Inspiration for Many Generations

"It is the job of the artist to transcend–to think outside the boundaries of permissable thought and dare to say things that no one else will say." —Howard Zinn

Howard Zinn, historian, author, peace and civil rights activist, WWII bombardier for the USAF, and Veteran for Peace died of a heart attack while swimming in California on Wednesday Jan. 27. He was 87 years old, and personally, taking your leave of this earth while swimming sounds like a pretty good way to go. At least to a swimmer.

Howard Zinn was many things in his life and he made no apologies for the choices he made and the adventures and stories he had to tell. I read that when he came home from WWII, he took all his medals and honors, stuck them in a plain envelope, sealed it, and wrote across it "Never Again." From that time on, Mr. Zinn devoted himself to working for civil rights, securing justice for the poor and for indigenous peoples, and always, always striving toward an end to war. His most popular book, A People's History of the United States sold over one million copies. In this book, Zinn attempts to tell our history with all its violence, slavery and genocide intact. History is not a coloring book that we can paint in pretty colors so we don't recognize the truth. Howard Zinn wrote a history book where the winners don't get to tell the story.

My favorite book by Howard Zinn is a slim volume which you can read in a couple of hours. It's called artists in times of war and other essays published in 2003 in Canada. It is a book to be kept on your shelf and read again and again. He directs his words to the artist, the writer, the poet when he says, "The word transcendent comes to mind when I think of the role of the artist in dealing with the issues of the day. I use that word to suggest that the role of the artist is to transcend conventional wisdom, to transcend the word of the establishment, to transcend the orthodoxy, to go beyond and escape what is handed down by the government or what is said in the media."

I interpret this admonition seriously. We as artists have a duty, a responsibility that comes with our gifts. And that responsibility is to rise above mediocrity, to reject a herd mentality in favor of expressing what we perceive to be the truth, no matter how dangerous, outrageous, or unacceptable to the status quo it may be. I take that responsibility seriously and reading "Artists in Times of War" reminds me of my duty as an artist and activist.



If you take Howard Zinn's words to heart, you're not alone. It is easy to get tired, to give in or give up, to take the middle ground when wars seem to just go on and on, no matter what we do. But there are places where you can re-charge with poets and writers of like mind. Here in Fayetteville, you can join up with the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology at http://www.omnicenter.org Location: 3274 N Lee Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72703/ 479-935-4422

World-renowned folk musicians Donna Stjerna and Kelly Mulholland, better known as "Still On the Hill," host a peace open mic for musicians and poets the first Sunday of every month from September through May at Omni on Lee Ave. It is a moving, inspiring, uplifting and hope- renewing event. I always walk away from the Omni open mic feeling surrounded by others who want peace in the world. Whether that is true or not, it's a feeling I need in order to keep writing and working for peace.

Every other year, Split This Rock Poetry Festival gathers writer-activists of peaceful intentions together to share their truths and advice, their poems and creative endeavors. The festival is in Washington DC and the dates for this year are March 10 - March 13, 2010. I went in 2008 and wrote a series of posts about my experience there. Your presence at an event like Split This Rock is evidence enough that you take your responsibility as an artist seriously. There are workshops and readings non-stop for 3 days. Busboys and Poets, THE DC independent bookstore and restaurant is a central meeting place. There are no "famous" untouchables at Split This Rock even though many of the poets you meet will be known the world over. There, everyone is treated the same--your art and your work are as valued as any poet's. Everyone has a chance to actively participate. I believe that Split This Rock is the kind of festival Howard Zinn would have loved to attend. To learn more about this one of a kind (very affordable) festival, go to www.splitthisrock.org. (Photo above is from their website.)

"It is the job of the artist to transcend–to think outside the boundaries of permissable thought and dare to say things that no one else will say." So says Howard Zinn, and so say I. So say on, Poet. The world is waiting for your words.