Rojan Zét, revolutionist

Being asked to become Resident Poet on this café is an entry into the unknown for me, a challenge I feel honoured to accept, and a distinction I hope to do justice. Thank you, Arts Café.

The inspiration for "Revolutionist" comes from another poem seen on a wall during college years.

"If you want to be a stone then be a precious stone, If you want to be a flower then be a flower facing the sun, If it is a bird that inspires you then by all means be a white dove, But if you want to be a real human being, you must become a revolutionist."

- Author unknown

Revolutionist

Artwork by Rojan Zét

Splitting shadows in
a tingling jungle.
Mud sucking boots
between standing trees.
Butterflies wobble in
spots of sunshine through
rays floating dust split
by shadows in a
living trap.

Bullets splashing
between mangrove roots.
Boots sucking mud,
dust of blasted clay,
a golden spot of sun,
smoke in the air,
rays between shadows
catching the silent
butterfly, the trembling
leaf, the moving barrel,
the jerk of my head (cool
cheek) against the mud.

Only a scorpion hitting me
on the leg, while killer
scarecrows stalk us in
a quiet jungle, splitting
the shadows.

Rojan Zét

Cowichan Valley Arts Café Resident Poet

Rojan Zét has graciously agreed to participate as the Resident Poet for the Cowichan Valley Arts Café.

Rojan was recently awarded the People's Choice Award for his poem "Winter" at the Cowichan Valley Verse & Vision Show in November '09.

Rojan Zét at Verse & Vision opening night 2009 photo courtesy of Neil Fatin

He describes himself as follows:

Rojan Zét - (rhymes with no jam eh?) - residing in the Cowichan Valley, a spirit whose formative years witnessed the twentieth century occupation and displacement of American automobiles. A passive observer pre-occupied with the state of being and the potential of the successful *Human Inadequate, Rojan has produced several chapbooks of poems, short stories, and personal essays struggling with form and content gradually realizing who the bad guys really are, and it's not who they want you to think.

*unrealized self-actualization for increasing numbers of social stake-holders

______________________

... has agreed to provide the Café with new poems on a monthly basis.

Thank you Rojan for your participation and your generosity of spirit.

... related link

Art in everyday Cowichan Valley life

On Station Street in downtown Duncan in the heart of the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island there is a place where one is invited to stop and rest a moment. There you will find a totem pole by Harold Alfred, Kwakwaka'wakw Native American Indian Artist.

Turn up your speakers and click play to hear a great soundtrack and watch an impressive video representing the artwork of Harold Alfred.

Totem Pole carved by Harold Alfred © City of Duncan

Studies reveal the general public consider the arts important even if they do not personally attend formal arts events.

This post invites your comments on the beneficial influence of the arts in the daily lives of individuals and communities.

"Art speaks to us through the clamour of our social lives, reminding us to look beyond what we know to what is implicit in our existence and our natures, to what is wild, untamable and free." John Waters, The Pursuit of Glorious Failure.

Take a moment and let us know what you think.

How has art influenced / enhanced your life?

Rojan Zét

Rojan Zét is the talented, generous and inimitable resident poet of the Cowichan Valley Arts Café. This is a collection of links to his brilliant contributions to the Café. I love his poetry and I am forever grateful.

• Away Ugly Day
• Bright Angel Park
• Chemainus
• Clouds
• Congruence
  
• Cowichan
• Cowichan Bay
• Doors
  
• Ferris
• Fly
  
• Formation
• Genome
• Gone
• Gone Fishin'
  
• Here
  
• Koksilah
  
• Love
• Meander
  
• Midnight Year End
• Mirages
  
• Moon Dog
  

• Morning
• Net
• Passing
  
• Password
• Peace
  
• Postcard to Jupiter
• Recipe
  
• Revolutionist
• River
• Sand
  
• Scar
  
• Snype Hunting
• Swimming
• The Road
• The Filigree of Cedar
• To Be
  
• Tomato
  
• Tyeshia Jones 1992 - 2011
• Welcome to Rojan Zét

Explore www dot rojan dot freeservers dot com where,

"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof."
- Richard Bach

Thank you so much Rojan for your inspired contributions to the Café.

"LOSS" by Beverly Koski

Loss, mixed media by Ron Greenaway

He told her
he didn’t love her.
He told her
he didn’t want to marry her.
But he did.
Because of the baby
he did.
And the marriage
didn’t work.
He worked
and it didn’t work.

So he fixed it.
He played
soccer.
He played
cricket.
He played
tennis.

So she left, dry eyed.
And so did the baby.


Beverly Koski