Lehigh Valley Vanguard Collections Poetry & Politics

"The most unfailing herald, companion, or follower of the awakening of a great people to work a beneficial change in opinion or institution, is poetry." Percy Bysshe Shelley When initiating Lehigh Valley Vanguard, the desire to incorporate poets into the fold was at the fore. Of all the folks I know, I find poets to be some of the most conscientious people vying for critical social shifts. If politicians are permitted to use ornate language to convince the public they are for the people, certainly poets, divinely called whistleblowers, are allowed to be equally obscure. The poet's work is a habit of attention, making events which seem mundane extraordinary. Conversely, poets have trouble living in ways which are rote and uninspiring; this makes for a fascinating life path. The poems in this volume reflect the role of poets in political protest. Their sharp insights on everything from implicit racism, die-ins, authority, labor rights, and the news are included here. Additionally, you'll find lines on burgers, Jif, gardening, and conveyor belts. But that's what the poet does. They expose the commonplace as not-so-dull. Actually, these prosaic objects, feelings, actions are the same ingredients to social change. That's what poets can show us. All of our actions, when done over a period of time, form a life of choices. Understanding these habitual choices as significant...that's revolutionary. Poems by Matt Wolf Deirdre Johnson Paul Walsh Margaret Campbell Sandy Feinstein & Keysha Whitaker Ann E. Michael Ben Anderson Wesley R. Bishop