“I am a creator, I am creative, creating is how us creative creators live.
Creative creators live and love to create artistic expressions of beauty that’s great,
Creative creators lift cultures up higher with cultural evolution that they inspire
Creator open our hearts and fill them with love inspired by love and also from above” Thundercloud Repairian Quotes
Thundercloud at Wednesday Words Open Mic night in front of the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame mural by Tony Amaral
I will be the first to admit that I am a creative creator. Whether it is poetry, writing, art, sculpture, cooking or “whatever,” I love doing it. My current BIG creation is the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in Guyra. It is a multifaceted project with a cafe, a Poet’s Hall of Fame, an art gallery, and more. It is like having a giant working studio in a theatre. For example yesterday I wrote a piece of poetry, wrote a blog post, painted some of the mural on the stage, cooked pumpkin soup and bread, did some graphic design. At the end of the day I recorded 54 minutes of poetry to facebook and then uploaded it to Youtube. That reminds me of what this blog post is about…….Creating.
I opened the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in Guyra in March 2020 on the first day of COVID-19 lockdown so I quickly had to reevaluate my business plan which had included many live events. In June 2020, I began the Guyra Farmers and Craft Market at the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame providing an outlet for local artisans and crafty people to sell their wares. I also began weekly, Wednesday Words Open Mic Poetry Night. There were nights during lockdown in 2021 where I was the only one in attendance so I began broadcasting it on Facebook live. My good friend and patron Gladys Wilson has been a major supporter of the open mic night and also the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in general. From Gladys, my first follower, I have grown a group of more than a dozen regular poets attending the open mic night. Now Wednesday Words Open Mic Poetry night has followers all around the world who tune in to the live Facebook broadcast or who catch up once it is uploaded to Youtube.
The most rewarding part of this creation is that I have inspired new people to create, not only poetry but also art and by stocking the only art supplies in Guyra, I am also enabling creators. Gladys Wilson has now written over 12 pieces of poetry, Doug Scott has begun writing and Gabriel Donleavy said that he has now been inspired to write more.
I am grateful. I am grateful for the opportunity to create but also the opportunity to facilitate and inspire other creators. As the economy becomes more and more robotised and mechanised the creative economy grows where people can make a living from their creations and innovations. We need creative people.
Listening to a podcast last week I found self affirmation in the statement that, “the opposite of courage is conformity.”
I have always been fiercely individualistic but at the same time community minded as a shepherd with a flock. I never played team sports like football and if the music is playing I’ll dance alone. It only takes one jump to break the ice and when one person is enjoying the water they soon get joined by another. Then pretty quickly every one wants a part of the action.
Most people face the elevator doors, either as it’s “the done thing” and this is conformity. Enter the full elevator, face the back, smile and look everyone in the eye. By the time you get out of the elevator everyone will be smiling. My point is that in general, we are a global society of conformists following arbitrary rules, laws and social norms without even questioning the origin of the “norm”
I had a cat called “Norm.” I never wanted a cat but my friend died and I reluctantly took Norm and fed him the best food that I could afford, kangaroo meat and fish. Norm was fiercely individualistic but Norm was also everyone’s friend and would comfort many of my friends from overseas and all around the world during parties around fires. Norm would rub against their legs and they pat and scratch his chin. Norm would sit on their laps and keep my friends warm and Norm would comfort them in their loneliness.
There is confort in what we get used to and there is comfort to be found in the norm. However there is one constant in the universe and that constant is “change” and it takes courage to be a nonconformist and to embrace change. It’s through change that we grow, drop old habits that don’t serve us and in the process become better people.
Over the past 10 years some of the no serving habit that I have dropped include, smoking tobacco 9 years ago, drinking alcohol 6 years ago, and in the past months I have stopped eating meat and replaced it with nuts, seeds and mushrooms for a source of protein. However the one thing that I have stopped, I was not physically addicted to, I had developed a repeative pattern of behavioral cannabis smoking and for 35 years had smoked cannabis, eaten it and even rubbed cannabis oil on my skin. I had developed an extreme tolerance to the THC in cannabis and no matter how much I smoked, I didn’t get high and I could fully function in society. It’s now 10 weeks that I haven’t consumed any cannabis and I now get “high” from my daily breathwork, yoga and exercise regime which releases endorphins like oxytocin and human growth hormone, metabolites T3 and T4. I feel strong , fit, fast and most importantly I feel that I am a positive role model for my three sons and my community.
