#WonderWoman Poem By Carolyn Howard-Johnson: "My Woman-of-Steel Brand"

My mother Trudy Warren 8 months pregnant right after Hurricane Donna, Ft. Myers, FL

Perhaps I am remiss in not posting current national events and my relation to them as they happen. A couple weeks ago, I posted this poem by the extraordinary California poet, Carolyn Howard-Johnson about her inner "Wonder Woman." Now with Hurricane Irma bearing down on my hometown of Ft. Myers, I can't help but recall this picture my father took of my mother hauling away the multitude of fallen branches from the banyan tree we shared with our neighbors' yard. Eight months pregnant with my brother Monty. Mom played the piano the whole time the hurricane raged around our 2-story clapboard house. The tin roof blew off our neighbors' home behind ours. And they came into our house for protection during the calm of the Eye.

A toast to all Wonder Women everywhere. May your praises always be sung for your beautiful warrior spirits and loving ways.

You Think You Know Me Well

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

I am Wonder Woman. You may have known 

me so long you remember

my original star-studded skirt

a la 1942 or still sigh over that skirt metamorphosed

to a bias-cut bikini singing

a patriot’s song to the female derrière
That would have been the same time 

it became hard to tell if I was born
to empower little girls or to mesmerize 

boys--the big ones and the small.

If that’s what you think

when you hear my name,
you’ve clearly not internalized
the idea of cruel waxing demanded by today’s
experts on grooming. (You should know

I didn’t do that. Somehow I was never convinced. 

Tights were another matter. I wore

them proudly--my woman-of-steel

brand-- lasso-wielding woman,

woman who bounced bullets
from magic cuffs, woman who didn’t need

D-cup implants
spilling out of her lamé bustier. 

Rogue Machine Theatre Hosts Staged Reading of Play by Marlan Warren with Ariel Kayoko Labasan

The work of the Crusaders, although obscure and unknown, was a means by which young people in confinement were able to prove that no physical boundaries could stop them from transcending beyond the 'barbed wires.' - Yuri Kochiyama (aka "Mary Nakahara")#YuriKochiyama
 

At the invitation of Rogue Machine Theatre in Hollywood, "Bits of Paradise: Kochiyama's Crusaders" will be presented as a staged reading on July 19 (3pm and 8pm) and July 20 (8pm). The play, by Marlan Warren in collaboration with Ariel Kayoko Labasan focuses on a women's movement founded by renowned human rights activist Yuri Kochiyama when she was known as 20-year old "Mary Nakahara" and incarcerated in U.S. concentration camps during World War II with her fellow Japanese Americans. Calling themselves "The Crusaders," the girls and women mobilized a morale-boosting letter-writing campaign that ensured that "any soldier missing a letter" would receive mail.

"The performances will be more 'staged' than 'reading,'" explained Warren, who co-produces with Labasan, and directs the play. "Some actors may not be holding scripts, and there will be action sequences, props and costumes."

Warren originally directed and produced "Bits of Paradise" as a Reader's Theater piece at The Marsh Theatre in San Francisco in 2008.

"Bits of Paradise places its footprint on the timeline of a much-needed theatrical examination of the Asian American journey."--Asian Week

Recently, the play was reworked and re-titled "Bits of Paradise: Kochiyama's Crusaders," after Warren joined forces with actor/playwright Ariel Kayoko Labasan, whose solo show, "Yuri Speaks Out!" played to packed houses at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Labasan will reprise her role as Yuri Kochiyama, portraying the activist from ages 20 to 84.

L.A. Playwright Marlan Warren's "Chasing Sangha" Featured at Athena Cats New Works Fest (4/8/17)

Los Angeles playwright Marlan Warren's play, "Chasing Sangha," has been selected for Athena Cats' New Works Festival of 10-Minute Plays, and will be performed as a staged reading Sat., April 8, at the City Garage in Santa Monica's Bergamot Station Arts Center. The event ties in with SWAN (Support Women Artists Now) Day.

