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At dVerse I am hosting Poetics for Tuesday May 16 (EST) with an invitation to write a poem that speaks for those poets who are imprisoned or harassed for their writing.

You can link here to dVerse to read more details and resource and the poems submitted.

Photo: peaceinkurdistancampaign.com The Kurdish poet Ilhan Sami Comak imprisoned in Turkey for 27 years on false charges. The European Court of Human rights has ruled that his conviction is unlawful.

Note: This is a revised version of an earlier poem of the same title.

“Poetry is not an expression of the party line.” Allen Ginsberg

Poem For Ilhan Sami Comak

Once there were two birds,
but isn't that always the case?
One came and sat at my window,
the other perched in a cage,
and though the one left the 
window for the trees,
it sang its freedom in 
seeking my food,
while the caged one 
had no such concern, 
and gave itself instead 
to singing its freedom 
to the world.


Copyright 2021 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️



Some further Reading

https://ilhancomak.wordpress.com/

New call for the release of Kurdish poet İlhan Sami Çomak jailed in Turkey for 26 years


https://www.facebook.com/peninternational

At dVerse De is hosting the Quadrille (44 words) with an invitation to write a poem using the word or any of its forms – map.

dVerse Poets – Quadrille – Mapping Out Our Poems

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay 

“Massage is the study of anatomy in braille.” Jack Meagher

My Map

You talk to me of maps,
those creased folds of 
two dimensional hope,
but my map is different,
I can trace her contours
feel her heart, her pulse,
the softness of her skin,
I can see the road to perdition
and descend in love. 


Copyright 2023 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️

Image: found at lovethispic.com

Merry Christmas to you all.

At dVerse Lisa is hosting Prosery (144 words) with an invitation to write prose and to include the line “In the tender gray, I swim undisturbed.” from the poem ‘In Sullivan County’ by Celia Dropkin (who was born on Decmeber 5), for more details follow the link below.

dVerse Poets – Prosery – On This Day: Happy December 5 Birthday Poets

Image: wall-art.nl

“Life is about the gray areas.” Emily Giffin

Into The Gray

I’ve always been allergic to moralisms. They’re like a feeling I have when I’ve eaten something that is past its use by date. It can look good, but the eating thereof leaves much to be desired. And it’s a smorgasbord. Every group has an opinion on what is right or wrong, what is black or white. Sadly, some of it can be so destructive as they turn into rules of exclusion, leaving individuals and groups open to judgement and senseless punishment.

For me, moralisms are dualisms preventing harmony and peace, preventing open hearted compassion. they thrive on fear. I no longer seek to be right, to have that egoic power at the exclusion of connection and love. Non-harming is my way through. Listening, accepting, sometimes setting things aside. These days I’m much happier in the tender gray, I swim undisturbed in that cosmic pond.

Copyright 2022 ©Paul Vincent Cannon

All Rights Reserved ®️

#2022 November PAD Chapbook Challenge

Day 23 23.11.22

Prompt: write a family poem

Navigated Wreckage 

Mostly, 
the rails were true,
but when the train came off 
it was spectacular,
terror coursed our veins,
my father's hands were heavy,
and life became
navigated wreckage.


Copyright 2022 ©Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️ 

My poem Hallowed House has been published at Spillwords Press.

My many thanks to Dagmara and the team for accepting and publishing.

You can read the poem here on Spillwords: Hallowed House

I am currently away travelling the Australian Bush and in and out of net coverage, I’m eight days in and ten to go, so I’ll see all of you lovely readers soon when I return.

Regards, Paul