reading 22.04.2010
History
of the Project
Suggested Reading
| Purple Poets and Friends 22.04.2010:
writers taking part in the project included:
Heather Spears, Barry Cole,
Islam Molla, Patsy Futatsugi,
Nahar Islam, Bithi Das,
Fitzrovia Women Writers Group, Sue Blundell, Fiona Green,
Lydie and Sabine, Katya Schmidt, Bernard Miller, Sue Hilton,
Miriam Halahmy, Deanna
Johnson, Kim Morrissey, Peter Daniels, Leslie
Wilson, Jeffrey Bould, Brian Parker.
Hiroshima Day Readings August
6th, Tavistock Square
A short poem cycle 'Troublesome People' was read by Purple Poets Kim
Morrissey, Eppie Caredda, Patsy Futatsugi and Bithi Das with special guest
Bernard Miller at Hiroshima Day, Tavistock Square, 2011, and a short poem
cycle 'To All Women' was read Patsy Futatsugi and Kim Morrissey with special
guest Bernard Miller at Hiroshima Day, Tavistock
Square, August 6, 2010. |
Purple Poets and Peace
Rehearsing at 2 p.m.
Quaker Centre 22.04.2010
under the direction of
artist Jo WOnder
left to right: Nahar, Patsy, Bithi, Islam, Jo
photograph courtesy Miriam Halahmy
PURPLE POETS AND PEACE
POETRY-IN-PROGRESS
PROGRAMME 22.04.2010
Reading held at the Quaker Centre 2:30 to 4 p.m.
co-produced by the Quaker Centre
and the West Euston Workshop
PART ONE
An introduction to the Project by Amanda Wooley
(Quaker Centre)
The historical Context of Testimonies of Peace
by David Irwin
(Quaker Library)
An explanation of 'Found Poetry' by Kim Morrissey
(West Euston Workshop)
READINGS
George Fox
(a found poem by Heather Spears)
read by Kim Morrissey
HEATHER SPEARS
taken from a Testimony of Peace by George Fox
1660/1
first draft; April 2010
George Fox
We utterly deny all outward wars and strife,
and fightings with outward weapons, for any end,
this is our testimony to the whole world.
The Spirit of Christ is not changeable,
so as once to command us from a thing as evil,
and again to move into it;
and we certainly know, and testify to the world,
that the Spirit of Christ will never move us to fight and war,
neither for the kingdom of Christ,
nor for the kingdoms of the world.
first draft, April 2010, Heather Spears |
Questions to Conscientious Objectors
(a found poem by Barry Cole)
read by Kim Morrissey
BARRY COLE
from 'Advice to C.O.s
published by C.B.C.O.
first draft written April 2010
QUESTIONS TO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
If a socialist state were attacked
by a capitalist one
would you be prepared
to defend it against
an attacker
What then?
Do you think the state
has the right to conscript
wealth, but not persons?
What then
In a democratic state
oughtn't you to accept
the decision of the majority?
What then?
Have you studied
the history of wars?
Have you studied
both sides?
What then?
Don't you know
you're talking rubbish
What then?
first draft, April 2010,
Barry
Cole
|
TO
ALL WOMEN!
(WAR Box 1, pamphlet 5, 1917)
a found poetry cycle by
The West Euston Workshop Purple Poets
ISLAM
READS:
1. THE FULL HORROR OF WAR:
From One Who is in the Midst of It
(A German Soldier's Appeal to Women)
First draft Purple Poets 21.01.2010
I've several times wondered
Why Women do not demand Peace.
This is the business of Women:
To see to it that the ground is cleared
For a mutual understanding.
To put a stop
To the bitterness
Of National Hatred
And for all women
To say to each other:
We will save our men
Further bloodshed
is senseless.
We will save our men
Of all nations.
PATSY READS:
2. TO ALL WOMEN!
The Call of a Higher Humanity.
(a found poem from the writing of Emily Hobhouse)
First draft Purple Poets 21.01.2010
Fellow women -
The War is crushing
Helpless millions.
The people
are perishing.
These are mostly Women
And children.
The well-being of children
Touches all.
We ask: must it continue?
We ask: why must it continue!
We ask: why?
