Since I was 19 years old I’ve been passionate about ending prohibition of drugs. This book is the result of three years of living in Nimbin where the effects of the drug was and prohibition are obvious and shoved in your face daily.
Poetry to End Prohibition Nimbin Mardi Grass 2017
These effects caused by the systemic violence of the antiquated policy of drug prohibition include state violence, violence in the streets and massive amounts of self abuse and denial because of “fear of truth” and lack of harm reduction policy and programs.
So, if you want a free book to read on one of the most important health policy changes that can be implemented this year in 2020 then you need to read this and send a copy to every politician that you know because it is FREE and we need to make a change.
To celebrate 420 day.
I am giving away FREE my 3rd poetry book in the “Love and Lust in Nimbin” series for you
To celebrate the release of “Love in Nimbin Edition 2” I am giving it away for FREE as an ebook for 5 days from 13th of March 2020 to the 17th of March 2020.
It started on a Friday in a land not far away and the idea spread like wildfire and they began anew that day.
He stood up in a market place and read out his idea
“Lets Unify the Whole Planet and make all borders disappear”
“Let’s eliminate all scarcity and ensure a more than a basic wage”
“Let’s have a single Global Currency for Living, commerce and trade”
“Let’s eliminate all Nations, Passports, Visas, Border Walls”
“Let’s close all the armies, navies, airforces too and have no weapons at all”
And as he planted seeds his crowd it grew and grew
until the Whole World was listening not just one or two
He said, Everyone can have free energy, renewable and then we all will thrive
“When we end all governments will be a great day to be alive”
“Do no harm and nurture all and simplify all laws”
“Support and love all people and lift up all the poor”
Have a governance of things based on compassion and doing no harm
Then all people can live in love without fear, in security, without alarm”
Let’s make all food organic, all medicine for free,
free public transport, free schools and homes and life will be easy
“All people just want love, security, happiness and compassion
To create a life of love where all can thrive and live in passion
One Friday afternoon the man stood up and said
He told them his Ideas and world wide they spread
The following poetry was written by James Arthur Warren AKA Thundercloud in memory of Daniel Walmsley, victim of prohibition. Early one morning, the day before the Nimbin Mardi Grass cannabis law reform protestival I walked outside in the dark as the first light was coming. I heard the tawny frogmouth and listened. Then I went inside and wrote down what came to mind. This happened two more times and now I present the words of the wise owl to you.
There is an indigenous belief that tawny frogmouths are messengers of the dead. This spirit bird crowed three times, before the roosters and the kookaburra early in the morning. When the cock crows three times the truth is told.
The Tawny Frogmouth On Prohibition
The tawny frogmouth came to me very late last night
It was very early morning and it spoke very quiet
“I’ve something important to say and this is my position
Humans will not be free until you END PROHIBITION
I’m a tawny frogmouth owl and I see your frustration
With the punitive justice drug war of incarceration
77,000 non criminal users each year locked and jailed
And crime rates have risen the drug war has failed
80 percent of the injustice system is wasted each year
Locking up people for flowers you people are queer
It is obvious to all that prohibition has failed
When you can harm minimise and empty half the jails
Make access safe and clean drugs a right
Save billions of taxpayers dollars overnight
The police could focus on violent crime
Harm minimisation means there’s less people dying
Harm minimisation means that you support the abusers
Educate and rehabilitate the hard drug abusers
Less Overdoses and violent crime gangs will fade away
Grow herbs freely at home, juice cannabis each day
It is obvious to us that you must End Prohibition
