THE POET'S MANIFESTO
1 THE ART OF FREEDOM
Break the silence
Make a wish
Remember-
You exist
2 THE ART OF STORY TELLING
No story is ever true or untrue
Stories may only give life
Or take it away
The Nameless Ones believe in names
We must use words
To invite them and invoke them
But remember always:
There is no enlightenment in words
The greatest story ever told
Is just a finger pointing at the sky
3 THE ART OF VISION
And remember this:
The dream is a living dream
The poem is never ending
The song is never over
We must work within the dream
Forever telling and retelling
Do not ask me "when?"
Pick up the pen
4 THE ART OF REVISION
The sunken hill you fear
is a palace filled with darkness and light
And infinite visions
The palace is a city
Filled with dreams and
Visions, stories, love and wonder
The city is a body
And in this body lies a pattern
And in this pattern lies an egg
And in this egg there lies the universe
Infinite in wonder
I accept my body
I accept the living dream
5 THE ART OF VENTRILOQUISM
I have the intention to lend my song to silent ghosts
I have the intention to lend my voice to distant bodies
I have the intention to unify
I have the intention to be whole
There are no choices
we must read aloud the story
using different voices
Your body is Christ and Krishna
Your lungs are Vishnu and Buddha
The house of god is in your flesh
The house of god is in your bones
I am an artist
I am a healer
I am a shaman
I am a father
I am a man
6 THE ART OF CLOSURE
And now I see my demons in a different light
You were sent to help me write
And to tell the ancient story
Of a wounded knight
Forever searching for the grail
Forever bound to fail
Put down your sword
and you will find me
Lift up your pen
I am here
copywrite: William Baker 2013
this is the author's own work
no reproduction or printing without his consent