Amalchemy

A little poem I wrote several years ago dedicated to the GA regional Burn by the Name of Alchemy.
Theme for that year was: Amalgamation

Amalchemy

I've heard of a place that welcomes strangers
so long as you're aware of the dangers
You might go there certain you know it all
Alas prepare yourself to take a fall
Stumble down the rabbit hole to reveal
parts unknown to you yet soon to be clear
Bring the circus gather around indeed
Give the acceptance you long to receive
Heard you before of such a frank fusion?
That's the idea, Radical Inclusion
More than a dream right now people live it
Experience the Bliss of Self-embrance!

But before you embark on the journey
ponder the cost of leaving unready
Certain they'll be unexpected events
Yet many a trouble you can prevent
If you but claim responsibility
and remember to bring all that you need
Discover your own inner resources
Exemplify autonomous forces
Why not enjoy relying on yourself?
Then no one will call you sparkle pony
Self-subsistence comes with experience
exercise Radical Self-Reliance

So while you're thinking of all that you need
before you leave to go dance with the trees
Consider the form of your expression
What's your intonation, your emotion?
Your own compelling extraction of thoughts
What's your offer as a gift to others?
Artistry, flair, forte, dexterity
trust in the strength of your ability
You have got style, tone and spirit, go on
The door has been opened for you, welcome
Leave your fears outside you will not need them
Here is a place to unleash your True Self
Embolden radical Self-Expression

I once met a wizard whilst strolling 'round
A curious fellow indeed was he
Yet on he lives beyond the dream of form
Though You and I into a world unborn
Always using his example to teach
Many a lesson to all who listen
But perhaps the greatest lesson of all
Giving the gift of Gifting to everyone
Only, truly unconditionally
Inspiring and uplifting with joy
Fueling the hope that we must not forget
Perchance one day you will stumble into
this bearded ol' wizard burnin' with you!

Hence without further ado let's expand
Stretch the act of giving without exchange
free of fundamental expectation
stripped of inherent obligation
devoid of deep-rooted indebtedness
Would you beset burden upon yourself?
Instead of consuming, participate!
Burn your money! It's not real anyway
Protect yourself from such exploitation
It's not worth your time, effort or focus
We stand against commercial transactions
Embody Decommodification

It takes a village to come together
uplift each other through any weather
Cooperation to collaborate
social space and art we elaborate
Produce promote protect public places
Construct social networks of all races
Work together to support creation
use these keystones to rebuild the nation
Who are we not to be the best we are?
and use Communal effort to restore
a milieu of loving interaction
encouraging us to embrace union

Do you value civil society?
Assume civic responsibility
Unless you fully honor agreements
you can't truly respect participants
We've come a long way to get to where we are
why not see if we can augment the bar?
Public welfare and unified purpose
serve as tools to bring out the best in us
For us not to continue progression
ultimately manifest regression
Were you around in twenty-eleven?
I learned that year an essential lesson...
mutate or die it goes without question

Bearing in mind our linkage with nature
Let us remember not to forsake her
If we wish to remain on this planet
then we must commit to respecting it
it's time we rethink our idea of trash
Where is it going and won't it come back?
it's not too late to undo what we've done
in fact I'd say it's already begun
Many see value in Leaving No Trace
one big moop sweep after the human race!
Already happening small scale through burns
we must inform and spread all that we've learned
Beyond this world there is a world we want

Rise up and partake in something better
whether separately or together
the only real lasting transformation
comes from Radical Participation
we only achieve being through doing
Authenticate healing through forgiving
All are welcome to come frolic and work
lend a hand to help us reconstruct the Earth
Open your heart and let love integrate
Without you, there's no event to take place
A wise man once told me, though now he's gone
"If music be the food of love, play on!"

There is no better time than now to live
let us use it as a chance to forgive
things from our past that are holding us back
Our fears and doubts and any self attack
as we surmount these hurdles between us
we build the bridges to our synthesis
Instantaneously acting from Love
puts you in touch with your Self from above
Incorporated Immediacy
in our only chance to achieve world peace
Release yourself from your dreams of the past
live each moment as if it was your last

A word to the wise forgive and forget
All roads begin with a single footstep
A move to set in motion conflation
A stride towards union through compassion
Turn within and melt into admixture
communion with Spirit, our elixir
If you but let your higher Self come through
You might just find that you are not you
Trapped in your head with nowhere to vamoose
All these unreal constraints must be cut loose
Remember our sacred integration
Surrender to this amalgamation
Without your presence the song goes unsung
so sing from your heart and don't hold your tongue
quoting a man of great inspiration
"so thanks to all at once and to each one"

So if you've never been to a burn before then some of the terms of lines might not seem to make any sense but it is layered and has a southern burner spice to it haha
If you have been to a burn before than you likely noticed the first 10 stanzas each covered a different principle followed up with a stanza dedicated to the theme of that particular years burn.
For those that are unaware the 10 principles of the burner community are:

Radical Inclusion
Gifting
Decommodification -No sales or monetary exchange. Yeah thats right, NO FOOD VENDORS! ;)
Radical self-Reliance
Radical self-Expression
Communal Effort
Civic Responsibility
Participation
Leave No Trace
Immediacy

AND the 11th and most important but for some reason not an official principle is CONSENT

So this actually became much more than a poem I had it turned into a art installation. Hired a friend with a CNC to laser engrave the poem onto an 8x4 ft sheet of acrylic and then frame it with LED lights to light up just the words. It's pretty neat but as per usual with me I have no photos. I'll work on getting one.