NAHAR
READS:
3.FROM A GERMAN WOMAN
(Lida Gustava Heymann, Munich)
first draft West Euston Workshop
Purple Poets 28.01.2010
All Europe was set on fire
This summer past
Autumn came and went
We are now in midwinter
And millions of men
Have been left on the battlefield
They will never see home again
No human speech is rich enough
To express such depth of suffering
Women!
Where is your voice
Sowing seeds of Peace?
Are you only great
In suffering and patience?
Come together!
Protest with all your might
The murdering of nations.
BITHI READS:
4.LETTER FROM A FRENCH MOTHER
November 21st, 1914
first draft Purple Poets 03.02.2010
My two sons
Have been in the trenches
Since the end of September
And have never slept
In a bed
It would be nothing
If the cold
Had not set in
So dreadfully
Many will never survive
They have nothing
To protect them in the night
And I think
What it must be like
In Russia
Helpless cripples
Their frozen limbs
Amputated
If you cannot make Peace
At least make a truce
And save thousands and thousands
Of human lives.
ISLAM READS:
8 FROM RUSSIAN WOMEN
first draft Purple Poets 11.03.2010
Sisters,
Why is it that Kings
and Rulers of the Earth
Have a passion for freedom
Of other lands, but not their own?
Over the heads of the battling armies
Let us stretch out our hands
Comrades and sisters
And let our demand
Be heard throughout the world
We demand peace
W want to stop the war
NOW.
PATSY READS:
9 FROM A HUNGARIAN WOMAN:
THE LAST HOUR
(by Madame Gravé)
first draft 11.03.2010
As you, our Mother Earth
Grow young again
Every murder-battalion
Is arming for the Spring.
Let a hundred thousand
mother voices
Raise your voices
in overwhelming might.
The time is short.
Let us bring the champion cry!
Down With Your
Arms!
NAHAR READS:
7 FROM A GERMAN WOMAN
(Marie Engelmann, Dresden, 1914)
first draft Purple Poets 12.02.2010
Protest!
Protest!
Protest!
Protest, You Women!
Where-ever you see WAR
Underneath God's Sky
Raise your voices high!
Protest!
Protest!
Mankind is bleeding blood!
That blood is ours!
Mankind is killing life,
Those lives are ours!
Protest!
Protest!
Protest!
BITHI READS:
5. FROM A QUAKER WOMAN
(Theodora Wilson Wilson)
First draft Purple Poets 01.04.2010
The Egyptians were behind
The Red Sea in front.
The Red Sea did not part
Until the forward march began.
In every land
The peoples are crying out
Against this War
The Pied Piper, alluring the youth
With heroic and patriotic music
To destruction
Stop the music!
The continuation of this war is a crime
And a blunder
Friends, prove to the world
The principle of Peace
Is vital to our vision.
Go forward!
Make the first step to conciliation.
Blessed are the peace-makers!
They will be ranked sons of God!
PATSY READS:
6. MANIFESTO OF SWISS WOMEN, 1915
first draft Purple Poets 28.01.2010
Women's Day is overshadowed
By the Sign of The War
All around are burning towns
And villages.
The wounded lament
In pain and torment
Women and children
Weep in sorrow and misery
At the loss of their Brothers,
Husbands and Fathers.
Shall we wait for The Vote
For better times?
No! Our demand resounds
Stronger than ever!
We wish our sons and daughters
To be heroic
But not on the battlefield
Where people murder
And are murdered.
Swiss Women raise their voices
To the call of Votes for Women
And Peace.
Down with War!
first draft, January-April 2010, The Purple
Poets
Purple
Poets and Peace
(Islam, Patsy, Nahar, Bithi)
Quaker Centre 22.04.2010
photograph courtesy Miriam Halahmy
SWISS WOMEN'S MANIFESTO
(from WAR Box 1, Pamphlet 5)
by the Fitzrovia Women Writers
read by Lydie, Sabine and Sue
THE SWISS WOMEN'S
MANIFESTO
(January 1915) |
SUE reads:
Burning towns, mountain high corpses.
The wounded lament. The loss of brothers.
Women weep in sorrow.
Our demand, stronger than ever.
LYDIE
reading in English and French:
Comrades!
