Seeds and Weeds links page

Sites relating to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and overcoming hatred, prejudice and the politics of fear

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Official web site of The King Center. January 31, 2006, Correta Scott King returned to the side of her husband Martin. In Heaven, they have the peace and equality they sought during their lifetimes. May their reunion inspire a resurgence in that dream for those of us still living with this hope in our hearts, and to bring the dream to those who cannot find it within them.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Drum Major Instinct 2/4/68. A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. From Stanford University: The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Sermon : Drum Major Instinct 2/4/68. Same speech as above, edited without comments.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Beyond Vietnam: 4/4/67. MLK's Declaration of Independence from the War in Vietnam delivered at Manhattan's Riverside Church. King talks about the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism.

Confronting The Politics Of Fear - Confronting: the Lies, the Manipulation, the Failures, the Regime - its Premises, its Policies. Creating: Convergence and Connection for Peaceful Change

Damu Smith -  (1952-2006) Founder of BLACK VOICES FOR PEACE -  "National action network of Black people of African Heritage working for justice and peace in the United States and abroad" Damu Smith, 54, an internationally known D.C. peace activist who advocated for a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in the 1980s, fought chemical pollution on the Louisiana Gulf Coast in the 1990s and campaigned against the war in Iraq in the new century, died May 5 at George Washington University Hospital after a year-long battle with colon cancer. 

I met Damu three times and was privileged to hear and see him speak on four occasions in New York, Albany, Latham, NY, and Washington, DC. He was a man whose presence could be felt amidst thousands of others, an energizer and voice of reason with a heart as pure as anyone I have ever met. Peace was what he worked so hard to achieve in life and peace is now eternally his reward. My heart goes out to his young daughter and I hope that those who watch over her can comfort her with their wisdom and love.

Environmental Racism - Fighting Environmental Racism A Selected Annotated Bibliography

Anti Racism - Crosspoint Anti Racism

About.com - Race Relations - Race Relations Stories

Buffalo Soldiers - The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum

Buffalo Soldiers of the Western Frontier - Buffalo Soldiers

Buffalo Soldier.net - Buffalo Soldiers & Indian Wars 

Native Americans - coming soon

Christopher Columbus - coming soon

Stop The Hate - Main index to the Stop The Hate web site.

Stop The Hate - A video link from the Stop The Hate web site. By Patrick Flowers.

Amnesty International USA - The U.S. chapter of the world wide Nobel Prize-winning organization working to end human rights violations since 1961. And to think most of us had never heard of Amnesty International before Live Aide in 1985. Even people like me who actually give a damn, were unaware of this great organization and it's amazing work. Thank you Bob Geldof!

Matthew Shepard - Judy Shepard's memorial for her son Matthew

Matthew Shepard - Impact Statement by Dennis Shepard - Dennis Shepard's Statements to the Court November 4, 1999

Matthew Shepard Foundation - The Matthew Shepard Foundation was created in December 1998 by Dennis and Judy Shepard to honor the memory of their son.

Poetry book for Matthew Shepard on Amazon.com - Blood & Tears: Poems for Matthew Shepard includes excerpts and table of contents on line

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Writing, poetry & publishing resources

Library Of Congress Copyright Forms - Library Of Congress Copyright Forms

US Copyright Registration form 106 - Keep Your Poetry YOURS. Copyright protect it with this downloadable form and instructions. If you plan to publish or post your work on line, or anywhere else for that matter, you should seriously consider sending your manuscript in for copyright registration. This will legally protect your creations from being stolen or used in any manner you have not authorized. No one should be getting rich off your work unless you are too! This is the only way to be compensated in court. Even if you provide absolute proof of your copyright, the courts will not compensate you without official registration. So you might win your case, but receive nothing more than a court order to stop whoever is using your work without your permission.

POD Publishers - Print On Demand comparison list. If you are curious about the publishers I am considering using for my book or you are in the market for a publishing company and want to get an idea of what they offer and how much it will cost, here is a good list.

