“Overture of the Long Memory”

Poetry • Jaimien Delp

In This Issue: A tribute to Randy Bond via Poetry and the Long Memory Project, Civil Disobedience, and Citizenship.

Overture of the Long Memory the full text PDF

Overture of the Long Memory read by the author—YouTube, with captions

The Warp — Ideas and Inspiration

|| 1 || Randy Bond passed away suddenly last month, leaving behind a community of activists who treasured him dearly. Randy and his partner Kay participated in the Long Memory Project, where the above poem was written. Though it features many activists, it focuses in particular on the moments that shaped the decision to act.

It’s at this table, under this tree, they decide that in the morning they will be on a bus bound for Oscoda, where they will cross the line at the Wurtsmith Airforce Base, where they will criminalize themselves in the name of peace. And it’s here Kay says to him, “If we do this, we do it for the rest of our lives.”

Not to belabor the point, but what table and what tree will witness your pledge your action? And to which great causes? And if not now, when?

|| 2 || When I think of acts of civil disobedience like those in Overture of the Long Memory, the examples that come to mind tend to be threaded with both faith and the arts, including Daniel and Philip Berrigan, who were both Catholic priests (Here’s a great tune by Dar Williams about Daniel Berrigan) and sister Margaret McKenna of the Plowshares Movement. My impression of Daniel, known for his lived opposition to nuclear warfare and the Vietnam war, came just as much from his written works of poetry than any of his own non-fiction writings or those about him. He was arrested with sister Margaret McKenna, who was later arrested while protesting the Iraq war in 2007 on the lawn of the Pentagon. Also taken into custody with her that day was mewithoutYou’s Aaron Weiss, who references the event in the song Timothy Hay, and who I consider to be a major influence upon my own thinking. And closer to home, I think of Detroit’s Bill Wylie Kellermann, a retired minister with a rap sheet that looks like a telephone book. The day I met him, he invited me to visit Diego Rivera’s Industry Murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts. At the time, I turned him down. I thought the invitation was odd, and didn’t understand the link between the artwork and his other endeavors. I can see the through-lines now though.

Also, two of the seminal texts on civil disobedience are readily available: Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau and Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr.

|| 3 || This BBC article, Citizen Future—Why we need a new story of self and society, offers guidance and examples relating to the stories we tell ourselves as societies and individuals, and how consideration of new visions is crucial to digging in well collectively for collective improvement. I appreciate the anarchic thrust of it—together, we have agency in making things happen, rather than merely being stuck at the whims of corporate and governmental powers. And as usual, I’m skeptical of the extent of some of the technological approaches featured in a number of the writing’s examples. That critique is softened, however, by their open-source, democratic, and seemingly equitable nature.

If that sounds somewhat compelling, but the reading isn’t in the cards, the podcast, How To Citizen with Baratunde, offers a number of deeper dives into the content. For example, recent episodes include Crafting a Citizen Story: A talk with Jon Alexander, Democracy, Fractals, and Sci-fi, with Adrienne Maree Brown, and A New Shape for the Economy, with Kate Raworth.

The Weft — News and Events

|| 1 || If you have the means, please consider supporting the Pierce family. Tim, Stephanie and Hazel experienced a tragedy: Their shop—a place of craft, care, and creativity—was destroyed by fire. Please join us in supporting them as they recover from this loss. Aside from being a lovely family, Tim has led workshops for XH in the past. Find their Gofundme here.

|| 2 || Maple Syrup Masters Workshop Series. Are you interested in learning more about maple syrup production? Whether it’s large-scale tapping techniques, bottling procedure, running a small-scale operation, or any other facet that might have you curious, a series of hands-on demonstrations and workshops is being offered by East Jordan’s Wagbo Farm & Education Center, in partnership with several other farms and sugar shacks in the area. Registration is recommended. Find out more by downloading the flyer available at wagbo.org.

|| 3 || Parallel 45’s Reading Series continues at the Alluvion. Find out more about four upcoming performances held at the Alluvion here. Each play reading concludes with an engaging conversation on a topic relevant to the piece, and society today, ranging from “climate change, LGBTQIA+ and immigrant rights, justice, death, spirituality, and more.” Tickets are available for a suggested donation of $20, and purchasing them ahead of time is recommended.

|| 4 || You might be wondering what’s happening with the Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference. There’s too much to detail here, but we will say that we’re excited! Click here for an update, and watch for more news in upcoming months.

|| 5 || Farm Survey and Support

a.) Are you a farmer, rancher or forest manager? Share your vital feedback with USDA by taking a nationwide survey here. The survey is completely anonymous, will take about 10 minutes to complete, is available in multiple languages, and will be open until March 31, 2023. Also note, 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture responses are due February 6th. To find out more about the five-year questionnaire, visit the USDA’s Census of Agriculture page.

b.) Farming is a highly unpredictable, hazardous, and stressful occupation, and this is why Michigan State University (MSU) Extension is committed to supporting agricultural professionals. These professionals face tough decisions that affect their families, livelihoods, operations, and farms.

MSU Extension has a team of over 20 dedicated professionals who combine expertise in farm business management with mental and behavioral health. They provide innovative resources and support, such as teletherapy, financial services, free online education, and community presentations. These tools are not limited to farmers but are also available to farm workers, local farm organization chapters, veterinarians, Farm Bureau members, county commissioners, and other key stakeholders in agriculture and agribusiness. To learn more, click here.

The Whole Field • Volume 2 • No. 6 • New Moon • March 21st, 2023