Compagnons!
Weep in sorrow and misery Loss
Doulheur, Souffrance, Perte
Heroic, NOT , on the battlefield.
Heroiques
Vote for woman And peace.
Le droit de vote pour les femmes et la PAIX
Down with War!
Finissons en avec la guerre!
SABINE
reads:
Burning towns overshadowed,
The sign of the War.
The wounded lament,
Corpses piled high,
The lies of our sons.
Demand resounds strong.
SUE reads in English
SABINE in German
:
Swiss women! Comrades!
Schweizer Frauen! Genossinnen!
All around,
Rundherum,
Mountains high of corpses.
Berge hoch mit Leichen.
The wounded lament in torment
Die Verwundeten klagen in Pein
and misery at the loss
und Trauer um den Verlust
of husbands,
von Ehemännern,
brothers
Brüdern
felled on hostile soil.
gefällt auf feindlichem Boden.
We want our sons
Unsere Söhne
and daughters
und Töchter
to be heroes,
sollen Helden sein,
but not on the battlefield.
aber nicht auf dem Schlachtfeld.
DOWN
WITH
WAR!
NIEDER
MIT
KRIEG!
SUE reads:
This year the Swiss women are organising.
We've issued the following manifesto,
Overshadowed by the sign of the War,
Daughters and sons
Felled by the hands of their comrades.
Shall we postpone our persistent demand?
No, our demand is stronger than ever.
We women ought to be born in our struggle,
Heroic, but not on the battlefield.
first draft, February-April, 2010,
The Fitzrovia Women Writers Group |
TO ALL WOMEN!
From a Geman Woman
(Marie Englemann)
(from WAR Box 1, Pamphlet 5)
correction to the text
and a rough translation
(by Katja Schmidt)
| .............. |
1914 - From a German Woman
Protest!
Protest! Protest! Die Stimmen hock??? und laut!
Probably hoch = high, hock="to
crouch"
Ihr Frauen auf, soweit dies
Elend
graut!
Die Menschheit blutet! Es ist EUER Blut!
Man schlägt das Leben tot. Und es ist EUER Gut!
Ihr habt's gegeben und Ihr habt's bewacht!
Protest! Protest! Bei Eurer Liebe Macht!
--MARIE ENGELMANN
--Dresden, November 1914
Rough Translation:
Protest! Protest! The voices high and strong!
You women move, as far as this
wretchedness
raises its ugly head!
Mankind is bleeding! It is YOUR blood!
They beat your Life to death. And it belongs to YOU!
You gave (life) and you watched over it!
Protest! Protest! By the power of your
Love!
The direct translation vor Elend is probably misery.
But I think this "Elend" is not a (self)-pitying matter. Rather a clearly
man-inflicted thing, i.e. misery as in ghetto, as in torture, as in screaming
poverty, as in blood and horror of wounded soldiers in dirty trenches. I
do not have a dictionnary here in the office. I thought: wrechtedness could
be a good translation, because it could relate both to an inflictor and the
inflicted. Is that right? How about squalor?
"graut" actually means "to dawn" as in "der Morgen
graut" = morning dawns. But if combined with Dativ "mir graut vor dem Morgen"
it means something totally different, namely: "I dread this morning". I think
the latter meaning is connotated in the use of the word in this poem. Hence
I opt for "raises its ugly head".
April 2010, a correction to the English text in the pamphlet, and
rough translation by Katya Schmidt.
|
TO ALL WOMEN!
From a Geman Woman
(from WAR Box 1, Pamphlet 5)
Variations on a Theme:
Translations by Bernard Miller (stanzas 1 & 2)
and Sue Hilton (stanza 3)
Protest! Variations on a Theme
Protest! Protest! Die Stimmen hoch und laut!
Ihr Frauen auf, soweit dies Elend graut!
Die Menschheit blutet! Es ist EUER Blut!
Man schlagt das Leben tot. Und es ist EUER Gut!
Ihr habt's gegeben und Ihr habt's bewacht!
Protest! Protest! Bei EUER Liebe Macht!
MARIE ENGELMANN
Dresden, November 1914
Protest! Protest! Raise YOUR voices loud and high!
