Friday, February 29, 2008

 

A Solemn Anniversary: Sam Hamill on these five years (and the last century) of madness

Poets Against War founder/director and Split This Rock featured poet Sam Hamill on the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq and poets' activism:


Only in the United States have I been told that “poetry doesn’t matter any more,” that “poetry is useless.” Only in the United States have I been asked by journalists, “Why can’t you poets just leave the politics out of it?” What a remarkably, stunningly illiterate question. The answer to the latter: “Because we are citizens of this country and of the world, and we are all in this world together.” The answer to the former declaration: “Because poetry has the ability to open people’s eyes and hearts, to change lives one life at a time.”
Read his piece in the Winter PAW newsletter here: http://poetsagainstwar.net/solemn_anniversary.asp

Comments:
Sarah - Thank you for pointing us in the direction of Sam Hamill's essay. These past five years hold so much pain and promise. We have to keep writing and speaking in whatever ways we can.

Joseph Ross
 
Thank you for your comment, Joe. It is hard to believe it's been so long, isn't it? I am very proud of the poets for continuing to write and to speak out - so essential!

Onward to Split This Rock!
 
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