I just got off the bus and thanked the driver Scott. He said, “I didn’t recognize you without the hair.”
I’ve just recently cut my dreadlocks and beard off after seven years of growth, I replied, “most people haven’t.”
He said half joking and half serious, “You look smarter without it”.
My point is that conformity is so pervasive that some people find it difficult to accept anyone that’s different to the norms of society so they wear the latest fashion, get married, stay in abusive relationships, go to school, “get a haircut and get a real JOB”, put their fork in the let hand and knife in the right and all the time they are compromising their ideals and all the while they can’t even clean their bedroom and make their bed in the morning, metaphorically speaking.
In 2014, I took a Nazarite Vow from the book of Numbers, chapter 6. Many people passed judgement and made assumptions about me because of how I looked with long dreadlocks and an uncut beard. The Nazarite Vow is a vow of separating oneself unto “the Lord.” It was taken by Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist, James the Brother of Jesus and Jesus Himself. This Nazarite Vow say that my knowledge of the Spirit inside all of Us is strong, unwavering and true. It’s the spirit of no judgement and not eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
After I first took the Nazarite Vow, broke it by drinking wine, eating grapes, sultanas and by approaching a dead body of a friend who had died in the street in an attempt to resuscitate him. His Spirit/Soul had left and I failed my test but I let my hair grow due to my vanity. In my meditations I came to the realization that I had broken my Vow and seven days after on the morning of the full moon before Easter, I took of my hair, burnt it and reaffirmed my Nazarite Vow.
I am not my hair, nor am I my wardrobe. I am a biochemical quantum physics meat antennae full bacteria and I am a vibrating community of living organisms absorbing and emitting light through my DNA. Most of all, I am that I am, and I am a Soul, a Spirit, a tiny piece of the All Pervasive Energy of Source and You are too and when you open to your Higher Self, you can become anything you dream. Please enjoy my accompanying poetry.
You don’t have to be a poet to enjoy poetry You don’t have to be a bird to love sitting in a tree You don’t have to be famous to wear fancy pants Or Young beautiful and sexy to enjoy a dance
You don’t have to be young to listen to hip hop Who’s business is it if you only eat the muffin top And abundance or not, it’s fine for you to share Some of the best people that I’ve met never brushed their hair
You don’t have to be young to enjoy a Doof or rave It’s nobody’s business whether or not you shave You can enjoy your life with no husband or wife The inportant thing is that you live your own life
You can’t be a bully and be a gentle man Immerse yourself in love and you’ll be the best you can Every cat can become friends with a dog And enjoy the sunset sitting on a log
When there is no fear nobody feels forced You don’t have to whip a horse running round a race course Every one know that you are what you eat Mushrooms and nuts are protein and we don’t need meat
You can get a tan by sitting in the sunlight Not only sunscreen companies sell products by fright In a darkened room you make no vitamin Dee When you do your research this is what you’ll see
Pharmaceutical companies manipulate your fear You can go to a pub and drink water, not beer When you are uncomfortable you can change your position Processed and fried food have very little nutrition
You don’t have to be a genius to question marketing Coke doesn’t “add life” and is not “the real thing” To be well change your diet to alkaline from acid Lack of sleep makes your balls small and dick flacid
If you want to grow your hair take B17 You can still be fit and strong after you’re a teen And if you decide you can live 200 years When a loved one dies you don’t have to shed tears
Every one can shine and every one can be a poet By making your words rhyme and rhythm flow it You don’t have to love football just to be a man If you do what you love you’ll become the best you can
If you have wind, it’s ok to fart Cancer can be cured, so can a broken heart Anyone can learn to dance, anyone can sing When you chase your dreams you can become anything.