"I'm thrilled Athena Cats invited me to be part of this afternoon of 10-minute plays," said Warren. "Athena Cats--with its focus on women playwrights and directors--is like a dream come true for me."

Athena Cats is the brainchild of playwrights/screenwriters Debbie Bolsky and Laurel Wetzork. This collective of Southern California area female playwrights and directors formed to bring unrepresented works written by women to the stage.

According to the Athena Cats website, the statistics for female playwrights are grim. Twenty-three percent of plays produced during the 2011-2014 season were written by women, according to a Female Playwrights Institute study.

"Our goal is to redress this imbalance," said Athena Cats co-founder Laurel Wetzork.

When Warren's one-act "Bits of Paradise" showcased at The Marsh in San Francisco, it received praise from "Asian Week":

"Based on letters written between Japanese American girls and women in the U.S. internment camps and Japanese American soldiers during World War II, Bits of Paradise places its footprint on the timeline of a much needed theatrical examination of the Asian American journey."

"Chasing Sangha" focuses on a Night in Hell in the California winter desert where two brand new women friends try to achieve mystical enlightenment according to a Shaman Certification course one of them is taking, but Murphy's Law comes along with them. "Sangha" refers to the Buddhist concept of finding strength and protection by bonding with like-minded people.

Spotlight on "Friggin' Whatever" Roots Rock Vet Ron DeSaram: "He even pees like Keith Richards!"

The year is 1980. In the photo that remains, Ron DeSaram can be seen bent over his guitar, massive hair flying in unruly waves against the night sky, anger written across his face in defiant happiness. He looks like he’s wearing all-white, but no way to be sure in this black & white action shot.

“That’s the night they shut the power down on us,” explains Ron, 37 years later, “July Fourth celebration in Lake Worth, Florida. Noise ordinance. Every time they’d tell us to turn the volume down, we’d turn it up.”

Ron DeSaram with his Les Paul Guitar [Photo by Greg Fontenot]

His wife, Nancy DeSaram, adds: “They turned off the power, started up the fireworks and then the palm tree next to the stage caught fire.”

Women's March L.A. 2017

L.A. WOMEN'S MARCH 2017 - MY PHOTOS OF THIS LANDMARK EVENT

Happy Valentine's Day!

At last, I've figured out how to put my Flickr photos from the L.A. Women's March 2017 in a slider on this blog. My apologies that I have not figured out how to not have my other photos on here, which will be included in my documentary, "What did you do in the War, Mama?: Kochiyama's Crusaders."

The film is about human rights activist Yuri Kochiyama and the Women's Movement she started while behind the barbed wire of a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. The photos you'll see here that reflect that film are from a performance of the Purple Moon Project at the Japanese American National Museum and there's one of the wonderful woman we interviewed who was 11 years old when she participated in Yuri's movement.

The beginning photos are the March. I'm sure you'll figure it out.

"Power never concedes without a Demand. It never has and it never will."

Created with flickr slideshow.

Yuri Kochiyama Interview 2009 Segment: "What did you do in the War, Mama...

For the first time since I've been working on this film (since Dec 2008) I was finally able to find a way to post a segment to YouTube (7 min.) that shows the actual video. Very grateful to the Movie Maker software I've been able to put onto this aging computer--although there's no way for me to actually edit the footage yet., This helps anyone who is interested or has donated $ to see what the film would include. Here Yuri at age 87 reads missives from the correspondence campaign she led at age 20 from behind the barbed wire of a U.S. concentration camp, to lift the morale of soldiers and in so doing, lift the morale of herself and the women & girls who participated during their World War II incarceration. Won't you please take a look, leave a comment, donate or whatever moves you to do. Thank you! Many blessings! 
Movie Website:
http://tinyurl.com/YuriFilm

"Big with Mercy": In praise and loving memory of George Weinberg-Harter

CLICK THIS LINK FOR VIDEO TRIBUTE TO GEORGE WEINBERG-HARTER

Note: This is not a bona fide obituary for my beloved friend, George Weiuberg-Harter. There are some excellent ones. Here are the links for them:

San Diego Union Obit

Welton Jones in San Diego Story

“One of the few who know who I really am has died.”

