Author Archives: Paul

About Paul

A Subud member since 2004, a local helper and the Rental Agent for Subud Greater Seattle from 2011, to 2020 Paul is a poet with 5 published books on poetry and poetics and is father to two beautiful girls. www.paulenelson.com

Poems for Peace

Poems4PeaceSeattleAnne Padilla and I are facilitating an evening of Poems for Peace on International Peace Day, September 21, 2013. An international event preparing for its second annual iteration sponsored by SICA, poetry being the main vehicle by which people express their desire for peace, in all of its manifestations. http://www.poems-for-peace.org/ Bring a dish to share at 6:30.

Poets involved in the recently concluded August Poetry Postcard Fest have been invited and the event will happen in the Chapel of the Subud House/Spring Street Center. There will also be music and dance performance and a collaborative poem composed at the event as a Prayer for Peace. We hope to see you. – Paul Nelson

See also: http://paulenelson.com/2013/09/03/poems-for-peace-seattle/ One poet confirmed:

Faiza Sultan

Faiza Sultan

Let’s Give War a Chance
1
كَيْ
يَمشِي الحُبُّ
حافِياًيَطرُقُ
أبوابَ الخَنادِق

So that
Love can walk about
Barefoot, knocking at
The doors of trenches.

2
كَيْ
تَلبسَ الفَراشَةُ
واقِيَة الصدرِ
عِندَ بوَّابَةِ كُلِّ زَهرة

So that
Butterflies can wear
Chest armors
At the gate of every rose

3
كَيْ
تُكَشِّرَ الشمسُ
عن أنيابِها
ويَحتَرِقَ الليل

So that
The sun can bare
Its teeth
And the night can burn away
4
كَيْ
نَبدَأبِالعَدِّ
كم رَأساً
نحتاجُ لِنُفِيضَ نهر
So that
We can start counting down
The number of heads
We will need to overflow the river
5
كَيْ
نَحْكِيَ
قِصَصاً لِأَطفالٍ مُشوَّهِين
عن “مُفَخَّخةٍ فِي بِلادِ العَجَائِب”
So that
We can tell the tales
Of disfigured children
About “A booby-trap in the lands of wonders”
6
كَيْ
نتَعَثّرَ
بِأجسادٍ مُنتَفِخَةٍ بِالأحلام
على أرصِفَةٍ سَوْداء

So that
We can stumble over
Corpses bloated with dreams
On dark sidewalks
7
كَيْ
نرى الوَطَنَ
مِثلَ السَفَّاحِيَطعَنُ أيَّامَنَا
على فِراشِ الحُلُم

So that
We can witness the nation,
Like a murderer, stab our lives
On a blanket of dreams
8
كَيْ نرى
الدُولارَ يتَسَكَّعُ
مع امرأةٍ جميلة
فِي ليلةٍ خانِقة
So that we can see
Dollars flirting
With a beautiful lady
In a choking night
9
كَيْ
تَفرِشَ الأمُّ
جناحيها علىأطفالٍ مَذعورينَ
وتَلتقِطَ القنابِلَبِأدعِيَتِها

So that
A mother can
Spread her wings over her petrified children
And catch bombs with her prayers

11
كَيْ تتَسَلَّلَ الوحدَةُ
وتحتَضِنَ الأرامِل

So that loneliness can sneak in
And hold the widows in its embrace
12
كَيْ
نَسمَعَ العَويلَ
مِن عَصافِيرَ
حُرِّقَتأعشَاشُها
So that
We can hear the wailing
Of sparrows
Whose nests have turned to ashes
13
كَيْ
نتَخَثَّرَمعَ الدمِ
ونُترَكَكأرقامٍ
فِي سِجِلٍّ بارِد

So that
We can clot with blood
And be left as numbers
In a cold record
14
كَيْ
يُوشَمَ السِياسِيُّون
عاهاتٍ سوداء
على جبينِهِمُ
المُتَدَيِّن

So that
Politicians can be tattooed
With dark blotches
On their foreheads
Of religiosity

