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Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"

A poetry jam in space — created across and despite razor wire, prison bars and censored phone lines. It is a gathering of poets to celebrate the work of sister poet Marilyn Buck, who has spent more than 20 years in US prisons for her anti-imperialist politics and actions.In the eyes of the government, Marilyn is an enemy of the state, despised for her role in freeing Black Liberation leader Assata Shakur, hated for her willingness to risk her life and freedom for a world imaginable only to a revolutionary—or a poet.
Yet for the poets who rushed to lend their voices and their words to this collection, Marilyn is someone very different – a woman who lives for transformation. Through her political activism and writing, she creates the possibility of a world of social justice and peace. Through her approach to prison, she transforms the repression and censorship of imprisonment and, in the process, has become a poet.The poet contributors read Marilyn's poems and their own. They include Amiri Baraka, carolyn baxter/Nottiehead Bosco, Dennis Brutus, Aya De Leon, Fanny Howe, Uchechi Kalu, Elana Levy, Genny Lim, devorah major, Sara Menefee, Kiilu Nyasha, Maria Poblet, Presente!, Carlos Quiles, Samsara, Sonia Sanchez, Staajabu, Jean Stewart, Piri Thomas, Kwame Ture/Stokely Carmichael, Nellie Wong, Merle Woo, and Mitsuye Yamada. See the poet profiles and the poems.
Framing the poetry is music contributed by India Cooke, Eugenio Maldonado “El Viejo Mago," Fred Ho & the Brooklyn Saxophone Quartet,Copper Wimmin, Idris Ackamoor, and the musicians and activists of Shame the Devil.

Documents

Devorah Major Reads Prison Chant Devorah Major Reads Prison Chant
Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
Devorah Major reads Marilyn Buck's piece on the devastation of incarceration on the family. Devorah Major, San Francisco's third poet laureate, is also a novelist, essayist, teacher and arts activist.
Vini Bhansali Reads A 15 year-old  Palestinian Woman in Prison Vini Bhansali Reads A 15 year-old Palestinian Woman in Prison
Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
Vini Bhansali Reads Marilyn Buck's poem on Palestinian political prisoners. As part of Poetry for the People, Vini co-facilitated a writing workshop at the Federal Correctional Institution at Dublin, California (FCI Dublin), where she met Marilyn.
Marilyn Buck Reads Reading Poetry Marilyn Buck Reads Reading Poetry
Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
Poem read by the author.
Amiri Baraka introduces Wild Poppies Amiri Baraka introduces Wild Poppies
Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
Poet, playwright, essayist, teacher and activist Amiri Baraka introduces the audio compendium of poetry, "Wild Poppies", and describes Marilyn Buck's struggle against imperialism with metaphor.
Genny Lim Reads Rescue the Word Genny Lim Reads Rescue the Word
Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
Poem by Marilyn Buck, as read by American poet, playwright and performer Genny Lim.
Dennis Brutus Reads One-Hour Yard Poem Dennis Brutus Reads One-Hour Yard Poem
Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
Professor Emeritus Dennis reads Marilyn Buck's poem on her experience in prison.
Akwasi Evans Reads Space Akwasi Evans Reads Space
Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
poet, publisher and revolutionary Akwasi Evans reads Marilyn Buck's piece for "Wild Poppies".
Marilyn Buck Reads Concrete Cocoon Marilyn Buck Reads Concrete Cocoon
Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
An excerpt from "The Order: 9 AM PDT", read by the author. Part of "Incommunicado: Dispatches from a Political Prisoner"
Rap for Justice Rap for Justice
Format: mp3Program: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
A rap by Marilyn buck on rebellion against the Prison Industrial Complex, from "Incommunicado: Dispatches from a Political Prisoner"
Marilyn Buck Reads The Tortured Marilyn Buck Reads The Tortured
Year: 2004Format: mp3Producers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Materials Recorded and Gathered for "Wild Poppies"
Marilyn Buck reads her short poem on imprisonment. From "Incommunicado: Dispatches from a Political Prisoner"