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    Time To Show Up: Poets For Democracy
    Time To Show Up: Poets For Democracy
    Time To Show Up: Poets For Democracy
    Ebook119 pages56 minutes

    Time To Show Up: Poets For Democracy

    By Fabrizio Frosini and Poets Unite Worldwide

    ()

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    About this ebook

    "Time To Show Up" is an evocative title for an anthology on democracy: it suggests answering a call to duty or to defense; there is the awareness that "Now My Country Needs Me," and it comes from that same source as true patriotism does –If your country is right, celebrate it. If it's wrong, reform it!
    *
    As Alexandra Alter wrote: "Like virtually everything else in the Trump era, poetry has gotten sharply political these days."
    *
    Indeed, as a matter of fact, the idea of a collection of poems about democracy came to me just because of Trump. The United States of America represent the most important democracy in the world. Yet, with the election of Donald Trump as its 45th President, America’s Democratic Values as well as America’s international leadership are at risk —and this means that international stability and global security are at risk as well.
    *
    'United We Stand' – Poets Unite Wordlwide.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherFabrizio Frosini
    Release dateJun 17, 2017
    ISBN9781370329892
    Time To Show Up: Poets For Democracy
    Author

    Fabrizio Frosini

    Born in Tuscany, Italy. Currently living close to Florence and Vinci, Leonardo's hometown. Doctor in Medicine, specialized in Neurosurgery, with an ancient passion for Poetry, he is the Author of over 2,000 poems published in 20 personal books. Frosini writes in Italian, his native language, and English. He is the founder of the International Association "Poets Unite Worldwide," with which he has published more than 50 Anthologies. Among his own books: «The Chinese Gardens - English Poems», «Prelude to the Night», «Anita Quiclotzl & Her Souls - Anita Quiclotzl e le Sue Anime» (Bilingual Ed.) - [for the others, see below].~*~In Frosini's Poetry:1. The Truth is Affirmed ; 2. Beauty is Conveyed ; 3. The Personal becomes the Universal.One of the key terms in contemporary poetry is 'POETRY OF WITNESS'. "Florence, A Walk With A View" is an excellent example of this type of poem. It exchanges the anger we experienced in the preceding poem with melancholy, but this is a haunted and desperate melancholy, not at all like the word's root meaning of sweet sorrow. Yet, in Fabrizio Frosini's poem, the city charms the visitor with its natural beauty - "the silky lights of the / Sunset" - and artistic ambiance - "the intimate warmth of nostalgia that makes / Your heart melt at the sight around".In the finest poetry, beauty is conveyed in all of it sensuous and spiritual glory. The title "Water Music" refers to one of Handel's most popular works, a masterpiece of baroque melody, rhythm and harmony. The poem, however, is not about this music.. here is a shining element of the beauty this poem conveys - "I was in my room, staring at the clear sky through the window. The moon, so pale and magical, drawing my imagination to her. In my ears Handel's music was playing softly." - There is the beauty of VITA NOVA, in this Frosini's poem: Dante's idealization of Beatrice with its artistic and moral benefits experienced by a contemporary couple. And finally the beauty of sublimation, when an otherwise sensuous experience must be transferred to the plane of the Imagination. Other Frosini's poem, like "Nocturnal Snowing", are Poems of Memory, that reveal the persistence of an experience of mutual attraction in the poet's life over many decades. There, a young woman, who is forever young and lovely in the poet's mind, becomes a touchstone of emotional value. But not all good experiences are given a future by the hand of fate. And so Frosini's poetry also explores the emotional consequences of the loss of such a promising moment... The prevailing reaction in reader after reader is that Frosini's verses relate to their emotional lives. In other words, Fabrizio Frosini's personal experience reflects their personal experience, and thus the Personal becomes the Universal...~*~Books published as sole Author:(*BE*: Bilingual Editions, English–Italian ; All books have PAPERBACK and EBOOK Editions)– «The Chinese Gardens – English Poems» – English Ed. – (published also in Italian Ed.:– «I Giardini Cinesi» – Edizione Italiana);– «KARUMI – Haiku & Tanka» – Italian Ed.;– «Allo Specchio di Me Stesso» ('In the Mirror of Myself') – Italian Ed.;– «Il Vento e il Fiume» ('The Wind and the River') – Italian Ed.;– «A Chisciotte» ('To Quixote') – Italian Ed.;– «Il Puro, l'Impuro – Kosher/Treyf» ('The pure, the Impure – Kosher / Treyf') – Italian Ed.;– «Frammenti di Memoria – Carmina et Fragmenta» ('Fragments of Memories') – Italian Ed.;– «La Città dei Vivi e dei Morti» ('The City of the Living and the Dead') – Italian Ed.;– «Nella luce confusa del crepuscolo» ('In the fuzzy light of the Twilight') – Italian Ed.;– «Limes —O La Chiave Dei Sogni» ('The Key to Dreams') – Italian Ed.;– «Echi e Rompicapi» ('Puzzles & Echoes') – Italian Ed.;– «Ballate e Altre Cadenze» ('Ballads and Other Cadences') – Italian Ed.;– «Selected Poems – Επιλεγμένα Ποιήματα – Poesie Scelte» – Greek–English–Italian (Αγγλικά, Ελληνικά, Ιταλικά – Greek translation by Dimitrios Galanis);– «Prelude to the Night – English Poems» – English Ed. (published also in Italian Ed.:– «Preludio alla Notte» – Edizione Italiana);– «A Season for Everyone – Tanka Poetry» – English Ed.;– «Evanescence of the Floating World – Haiku» – English Ed.;– «From the Book of Limbo – Dal Libro del Limbo» – *BE*;– «Anita Quiclotzl & Her Souls – Anita Quiclotzl e le Sue Anime» – *BE*.~*~Forthcoming publications:– «Mirror Games — A Tale» – English Edition (also in Italian Ed.:– «Giochi di Specchi — Un Racconto»);– «Il Sentiero della Luna» ('The Moon's Path') – Italian Edition.~*~For the Anthologies published by Fabrizio Frosini with "Poets Unite Worldwide", see Frosini's profile as a PUBLISHER, or POETS UNITE WORLDWIDE's profile.~*~Some of Frosini's poems are also published in the Anthology "Riflessi 62" (Italian Edition), edited by Pagine Srl.~*~Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/poetsuniteworldwide/Website address:https://poetsuniteworldwide.org/Blog:https://poetsuniteworldwide.wordpress.com/Twitter username:@fabriziofrosini