POD Pubs - Another page with Print On Demand publisher comparisons, with a different angle. I recommend reading up on all of these publishing companies, as some seem good at first glance but turn out to be scoundrels when you dig a little deeper into their policies.

POD Publishing Comparison Chart - Not just another page of PODs, this one has a nice chart, very detailed, listing most of the print on demand pubs. This page differs in that it charges the publishers to be listed on it. That makes it interesting from the perspective that these PODs know they are listed and actually invest in a listing that they have no control over. It's not full of advertising hype or fluff. The list is further down the page, so scroll down after the page finishes downloading. by Dehanna Bailee

Writer's Weekly POD chart - The way I see it, you can never get enough info on POD publishers and the pros and cons of the industry.

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Poetry resources and sites I post some of mine on beyond seeds-and-weeds.com

Schenectady Poetry Horde - The website for the poetry scene in Schenectady, NY. I have created the horde and it's website to promote poetry in the city where I live. I host a monthly poetry reading, open mic with featured poets at the Moon & River Cafe on the first Saturday of each month with the open mic beginning at 6pm, followed by the featured poet. For more information, directions and a map, check out this site.

Schenectady Poetry Horde Yahoo Group - This is the Yahoo groups page for the poetry horde. You can join this group to get updates on the poetry happenings in Schenectady and around the Capital District of NY. There is a message board where you can post announcements of your own or ask questions about events. You must have a Yahoo ID to join and must put something in your yahoo profile. I won't approve members who have blank profiles due to the high percentage of spammers who use yahoo groups to send out their junk mail. Yahoo is free, which lends itself to such abuse, so I have the group set so that all who wish to join must be approved by me. Please allow a couple of days for approval, as I am the only one who has the ability to make such approvals and it could take me a day or two to get through all of my messages.

Albany Poets Inc - AlbanyPoets.com is the main page for the network of poetry readings around Albany, NY and the surrounding Capital District. There's more to say about this site and everyone involved than I can put on this page, so just go check it out!

Central Muse Division - Gateway to the Albany Poetry Syndicate & The School Of Night, founded by RM Engelhardt.

Pathetic.org - One of the best websites for poets to create a library of their works and interact with other poets. I have been on many a poetry website, but this one is simply the best. The only thing I have an issue with there is that the ownership and administration have very conservative values which they impose on their membership. I am a progressive minded individual and find it difficult to understand and agree with some of their decisions. Otherwise this would be the ultimate poetry site. My Library @ Pathetic

Rhymster.com - One of the better sites I have a library posted on. My Rhymster library is @ JJ Poetryman 

Understatement.com - Understatement was a decent place to create a poetry library of your work. I think the owner has some financial issues though, as the site has a tendency to go down from time to time. At present, it seems to have vanished. My Understatement  library is/was @ JJ Johnson  

Rhyme Zone - Rhyme or reason

Poets Against War - Sam Hamill received an invitation to a symposium at the White House from Laura Bush to celebrate "Poetry and the American Voice" Hamill, a pacifist, could not in good faith attend the symposium following the news of President Bush's plan for a unilateral attack on Iraq. He declined the invitation and asked about 50 fellow poets to "reconstitute a Poets Against the War movement like the one organized to speak out against the war in Vietnam...to speak up for the conscience of our country and lend your names to our petition against this war” by submitting poems of protest that he would send to the White House. When 1,500 poets responded within four days, this web site was created as a means of handling the enormous, unexpected response. The movement grew to include poets from around the world. There are more than 20,000 poems in what is now the largest poetry anthology ever published. Poems from Poets Against War have been introduced into the Congressional Record.

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I love rock-n-roll, so here are some of my fav rock websites as well as some writers and artists pages

Beatles - The Beatles official website! What more needs to be said?

The Concert for Bangladesh - George Harrison with Ravi Shankar, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Leon Russel, Billy Preston and Badfinger. This is the first benefit concert, long before the Tsunami relief, Hurricane relief, 911 benefits, Live Aide, and Kampuchea. It was a miracle unto itself and the inspiration for all to follow. George Harrison has taught us much about life, death and giving of ourselves to those in need.

