CALLING ALL POETS!!! CALLING ALL POETS!!!

SOAPBOX POETS SPEAK OUT TO END WAR
By Lori Perdue

Soapbox Poets for Peace is issuing a NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION for Poets of conscience to come to D.C. on Wednesday, March 19th, armed only with poems of peace, witness, truth, mourning and outrage. Poets will “step up on the Soapbox” to speak truth to power and promote peace in conjunction with direct actions organized by the Five Years Too Many Coalition and other member organizations of United for Peace and Justice.

March 19th, 2008 will mark the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq War. Activists from all over the country will converge on Washington, D.C. on that date to speak out in outrage against the continued occupation of Iraq by staging protests, gathering for demonstrations and taking direct action.

Soapbox Poets for Peace will be calling on the power of poetry to inspire change and bridge gaps between people, open lines of communication and promote understanding through free expression. Whether you’ve spent a lifetime writing poetry promoting peace and justice or have recently been moved by a favorite piece of poetry to speak out, this is an open invitation to participate in a creative action to make a difference through poetry.

This call to action includes two options for direct action.

The “Peacemakers Soapbox” action will focus on the reading of poetry promoting peace, justice and reconciliation in areas populated by both anti-war protestors and pro-war counter-protestors.

The “Truth to Power Soapbox” action will focus on bearing witness, through poetry, to the injustices of war. We will be bringing poetry of dissent to war profiteers and government cronies as well as providing creative support to other groups and organizations with planned direct actions that day. Both actions will be conducted as non-arrest scenarios.

Only when we exercise our freedoms are we truly free. Bring your poetry of peace and of dissent and make your voice heard in our Nation’s Capitol this March 19th.

For more information, or to sign up to participate, contact Lori Perdue by email at gottabeme23@hotmail.com or by phone at (317)902-8221.