Stand up women! Arise and protest,
as this wretched threat darkens our sky!
Humanity is bleeding. The blood, you know, is YOURS!
Life itself is being slaughtered.
Its goodness and witness are YOUR cause!
You gave, you nurtured, guarded it from above.
Protest! Protest! Voice the power of YOUR love.
Protest! Protest! Let your voices clearly boom!
Women arise! Stand against the lowering gloom!
Mankind lies bleeding. Its blood came from YOUR womb.
Life itself is cut down. It was YOU who made it bloom.
It was you who gave it and you who watched from above.
Protest! Protest! Through the power of YOUR love.
Protest! Protest! Shout loud and clear!
Women rise up, for calamity is here!
Mankind lies bleeding! That blood is YOURS!
Life is cut down, that precious life is YOURS!
You gave it and you nurtured it with love!
Protest! Protest! Use the power of YOUR love!
MARIE ENGELMANN
Dresden, November 1914
[translation and found poem
by Bernard Miller and Sue Hilton, April 2010]
|
Miriam Halahmy
Two poems:
"Letters Home From Russia"
from A CRIMEAN WAR DIARY: SLEIGH RIDE TO RUSSIA
"Sleigh Ride to Russia" (an account of the Quaker Mission
to St. Petersburg by Robert Charleton, Henry Pease,
and Joseph Sturge in 1854 to present an address
to Czar Nicholas to try to avert the Crimean War.)
by Griselda Fox Mason, 1985, ISBN 0 900657 99 5
MIRIAM HALAHMY
Letters Home from Russia
(written April 2010)
A Found Poem using exclusively the writings
from the Quaker Mission to St Petersburg in 1854
to try and avert the Crimean War
The yamshick drives, rope in hand
sixteen hundred miles and ten below
every twig encrusted, trees of glass
the air full of icy pines and sunshine
We drive over the Vistula
on ice thick enough to bear the heaviest carriage
in the rich dark green of forest
we read scripture, hold our little meeting
Petersburg is a splendid city
the sledge horses dash along
fine snow flies like dust
and it is by no means too late
The Emperor receives us with great kindness
we take the hopeful view
and in cheerful spirits
venture to approach
We the undersigned
in deep conviction, religious duty
uniformly uphold a testimony against war
O Mighty Prince
*
I do not desire war
abhor it as sincerely as you do
am ready to forgive the past
if only the opportunity
Great esteem, sincere affection for your Queen
sovereign lady, wife and mother
but prudent foresight has been unfairly construed
as ambitious desire for conquest
This has afflicted my heart
I shall only act in self defence
but my duty
is the honour of my country
*
We fear there is little prospect
the Emperor acts from principle
and our government attaches
so much importance to our visit
Our duty is not to shrink
not compromise ourselves, our religious community
of one thing there is no doubt
the Emperor would glad avoid war
*
All our feelings are homeward
we sweep over the ground in good style
an extraordinary thundering over snow drifts
the horses small but of good courage
The weather colder, minute particles of ice
in brilliant sunshine, a pure blue sky
We had fifteen minutes with the Empress
"I have seen the Emperor with fear in his eyes."
We cannot avoid the painful conclusion
war seems inevitable
the Angel of Death has been abroad
you may almost hear the beating of his wing.
© Miram Halahmy
|
MIRIAM HALAHMY
found poem from B McCall's Barbour's
The Boy, the Bayonet, and the Bible
PAMPHLET 242/2
written April 2010
"We do not close our eyes"
We do not close our eyes
Neither would we be blind
to the purest patriotism
my country right or wrong
The cry is in the air
Every boy a soldier!
