Thank you for this opportunity to tell you about the World Peace Poets Read-In! Write-On event of November 9, 2013, at St. James Presbyterian Church.

The event was wonderful. The hard work of the committee members was continually rewarded with support and wide community interest. We found an appreciative audience for talented poets and musicians both in the hall and at our newly-created Facebook site: World Peace Poets. We strengthened our relationships with poets from Canada, who contributed to the peace discourse and filmed the event. We had a hearty reception with good food (the warm soup still lingers in our memory taste buds). The day grew in energy that summoned peace from many horizons into the living room of our spirits.

After the event, more fun and surprises brought smiles and cheers from participants.

Among these:

Juergen and Una Bruhns of B.C., provided photos of each presenter, set to music.

Click here to view

Poet Laureate of New Westminster Candice James wrote a tribute to Jim Milstead titled: “The Bard of Bellingham.”

The Bard of Bellingham

© 2013 Candice James, Poet Laureate, New Westminster, BC CANADA

A Tribute to Jim Milstead

Shock of white hair

And smiling eyes,

A gleam that warms the universe.

Then…

The mouth moves, opens.

A windstorm of beauty and love

Spills from the lips,

Drifts into the atmosphere.

Words,

Poetry in magnificent motion,

Edging into the heart,

Whetting the soul

To drop from the eyes.

Serene, glorious beauty

Raving in a gentle madness

Of wisdom and tranquility;

The eye of emotion

Threaded through the needle of need;

This satin dream,

Laced at the edges

With tendrils of leather and breath.

Shock of white hair

And smiling eyes,

The Bard of Bellingham,

Jim Milstead,

Moves his mouth

And delivers the dream.

Individual videos of the event were posted on youtube.com and can be found by dialing in Ken Silverbow Productions and downloading World Peace Poetry.

We especially want to thanks these community partners:  Thank you to Cami, Laura and Susan and Red Wheelbarrow Writers for partnering with us. Thank you to Chuckanut Sandstone Writers’ Theater; Speak Easy; Writers International Network; Village Books; Whatcom Family and Community Network; World Poetry Canada; Community Food Co-op; Saint James Presbyterian Church; SPARK Museum’s KMRE Radio; KUGS Radio; Teaching and Learning Arts; Lummi Youth Academy; and Community to Community Development.

Wishing you peace and good cheer throughout this holiday season,

Carla Shafer, Shannon Laws, C. J. Prince and Betty Scott

worldpeacepoets@gmail.com