Banging a Drum: words from sacred spaces

announcing an anthology by John Stirneman aka John BOngo aka left hand smoke shifter aka a true gentleman aka collodi or collecteye

a butterfly flew in my window, every time i sat down to work on the layout of these words. and maybe the best adventure was going back through our conversations, feeling his voice reaching out to me again just like he never left us. i am pleased to present the words of my friend, my partner in the adventure of the living word, my most shining inspiration

 

https://www.createspace.com/4939401

 

Reviews

[h d e rushin]

banging the drum.....how appropriate. I wanted to be one of the first earthlings to order my
copy of this work. Thank you both ms emily and ms marie for doing this. We had some long
conversations between us and mostly about the need for poetry and the human rules of it.
Of his passing and that of my only child, my heart is forever broken. Forever.

I hear people say often that "they (the dead) would be proud", and i'm thinking, can the dead ever be proud?
But if souls are other than horrific, then they are, otherwise, eternal in the room, what Eckhart
called "a constant splitting open" or living without a why". I think John lived his life without
a why..

I am humbled by this effort.
dana

[Emily B]

I still cry. I understand about forever broken. I was so proud to publish the book. Then i realized it is still goodbye. No do overs. I don't blame him for leaving us. I know how much he suffered. I just wish i could have done more for him.

[Marie Anzalone]

the two of you are not alone in your grief. I just wanted you to know that

[Emily B]

sometimes I think he is forgotten, that he just stepped out of the world and out of the hearts and minds of his colleagues, I know that isn't true, his brother's heart is broken, so is that of his mother though I haven't spoken to her

sometimes I reel really selfish

[Marie Anzalone]

regret often serves the purpose of forcing us to be kinder to ourselves, and, by extension, others.
maybe John's lesson was exactly that- the stripping away of guilt and judgment and blame.
authenticity means exactly that- we feel the full range of human emotions. Including selfishness and guilt and tirednss and overwhelmedness.

that is why we poets, need eachpther so badly. We dive into places where others cannot, on their behalf. Sometimes it becomes more than any of us can take. I know of at least four others who almost did not make it this past year. That is no coincidence. But here's the thing, Emily- I know that of those four, at least one is still with us because YOU cared enough to reach out.

Someone wise once said that you habe tolearn to accept a true compliment as much as a true criticism. Diego River, if I am not mistaken.

[Emily B]

And you and John helped me stay when darkness overwhelmed me. Getting ready to take a test for a job nobody thinks i should do. Danny didn't even wish me luck

[Marie Anzalone]

Well, then, let me be the one to wish you not just luck, but the fortitude to draw upon your wisdom for the right answers. Go take on the world, we shall wait here to see where it takes you. :-)

[Sami Khalil]

A great achievement among the sadness of the past. I,m sharing...:)........

[Emily B]

thank you, John was my brother, my son, my best friend, the café hasn't been the same without his sweet heart

[Sami Khalil]

Yep. So sad. You are welcome...

[TL Boehm]

How Exciting and simply AWESOME! He was a stellar poet, and so are you - you have such a huge heart, Em.

[Tree]

I applaud both you Emily, as well as Marie, for not letting smoke shifter's words be forgotten. I remember, and enjoyed his work very much. He was a damn fine poet.

Diego Paz

[Emily B]

Thank you. It is good to see you here :)

[Marie Anzalone]

My health issues this year, especially the two almost back to back cases of rapid-onset near-pneumonia, made me realize the importance, to me, of caring for my words in the event of my sudden departure or prolonged incapacitation. Something that none of us like to think about, but I did select and ask one trusted writer friend to be the proprietor/ gatekeeper for my words here should the unexpected happen. Believe it or not, it releives a lot of anxiety to know that my own words would be well tended in an emergency. Like they are my children or something, I don't know. Trying to make it a point to start writing more to/ for other writers while they are still ALIVE, too. Makes a difference, maybe?

As for collaborating on this with Emily, it was a huge honor to be part of the project. I miss the hell out of that boy.

[Tree]

Yes, Marie. I think I understand this. Leaving things unfinished, unsaid. Half arsed poems scattered and half-finished novels and dreams, should be the fear of any writer / or creative person. Order, is what I've been working on the past few years. I want my things in order. I would want those who knew me to have, if they wish, the access to Know / me...

[Marie Anzalone]

and I hink you just touched upon the reason that all of us write. Even John, towards the end.. still wanted to be heard and understood by someone. In the midst of pushing us all away, he was crying out to be heard. One of my truest regrets in this world will be not recognizing his last messages to me, for the pleas for help that they were. That abiltiy to even marginally organize one;s thoughts really is a matter of life and death, my friend.

[Emily B]

If i can stop one heart the breaking :) life is not vain, i have to invite a college kid to lynch, saw him on campus last night and he confided he is depressed. I think we all learned a lit from John

[Marie Anzalone]

is it not often the case, Emily? Like with Frodo at the end of the LOTR, whose role saved Middle Earth, but it couldnever be for him afterwards. I think our most gifted walk through life saving the world for others, feeling the horror for others, living out the soul-sucking depression s that others do not have to. Is it any wonder they just plain wear out before we do? Maybe our role is to learn to recognize it better, call attention to it, call COMPASSION to those who mosrt need it? You and I Emily have both bee there; we know. I would eat my sandals if Diego has not also seen those depths at least once or twice. Yes, take the kid to lunch and learn from him :-) Back in 2010 I did the same for another lost high school kid; he turned into my adopted son Clockwork and my life has never been the same since.

[Emily B]

This kid has been one of mine since about age 13, a miracle he survived those smartaleck teen years. College now and national reserve. He looks like hell.

[Marie Anzalone]

Wil be promoting the hell out of this. Thank you for having the determination to pull this together.

[Emily B]

I felt really accomplished for a minute there, thank you for all tour contributions, i know he is pleased

[Marie Anzalone]

I feel that too