GOOD GOD, Y’ALL!
Well, no news to anyone, there’s a war on. As I type this column, there are big air strikes on “strategic” locations (on schedule for prime time on both coasts, no less); rampant outrage and peace protests around the world; polarized public opinion throughout the U.S. (tinged with a fervent hope that, at the very least, it’ll be over quick with very little body count); oil wells on fire; support-our-troops rallies at colleges. It’s the end of the world as we know it, and we feel fine.

Personally, I don’t support this thing. (That may have been obvious.) I’m also not the sort to spit on U.S. troops when they come back, as people did during Vietnam. No, when things like this happen, as they’re bound to from time to time, I think it’s important to step back and consider the role each of us plays in the world.

I’m a bona fide peacenik, make no mistake, but I also come from a long line of soldiers. My father was a marine, and my mother served in the army (although I understand her tenure was the basis for Private Benjamin.) I had an uncle in the Gulf, and my grandfather fought in World War II. I’m not without sympathy. Still, it saddens me when hawks don’t understand how someone can oppose war and yet still support our troops, as when one British minister sharply referred to the idea as “sophistry.” (Of course, I find it dubious when hawks use the phrase, “no one wants war” -- anyone who’s been around some of the more testosterone-laden of our citizenry can tell you otherwise -- but I digress.)

A soldier plays a role in a society. It’s his job to fight to protect the security and liberty of a country. That’s important. If it’s not the foundation of a nation, then it’s certainly a foundation. Soldiers don’t, however, have the luxury of picking their fights or questioning orders -- that’s the province of political leaders. And there are very good reasons why soldiers don’t and shouldn’t question orders without extremely good cause; doing so has the potential to get themselves and others killed. No, this war is heartbreaking. I feel it’s a mistake, and that it flies in the face of every effort to make this a better world from Jesus on the Mount to present, but I have no interest in badmouthing soldiers. Politicians? Yeah, they can get my verbal wrath, but that’s what they’re there for, and as we live in a nominally free country, I feel I have every right to say what I think.

You see, I’m a poet, and poets have a role to play in troubled times, also. While soldiers fight, and doctors heal, and politicians do whatever it is they do when they’re not shuffling the public’s cash to their political allies, it’s the role of a poet to speak with blistering honesty to the human truths of a situation, to look at the cacophonous horror of the world and reveal its emotional realities, to pull the pictures and feelings and images from the fire that validates our lives, that makes them worthwhile even as the flames of war burn.

This goes beyond taking a side on an issue, although I think it’s telling that there are more than 9,000 poets registered at poetsagainstthewar.org, and less than 400 at poetsforthewar.org. In times like these, a poet must act as both conscience and historian, shaman and preacher. If you are drawn to poetry as a calling, and not just as a hobby or a means of self-therapy, then please remember that there is as heavy a responsibility on your shoulders in these troubled times as on anyone else. If nothing else, there is an immense and growing amount of pain out there, and we will be desperately needed to speak to it, and help it heal.

CAMBRIDGE POETRY AWARDS
Heh. And now that I’ve gone all serious and preachy... let’s announce the winners of the Cambridge Poetry Awards, which were handed out March 9th at Marran Theatre, Leslie University. Jack McCarthy hosted, with a special performance by Regie Gibson. The winners in the performance poetry category were:

• Spoken Word Female:
• Spoken Word Male: Regie Gibson
• Humorous Female: Tanya Rubins
• Humorous Male: Jack McCarthy
• Erotic Female: Joyce Cunha
• Erotic Male: Michael Culp
• Hip-Hop Female: Shilo
• Hip-Hop Male: Marlon Carey
• Slam Female: Iyeoka Okoawo
• Slam Male: J*me
• Performance Poet of the Year: Iyeoka Okoawo & Regie Gibson
• Mixed Media: Regie Gibson
• Poetry Troupe: Blackout Boston
• Street Poet: Brother Blue & Marc Goldfinger
• Storyteller: Brother Blue
• Half Life Acheivement Award 2003: Regie Gibson

• Outstanding Book of Poetry: Skian Mcguire, Love Sex God & Everything
• Outstanding Modern Poem: Susan Landon, “To Senor Roberto Gonzalez of Arroyo Amarillo”
• Outstanding Short Poem: Linda Conte, “Little Weed”
• Outstanding Traditional Poem: Globiana, “Soliloquy”
• Outstanding Narrative Poem: Leonard Germinara, “Brautigan”
• Outstanding Female Love Poem: CD Collins, “The Fox”
• Outstanding Female Erotic Poem: CD Collins, “Infiltration”
• Outstanding Political Poem: Chris O’Carroll, “Seriously Though Folks”
• Outstanding Male Erotic: J*me, “Bathroom 3rd Floor”
• Outstanding Male Love Poem: Chad Parenteau, “First in a Series”

• Poetry Venue: Amazon Slam
• Poetry Event: Megacipher
• Poetry/Spoken Word CD: Omekongo Dibinga, A Young Black Man’s Anthem
• Poetry Web site: Nest O’Vipers

JACK ATTACK
New Hampshire’s Jack McCarthy, in addition to hosting award ceremonies, has a brand-new book, entitled Say Goodnight, Grace Notes: New and Corrected Poems (EM Press), due out April 1. In conjunction with his book release, Jack will be appearing:

• Thursday, April 3, 7 pm
  Funky Buddha Lounge, 728 W. Grand, Chicago as part of the Chi-Town Classic during Slammasters Weekend.
  
  
• Saturday, April 5, 7-10 pm
  Subterranean Nightclub, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago as part of Slammasters Weekend, with a special segment dedicated to Jack’s book release.
  
  
• Sunday, April 6, 7-10 pm
  Green Mill Lounge, 4802 N. Broadway, Chicago as part of Slammasters Weekend. Slampapi Marc Smith has promised a special three poems read by Jack as part of his book release.
  
  
• Monday, April 7, 7:00 pm start
  Funky Buddha Lounge, 728 W. Grand, Chicago. Full-feature book release for Jack.
  
  
• Tuesday, May 6
  Regie Gibson’s monthly gallery reading, Boston (more info to come). Jack will read a poem to publicize the Cantab book release.
  
  
• Wednesday, May 7
  The Cantab Lounge, 738 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge. Full-feature book release for Jack at the place where he started, poet Michael Brown’s famous Boston Slam.

THE REGIE GIBSON EXPERIENCE
So, just when did this column get to be all about Jack and Regie anyway? I can’t deny, though, that they are two of the best. Gibson put on the best reading I’ve ever heard him do recently at the Java Hut in Worcester (Poets’ Asylum), including readings from his forthcoming collection of Jimi Hendrix poems, which are simply astounding. Our man in Boston has also been running a gallery reading near MIT, but we don’t have the information on it on hand. We’ll post it as soon as we know more.

OUTTA HERE
I have more to say -- much, much more -- but this has been going on too, too long and frankly, I want to go drink myself silly until the war’s gone. For more info on New England poetry, visit Poetsasylum.org, GotPoetry.com and any number of the fine links from there. Peace.

Victor Infante