On June 4th in NYC after the release of his 4th book Peace Out Poems about My Abnormalities Normality social activist performance artist ~Keith Alan Hamilton~ will do his 2nd AFSP Out of the Darkness Walk in 2 weeks. As he did recently with his friend Madeline Sharples in San Francisco, Keith will again do this walk as a part of Team S.O.L.E.S. Keith’s walking partner for NYC, Regina Walker isn’t able to do the walk as she had planned. Both Regina and Madeline added their own contributions to Keith’s book published by Inner Child Press. Buy now http://www.innerchildpress.com/keith-alan-hamilton.php
Keith summaries the book as follows……. The ups and downs of a super charged mind – depression and notions of life’s end, socially embedded predispositions and inhibitions brought back to light out of the darkness. To create dialogue and nurture a cooperative, PRO-HUMAN spirit that emerges a healing for the continuance of a more PROACTIVE life. Artistically expressed through Images with Words by social activist, mystic, performance artist ~Keith Alan Hamilton~ Dedicated to Madeline Sharples, her son Paul, Regina Walker, her sister Dolores, Team S.O.L.E.S – those they remember, and the AFSP Out of the Darkness Walks.
Keith needs to raise a $1,000.00 for this 16 mile walk. If you donate to the June 4th NYC Out of the Darkness Overnight walk, Keith will send you a signed copy of his book for free. Regina and Madeline will sign the book as well. A portion of the proceeds for each book sold will be donated to the AFSP.
Donate for the NYC walk here…… http://theovernight.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=17468 a part of Team S.O.L.E.S. (Captain Deborah Rose).
As a social activist performance artist, Keith will be creating and walking as a body metaphor by wearing a blue AFSP shirt, and underneath dark clothes with a hood. This will symbolize the transitional process – to bring back to light out of the darkness, to air out, and confront through the healing process of dialogue, those inhibitions and predispositions that cast a dark shadow over those who struggle with mental conditions (depression, Bi-polar), thoughts of suicide or suffer from the loss of someone to suicide.
Come out and cheer them on…..
Below two poems from the book Peace Out Poems about My Abnormalities Normality.
thoughts of suicide
hidden in the shadows ~ running
around and around
in a darkened mind
that’s socially conditioned
to think it is possessed
by a demon
resistent to exorcism ….
with a fear of discovery
of what others may think
how others may react
thoughts of repercussion like ~
loss of job
being committed
to an insane asylum
reputation
will be tarnished
with the lingering stench
of the label
mentally ill
branded across the forehead
put
in a straight jacket
get electroshock therapy
be held
captive in a drug induced
coma
and hear
whispers in the night
of words like ~
bi-polar
severely depressed
lost soul
if only
if only
thoughts of suicide
held secretly in a mind
could be brought to light
out of the darkness
be heard
without judgement
or fear of repercussion
and then helped to turn
such thoughts
into a life worth living
a mind
filled to the brim
with thoughts …..
….. overflowing with love
hope and joy
forevermore
peace out
Image & Words by ~Keith Alan Hamilton~
I’m a survivor
who travels
from darkness to light
or from the light
to darkness
fully experiencing
all the shades of gray
between the two
at times
this journey
called life
can be lonely
and sad
even though
others are around
ridden with doubt
fear and conflict
shadowed
with the possibility of
life’s end
however
such moments
of affliction
offer up
those opportunities
for courage
and a chance for
a renewal
of self worth and purpose
a coming out of
the darkness
that gleefully brings
the spirit of
joy and hope
back for a while
as bright as
the sun
not to be eclipsed
by the moon
I’m a survivor
peace out
Image & Words by ~Keith Alan Hamilton~