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      Book preview

      Time To Show Up - Fabrizio Frosini

      As Alexandra Alter wrote in The New York Times (April 21, 2017):

      "Like virtually everything else in the Trump era, poetry has gotten sharply political these days. Writers are responding to this turbulent moment in the country’s history with a tsunami of poems that address issues like immigration, global warming, the Syrian refugee crisis, institutionalized racism, equal rights for transgender people, Islamophobia and health care. The recent resurgence of protest poems reflects a new strain of contemporary American poetry, one that is deeply engaged with public policy and the latest executive orders coming from the White House."

      The theme of 'Democracy' has been central in my heart for a lifetime but, as a matter of fact, the idea of a collection of poems about democracy came to me just because of Trump. The United States of America represent the most important democracy in the world. Yet, with the election of Donald Trump as its 45th President, America’s Democratic Values as well as America’s international leadership are at risk —and this means that international stability and global security are at risk as well. Indeed, what the first five months of this administration —a cabinet largely made up of billionaires: all of them Trump’s personal friends or allies; a fact that undermine federal administration’s credibility— have shown through Trump’s executive orders, is America’s worst face. Further on, the President and his closest collaborators too often release inflammatory, unscrupulous, false and/or misleading statements that help divide the people, and even make the relationship with America’s historically most loyal allies difficult. Trump's narcissism and nepotism, as well as his authoritarianism, cannot be denied —he has even attacked courts which made rulings against his executive orders limiting travel from six Muslim countries— while he shows admiration for the authoritarian leaders of countries where democratic rules are more virtual than real. Besides, as Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich) stated, "President Trump has conflicts of interest in at least 25 countries, and it appears he’s using his presidency to maximize his profits."

      The US Constitution certainly provides for balance of powers, but trust in political institutions are at an all-time low, while Trump's divisive speeches and actions inflame the country and especially galvanize the far right. What's worse is that Trump's action, as a reckless president, can destabilize democratic norms and the rule of law in the US, and encourage irresponsible, non democratic leaders, in other countries, to behave illegally, subduing any democratic opposition and choking civil liberties.

      When I told my dear friend Daniel Brick about this editorial project, he sent me a keen, albeit concise write that is a de facto introduction to this compilation —here is what he wrote:

      « Time To Show Up is an evocative title for an anthology on democracy: it suggests answering a call to duty or to defense; there is the awareness that Now My Country Needs Me, but it comes from that same source as patriotism does. And I don't mean that unethical stance, My Country, Right Or Wrong (If your country is right, celebrate it. If it's wrong, reform it). This is the person who sees his/her life as a series of concentric circles: the closest to Self is the Soul Circle, then the Person(al) Circle, the Family Circle, the City Circle, State and Nat'l Circle, the Cosmopolitan Circle, the Outer Space Circle.. to the Infinity Circle! I would not hesitate to say: every circle expresses and embodies a different kind of Love, from the most sensual to the most abstract, but Love indeed: And you know the best of metaphors for this dynamic:

      "I Felt My Will And My Desire Impelled / By The Love That Moves The Sun And The Other Stars." » {*}

      [Daniel Brick, April 2017]

      After his words, I can only add: Enjoy the reading!

      (Fabrizio Frosini, Firenze, June 2017)

      __________

      {*} Dante, Divine Comedy, Paradise XXXIII, 142-144.

      ~*~

      Acknowledgement

      In the first place, let me thank my American co-editors, Pamela Sinicrope —the true 'engine' of our editorial board— and Natalie Judith Saroff.

      But a heartfelt thanks goes to All the contributors, the 41 poets of this Anthology: if this book is now on the shelves, it is because of their enthusiasm and willingness. Thank you all.

      (Fabrizio Frosini)

      ~*~

      «You were taken away at dawn. I followed you

      As one does when a corpse is being removed.»

      Anna Akhmatova, 'Requiem', I. (1940)

      ~*~

      The Poems

      Alexandro Acevedo Johns, 'Apología for Democracy'

      Saadat Tahir Ali, 'Peoples Power'

      Anna Banasiak, 'The Masks of Democracy'

      Daniel Brick, 'Two Political Speeches And A Hermit's Monologue'

      Rahul Choudhary, 'Give Me The Land'

      Vera Dike, 'The Dreamocracy'

      Fabrizio Frosini, 'On my way home'

      Alem Hailu G/Kristos, 'Liberating

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