Painted Faces - A Poem

Painted Faces

Sitting between technology and primitive laziness
Trampled dirt – A dancing ring – Shaman Ecstasy – And a Computer Screen
War paint and feathers prepare for battle
Insurrection against the Babylon Mind
Mingled feelings, Being pulled both ways
One towards the Paleolithic Renaissance
The other towards the genetically perfect future
Babies built not created – Sperm and Egg
Traded for the perfect Test Tube fetus
My mind swings on vines
Remembrance of the past
Running in the clothes that confine
Let us paint our faces and Revolt

One of my favorite Earth First! pictures ….

This is one of my poems. A poem written well over 15 years ago. I found myself flipping through one of my old journals recently, and happened upon this gem. This was written when I was doing a lot of work with Earth First! I probably had just read an article about genetic engineering, and being the romantic punk rocker that I was, I let my feelings flow out!

Reading this brings me back to a youthful idealism that is so much harder for me to find these days. Anything was possible when I was 19. The world could be changed, and Damn It, I was going to be a part of it! Well, the world has changed, and you know what – I have been a part of it, just not how I imagined it was going to play out. I thought we were going to stop genetic engineering, and timber cuts, and highways. I thought we were going to be able to stop the climate from changing and save the polar bear from going extinct. I thought we had a chance to make the world better!

How wrong I was! The forests are still being clear cut, Monsanto rules supreme, and the climate is changing faster than ever. I am no longer an activist, and I no longer believe that we can change society as a whole. Does this mean I have given up – HELL NO!! While I am no longer out on the front lines, I feel that I am doing more now than I ever have. My life is now dedicated to my family, my humble ½ acre homestead, and a number of parks and wild places that I hold dear to my heart. Wendell Berry once said something along the lines of “ If you can’t take care of your own backyard, how can you take care of the world?” So this is where my energy now lies – at home, in my yard, and in my community.

I have recently come across, and subsequently been inspired, to have a bit more fun with what I publish here on Autonomy Acres. The Dark Mountain Project originated in the UK, and has now started to spread across the globe. It is a perfect match for my Anarchist, Earth centered life, and my energy for being a positive influence and role model! I forgot the world is still full of good poetry and art, and that these things can be a vehicle for change! Another good blog is Chris Condello’s. It is a good mix of Permaculture and Urban Farming, along with art and poetry- Thanks Chris! So what does the future hold for Autonomy Acres? Everything that you, my dear readers have come to expect plus more. I hope to share more poems and maybe some stories. I will always focus on Urban Farming, but there is so much more out there to talk about, we will see where inspiration takes me! Until next time – Peace & Cheers!