George Harrison - All Things Must Pass official website.

Paul McCartney - Official Paul McCartney website with a link to Make Poverty History

Ringo Starr - The All Starr Band - Official Ringo Starr & The All Star Band website.

Julian Lennon - Official Julian Lennon website.

The Beatles on Abbey Road - This is the Abbey Road official website.

JOIN THE CRUSADE TODAY - People For Peace

Neil Young - Official website of Neil Young. If you are on MySpace.com, check out Neil's MY Space page.

Neil Young's Living With War Blogspot - Impeach The President

Badfinger - Official Badfinger Web Site by Joey Molland http://joeymolland.com/jm_CC/badfngr/badfngrf.html 

Badfinger Webring - Webring of Badfinger member sites and several fan pages.

Badfinger - Wish You Were Here - Excellent Badfinger fan site by Morten Vindberg. There are pop-ups and ads here, but still a very nice resource for all things Badfinger. 

Bob Dylan - I believe this is the official Bob Dylan website

Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone - Lyrics to the song "Like A Rolling Stone"

Bob Dylan - It's all over now, Baby Blue - Lyrics to the song "It's all over now, Baby Blue"

Joyce Carol Oates - Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? - Dedication Of Joyce Carol Oates Short Story To Dylan

Joyce Carol Oates - Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? - Read the complete Short Story for Bob Dylan here

Unofficial Joyce Carol Oates website - There doesn't seem to be an official website for Joyce Carol Oates, but I have read that she likes this site

Jim Carroll - Official Website - Jim Carroll, writer, poet & songwriter. Author of several books of poetry and prose. Have you read the book "Basketball Diaries" or seen the movie about it? Have you heard the song "All The People Who've Died"? One of America's finest 20th Century writers.

James Kavanaugh - Great American poet, writer and human being. A former Catholic priest who has lost his easy God and found himself. Author of "A Modern Priest Looks At His Outdated Church", "There Are Men Too Gentle To Live Among Wolves" and numerous other books of poetry and prose. More of his books are listed below in my A-stores @ Faith & Religion on Amazon.com

Walt Whitman Specimen Days - Prose Works of Walt Whitman, war diaries, Prefaces and Democratic Vistas.

Vincent VanGogh - This is the most comprehensive VanGogh site in existence. All of his paintings, drawings, letters and various photos and background are here. This website is a work of art and love by David Brooks. New link to site: http://www.vggallery.com/ 

Vincent Van Gogh @ MOMA - The Museum Of Modern Art in NY City where VanGogh's Starry Night is on display

Salvadore Dali - Salvadore Dali Museum official website of the Artist 

Borris Vellejo -Official website of Artist Borris Vellejo.

Jewel - Jewel Kilcher's web site. Read Jewel's book of poetry called A Night Without Armor. I highly recommend Jewel's first two cd's, "Pieces Of You" and "Spirit". Also see the related links below for Higher Ground for Humanity & the Clear Water Project.

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Some sites that relate to issues I support

Higher Ground for Humanity - Jewel Kilcher and Lenedra Carroll - Higher Ground for Humanity

Clear Water Project - Jewel Kilcher and Lenedra Carroll - Clear Water Project

Environmental Advocates - EPL - Several years ago, I worked for EPL - Environmental Advocates. I managed to catch one of the worst colds of my life hoofing door to door in a bone chilling Autumn rain to encourage people to become members. In spite of Mother Nature's attack on my health, I still love her and encourage those of you living in NY State to become a member of EPL.

Friends of the Earth - US - Friends of the Earth - US

Friends of the Earth - International - Friends of the Earth International homepage

Friends of the Earth - UK - Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Christopher Reeve official website - Go Forward.... In Chapter 5 of Seeds and Weeds, there is a poem I wrote, inspired by the words and the life of Christopher Reeve, called "Life Is An Ocean".