Our country needs protection
Straight, manly, obedient
boys, so brave and bold,
will readily fall in
The gun, the glitter of the sword,
pomp and display, fiery war speech,
exhilarating exercise and fewer lessons
Let us face facts
as a nation we are on the eve
- compulsory military training
The world has gained them to its side
the anchorage of life abandoned
a clever stroke indeed
National military education
for all youths
and crowds of boys
will hail such propaganda with delight
an unlimited supply
of half-manufactured soldiers
But you cannot serve two masters
not all boys are simpletons
milk-sops, molly coddles
While the majority of boys may
there are other boys who won't
clear thinking boys, conscientious
Such boys are worthy of consideration
steer by the only compass
have weighed up the matter
Intelligent, thinking boys
defenders of the faith
were our country to lose those
it would rapidly degenerate
- a country
not worth defending
The whole thing is morally wrong
boys ought not to be trained as soldiers
under cover of religion its doubly wicked
Human beings were not made to fight
they were made to love
bless, save, give themselves for others
The tactics they are taught
that killing is respectable
that is the meaning of the gun and sword
Military features fall in
with a boy's natural tendencies
combative, resentful, to destroy lives
Our boys have been bewildered, confused
they know that this strange mixture
is not right.
It can only result in disaster
to punish any boy
for faithful and conscientious protest
In their stand for their convictions
it is bravery of the noblest type
and certainly much preferred
to that sort who drifts with public opinion
rushes into the fray
and fights like a fiend.
Noble boy! Better to be shot
We do not close our eyes
neither would we be blind.
© Miram Halahmy
|
TEA AND BISCUIT REFRESHMENT BREAK (15 minutes)
donated by the Quaker Centre
PART TWO:
Letters from the Boer War: Emily Hobhouse
(first draft of a found poem cycle by Kim Morrissey)
read by Deanna Johnson
KIM MORRISSEY
from Emily Hobhouse: Boer War Letters
edited by Rykie Van Reenen
published by Human & Rousseau (Pty) Ltd.
Pretoria, 1984
DEANNA READS:
Letters from the Boer War: Emily Hobhouse
FIRST OBJECTIONS: October 1900
My Aunt and Uncle were interested
but dubious, my Brother
wisely urges me to consider
the points against my project
I reply:
First, disease.
For me life has no attractions,
Death a good many,
So the argument has no weight.
Second, calumny
I get that in England.
Third, it is too soon; better later
This I do not agree with.
Destitution …. starvation …
do not wait.
I was armed
with numerous letters
from the Cape
all inexpressibly sad.
I could not rest for the feeling
I must go.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Cape Town 31 December 1900
My hand shakes with heat
I find it difficult to write
There is so much to say
Mr Schmulz speaks of 4,000
women and children
in some sort of camp prisons
One officer up from the Cape
told a friend that he himself
helped in the burning
of 600 farms.
He said it was nonsense
to talk of guerilla warfare
it was guerilla only in method
but quite properly organised
and nearly 20,000 men in the field
I am told there are 57 boy prisoners
at Green Point Prisoner of War Camp
from 17 down to 9 years
The committee tried to get these freed
to send them to school
but only suceeded with one.
He was eight years old.
Terrible anxiety existed
with regard to these camps.
These camps one heard spoken of
as refugee camps.
There is no clear knowledge
of their condition.
This knowing nothing
and fearing everything
amounted to agony.
FIRST REPORT 26 January 1901
I hope some day Nora will see this country
the flowers and the mountains
the hedges blue pumango and pomegranates
best of all, the colours of the hills
the last four days we have had rain
dozens of waterfalls.
from Coleberg on
the land seemed dead and silent
only carcasses of horses, mules
and cattle with some sort of mute anguish
in their look and bleached bones.
I saw a few burnt farms,
but those unburnt seem lifeless
no work going on in the fields
The whole town is full of soldiers
continually demanding your pass
The camp is about two miles from this town
There are nearly 2,000 people
and over 900 children
Imagine the heat inside the tents!
Wet nights, the water streams down
through the canvas, flowing in
under the flap of the tent
wetting the blankets
Mrs. Pienaar came in and Mrs. Raal,
Mrs. Roux and others
and they told me their stories
and we cried together.
FIRST SUGGESTIONS:
Dear Aunt Mary,
Couldn't you write a letter
To The Times?
To keep these camps going
is murder to the children.
Of course, they could be improved:
First and foremost a matron
speaking both Dutch and English
besides the officer in charge.
She would keep an eye on the morals
most necessary with the soldiery around
and the women could come to her
with their wants.
Next a mortuary tent:
it is horrible that corpses
should lie in hot tents
with eight or ten living beings.
Then more water.
Next soap.
Think of the dust-storms, the heat,
and no soap in the rations
Then some sort of school for the children.