Call all politicians today is your mission
And explain all the benefits of ending the war
On drugs, children, the sick, elderly and poor
Write emails, make videos, protest and shout
End prohibition, let the prisoners out
Time to end prohibition and the drug war
On the socially vulnerable, sick, black and poor
It makes me so mad I’m usually so quiet
Said the tawny frogmouth, I want to sleep now it’s light
The Tawny Frogmouth part 2
The tawny frogmouth came to me early in the morning
As the clouds turned red, as the sun was dawning
The wise old owl hooted and the words he spoke were true
“I’m a tawny frogmouth owl, this is what you need to do”
“Write down what I tell you, what I have to say,
It’s time you humans ended all drug prohibition today
Us tawny frogmouth owls are spirits of the dead
Who died from overdoses and systemic violence” he said
“I know you find it weird and difficult to believe
But tawny frogmouth owls are loved ones that you grieve”
“That is why I’m here with my message for you
Ending Prohibition will save loved ones lives it’s true
I’m a tawny frogmouth owl and I really give a hoot
Prohibition harms but harm minimization is beaut”
I stood there quietly listening to what the wise owl said
“End all prohibition and harm minimization instead
When you end all prohibition everything will be alright
Maybe then” the tawny frogmouth said, “I’ll get some sleep at night”
A kookaburra came in the light of early morning
“Listen to the tawny frogmouth, listen to his warning”
“To end all prohibition and empty half the jails
Change your outdated laws because prohibition has failed”
The kookaburra flew off laughing “Prohibition is a failure”
End all prohibition, hurry up Australia”
The Tawny Frogmouth part 3
The tawny frogmouth owl came to me again
Said, “I’ve got a very important message for you my friend
I’ve come to visit you early in the morning
Because you are the one who will sound my warning
We wise owls think you humans are very strange
You seem so conservative and reluctant to embrace change
Your outdated laws are causing much frustration
Time to End Prohibition and change this situation
It isn’t rocket science in fact is plain to see
That your prohibition laws take people’s rights to be
Healthy, free and happy and lock them in a prison
Jails full of poor and black, incarceration rates have risen
Mummy went to jail, Nana went there too
All because of the herbal cannabis they grew
Prohibition is an attack on human rights
It is such an injustice, I have trouble sleeping at night
Humans do you get it? I do I’m an owl
Adopt harm minimization and end prohibition now
Prohibition is social manipulation, slavery in disguise
Prohibition causes violent crime to rise
When prohibition exists people live in fear
Of truth and being caught, imprisoned for a year
Please call your politicians the tawny frogmouth said
When you harm minimise, I can go to bed
Please reconsider your perspective on prohibition of drugs
Free the plants and herbs and undercut the thugs
When you end prohibition there will be a reduction in crime
With harm minimization, there will be less parents crying
When you end prohibition billions of dollars will be saved
Less cops, prisons, lawyers, deaths, more health and happiness every day
I have nearly finished, I’ll try to have a sleep
But I find it very difficult because I often weep
For the victims of the drug war, those overdosed and dead
Brothers, sisters, children’s deaths preventable he said
I’m a tawny frogmouth owl and there is something you must do
Harm minimise, end prohibition now what I’m saying is true
Everyone can see prohibition is a failure
End prohibition now change is good Australia
There is one more thing, you cannot waste your vote
Put a 1 next to the HEMP PARTY in the Senate when you vote.”
#auspol #EndProhibition #MinimiseHarm #Vote1HEMP
Thundercloud’s book End Prohibition Poetry Nimbin
has been updated and added to in this
2020
This poem and many more are available in my newest book Poetry to End Prohibition 420 2020 edition which I am currently crowd funding to print and release the book by the 20th of April 2020 in time for the 420 international day of protest against prohibition.