Driving home from the Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival and competition, I stopped in a small county town of Guyra on the New England Tableland. I got out to have a walk and stretch my legs and found an empty theater. I met the owner and he showed me around. I thought about it for 5 seconds and said “I’ll take it”
What to do? I had a lot to imagine on the remaining three hour drive home to Lillian Rock near Nimbin.
LIGHT BULB MOMENT
“THE AUSTRALIAN POETRY HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM”
Tuesday 25th of February to 29th of February 2020
Furiously writing business plan, begin selling all my excess belongings, transition plan, income streams, advertise Atlantis for sale, cost benefit analysis, expenses, projected income, planning space, poets in residence.
Brainstorming and more brainstorming: Mission Statement
Monday morning, JUMP HURDLE: LODGE APPLICATION TO REVIEW DECISION
Monday 2nd of March 2020
Midday: Go to the Bush Theatre in Nimbin and write projected benefits for town, withing two years 10 direct FTE jobs, 20 flowon FTE jobs, 3 to 5 new businesses, new industry of tourism, contact solicitor, contact and engage local accountant, expenses, Xero, Square POS,
More Brainstorming: Hall of Fame big murals, Songlines Room representing artists and poets from all original nations, functions, events fundraiser, poets breakfasts, craft and farmers market, annual poetry competition, festival, bush poetry, comedy night, ” The Club with No Beer” night club, fun, yoga and fitness classes, free adult literacy classes, giving to the community, writing workshops, poetry slams, community dinners, open mic night. bush dances, drumming circles, timeline, rewiew, independent film, theatre productions, story telling nights, video productions, fun, publishing books.
So much to think about and do that I think I need to go to bed and rest,
I will keep you updated on this exciting new journey in my life.
However before I go I will share my newest poem.
GENESIS CHAPTER ONE: CREATION ACCORDING TO THUNDERCLOUD REPAIRIAN
On the seventh day he rested, relieved beyond belief
that he had overcome his fear and self limiting belief
When he looked below at all the things he’d done
He cried with joy and thanked his strength and then he thanked the sun
Then on Sunday
On the day of the sun after rest he made a plan
There is a lot of work to do this week to make this life more grand
Everything was dark so he lit a light
on the day of the sun he shone very bright
He took a pen paper, plotted, calculated, planned
Calculated more, dreamt his future shinning grand
But then Monday came again and he thought, “Oh Mate!”
I am very excited by this plan of mine that is great
But it is now time to make these waters flow
Open the flood gate to the firmament seas and rivers grow
Then the seeds were planted and he brought forth the grass
the trees the herbs flowers and beauty that would last
Then came the lights to the firmament to divide day and night
and stars came in seasons to dance and sing day and shine bright
And the stars were set into the firmament like a “hall of fame”
After that the water creatures and gave them all a name
Then water creatures arrived and abundance for all
Whales, dolphins, every flying creature celebrated in the life of the hall
Of Life came next the beasts of the land, the koalas and sheep
Next came Jackaroo and Jillaroo with Little Beau Peep
And he said “OK you mob, yas can be just like me”
“Nurture the earth and you will all live fruitfully
You have every seed and herb and fruit of earth to eat
Why on Earth insist on eating beasts and eating meat?
On the Sixth day he looked back at what he had achieved and said “I have done my best”
So I reckon that tomorrow should be my day of rest
When all his work was finished he went walking in the wood
He sanctified it all and said “Life is fukin good”
“I made the earth and heavens and Jack and Jill are mates
I think I will stir up some trouble and temptation I’ll create”
So he made a tree of life in the garden of eden
Jill became Jacks wife and then they were even
because they were locked into a marriage contract
Jill was tempted by a big banana and Jack absolutely cracked
He said “if you loved me you wouldn’t have eaten from the tree of life
Get out of my garden you are no longer my wife
I forgive you Jill but until you repent
“I will live here alone in my garden with this here serpent”
Stay tuned for more information as the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame develops.