15
كَيْ
نَلتقِطَ
قنابِلَ بشَرِيّة
خلفَأسوارِ الدين
So that
We can catch
Human bombs
From behind the walls of religion
16
كَيْ
نقترِبَ مِن الموتِ
ونتَحَسَّسَأظافِرَهُ البَشِعةِ
فِي ظُلْمَةِ الوطَن

So that
We can draw closer to death
And feel its disgusting claws
In the nation’s darkness
17
كَيْ نبقى
مَحصورينَ
في نُقطَةِ دَمٍ
سقَطَت مِن سُرَّةِ
التاريخ

So that we can remain
Trapped
In a drop of blood
That has fallen from the navel
Of history
18
كَيْ
ننامَ ونَحلُمَ
بِحُروبٍ جديدة

So that
We can sleep and dream
Of new wars
19
كَيْ
تبقى أغانِي الحرب
كعُشِّ الزنابِيرِ
في ذاكِرَتِنا

So that
The songs of wars can remain
Echoing in our memories
Like a hornet’s nest
20
كَيْ
نَسرِقَ لحظَةَ حُبِّ
سقَطَت سَهْواً
مِن جُثَّةِ مجهولةِ الهَوِيّة

So that
We can steal a moment of love
That fell off inadvertently
From an unidentified body

21

كَيْ
ننشُرَ الذُّعرَ
في قُلوبِ اليَماماتِ
وهِيَ تُصلِّي

So that
We can spread horror
In the hearts of doves
As they pray
22

كَيْ
نُلصِقَ وردَةً
على جُثّةِ كُلِّ شهيدٍ
لم يَتَمنَّى الشهادة

So that
We can stick a rose
On the corpse of every martyr
That did not wish for martyrdom

23
كَيْ
نُلوِّنَ العالَمَ
بِلونٍ جديد
خَلِيطٌ
من الدمِ
والقُبحِ
والجُنُون

So that
We can paint the world
With a new color
Blended with
Blood
Ugliness
And Insanity

24
كَيْ
نستَقبِلَ في بُيُوتِنا
ضُيُوفاً
لا نَعرِفُهُم
يحمِلونَ نُعوشَنا

So that
We can welcome in our homes
Guests
Unknown to us
And who carry our coffins

By
Faiza Sultan
2013‬

SICA_LOGO-CMYKrichBlue

Regional Congress, Sept 21 & 22

From Robina Page, Regional Chair

Subud Seattle’s Spring Street Center
                 1101  15th Ave, Seattle, 98122
 
Sat. Sept 21 for latihan, lunch and regional meeting with the Regional Dewan.
 
Sun. Sept 22 for latihan and kedjiwaan meeting (group testing) with the Regional Helpers.
Saturday the 21st:  meet and greet, with coffee, 10:30
                             latihan at 11
                             regional council meeting follows
                             lunch 1:00  (bring your own, or order in from local restaurant)
                             regional meeting- a chance to hangout with our brothers and sisters and hear what is happening in their neck of the woods. (1:45)
Sunday the 22nd   meet and greet  10:45
                            latihan 11:00
                            testing immediately afterwards
                                  bring your own lunch, or order in
Agenda for the meeting will include news from the region, from treasurer, and each group, family camp and menucha. We will decide if we want to continue to have a family camp and hear updates from Subud US and the World Congress planning committee.
Please let me know if you have any items for discussion.
We hope to see you there.
Robina Page – for the regional dewan

 

U.S. Senator Patty Murray in the House

U.S. Senator Patty Murray

U.S. Senator Patty Murray

All our hard work this past week in repairing and cleaning the center paid off with a delighted group who kept dropping great comments about the center and how “charming” it was. They had about 40 guests who were mostly senators and aids from Olympia plus guest speaker, U.S. Senator Patty Murray. Paul knew a number of guests from his days in politics which was nice. Many took brochures on both Spring St. Center and Subud. Rep. Frank Chopp, State Senators Sharon Nelson and Karen Keiser and Ed Murray (also the Seattle Mayoral candidate) attended. The head staff member said a state senator found us on the web and recommended us. So our website worked.