James Arthur Warren (BSc AES, GCTSL, MTESOL)
AKA Thundercloud Repairian
email:1english1@gmail.com
Writer, poet, performer and finalist in the 2019 Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Competition
Photo: Tawny Frogmouth in front of Atlantis by James Arthur Warren https://www.instagram.com/1english1video/
Read on to find out about my newest book End Prohibition Poetry Nimbin Mardi Grass 2019 released especially for the cannabis law reform rally in Nimbin, New South Wales, Australia,
I arrived in Nimbin in early May 2017 for Mardi Grass and met another newcomer to Nimbin by the name of Daniel Walmsley. Daniel was a kind young man in his mid twenties and talented artist who had just received an arts grant. He was excited to be able to do what he loved and be paid for it. Unfortunately for Daniel he overdosed and choked in his vomit early one Saturday morning. I happened to be going for an early morning walk when I came across a nurse trying to resuscitate Daniel and gave assistance
The following poem is dedicated to the memory of Daniel and all the victims of the “War on drugs” which is really a war on people who were not able to get safe doses when they were self medicating because of the punitive justice system which puts “users” in to “fear of truth”, hiding their addictions and unable to get assistance in recovery. Daniel Walmsley
It started on a cold Friday
The drumming circle, dance and play
All the families gathered around
Barefoot on the cold hard ground
Drummers drumming having fun
Stomping feet down goes the sun
Fires burning in the parks
Shooting stars and burning sparks
Rhythmic hands all beat it out
The drumming circle dance about
Nimbin on a Friday night
Drum and dance by fire light
They bring their drums out to the street
Where dancing feet move to the beat
Dreadlocks smokes it clean and green
He beats his blue drum with the team
Down by the fire at the Oasis
There’s lots of friends and friendly faces
Try this hit, it won’t hurt you
He overdoses and starts to spew
Starts the walk to hospital
“I’m OhDee-ing” He starts to call
Falls down to the cold hard ground
In his vomit starts to drown
Nurse and passers by all thump
On his heart they start to pump
“Call an ambulance” they cry
“Daniel, Daniel, please don’t die
CPR the people start
Giving breath and pumping heart
Police and ambulance arrived
For forty five minutes we all tried
Sun comes up cold Saturday
Daniel’s soul flies away
Leaving behind broken hearts
Drawing and paintings of Daniel’s arts
Overdosed on cold concrete
Laying dead with cold bare feet
End prohibition right now, today
Harm minimisation saves lives we say
Laying on the cold hard ground
His heart stopped and just shut down
His life might be a memory
End prohibition for safety
Thundercloud’s new book End Prohibition Poetry Nimbin Mardi Grass 2019
Dedicated to the memory of Daniel Walmsley
Specially produced for Mardi Grass, I have copies of my new book now available, End Prohibition Poetry Nimbin Mardi Grass 2019 for $10+$2.50 postage in Australia.
It’s only available directly from me so send me an email 1english1@gmail.com if you would like a copy or pop in to fantAsian Eatery Nimbin to pick up a copy.
Sample
If you were the parent of a child who was sick would you give cannabis to your son named Rick?
If you were a wife of a man with cancer would you give cannabis as a life enhancer?
If you were a doctor and you knew a cure, pharmaceutical poisons or a herb that’s pure?
If a harmless herb can heal many people why is it registered, licensed, illegal?
The Banjo Paterson Bush Poetry Festival in Orange, New South Wales begins on the 17th of February. There are a number of events happening throughout Orange and the surrounding district until the 24th of February 2019.
Events include The Banjo Paterson Bush Poetry Competition which I am entering a poem titled “Our Darling is Dying”. There is also Rotary Brekky and Poetry on the Pavers as well as Poetry in the Pub featuring the Poet’s Brawl. In the poets brawl, poets have one minute to deliver any original poem, bush, slam, rhyming, non-rhyming but must use both the words “Banjo” and “Orange”.
“Andy Banjo Player” is the poem I have written for the “poets brawl”, tell me what you think in the comments.