1st Prize, Crocodile Crawl and Marathon Swim in Nimbin Pool Olympics
It was my 50,000th birthday yesterday so I have decided that I will share all my poetry from the last 24 hours. However, first I want to announce that I achieved a lifelong dream of Olympic Gold in the Nimbin Pool Olympics on the 27th of January 2020. I won’t be going to the Tokyo Olympic Games but I am seriously considering entering the 50m butterfly in the Pan Pacific Masters Games #PPMG2020 on the Gold Coast in November because with dedicated training, I can win.
This first one celebrates my sons and the gift of life from my two past wives.
Thanks for the gift of life From my first and second wife Our three sons are my greatest gift Everywhere they go spirits lift Clay, Luca and Sacha are my sons The Builder of Earth, The Light of Moon, The Protective ,Caring One Carrying Water mixing Earth, and Light The love of two people in the Moon Light I sowed the seeds and nurtured my sons They look to me as The Role Model One I express gratitude for their attitude Their smiles, hugs, that they are peaceful not thugs They grow and show love Protect, build and shine light above Thanks for the gift life From my first and second wife
This poem is about self care because if you don’t care for yourself how can you care for others?
My time alone is time I own I’ll spend it productively alone Time for self, mental and physical health As my health is my wealth
Quiet time is sublime Where I find the words that rhyme So I will write in the night Words to inspire and delight
Time for me is time I’m free To create my life for me Where I inspire others higher In the quiet time when I retire
I’m in Brisbane visiting my parents and son amd when I went outside in the night to pee, I noticed the difference and decided to write about it. Please pardon my profanity 😉
The city and bush
The city at night is incredibly quiet with only a far away hum Back in the Bush sound surrounds insects, frogs are around so back to the Bush I’ll run
The city at night is filled with light Even when the moon does not shine In the Bush I see stars, wallabies not cars And The Milky Way in a bright line
In the city asleep, you don’t hear a peep But the hum of the air conditioners ring In the Bush hear the breeze, in leaves of trees And Cicadas that make my ears ring
I heard a bird, he said some words “faaaark the city I’m a crow” “there’s many birds in the Bush, so off I’ll push “off to the faaaaarkin Bush I’ll go”
I’ll get out alive, thrive not survive So I made a decision to leave In the Bush I am happy, life’s peaceful not crappy But the city makes me want to cry and grieve
I won’t look behind, life is sublime I am lucky I live with the land In the city day and night, there’s struggle and fight But in the Bush the beauty is grand.
There’s a lumpy old stump that I love to jump Wind blows the leaves on the ground Now I sit in a White box with a fan at the top Going around and around
I’m going back On a winding logging track That’s now a road for a car I will be fine in the Bush anytime And The city, long gone and far
Anticomplaint
Today I’ll complain I know its strange But I also wake up with pain I wouldn’t usually tell you I just push through And manage it with my brain I want to complain About sun and rain And fuckas In my news feed That whinge and complain About the hot and cold New and old And can’t handle the truth From people like me Who are BOLD
I Emptied MY cup But filled it back up Because who wants to be A useless fukup So I won’t complain Put my shit in your brain With your pussy attitude Are you sane? Lift my spirit high Fly in the sky Experience all of life With joy and not cry Laughing with happiness Passion and bliss My puspose to uplift As people need this And I will no longer Whine nor complain About pain But take action not get sucked down the drain
I won’t complain Nobody wants to hear it I am an uplifter An uplifting spirit My purpose to share my words to uplift Sometimes a slap in the face book Is lifes greatest gift.
STOP IT
Stop trying and just decide to do it Stop crying and go through with it Stop giving up and start something new Stop procrastinating and just do Stop surviving and thrive Stop drifting and drive Stop hating and love Stop fearing have courage Stop sinking and swim Stop drinking alcohol and live Stop taking and give Stop shaming and forgive Stop fighting and care Stop cutting and grow hair Stop complaining and be sane You are responsible for the thoughts and actions of your brain
Birds, bees, flowers, forest trees, we are in the need of these.
Thundercloud Repairian 