I was in the courtyard of St. Marks Church in the Bowery (l.) a few days ago. This venerable building has been the seen of much social activism. There are still church services held here but there is also the social events which has kept this church alve. One of those events is the Poetry Project. From September to June there readings, book signings, recitals, workshops, and debuts of writers from many genres. I haven't been to any of these yet but I have a day in September penciled in.
I mentioned that I was at the church a few days ago. It reminded me of the social activism of the 160's and 1970's. I was in my twenties and while not actively involved, I read some of the articles and newspapers ( I call them ragsheets). Today I look upon those writings as to my being educated about issues not covered by the mainstream media. Today I am a volunteer in a grassroot organization looking to create an independent media that voices the concerns of the poor and working class. A new concept, no. Is it one that is possible to achieve, yes.
What I remember about those days is that people wrote what was on their minds and wrote it with passion and conviction. They wrote without fear of being censored or shut out because they were not politically correct (two words I detest). I may not have always agreed with what they were saying but I listened. As writers, we need to speak our minds and convey our thoughts and ideas to a public that is seeking knowledge and meaning in this homogenized world.
One project I have is to attend reading, writing, and poetry events because I want to see if the fire from the socially-conscious sixties and seventies is being revived.