Hopefully, this will lead to some more bookings like this. . – Marston Gregory

Patty Murray Invite

FAMILY CAMP!!1 LOOK AT THE THE NEW PRICES

CHANGE IN RATES FOR CAMPING and have an OFFER FOR DAY VISITORS 

 
This year we are able to offer camping for $25 a day (5-18 years olds are half price) plus any meals you order.
 
 
Day visitors will be offered a $5 reduction is either lunch or dinner- and that includes tent campers.
 
 
We hope that this will help more people be able to attend!!!  We hope to see you there!  A great way to do latihan, a great way to be with other Subud members, a great way to be in nature.
 
 

Subud House Repairs by our dear Chair

All hail our Chair, David Lynch! Marston sent this report today:

Completed:
1  Ceiling in chapel totally fixed and looks great.
2. Ceiling in Room 4 patched and painted.
3.  Bathroom now has a hand lock in upper floor.
4.  Railing to top is stained and will go up tomorrow after I seal it.  hardware is up.
5.  Signage is now up for upstairs bathroom and also MSF plaque.
6.  I added flowers to the garden to spruce it up and cut back the roses which were looking awful.
7.  Toilet on main floor has new O-ring so it will now not leak.
8   Replaced the shade in room 3 (other one was jammed).
Lots of good things done.  David will come back and replace the railing on the deck and he is talking about adding a roof to it so
people can stand out there in the rain plus a floor deck in redwood.  Would look really nice.  It also would protect that door from the weather.
Great progress!

Prayers for Melinda

Melinda Wallis

Melinda Wallis

Longtime Subud member Melinda Wallis broke her femur and had surgery to correct the problem. Halimah Collingwood made this report on Facebook:

I just spoke with Melinda and she is doing pretty well considering. Her spirit is up, her humor intact but of course, has bouts of, “What’s it all about, Alfie?” She is watching herself watch the myriad of nurses and doctors from the many countries of the world, reflecting on compassion and how we treat each other. She is marveling at all the phone calls and messages of support and love from around the world. Melinda is an observer of human nature and in the hospital, she has plenty of food for thought. She will be moving to a rehab facility for about 3 months. And she loves hearing from you!

Old Time Members/New Homes

We in Subud Greater Seattle would like to welcome Sebastian and Lorraine Tedrow and Halstein and Ida Stralberg. Both families have recently bought homes in Lake Forest Park. Both families want to be near their growing grandkids.

We want to wish them much joy here in their new homes. Sebastian is Executive Director of Subud USA, Lorraine is Past Chair of SICA USA and Halstein is a local helper and Ida is a retired helper.

We are blessed to have these dedicated members joining our center.

El Habib Louai Talks Beat Poetry At the Subud House

Habib at Kerry Park, Seattle

Habib at Kerry Park, Seattle

Thanks in part to a SICA grant to help facilitate the visit of Moroccan Poet and Beat Scholar, El Habib Louai, he spoke yesterday (8.11.13) at Spring Street Center to Subud Members and other attendees about the Beats in Morocco, the cultural milieu in Morocco during that time (late 50s, 60s) and shared some of his work, which included some of his impressions of the Northwest U.S.

I am grateful to SICA, the Subud International Cultural Association and to the Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs for helping fund Habib’s visit to Seattle and to Subud Greater Seattle for hosting the talk at their Spring Street Center.

Introduction to Habib’s talk, August 11, 2013, at Spring Street Center in Seattle. (3:18)

Habib’s Talk, Part 1 (19:57)

Habib’s Talk, Part 2 (22:20)

Q&A (21:00)

Longtime Subud member and writer Hadiyah Carlyle said: “Sitting in our Subud house, sitting around on comfortable chairs, we heard El Habib Louai, a Moroccan poet making analogies to the beat poets of my generation to the rebelliousness of his generation in his country.  El Habib talked about his travels, his life.  It was so refreshing to hear his poetry and about his life.  It was also great to have Subud members sitting around listening with “outsiders,” young and old taking it all in. I also noticed that members were talking to the visitors, everyone enjoying refreshments, after the performance.  What a great way to build community.  I hope we have more programs like this.”

