This poem stopped me in my tracks…

One of the lovely things about Proost has been the way it has allowed the connection of creative people over a wide distance. Poetry in particular has allowed people to connect into what has often felt like a ‘tribe’ or community. Talitha, who was a core part of previous Proost poetry collections, is down in Australia for example, and it is through her that Stevie sent in this poem.

Take a moment and listen to this. You will not regret it.

Today we get to hear the brilliant musicianship and creativity of Lofter.

I ‘met’ Ant, Lofter’s lead singer through reaching out around Proost things as he had been a previous contributor of music to the old publishing platform. We interviewed him on our podcast, in which he tells his musical/spiritual story. What a talent!

Proost advent 5 brings us two lovely poems by Hannah Caroe, both inspired by the annunciation.

Today’s beautiful and moving video comes from Australia. which Talitha describes like this;

This moment of Advent quiet pause is an invocation, and a cry of protest, and incorporates a blessing from Garry Worete Deverell, a Trawloolway man from northern Tasmania. Images and video curated by Talitha Fraser, a Ngai Tahu/Pakeha settler living on the lands of the peoples of the Kulin Nations with respect and gratitude for mana wahine in her life.

Today a video and poem from Tim Watson, who goes under the name of Beat Liturgist. I first met Tim at Greenbelt many years ago, when he performed a Beat (as in that generation of poets rebelled against the conventions of mainstream American life and writing) communion service. Here is his brilliant poem, called ‘Soul Running’.

Today’s Proost advent post is not a video, but an original piece of art by the wonderful Si Smith – a long time contributor and friend to Proost.

We asked him to say something about the work- although artists often prefer their art to speak for itself! In this instance, this is what he said;

….it was made in 2014 (I think) for one of Gav Mart’s Engedi shows in Llandudno, and it was probably the first digital painting that I’d done full colour (everything pre that had been basically greyscale – 40, Raised in Leeds, Advent 25 etc)

So it’s interesting to get it out and look at it again – at the time it felt like a Great Leap Forward for my practice, looking back at it it feels quite clumsy and awkward. That said, I still really like it.

The block of flats in it is down the end of our road – there are a few of these buildings, all constructed to the same plan and when we first moved here I got bit obsessed with them.

So the Virgin Mary of this artwork lives in this one, and Mary Magdalene in Raised in Leeds lives in the block just down the road…

Here is the picture. Spend some time with it!

Here is the first vid of our advent making…