—What Don Draper, Mad Men, almost said

George Weinberg-Harter

Farewell

Back in 2004, when I decided to answer the Call of Rural Kansas and leave L.A. with all its woes and narcissists behind, my longtime friend in San Diego, George Weinberg-Harter sent me the CD set for the Mahler music based on the poetry of Li Po, which I saw as the equivalent of "Don't let the door bang you on the butt on your way out, Marlan." Included in this was an e-mail with the lyrics to one of the songs, aptly titled:  
THE FAREWELL.

How to Love a Writer

Painting by Setsuko Hayashki

Advice to the Lovelorn

If you value your privacy

 Do not date a writer.

If you have secrets

 Do not date a writer.

If you want to sneak around

 Do not date a writer.

If you want to lie your head off

 Do not date a writer.

If you want to see & not be seen

 Do not date a writer.

If you want calm and peace of mind

 Do not date a writer.

If you do not want to see yourself in Public

 Do not date a writer.

If you want to be cherished beyond all else

 Date a writer.

If you want to find new depths in intimacy

 Date a writer.

If you like the unexpected

 Date a writer.

If you accept your warts and all

 Date a writer.

If you do not care what she does as long as she’s with you

 Date a writer.

Advice to the Lovelorn, Warren, Marlan, November 5, 2016

[For Writers and the People & Animals Who Love Them.]

#poetry #writersinlove

Interview with Rocker Monty Warren [No Depression Journal of Live Roots Rock]

Monty Warren without the Whatevers
Photo by Raymond Goodman

This interview was originally published online in The Journal of Live Roots Rock:
 No Depression:

On Oct. 22, roots rockers Monty Warren & The Friggin' Whatevers (MWFW) came together at Alligator Alley Native Florida Sub Pub & Tap Room in Oakland Park, Fla. to celebrate the launch of MWFW's newest CD, Far Out Close Up, and the birthdays of Monty Warren, Chuck Berry and local musician/bar owner, Kilmo Doome (aka Carl Pacillo).

"This CD was released on Keith Richards' birthday at the end of last year," said Warren. "But that was the official CD Launch Party because we finally found the time to appear on stage."

The Palm Beach Post named Far Out Close Up to its annual Best Music List in 2015.

Book Review: IMPERFECT ECHOES: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie and oppression with Small (Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson)

Title: 
Imperfect Echoes: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie and oppression with Small
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Paperback: 148 pages
Publisher: HowToDoItFrugally Publishing (August 25, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1515232490
Genres: Poetry Anthology/Social Justice
Available at: Amazon 

BOOK REVIEW

CAROLYN HOWARD-JOHNSON'S IMPERFECT ECHOES IS JUST PERFECT 

Narcissus knows her reflection

well. She forgets to peer

under burkas, in our jails,

in the beds of the abused,

deeper, deeper into the pond...

                                             —Howard-Johnson, Carolyn. Narcissus Revisited. Imperfect Echoes.

First things first, proceeds from sales of Imperfect Echoes: Writing Truth and Justice with Capital Letters, lie and oppression with Small are donated to the non-profit human rights watchdog, Amnesty International USA.

Reading Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Imperfect Echoes made me want to write poetry. This Los Angeles award-winning poet lays out the landscape of her contemplative thoughts, feelings and reactions with such honesty and deceptive simplicity that they have the effect of offering a peek into her private journals. Yes, it would be wonderful to succinctly express my impressions in a well-crafted poem; however, what puts this poetry on par with leaping tall buildings (and thus out of my novice's reach) is the fact that each poem herein manages the feat of conveying personal and universal relevance at once.