SPI 2013 ARTS FRONTIER
ART, PEACEBUILDING AND COMMUNITY
COLLECTIVE POETRY
(Facilitator: Danielle Taylor)
INTRODUCTION
CONTEMPLATION OF THE PAINTINGS
IN A GUIDED IMAGERY
SHARED PATTERNS
JOINING OUR VOICES IN A COLLECTIVE RYTHM
SHARING THE POEMS WITH THE ENTIRE GROUP
THE POEMS
MAMA AFRICA
Listen, Listen...
Can you hear the voice of the village people
singing songs of the traditions,
the sound that carries the heart of the storm,
which gives birth to one great village?
Engage a better peacebuilding promise
that travels like the sound of a cyclone.
Connect with awareness and beauty
to everything within the next generation.
Enchant and oh! listen to everything as a gift
and allow yourself to be vulnerable.
Reflect to another sound of the cyclones
like the heart of a servant
looking through the world
for the guidance of his clan.
Restore the legacy of our ancestors
left in our world with another pot of water
poured on our feet to bring about change.
Transform the legacy that Mama Africa
was able to hand over to us
and use it as a shepherd to others.
Listen, listen now to the stillness of the deep
cry of the wounded victim.
Do you remember the voices of the villagers
singing songs of the traditions?
Written in collaboration by:
Daniel, Tabitha, Wore, Shiphrah
Daniel, Tabitha, Wore, Shiphrah
Can you hear the voice of acceptance?
Peace and love come together
to explore the exhaustion of conflict.
to explore the exhaustion of conflict.
Engage the moment—rooted now,
my world feels lighter.
my world feels lighter.
Connect your travels to a different Africa.
Untie your pain.
Untie your pain.
Be enchanted by the energy of a still
moment.
Reflect on the promise of security in the
flock.
Restore the legacy of the clan.
Travel in the light.
Travel in the light.
Transform chaos. Listen.
Your legacy carries a rooted connection.
Your legacy carries a rooted connection.
Listen. Listen.
Do you remember the voice of acceptance?
Written in collaboration by:
Written in collaboration by:
Corie, Roger, Salar
Listen, Listen...
Can you hear the voice of belonging?
Exploring conflict, holding life.
Building a legacy of peace.
Building a legacy of peace.
Engaging each day that comes,
creating peace that is buried
under pressure like a diamond.
creating peace that is buried
under pressure like a diamond.
Connecting others, the land, the
flocks,
Embracing processes that carry us safely.
Embracing processes that carry us safely.
Re-centering ourselves in an enduring world
where the light of laughter may enchant.
where the light of laughter may enchant.
Reflecting sorrow, but the stillness as
water
unfolds life’s essential oneness.
unfolds life’s essential oneness.
Transforming cracks and wounds into healers.
Daughters and sons grounded in courage.
Daughters and sons grounded in courage.
Listen. Listen.
Do you remember belonging?
Written in collaboration by:
Written in collaboration by:
David B., Leanne, Denita
Listen, Listen...
Can you hear the voice of the village
people
singing songs of the traditions?
singing songs of the traditions?
The sound that carries the heart
of the storm which gives birth
to one great village?
of the storm which gives birth
to one great village?
Engage a better peacebuilding promise
that travels like the sound of a cyclone.
that travels like the sound of a cyclone.
Connect with awareness and beauty
to everything with the next generation.
to everything with the next generation.
Oh! Enchant and listen to everything as a
gift,
and allow yourself to be vulnerable.
and allow yourself to be vulnerable.
Reflect to another sound of the cyclone
like the heart of a servant
looking through the [world]
for guidance of his clan.
like the heart of a servant
looking through the [world]
for guidance of his clan.
Restore the legacy of our ancestors
left in our world with another pot of wate
poured on our feet to bring change.
left in our world with another pot of wate
poured on our feet to bring change.
Transform the legacy that Mama Africa
was able to hand over to us
and use it as a shepherd for others.
was able to hand over to us
and use it as a shepherd for others.
Listen, Listen,
now to the stillness of the deep cry
of the wounded victim.
now to the stillness of the deep cry
of the wounded victim.
Do you remember?
Written in collaboration by:
Written in collaboration by:
Daniel, Tabitha, Wore, Shiphrah
Listen, Listen...
Can you hear the voice of togetherness?
As we embrace legacy
and explore purity and a vulnerable heart?
and explore purity and a vulnerable heart?
Engage the way of stillness
as on the field of Africa continent.
as on the field of Africa continent.
Connect energy.
One finds uncertainty, simplicity.
Inner world crack in the middle.
Shepherd enchant us!
Reflect our sorrow as birds must water ion.
When conflict holds is apart,
life theories restore us,
life theories restore us,
Transform like a diamond daughter creation
of discovery.
Listen. Listen.
Do you remember our voice of togetherness?
