Photo Credit: Neha Dasgupta-Parmar
Praxis Magazine Online is pleased to present “Peace Poem, 2016”
peace poem, 2016
A collaborative poem comprised of more than 250 segments contributed by #poetsforpeace from around the world. A celebration of the International Day of Peace, in partnership with 100,000 Poets for Change.
It began with one poet, this simply:
“…I had to do something, I had to take a stand and make a difference … somehow.
Being a Poet, a writer, I decided should write poetry, but wanted to be sure my voice was heard above the din of societal noise, particularly that made by polarized factions who seemed more interested in rhetoric and blaming, or the media that exploited that tendency for their ratings. I knew more voices were needed…”
peace poem, 2016
…and those voices have joined in, voices from around the globe:
The poem began in Dallas, Texas, USA… then traveled… New Hampshire, USA… California, USA… Chicago, Illinois, USA… East Midlands, UK… Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom… Idaho, USA… Austin, TX, USA… Cork, Ireland… Florida, USA… Melbourne, Victoria, Australia… Mumbai, India… Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA… Zimbabwe… Pennsylvania, USA… California, USA… Belfast, Ireland… Bailey, Colorado, USA… Utah… New Jersey, USA… Montego Bay, Jamaica… Huntington Beach, CA… Bombay, India… Noida, India… New Delhi, India… Long Island, New York, USA… Denver, Colorado, USA… Toronto, Canada… Bellingham, Washington, USA… Missouri, USA… New Jersey, USA… Baltimore, Maryland, USA… Nigerian, living in Botswana… Chennai, India… Conwy, Wales, UK… Georgia, USA… Euless, Texas, USA… Roanoke, Virginia, USA… Washington, USA… Thane, Maharashtra, India… Chesaning, Michigan, USA… South Africa… National Park, New Jersey, USA… Isle La Motte, Vermont, USA… Patna, Bihar, India… Bordeaux, France… Arkansas, USA… Tampa, Florida, USA… San Ramon, California, USA… Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia… India… Ho’olehua, Hawaii, USA… Delaware, Ohio, USA… Riga, Latvia… Millersville, Maryland, USA… Kent, UK… Singapore… Toulouse, France… Columbus, Ohio, USA… Germany… Camano Island, Washington, USA… Southern California, USA… Canada… Beechworth, Australia… Scotland… Karachi, Pakistan… Oxford, United Kingdom… Beechworth, Australia… Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA… Yorkshire, England… Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA… Moscow, Russia… San Diego, California, USA… Adelaide, Austrailia… Qatar… Oakville, Ontario, Canada… Liechtenstein… San Antonio, Texas, USA… Pomona, California, USA… Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA… Bombay, India… Newcomerstown, Ohio, USA… United Kingdom… Dothan, Alabama, USA… Newark, New Jersey, USA… Llanelltyd, Wales… Madison, Wisconsin, USA… Manchester, United Kingdom… Mauritius… East Hampton, Connecticut, USA… Pakistan… Jacksonville, Florida, USA… Malé, Maldives… Lake Crystal, Minnesota, USA… Seattle, Washinton, USA… Bangalore, Kamataka, India… Illinois, USA… Tokyo, Japan… Oakville, Ontario, Canada… Tanzania… Warrington, United Kingdom… Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada… Montreal, Canada… Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa… Phillipines… Sheffield, United Kingdom… Calgary, AB. Canada… Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India… Wall, New Jersey, USA… Shimla, India… Accra, Ghana… Sutton, NE… Ontario, Canada… Vancouver, Canada… Belmond, Iowa, USA… Brighton, East Sussex, UK… Edinburgh, Scotland… Labrador City, Canada… Westland, Michigan, USA… Troy, Michigan, USA… Nigeria… Wilberforce, Australia… Queensland, Australia… Sydney, Australia… Kent, UK… Roswell, Georgia, USA… Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA… Nashville, Tennessee, USA… Shelby, North Carolina, USA… England… Stillwater, New York, USA… Perth, Austrailia… Patna, Bihar, India… and many, many undisclosed locations.
We would like to express our deepest respect and appreciation for all the contributors, and Praxis Magazine Online would like to recognize the three facilitators of this project: M. Zane McClellan, Neha Dasgupta-Parmar, and Marie Lukasik Wallace, we salute you for your vision, and all the tireless, behind-the-scenes effort it took. Should you dare this again next year, we will be proud and honoured to stand with you again. (Read more about the project and the facilitators in the Epilogues section after the Poem.) We are also deeply appreciative to 100,000 Poets for Change for their support and partnership throughout this project.
Download and read:
peace poem, 2016