As to the rations ….
But do what you will,
you can't undo
the thing itself
which is odious
nothing can undo
the thing itself
the best must be bad.
FIRST CONCLUSIONS
30 January 1901
These camps
are to be run with Civil money
by Military order
'Refugee' camps
and they make out the people
are glad of their protection.
It is absolutely false.
They are compelled to come
and are wholly prisoners.
In fact, I consider
we are all more or less
prisoners.
we cannot move without passes
everything is censored, spies abound
barbed wire and picquets surround the town
we have no news.
What is the use of Martial Law?
It is only making the people
more determined and more bitter.
FIRST LIST January 31, 1901
Today, I returned Bishop Webb's call.
in his opinion all would settle down
if it were not for Olive Schreiner
Mr. Merriman, the Bond
and all Colonial agitators.
Then I went straight to my camp
and in just one little corner
this is what I found:
Nurse Kennedy
underfed and overworked
just sinking onto her bed
after coping with some thirty
patients, typhoid and other
cooking as well as nursing.
Next a woman panting in the heat
just sickening for her confinement.
Next tent, a little baby
gasping its life out
two or three others drooping
and sick in that tent.
Next, a child recovering from measles
send back from the hospital
before it could walk
stretched on the ground.
Next a girl of 24
dying on a stretcher
her father kneeling beside her
his wife watching a child of 6
also dying, and one, 5,
drooping. Already this couple
had lost three children in hospital.
Captain Hume thinks I am too sympathetic.
Sister (they call me Sister)
Come and see my child,
a dear little chap
and nothing left of him
except his great brown eyes
and white teeth from which
the lips were drawn back
too thin to close.
"Captain Hume, " I said
"You shall look."
FIRST RESPONSE IN ENGLAND:
Governments are more careful
of their own prestige
than of justice and right.
and always,
when war is in question
are devoid of conscience
one of the worst features of war -
the rotting away/jeopardy of Justice
Truth and Humanity.
-first draft, April 2010, by Kim Morrissey
read by Deanna Johnson
|
AND FRIENDS ....QUAKER POETS AND PEACE
Peter Daniels
read his own poems
and others
Leslie Wilson
read her own poem
The Bridge
LESLIE WILSON
The Bridge
The sun shines over the broken bridge; behind it
the sky's dark, purple with cloud.
A man stands there, and a woman.
Far below, the river runs
leaps in foam over the shattered keystone
among the boulders of the gorge.
When will you ever, Peace
We have done a good job for you, the visiting statesman says.
Defeated your enemies: the conflict is over.
The woman says: but my husband is dead,
my eldest son crippled.
I and my daughters were raped.
Wild wooddove, shy wings shut.
We have expended our aircraft, the man says
lost servicemen and women: we have shed our blood for you.
The woman says: but our dead are counted in tens of thousands.
Our graveyards are full, our fields are empty.
When, when, Peace, will you, Peace?
It's up to you, now, says the man in his bulletproof vest,
We've done what we could, our resources are spent.
But I'm carrying my enemy's child, the woman says.
How shall I meet its eyes when it's born?
My sons say I must kill it
but it's moving now, under my heart.
I do not know what to do.
What pure peace allows
Alarms of wars, the daunting wars, the death of it?
Well, says the man who rules the far-off
prosperous northern country;
You can rebuild the bridge.
The woman shakes her head.
I have no skill to build a bridge
my young sons aren't old enough.
The crippled son can't.
When, when, Peace, will you, Peace?
It is we who bear the burden, the woman says.
We can't be certain like you. We only know
the daily stumble over ruined houses
the dust in our faces
the search for food, the bitter taste
of enmity that never dies.
The rain spatters down.
Below in the gorge, a salmon leaps
right over the smashed keystone.
In the woman's womb
the baby moves. Kicks lightly against
the wall of her belly.
I am here.