Andy played a banjo with an orange and he played it very bad
It made a juicy squishy sound and it drove his mother mad
Orange juice went everywhere and pith and peel too
The ants came by the millions and the fruit flies flew
He played with so much gusto and a lot of zeal
Grated it and juiced, he was left with orange peel
Only when he ran out of juice did Andy’s playing stop
So he ran out to a fruit stall and bought a kilo from the shop
Playing “Orange Crush”, the song from REM
Played every single orange till he’d juiced all of them
Bottled it and marketed it and only told the truth
Under the trade make of Andy’s Banjo Orange Juice
Copyright 2019
If you like this poetry and want to read more please follow me or you can also find me on Youtube at 1english1video
4 million seconds of joy were created Not fear nor anger, jealousy or hatred Laughter and smiles became the infection From sharing my joy, passion and affection
My happiness burst and I let it go Showed stellar passion for falling snow Drifting, blowing I let my self go Let my love of life and passions show
55 thousand people all made a smile From snow falling sharing the smile on my dial In 83 seconds by sharing my happiness I raised the vibration to laughter from crappiness
Simple snow falling lifted my spirit Like Thunderous laughter all want to hear it Give thanks for the snow, cold winds that blow Celebrate life and let your joy show
Leave the inside and step outside You can decide to bloom and not hide Fun, laughter and beauty are coming your way Anxiety, gone, and joy is here to stay
Laughing at the snow falling on me Celebrating life emotionally open and free Because inside me I found the joy of a child And snow falling tickled my little bit wild
Thanks for the laughter in every day There’s joy if you look, beware what you say Share the good news about make others happy In this age of blessings noone should feel crappy
We’ve connection with all of the global community And we can work together in harmony and unity My purpose to share joy and make others laugh Which is more achievable than a flying giraffe
The rudder had fallen off but He yelled at me, “I just want a nice environment” “We need a rudder” I said. If only he knew the word nice means fool. He yelled it again like a kid having a tantrum, “I just want a nice environment” I replied “but we need a destination and a chart and to chart a course.” He didn’t listen and screamed at me, I JUST WANT A NICE ENVIRONMENT So I left him in the “ship of fools” I didn’t want to set the sails on the ship of fools. The Captain said you arent welcome because you’re upsetting Charlie. There is the plank. Stuff your plank it would make a good rudder. Charlie yelled again, I just want a nice environment. I threw the plank in the water and I dived in the water, I lay on the plank and paddled and swam fast and direct. I used my own feet to steer Landed on a tropical island with abundance of food and good weather. It was hard work getting there and hard work setting up but it was like a paradise. He got what was coming to him and has his nice environment. A Ship Of Fools His ship sailed nowhere but drifted in circles. He waited. A thunderstorm came and the ship of fools was tossed about. He yelled again, “I just want a nice environment” But the tempest continued for weeks as the ship of fools tossed and turned and he didn’t sleep well. He Drank his rum and yelled I just want a nice environment When the Thundercloud finally left He was still drifting and the sea was calm. His supplies were low. He yelled, I just want a nice environment. The Captain was fed up, and she cut his testicles off and ate them. “I just want a rudder” said the captain And a destination.”
I love writing poetry, exercise and constantly challenging myself to change and grow. I am currently doing my final edit of my 2018 poetry anthology, “Djanbung’s Peaceful Protest in Nimbin” At the same time I have opened The Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in Guyra and planning for the “Greatest Poetry Show on Earth” at the grand opening on the 20th of September 2020.
Why has it take so long to get this book edited? Because there are many things that I love doing and I sometimes get distracted from the multitude of goals that I have for my life. Thank you Covid19 for allowing myself to become more focused on what new healthy habits that I need to adopt. I wrote the following piece of poetry titled, “Do what you love” in 2018. However, I would like to add, “with a plan.” That is my learning from this current busy phase of my life.
Schedule, plan, implement and review plan and goals daily.
“Do what you love”
Do what you love
Do what you love
What makes you happy
Why do you complain
When your choice is free
Do what you love
What improves your life
Why do you stay
with your abusive wife
Do what you love
What is your passion
Why do you harm yourself
Not show self compassion
Do what you love
Take control of your health
Why do you eat poison food
Your health is your wealth
Do what you love
Dance paint draw do art
You’ll get a belly ache
if you hold in your fart
Do what you love
It’s my philosophy
Singing dance laughing
Write my poetry
Do what you love
Regardless of fear
If you don’t then your dreams
Will all disappear
Do what you love
You will be happy
When you do what you love
Creating freely
Do what you love
Get rid of the poo
Create a sensation
Amazing and New
Do what you love
Take a walk outside
Look at the clouds
Watch the sunrise
Do what you love
Stop moping alone
Reliving the past
Locked in your home
Do what you love
Don’t make your life hell
Take responsibility
To make your life well
Do what you love
Walk in the rain
Please stop saying things
That cause yourself pain
Do what you love
Or you’ll never know
How wonderful life is
When you constantly grow
Do what you love
Stop the trouble and strife
What self abusive habits
Will you drop from your life?
