In which the intro and the title are longer than the Poem,
in the manner of Scott Norman
More or less as it appeared in the July 25th, 1997 Edition of the Swarthmorean.
This cannot be easily checked as they are not yet internetted, though
this is not because they are waiting to see whether or not the Internet will last.
Delco Pledge has disbanded and many of us are still active in protest,
whether Greens or Independents, etc.
____________________________________________
The Delco Pledge of Resistance (formally the Delaware County Pledge of Resistance) recently marched for the first time in a July 4th Parade, which happened to be in our Borough. Swarthmore Poet Bob Small said “he had some fears about marching,” which he said resulted in a Poem “longer than the parade.” (Full confession, most of my life events can result in a Poem if not careful).
What follows is a small part of that work.
The Pledge Marches in the Swarthmore 1997 July 4th Parade and all is Calm
One block
the shortest blank march
I’ve ever been on
yet the longest
what if we were told
we were sub ver sive
in cur sive
un de ser ving
un amer i can
we received applause
claps of appreciation
after all
if July fourth
isn’t just a little bit about protest
then history should maybe call it
the Boston Coffee Party
and be done with it
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About bobsmall1
Bob Small has read at Bacchanal, Barnes and Noble, Borders,
The Booksource (Swarthmore), The Clark Park Festivals,Community College of Philadelphia
Highwire Gallery, The Mad Poets Annual Food Fest Reading,
The Middle East Restaurant, Nexus GalleryThe Painted Bride Arts Center,
The Philadelphia Ethical Society, Robin's Bookstore
The University of Pennsylvania and also in New York City,
Trenton, NJ, Washington, DC, and in many Delaware Valley Venues.
He is the author of numerous chapbooks, including
El Otro Lado (with Maralyn Lois Polak), On watching America Die,
Small Steps and Toes (with Lamont B. Steptoe), and The Unapoet.
This is his first Reading in over a year.
Bob Small was Founder and President of the
two decades old Poets and Prophets,
which presented Poetry Readings
in both Delaware County and Philadelphia.
Bob was the Chair of The Delaware County Green Party and was the
First Green Party Candidate in Delaware County (2005).
He was also a Green Party National Delegate, among other duties.
He is the Founder and Facilitator of
The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition (PaBac),
which is a Coalition of both Independents and Third Parties.,
seeking to legislatively improve Pennsylvania's Ballot Access Laws. (Facebook)
Bob is also a founding member and
Facilitator of Democracy Unplugged, and Delco Debates,
which has presented Independent and Third Party Forums in Delaware County since 2004. Facebook)
He was formerly involved with Cinema Resistance, and Delco Pledge of Resistance.
Bob currently lives in Swarthmore with his wife
and their menagerie of animals.
He is currently focused on writing a Novel and organizing his Poetry, which he posts on his Blog (Bob Small1). He is retired from most of the above activities, except Delco Debates and Poets and Prophets, which he may return to.
robertthesmall 