© Leslie Wilson
|
Jeoffrey Bould
read from his book of poems
Brian Parker
read his own poems
Short talk by the artist Jo WOnder,
presentation of Jo WOnder's collage to the Quaker Library
TO ALL WOMEN: NEMOW
4 p.m. 22.04.2010, Quaker Centre
END OF PROGRAMME
left to right: Purple Poets Patsy, Bithi, Islam, and Nahar,
rehearsing with artist Jo WOnder.
photograph courtesy Miriam Halahmy
PURPLE
POETS
taking part in the April 22nd 2010 reading
Quaker Centre 2:30 - 4 p.m.
Islam Molla
Patsy Futatsugi
Nahar Islam
Bithi Das
Poems-in-progress 22.04.2010
History of
the Project
Suggested Reading
found poetry -
technique
Purple Poets Friends and Peace
-other guest poetswriting found poems
for the prct include:
Sue Blundell
Barry Cole
Miriam Halahmy
Brenda Niskala
Kim Morrissey
Danielear
Heather Spears
PetwilJord
The
TADs
Jo WOnder
as created a 'found poem' work of art for the reading,
to be donated to theer Library in celebration of the event,
using words from pamphlets written by Quaker Women.
click here to read Jo's description
of the project
On-GOING PROJECTS
SOURCES FOR THIS READING:
FOUND POETRY BY THE PURPLE POETS
*TO ALL WOMEN!
various authors
PAMPHLET box 1/5
by the Purple Poets
performed 22.04.2010
Found Poetry by Heather Spears
George Fox Peace Testimony 1660/1
reading: 22.04.1010
Found Poetry by Barry Cole
THE COURTMARTIAL FRIEND
AND PRISON GUIDE
1917
PAMPHLET 223/3
pages 4-5
Found Poetry Cycle: February
Workshop:
SWISS WOMEN'S MANIFESTO
PAMPHLET box 1/5
by the Fitzrovia Women Writers
reading: 22.04.1010
TO GERMAN WOMEN
rough translation (and correction of German text)
Katja Schmidt
reading: 22.04.2010
TO GERMAN WOMEN
Bernard Miller and Sue Hilton
reading: 22.04.2010
FOUND POETRY BY MIRIAM HALAMY
"We do not close our eyes"
from THE BOY, THE BAYONET, AND THE BIBLE
B. McCall Barbour
PAMPHLET
BOX 242/2
pages 2-17
FOUND POETRY BY MIRIAM HALAMY
"Letters Home From Russia"
from A CRIMEAN WAR DIARY: SLEIGH RIDE TO RUSSIA
"Sleigh Ride to Russia" (an account of the Quaker Mission to St. Petersburg
by Robert Charleton, Henry Pease and Joseph Sturge in 1854 to present an
address to Czar Nicholas to try to avert the outbreak of the Crimean War.)
by Griselda Fox Mason, 1985, ISBN 0 900657 99 5
[IN PROGRESS: Found Poetry Cycle
to be workshopped by the T.A.D.s
'TROUBLESOME PEOPLE'
conscious objectors' accounts from two world wars
various sources
(Third Age Drama/ Third Age Project)
under the direction of Gary Kielty
[in progress: Found Poetry by Gemma Jordan]
A C.O. IN PRISON
W.J. Chamberlain 1917
"A ZEPPELIN RAID"
PAMPHLET 223/2 13439
pages 44-48
[in progress: Daniel Beard]
112 DAYS HARD LABOUR
Hubert W. Peet 1917
PAMPHLET 223/4 /38855
all pages 1-16
This is an on-going project, with workshops
and other
readings later in the year.
For all enquiries please contact the Quaker Centre
quakercentre@quaker.org.uk
/ 020 7663 1030/41
THE FIRST PUBLIC READING WAS
Thursday 22 April 2.30p.m.
Poetry reading inspired by Quaker Testimonies
to Peace
Quaker Centre, Friends House, 173 Euston
Rd, London NW1 2BJ
| To celebrate the first Quaker Peace Testimony
in 1660/1, join us in the Quaker Centre as the Purple Poets and Friends share
found poems inspired by Testimonies of Peace.
A free event, light refreshments provided.
Please register
at:www.quaker.org.uk/purplepoets
Event is from 2.30 to 4.00 pm. Wheelchair
accessible.
This is an on-going project, with workshops and other
readings later in the year.