If you like this then you can purchase my first three books in the Love and Lust in Nimbin Series on Kindle and Amazon.
Please support Thundercloud as an independent writer,publisher, and poet and buy his books by following the links.
Nimbin, 2018 sitting in a cafe on the street I was approached by an old mate, Pete. Pete loves surfing and was excited to tell me about his day surfing the day before. Pete left and went into the chemist and by the time he walked out I had finished this piece of poetry and read it back to Pete. He was stoked and now finally it is published.
14, 16, 28, 44 in his head
I’ve had a great day Pete the surfer said
I went down to Ballina. No one could get out
Even the jet ski driver wouldn’t tow me out
The surf was too big, 4 meters or more
It was messy and swirly no one could leave shore
So I walked out the rock wall and dived in the rip
Iit took me out way back on a round about trip
I was surfing alone, a pin prick from the shore
I got some big rippers one five meters for sure
I was out in the big waves. I was surfin’ alone
It was bliss, I’m so happy, the wind wasn’t blowin
It was glassy and smooth and I got in a tube
It took me back 20 years to when I was a Juvenile
I dunno what they’ll say at the hospital tomorrow” Pete said
“They’ve been working two years to fix this stuffed leg
I couldn’t give a shit. I’ll enjoy my life too
I’ll sleep well tonight. You know I’m seventy two
But age doesn’t matter, it’s great to be alive
Said Pete the surfer, “ I only feel twenty five”
You will be able to buy this and much more of my 2018 poetry in a 218 page book soon to be released, Djanbung’s peaceful protest in Nimbin. (Djanbung is the Bundjalung word for Platypus)
Thanks Pete.
The following is the first two verses of “The Platypus” which is the introductory poem in Djanbung’s Peaceful Protest in Nimbin.
The Platypus
14/1/2018
Down in the creek the platypus lives.
On the fish and insects water gives.
Down in the creek the platypus dreams.
Of abundance in crystal clear streams.
It’s brown and furry with a duck-like nose.
With a tail that looks like a beaver goes.
Webbed feet help it swim through the creek
With a rubbery electromagnetic sensitive beak.
The platypus’s home is crude but good
He lives in a burrow by the creek that won’t flood
The platypus lays its eggs underground.
The babies are born in a burrow they’re found.
Because the platypus swims there in the creek
The platypus has a big rubbery beak.
A mouth that’s like a duckbill nose
It’s got claws on its feet and spikes on its toes.
The platypus burrows underground
Where it lays its eggs, its babies are found.
Thanks Djanbung and stay alert for “Djanbung’s Peaceful Protest in Nimbin” book 4 of the “Love and Lust in Nimbin” poetry series by Thundercloud Repairian out not as ebooks and paperbacks. Just click the links below to buy my books and support me as an artist.
Frank is frank about frankly not knowing, which is perhaps why he asks questions.
Frank wants to know answers. Me too, so we each question each other.
Frank has no judgement, no right, no wrong, no good, no bad.
Frank just is.
Frank having dinner
Frank has ideas from about what he has seen and heard in his life and also what he expects to see, hear and feel in his life but knows that his ideas are formed from his perspective and the collective programming of all experience up to this moment right now.
Frank and I were telepathically communicating and discussing the nature of reality, duality and perception. This is the conversation.
I: “In planting a seed, I am growing a tree in the future, and in expressing and putting forward a positive opinion, I can always find another who has a negative opinion who want’s to cut the tree down before it grows. Why do others perceive the opposite when I am only planting a seed?
