Sarah Browning

"Dear Lebanon
I bring you poems/prayers
& hymns" E Ethelbert Miller, from We Begin Here…

Poets & Lovers,

In collaboration with Grace Church reading series, DC Poets Against the War invites you to a reading to celebrate publication of "We Begin Here, Poems for Palestine and Lebanon" edited by Kathy Engels and Kamal Boullata, a book that features many of our favorite local poets, as well as poets from around the country and throughout the world, including work from Dennis Brutus, Naomi Shihab Nye, June Jordan, Adrienne Rich, and others.

The reading will be at Grace Church on Thursday, May 10th, at 7 pm and will feature local poets Sarah Browning, Wade Fletcher, E. Ethelbert Miller, Richard Schaaf, and others. We'll be joined by editor and poet Kathy Engels.

Following the reading, we'll have a moderated discussion with special guests and peacemakers, Hannah Schwarzschild, a labor and employment attorney in Philadelphia and an activist with Jewish Voice for Peace and Nadia Hijab, who is a Senior Fellow at the DC-based office of the
Institute for Palestine Studies, and co-director of its Washington, D.C. office. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the issues and struggles facing those who are working for peace in this region.

We Begin Here is described as "an affirmation of the human and poetic spirit, reminding us that poetry and struggle always "begin here," always lead us back to ourselves, to each other, and to community; seeking truth and beauty across all borders." We invite you to join us at this starting place ---

Grace Church is located at 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20007.
For public transportation take the blue connector shuttle bus to Wisconsin Avenue and walk south. Two hours of free parking are available (with validation) at Lowe's Cinema Garage, at Wisconsin Avenue and K street.

For more information about the anthology—or to order your copy—go to www.interlinkbooks.com

Hope to see you May 10!

Melissa Tuckey

P.S. Here's a poem from the collection ---

ASH W.S. Merwin

The church in the forest
was built of wood

the faithful carved their names by the doors
same names as ours

soldiers burned it down

the next church where the first had stood
was built, of wood

with charcoal floors
names were written in black by the doors
same names as ours

soldiers hurried it down

we have a church where the others stood
it's made of ash

no roof no doors
nothing on earth says it's ours


--
Melissa Tuckey
Events Coordinator
DC Poets Against the War

www.dcpaw.org