Written in collaboration by:
Lamarr, Maxim, Yoon-Seo, Carrie
Lamarr, Maxim, Yoon-Seo, Carrie
Listen, Listen...
Can you hear the voice of humanity?
Pleading for a beacon of light
in the darkness of conflict,
yearning for travels
seeking refuge in beauty.
Engage the complexity
even when apart
work to embrace the purity of solitude.
Connect to the present,
mistakes are, but the past
search for a new legacy
stand with others as one.
Enchant the moment like the eyes
that know the beyond
be strong, be strong,
it brings hope to the loneliest heart.
Reflect on the beyond,
seek energy in community
love creates tools.
Restore peace that carries creation
like birds that flock together
the human family in evolution.
Transformation on the path of service
In stillness of the journey, joy reveals itself
Listen, listen,
do you remember me?
Written in collaboration by:
Vani, Anareta, Shae
Pleading for a beacon of light
in the darkness of conflict,
yearning for travels
seeking refuge in beauty.
Engage the complexity
even when apart
work to embrace the purity of solitude.
Connect to the present,
mistakes are, but the past
search for a new legacy
stand with others as one.
Enchant the moment like the eyes
that know the beyond
be strong, be strong,
it brings hope to the loneliest heart.
Reflect on the beyond,
seek energy in community
love creates tools.
Restore peace that carries creation
like birds that flock together
the human family in evolution.
Transformation on the path of service
In stillness of the journey, joy reveals itself
Listen, listen,
do you remember me?
Written in collaboration by:
Vani, Anareta, Shae
Listen, Listen...
Can you hear the voice of our family?
Come explore the beauty of who we are
from the smallest atom, to our one universal family
as we discover being a continent of loving relationship.
from the smallest atom, to our one universal family
as we discover being a continent of loving relationship.
As we engage in peacebuidling,
transforming the energy of a conflict
from the smallest ion
to our dream of one loving humanity.
transforming the energy of a conflict
from the smallest ion
to our dream of one loving humanity.
We connect the wounded continent
separated by water
leading towars a healing legacy.
separated by water
leading towars a healing legacy.
We must enchant with the vulnerable
which finds energy of deep knowledge.
which finds energy of deep knowledge.
We reflect on the yin and yang
it balances and carries the last treasure even to others.
it balances and carries the last treasure even to others.
As we restore in the present moment
our inner land
holding within the yin and the yang
of our joys and sufferings.
our inner land
holding within the yin and the yang
of our joys and sufferings.
As draw from the field of our strength
we transform in the present the beauty of our family grounded in fragility and sensitivity.
we transform in the present the beauty of our family grounded in fragility and sensitivity.
Listen. Listen.
Do you remember the voice of family?
Written in collaboration by:
Yago, Elizabeth Krishna, Tarusila Bradburgh
Yago, Elizabeth Krishna, Tarusila Bradburgh
“Listen,
Listen,
Can you hear the voice of humanity?
Can you hear the voice of humanity?
Explore
the silence,
Hear
the absence of the bird’s song,
Whispers
of the brushes feel right in a peacebuilder’s hands.
Engage
your pain,
Search
deep into the silence,
On
a journey of discovery.
Stillness,
stillness,
Search
within uncertainty,
Connect.
Enchant
others,
Carry
peacebuilding,
And
present a brand new day to humanity.
Hinau,
Mother speaks with pain,
Don’t
make light the work of the people,
Reflect.
Restore
knowledge from time’s mistakes,
Clay
and earth build anew,
Herding
you sorrows away.
Nature’s
strength carries,
the
wounds of the world,
Transform.
Listen,
listen
Do
you remember the voice of humanity?
Written in collaboration by:
Pat
Augsburger, Ana-Latu Dickson, Taylor Gray Harrison
Explore peacebuilding, a gift,
a discovery towards a different evolution.
Seek and behold, the creator Goddess
holds the field of conflict
to engage the endeavor of fair exchange.
Come to the water.
Connect the way
like an ice cream of peace.
Enchanted ying awareness makes
conflict still like the drip
from a cone caught in mid air.
Goddess travels. We shall follow
coming to the one field of Africa,
reflecting all.
Restore eternal energy
by bringing complexity
to give peace.
Peace: leading one to transform conflict
and make ice cream.
Rebecca
Explore peacebuilding, a gift,
a discovery towards a different evolution.
Seek and behold, the creator Goddess
holds the field of conflict
to engage the endeavor of fair exchange.
Come to the water.
Connect the way
like an ice cream of peace.
Enchanted ying awareness makes
conflict still like the drip
from a cone caught in mid air.
Goddess travels. We shall follow
coming to the one field of Africa,
reflecting all.
Restore eternal energy
by bringing complexity
to give peace.
Peace: leading one to transform conflict
and make ice cream.
Rebecca
