Warrior Poet Prose

Buy it here: https://peacesupplies.org/products/warrior-poets-society-cassette-tape-set/

“A Night to Howl” by Neal in Austin

Yeeha! Awoooooo! I’m damn happy to introduce the recently released Warrior
Poet Society’s A Night to Howl, a new collection of Earth First! poetry and
music. This three tape set thoroughly documents two amazing evenings of
performance, February 3, 1994 in Los Angeles and February 8, 1996 in
Tucson. They contain over 80 songs and poems from 30 artists. This is a
watershed event, a high-water mark in the growth of Earth-honoring culture.
Many thanks to those who took on this formidable task.

These tapes do what art is supposed to do. They mirror, warts and all, the
diversity, passion, and intelligence of the community that produced them.
They explore the issues that have been at the heart of EF! activism in
recent years. In some ways, they tell the story of our collective life more
effectively than any EF! Journal article or Rendezvous workshop. No, they
don’t resolve the strategic and interpersonal issues that have plagued us,
but they do provide a clear picture of where we are right now. They do
what a healthy culture is supposed to do. They document and honor our past
and attempt to prepare us for the future.

Since this collection accurately reflects our diverse community and the
dire situation we face, prepare to be both inspired and challenged. Several
pieces go to the heart of the recent violence / non-violence debate.
Several pieces deal with gender issues that have been much debated in
recent years. Art that avoids difficult issues is insipid and dishonest. It
is to this collection’s credit that it directly addresses the thorniest
issues that we face. If you want art that doesn’t do this, you can always
turn on most any commercial radio station.

Since I don’t have room to comment on all the material in this collection,
I’ll just try give you a feel for its diversity. The LA tape opens with
Dennis Fritzenger’s “Agenda,” which is “something historically demanding,
simply love and understanding, put away thoughts of pride and pelf, and
simply love the Earth for itself.” Adam Bregman’s “The Greenpeace Store” is
an exquisite slam of eco-shopping. Anne Peterman relates John Bartles’ poem
“Calling All Humans,” a no doubt accurate portrayal of the non-human
perspective. Peter Bralver’s “About Trickster and Two Stories,” reveals a
sinister government plot to induce a “single agonizing controlled delay,
final and adjustable, catastrophic ecospasm.”

The talented and spirited Kids for Konservation will give you hope for the
future as they cover Walkin’ Jim Stoltz’s tune “A Kid for the Wild.” Janet
Allen demands that we “Extend the Circle” of our ethics beyond human life.
Dwight Worker’s poem “Wild Assed” provides the movement with material for
future gender dynamics discussions.

Side two starts with Mark Williams’ “Mesa Roja,” a brilliant piece that
relates a “fictional” situation in which the F.B.I. infiltrates an
environmental group. Adam Bregman’s “The Bears” is a hilarious tale of
renegade bears wreaking havoc in human society. Leeona Klippstein’s
“Stabbing at the Sacred” is a beautiful examination of the conflict
between modern technological society and ancient, feminine, Earth-centered
cultures.

The Tucson tapes open with Peg Millet’s beautiful “Medicine Wheel Song.”
Next, a biting song from Terry Stone challenges those who have “A Whole
Wheat Look and a Wonderbread Mind.” Dennis’ poem “High Explosives”
expresses his regret that the U.S. Army hadn’t prepared him to be a
militant environmentalist. And Pam Uschuk warns of a world “Without Birds,
Without Trees, Without Flowers.”

On to the next side — hope yer still with me. Lisa Tso’s “Up On Black
Mesa” tells of the conflict between the Dineh and Hopi peoples and Peabody
Coal. Leslie Helmstreet sings of the power of women’s cycles in “PMS
Avenger,” the power of shoplifting in “I Am An Anarchist,” and the power of
violence in “Fantasy.” Petey Mesquitey celebrates gardening in “I Dig.”
Mathew Hawn takes on the topics of animal testing, phony environmentalism,
nuclear waste, and the men’s movement.

Since I’m running out of space, I’ll just say that the last tape contains
excellent contributions from Janet Planet, Gerry Glombecki, Bonnie Abzug,
Seth, Peter Galvin, Karen Coulter, Sasha, Sue Ring, David Yerkey, Maya
Greenwood, James Lewis, Peg Millett and David White.

So what is the significance of this collection? What is its relevance to
EF!ers and society in general? To answer these questions, I think we need
to consider the history of EF! music and spoken word. In the early 1980’s
there were only a few courageous artists devoting themselves to this type
of art. Since then the number of artists and the quality and quantity of
their work has increased dramatically. Their efforts are reviving the
ancient and desperately needed tradition of culture that honors the Earth
and her defenders.

At the 1989 EF! Rendezvous, I first the power of this culture to give a
voice to the love I felt for the natural world and the rage I felt over its
destruction. It affected me deeply. It helped me to recognize the Earth as
my home and its life as my family. It inspired me to devote my life to
honoring and protecting the Earth.

As we approach 1999, Earth and activist oriented art is needed more than
ever. At a time when people are deeply alienated from nature, this art can
help people re/establish and maintain healthy bonds. For those who are
paralyzed by grief or rage, this art is powerful medicine. As we watch huge
media corporations gobble up every major form of media, this art keeps
alive the culture they are killing. These voices sing loud and clear in
open defiance of the destroyers. “How can we keep from singing?”