’s asking for …….

if i could give everything away
could i help him
if i could shed myself of all my material wealth
give it
and take his place
would that somehow
make this world
better
or
not
wanting to find out
why its so easy to forget the trails already walked down
the lessons already learned
once before
to return to the same situation and see it still
in the same way
and continue to feel the same thing
when the man
without legs
and arms
is reaching out to me
for something
anything that i can spare and give
and its
difficult to eat
when i know he’s so close
outside the window of the store
and inside deep down inside i feel
i should not buy anything unless
it will assist him with his health

i used to feel guilty when i would think about what i had and how those who were begging for a meal and simply some clean water to drink would approach me and ask for me to give to them and now… now… i don’t feel guilty, but i still feel like giving it all away. leaving this place… walking barefoot with them through the streets and sitting on the corner waiting for someone kind enough to share a piece of their existence… existence…
with me
w(o)(a)ndering

give everything away
if i could simply find the courage to take
all that i have on my possession and all that i have tucked and saved away
if i take it and gave it to
the children with no feet
the children with no parents
and still reaching
with no hands
and i gave to them
all that i was all that i am

and why, still
after all of these days and nights do i still feel
unworthy of being
the man i was born to be?
walking barefoot with them through the streets and sitting on the corner waiting for someone kind enough to share a piece of their existence… existence…

keeps me w(o)(a)ndering
if i should embrace and use the material privilege I have been given
to create a more balanced system
or would it be more honorable and effective to simply cast it away

and why, still
after all of these days and nights do i still feel
unworthy of embracing
all that you have spread before me

why sustainer of energy
after all these days and nights
do i
still feel unworthy of holding your light
not strong enough
to let go of
all the weight
that keeps me from
walking without feet
flying without wings

may you always remind me
forever

We, as in 2006, had a fantastic time going door to door and signing our Radical words! Nary a door was closed (although one women hanigng decorations outside seemed a bit of a grinch). No vegan brownies this year – but we did have one woman unlock her security door to give each of the 9 carolers a big warm, holiday hug. Worth more than brownies to me. We also had several homes send us to the addresses of their friends. We were trapsing all around Colubmia Heights land.

Attached are the carols from this year (still with a few typos), but we'll get them right!

carols_2006.pdf

carols-2006.doc

Come out to the Lyrical Ambush on Dec. 18 and we'll carol again!

GPI Organizing Gathering   11/12/06

Attendees:  Laurie, Jeff, MaiLynn, Jess, Shahid

Reportback from Friday 11/8/06

Great Show

Shared bill with Rovics, but didn’t actually see him

Really engaged students

1. anniversary of War actions (full week of activities etc)
2. Al-Fishawy getting together college students
3. Possible meeting to disucss ideas of what they want to approach partners for

NCOR 

Need to submit application

Jeff suggested we submit 2 workshops ( 1- drumming, 2- poetry)

Trying to get us back-to-back workshops

Report from Abrams Creek

Share Abrams Creek Space

Entering in fiscal sponorship – will be decided on case by case basis

We will incorporate (will cost about $80) in order to accept tax-deductible donations

Performance Requests

Discussed problem with getting requests and email non responsiveness

Jeff agreed to collect the calendar requests and make announcements at circle for folks to follow up

New Process

1. Jeff will email requester with the following email:

Thanks for writing!  We appreciate your invitation and look forward to helping support your efforts.   
 
Like any insurgency, our's is a loosely knit network within which collaboration can at times be challenging.  We'll share word of your request with other guerrilla poets, identify those available to fill your need, and introduce them to you so you can share details directly.  FYI, we are sometimes unable to find artists to fill requests, especially on short notice.  
 
We launch a bi-weekly outdoor open mic "lyrical ambush" in DuPont Circle from 7-9pm on the first and third Mondays of every month.  If you'd like to share your vision with the guerrilla community and help recruit poets (which is effective, as voices more closely connected to any struggle are usually the most compelling), it's probably the best chance to do so.  Bring flyers, as large numbers of passersby will…well…pass by over the course of the evening.  
Please feel free to reach out at any point if you have any questions.

Poetry & percussion to protect the peace, 

The Guerrilla Poets

1. Jeff will bring a calendar of events and share them with all artists at the circle.
2. Jeff will email to organizer the emails/numbers of all those who express interest.
3. Jeff will share the group if interested artists with each other – welcoming people to play a coordinating role (rather than just their individual participation).