"All poets, all writers are political. They either maintain the status quo, or they say, "Something's wrong, let's change it for the better.' That's what my life has really been about."
-Sonia Sanchez
I saw this quote yesterday, and I got caught up in it. What do I do to change wrong as a writer? I know what I do as a person, but as a writer, there has to be more. I am not just talking about content, but community, or pushing envelopes in the world. Not just writing poetry for poets. Exposing myself and others to art that can change the world. I once got into a conversation with this drunk writer at Geno's who really just wanted to hear himself talk, and occasionally I got a word in -- but it was interesting how passionate the conversation got when we talked about poetry being a key to social change. Imagine if you knew what lit the fire for everyone. Use that to get people to move, and change the apathy, bring a little heart into what makes bureaucracy run, to the political system, to people waiting in lines, hell, I will do anything to get one more SUV off the road (short of guerilla tactics, but I did just sharpen my knives last night.... anyway...).
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