Literature Link for Nov. 7. 2021-Ahimsa [non-violence]
• “Once Again at Nonviolence Training, 2017” by Tess Taylor. Here is the poem Rev. Matthew read. “we are marching. / We plan chants./ Make signs at church.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/155189/once-again-at-nonviolence-training-2017 and “Apocalypto for a Small Planet” is another poem of hers, also written in a unique protest style. “& the radio reports how in 2050/ farming Massachusetts will be like farming Georgia — /all’s flux, no one can say what will grow in Georgia,” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/89553/apocalypto-for-a-small-planet
• “Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem” by Maya Angelou. Angelou’s moving Christmas poem, which she first read at the 2005 White House tree-lighting ceremony, comes alive in this beautiful children’s book. Angelou speaks of Christmas as “the halting of hate time.” The book depicts a family celebrating the holidays with their community — rich and poor, black and white, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish. Amazing Peace gives children a message of hope, peace and community. ~ Diverse — Elementary School. This website includes her poem, an audio of the author reading the poem aloud, and original, delightful artwork entries from the 2012 United Nations Art for Peace Contest so keep scrolling down.https://jamarattigan.com/2015/12/11/amazing-peace-a-christmas-poem-by-maya-angelou/
• The Frontlines of PEACE: An Insider’s Guide to Changing the World by Severine Autessaerre. “At turns surprising, funny, and gut-wrenching, this is the hopeful story of the ordinary yet extraordinary people who have figured out how to build lasting peace in their communities.“ [non-fiction] https://severineautesserre.com/sa_book/the-frontlines-of-peace-2/
• The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. This unforgettable novel puts human faces on the Syrian war with the immigrant story of a beekeeper, his wife, and the triumph of spirit when the world becomes unrecognizable. “A beautifully crafted novel of international significance that has the capacity to have us open our eyes and see.” — Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. WINNER OF THE ASPEN WORDS LITERARY PRIZE • FINALIST FOR THE DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE• “This novel speaks to so much that is happening in the world today. It’s intelligent, thoughtful, and relevant, but very importantly it is accessible. I’m recommending this book to everyone I care about.” — Benjamin Zephaniah, author of Refugee Boy
In faith,
Dale Dunnigan