Join us for Random Acts of Poetry and Art Day on February 20, 2015!

Random Acts of Poetry & Art Day on February 20, 2015 is an international day of inspiration.  As an artistic pay-it-forward movement, our purpose is to spread the joy of the creative process.  Wherever you are on this day, please join us in sharing your poems and visual art for all to enjoy!

It’s up to you what you do!  A few examples: leave behind free poetry cards or quotes at coffee houses, cafés and libraries; give away mini works of art; donate art prints and poetry books to non-profit organizations or schools; or give away handmade scarves or jewelry.  Create, be inspired, and share photos of your Random Acts of Poetry & Art on our Facebook event page.  For more information and ideas, please visit the RAPA Facebook page.

Who knows?  You could change someone’s day in an instant of art and poetry!

~The RAPA Inspiration Crew

"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.  The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves." ~Amelia Earhart

Looking for ideas for a special gift tag for your art or poetry giveaway? We've got you covered! Here is a sample of what you could do. Sometimes people need to know that they have found FREE art and poetry! This is a png image which can be saved as a pdf for print out, or you can make your own. 

Here is an example of my FREE poetry/photography postcard for RAPA Day this year:

(front of card / "Myth of Lack" Copyright 2015, Cristina M. R. Norcross)

 

(back of card / www.firkinfiction.com)

This year's RAPA Day theme is: "Philosophy Legacy" - choose a key word or phrase that represents the wisdom you would like to pass on to the next generation of poets and artists! What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind, based on your art? Create something centered around your own words of wisdom.

Here is an example of a pair of my "word philosophy" earrings (Biku Beaded Designs), which I made to give away for RAPA Day.  I plan to leave these earrings as a gift at a local coffee house, where I know a lot of writers work. I want other poets/writers to remember to not only be artful in their own writing, but to inspire others to create as well.

Don't forget to share your Random Acts of Poetry and Art, by posting photos on our Facebook page! Thank you for joining the journey! 

"One Hundred Percent" poem by Cristina M. R. Norcross / video remix by Othniel Smith

Several of my previously published poems are now available on The Poetry Storehouse site.  This is an innovative, online, collective movement, encouraging cross-pollination of the arts, so that poems, music and film can have a greater impact on our creative culture.   All genres of the arts are connected.  When we inspire one another, we bring our art forms to a higher level.   

I am honored that two of my poems have been chosen, so far, by filmmakers (Marie Craven / "The Red Drum" and Othniel Smith / "One Hundred Percent") to create short, video remixes.  The latest online creation is a film by Othniel Smith, available to view on Vimeo.  "One Hundred Percent" originally appeared in the print journal, Verse Wisconsin.

Please visit the VIMEO site to watch the video remix of "One Hundred Percent" by Othniel Smith.  Many thanks to Othniel for creating this moving, visual accompaniment to my poem.  Seeing the many different faces of society, allows us to understand, on an even deeper lever, that we are all ONE.  When we see ourselves in others, we connect with our shared humanity and develop compassion for all people. 

One Hundred Percent

You are more than a statistic.
You are blood and bone.
You are purpose and spear.
You are part of a symbiotic whole –
an organism
that moves together,
grows together,
strives together
and thrives together.

You are a person,
not a ruffled piece of paper.
There is no refuting
your truth,
your beauty,
your authentic walk to grace.
You are here

because we are all here –
reaching for
a book on the shelf,
a roast chicken on the table,
the prescription for an ailing heart.

You are part of the 100 percent.
We are not divided.


Cristina M. R. Norcross

Published in Verse Wisconsin October/2013