Frank: In this universe there are Protons which are positive and Electrons which are negative but there are also Neutrons. Neutrons are like questions, they don’t care if it is positive or negative, they just exist in balance between Protons and Neutrons, unifying all and moving.
Frank: Take a magnetic iron bar, there is a flow of magnetic energy from negative to positive in one direction (these are the protons and they change position in a forward direction, they are going somewhere) and there is an electrical field which just spins around the magnetic bar going nowhere, these are the electrons and they change position but in a cyclical manner and keep repeating the same habits and going around in circles. The magnetic iron bar doesn’t care about the direction of energy, it just wants to know both truths and exist.
Frank: Take this stainless steel knife for example. It is like the Proton, a 1, and this stainless steel plate is like an electron 0. Both the knife 1 and plate 0 are stainless but both useless without food. See these rusty nails, they are like questions and they unify things. The rusty nails can be on the stainless steel plate and you can try to cut them with the stainless steel knife but no matter what you do or how hard you try, the rusty nails will still exist and if you leave the rusty nails between the plate and the knife in the rain then the stainless steel gets rust stains and begins to change.
I: A stainless steel knife and plate with rust stains will now exist but the nails will bend, rust and then not exist.
Frank: Bending and rusting is the transmutation and growth through gaining knowledge and becoming something else. The plate will keep existing and so will the knife but buy questioning the plate and the knife the nail becomes something else and but questioning the knife and plate then the knife and plate will begin to change too.
I: But who wants a rusty stainless steel knife and plate?
Frank: The rusty nail doesn’t care if the plate or knife are tarnished, rember, its a neutral neutron and just is and it will fade away over time and become something else but the proton will keep going in one direction like a proton believing it is right and having no idea that there is another way to exist apart from being a stainless steel knife cutting things: and the plate will keep spinning in the same place believing that there is no other way to exist apart from doing the same thing spinning around everyday.
I: So, is it better to question than to accept blindly? Is it better to be the rusty nail than the plate or knife?
Frank: Is it better to be a the sun, a fish or the whole universe? Don’t both the sun and fish provide food in their own unique way? Are humans all of creation?. Aren’t you the magnetism, electricity and the iron bar magnet? Aren’t you the knife, plate and rusty nails. Aren’t you the positive, negative and question why? There is no better or worse, only existence.
I: But if I take away the iron bar magnet and rusty nails, won’t the proton, electron, knife plate, positive and negative cease to exist?
Frank: Would not they still all exist but their existence will now be in the place that you took them to? Your evolution so to speak. The nails can’t exist without the plate and knife like the positive or negative answer can’t exist without the question. The neutron doesn’t exist without the proton and electron, are they not all part of the whole?
Frank: Are not the knife, plate and nail’s just different versions of the same thing, steel?
I: Yes, so then who am I?
Frank: Are you not the observer and the participant? Are you not the knife, plate and rusty nails? Are you not the positive, negative and question?
I: Yeah….. Naahh, What do you think?
Frank: Could you possibly be the universe moving, bending and rusting the nails and be the plate, knife, observer and participant?
I: Is it possible?
Frank: What is impossible?
I: An steel nail that doesn’t rust?
Frank: Doesn’t stainless steel change and tarnish if it is left in contact with a rusty nail?
I: Are you right or wrong?
Frank: Am I or aren’t I? I am Frank and I ask questions, don’t I?
I: So I have a left arm and I have a right arm and without “I” the arms would not exist?
Frank: Am I not armless and still exist? Can a question exist without and answer and if I take the knife and plate away aren’t the rusty nails still on the table and the knife and plate still in existence but somewhere else where the participant and observer are unaware?
Frank: Just because you can’t observe my left arm or my right arm it doesn’t mean that they don’t of never existed. I once had arms of steel. Do you know where they are now?
I: Did they rust?
Frank: Does it matter? Does it matter if someone cuts down the tree that you planted that grew from a seed?