For all enquiries please contact the Quaker Centre
quakercentre@quaker.org.uk
/ 020 7663 1030/41
The first reading included work by Miram
Halahmy, Kim Morrissey, Peter Daniels, Leslie
Wilson, Sue Blundell,
Fiona Green, members of
The Fitzrovia Women Writers, Bernard Miller, Jeoffrey Bould, Brian Parker,
Purple Poets Bithi Das, Islam
Molla, Patsy Futatsugi, Nahar
Islam, Shelagh Beale, and work by
Heather Spears, Katja Schmidt, and
Barry Cole - poetry workshop leader of the
Fitzrovia Poetry Workshop).
Most of the poets read their own found poems taken
from the Peace collections in Friends House Library. This is an on-going
project, and this was the first of several workshops and readings.
Our special guest artist Jo WOnder (who has done
work with the Wellcome Trust) presented her own 'found poetry' Peace collage
to the Quaker Centre Library inspired by Quaker texts selected by Kim Morrissey
and the West Euston Workshop Purple Poets.
[click here to read an
explanation by the artist of the work]
Special guest reader, Deanna Johnson read 'Letters From the Boer War: Emily
Hobhouse' (the first draft of a poem sequence created by Kim Morrissey).
Introductions to the project was provided by Quaker Centre Amanda Woollsey,
with a brief history of Peace Testimonies given by Librarian David Irwin.
The project was
Purple Poets reading on 22.04.2010:
Bithi Das, Patsy Futatsugi, Nahar Islam, Islam Molla.
|
|
Poems-in-progress
22.04.2010
History of the Project
Suggested
Reading |
MORE Poetry
in Progress:
Found Poetry Cycle
TROUBLESOME PEOPLE
(second draft read at Hiroshima Day 2011)
OTHER PROJECTS:
ACCESSING THE ARTS
A list of suitable venues and unsuitable venues
for performing (DDA compliant or reasonable adjustments noted)
and for holding meetings (this is an on-going
project)
PROJECT: ARTS
FOR ALL | ACCESS FOR ALL
-- working with local community galleries, libraries and museums
FIFTH FIELD TRIP (18.03.2010)
National Portrait Gallery, Saint Martins Lane
(The Indian Portrait 1560-1860, invited viewing and NPG workshop)
How to Read a Painting
workshop leaders Fran Wilde and Kim Morrissey
special guest artist and resource person Jo
WOnder
additional artist material by Heather
Spears
FOURTH FIELD TRIP (18.01.2010)
Quakers Centre Library
Euston Road
(Testimonies of Peace research for April 22nd, 2010 reading)
THIRD FIELD TRIP (24.05.2009)
British Museum, Great Russell Street
(Indian Summer, Garden and Cosmos, invited viewing)
SECOND FIELD TRIP (02.04.2009)
Wellcome Trust Library, Euston Road (Acts of Mercy paintings)
FIRST FIELD TRIP AND ON-GOING
PROJECT (05.10.2006)
1930's Stained Glass Windows by Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope, (M.E.A.
Rope)
The Crypt, Munster Square
first visit by photographer Tatiana Schenck (09.05.2009)
these windows were commissioned for St. Augustine's (Hackney)
background essay and footnotes: Art in the Crypt
SAINT LEONARD
SAINT GEORGE
This is an educational site.
© resides with the author. All rights reserved.
For permission to use any of this material
please contact the Purple Poets
(poem AT purplepoets.com)
The Purple Poets have co-produced projects
with the Quaker Library
and the Wellcome Trust.
and The Royal College of Physicians
The Bloomsbury Workshop
'ThePurples' create community projects promoting the 5 P's:
People, Poetry, Plants, Purple and Picnics
(our major project is Camden National Poetry
Day)
We also are keen on International Women's Day,
Local Summer Festivals and Green Fairs,
Disability Access, Friends of the Park, Tenants' Rights
Constitutions, Topical Satire, Comedy, Gardening, Travel
and anything else our members find interesting
think purple! think poets!
Bloomsbury
The Purple Poets
for readings, projects,
festivals
and permissions to reprint. contact Ferdous Rahman
rahmanferdous AT hotmail.co.uk
mailing address: The Purple Poets
c/o Flat 18 Chenies Street Chambers
Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7ET
Twitter @PurplePoets
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