Habib reading Kerouacian Epiphanies in the Portland Greyhound Bus Station with the Jim O’Halloran Quintet, August 10, 2013 at Bradner Gardens (9:56)

Habib and I also visited Sam Hamill and his daughter Eron in Anacortes last night (8.11.13) & Sam gave Habib several books, and showed him the book Habitations, a remarkable work of book art by Ian Boyden. It is a huge series of original paintings with Sam’s poems laser-etched into the work. Hear part of Sam’s impromptu reading here.

Guest Poet from Morocco at the Subud House Sunday

El Habib Louai

El Habib Louai

Please remember this Sunday, August 11, please stay after latihan and hear El Habib Louai speak about the Beats from a Moroccan perspective and read some of his work, including translations of Allen Ginsberg into Arabic. SICA (the Subud International Cultural Association) and The City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs are sponsors.

El Habib Louai is a Beat Scholar from Agadir, Morocco, and is working on translating the poems of Allen Ginsberg and other U.S. poets into Arabic.

Saturday, August 10th Habib will perform a poem as part of the annual concert by the (Subud Brother) Jim O’Halloran Quintet at Bradner Gardens at 1730 Bradner Pl S,  Seattle. 6:30PM.

Sunday, August 11th, he’ll discuss the Beat poets from a Moroccan perspective at Spring Street Center, 1101 15th Avenue, Seattle. 12:30PM.

Monday, August 12th he’ll be the featured

reader at the North End Forum at the Wedgwood Ale House, 8515 35th NE, Seattle. 8:30PM.

Thursday, August 15th, he’ll discuss the Beat poets from a Moroccan perspective at the North Cascades Institute’s Environmental Learning Center near Sedro Wooley, WA. 7PM.

 

It seems that the inception of sentimental states is unchangeably similar

Dear clients, I shall seize the opportunity to canalize these feelings!

Especially to those sitting somewhere on bus station benches

Unexpectedly, waiting for trains or buses bound to nowhere

I would love to desperately inform you:

I reckon I have never visited Finland.

Actually, I probably never should visit Finland,

Since it is a place I love so much on paperbacks

I bought from Powell’s Books with my working class dimes

It turned out I am visiting 21st century American dream

 

Now that I am sitting in this greyhound bus station

Not because I am expecting a girlfriend’s heart to revisit

Not because I am picking up my grandmother’s leather suitcases

Not because I am bound to meet a Rockefeller businessman

Not because I am solitarily taking 8.30 train to Eugene

It is because I whimsically remembered Jack in his French Beret

It is because 50s style Cadillac car smoke gets into my myopic eyes

It is because my ears picked “Born to Be Wild” on the entrance to Portland Central Station

It is because I imagined again Jack’s mother weeping in front of Madonna icons

It is because I ventured into the epiphanies of the varieties of religious experience

 

It is In Portland where everybody leisurely rode their fanciful organic bikes,

In Portland where the deer leap and traipse through when you plant roses,

In Portland where blond girls walk in their vegan underwear late in the evening,

In Portland where Gays and Lesbians read their battered copies of “Gender Trouble”,

In Portland where Columbia and Willamette rivers erotically confluence,

In Portland where nouveau riche American couples have two types of tap waters,

I walked in distress when I saw old and young homeless pass out on hard floors

 

What would Kerouac say in this postmodern greyhound bus station?

Shall he say again “the floors of bus stations are the same all over the country, “

Shall he say again “they are always covered with butts and spit”

Shall he say again “they give a feeling of sadness that only bus stations have.”

Shall he say again the trip “was an ordinary bus trip with crying babies and hot sun”

 

I shall not dwell in memoriam of anything celebrating funhouse mirror reflection of Portlandia

I shall not join Portlandia’s cage-free, organic and fresh satires on Mississippi Avenue

I shall let the Road unfold in a series of joyful epiphanies, in truck stops, Greyhound bus station

I shall stare through the early evening windows of jazz bars

This shall be my love letter to the great American landscapes I left in Iowa, Ohio and Indiana

I shall be too busy for failing love relationship scruples

I shall just allow my muscles a space to twitch, to live the ragged joy and go

I shall just sit in the greyhound bus station and think everything over.