Christopher Reeve Foundation Superman Tags - The proceeds from each purchase of Christopher Reeve Foundation Superman Tags goes directly into work to improve the lives of those living with paralysis. The tags are very cool, you get two per order and my total including the shipping and tax was $15.81. I thought the $5 shipping charge seemed kind of high considering the cost of the tags is only $10, but they are well worth it regardless. It's not about the tags, it's about helping improve lives. And the tags really are super cool!

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My high school, from student to employee

Schenectady City Schools - Schenectady High School, formerly Linton High School

ScoresUp - Schenectady - Schenectady High Sports

Schenectady Patriots Basketball - Schenectady High School, formerly Linton High School, Patriots Basketball.

Schenectady High School Technology Department - Schenectady High School, formerly Linton High School

Schenectady Students For Peace - Homepage of Students For Peace at Schenectady High School

Schenectady Students For Peace Yahoo Group - Message Board of Schenectady High Students For Peace

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Various sites I find interesting for a variety of reasons

Stan Johnson Pix - Professional photography by Stan Johnson. Over 40 years of experience as a photographer of weddings, proms, concerts, sporting events, journalism, family photography and brotherhood. Oh, did I mention Stan is my oldest brother? Ok, so it smacks of nepotism, but hey, I have not only seen his work, I have been in a lot of it. So I know he is an outstanding shutterbug and highly professional. Anyone who can make me look good on film has to be good!

Fenix Designs NYC - An all around design company specializing in all things artistic. From invitations to announcements,  logos, business cards or programs, Fenix Designs provides creative and individualized solutions.

SNOOPY & Peanuts - Official website of Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang

Officially Fawnia - Stay up to date with this leading actress and flexible fitness guru. Fawnia Mondey is a friend of mine, RESPECT HER!

Fawnia Mondey's pay site - Fawnia's exclusive site, and you'll know why when you go there. Sizzling HOT!!!

AFAA - Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.

Vegetarian Pages - Under Construction - The Vegetarian Pages (incorporating the World Guide to Vegetarianism) will soon be re-launched.

PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - PETA website. I may not always agree with their methods, but then, I agree much less with the methods of those who treat animals in unethical ways. I also don't care much for people who try to domesticate animals who cannot safely and happily live among humans. Come to think of it, there are a lot of humans who can't live safely among humans, let alone animals. And the White House is crawling with them....

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Politically Incorrect

The White House dot org - The truth in the Bush White House. Fortunately, we can laugh at this White House.

HateCrime.net - Religious Right - In their Own Words @ Hatecrime.net - This site will likely offend people with hearts.

Landover Baptist - Religious Right & Wrong - Not in their own words, but you know it's what they want to say!

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The following links are for excerpts from Seeds and Weeds

To view excerpts* from chapters 1-9, click each Chapter Title below

Each Chapter presented on-line contains two poems with prose from that chapter.*

Information on purchasing this book can be found below the index on each page.

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Seeds & Weeds (main page): Seeds & Weeds index (click link)

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Chapter 1: Pride & Prejudice* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

 1: Pride Is One Seed

 2: Seeds & Weeds - (prose)

 3: 3 Seeds ** (on main/index page)

 4: 4th Independence

 5: Matthew 5:5

 6: Knot In The Loop

 7: Segregation *

 8: Separation *

 9: Where Will You Aim Your Hate?

10: NYS OCFS Graduation Speech, Parker Training Academy, 12/10/99 *

11: The Boyz At Tryon

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Chapter 2: Power & Peace*(click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

12: 1000 Keys *

13: Pay For The War *

14: Like Father, Like Son

15: Pride Blinds Biased Eyes

16: Nation's Pledge

17: Empty Arms And Burning Flags

18: Stars And Stripes

19: There's More Than One Way

20: Rush To Judgment - Judgment To Rush

21: God's Children / One Family We Are

22: Do Not Die For Me

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Chapter 3: Faith: Search Within & Beyond* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

23: Great Unknown *

24: Pass On True Freedom

25: A Question Of Faith

26: Have You Heard?

27: Faith In What I Don't Believe

28: Unwilling To Let Go

29: This Dream I Dreamt Last Night

30: The One On My Shoulder - Never Succumb

31: No End To The Flesh

32: Invisible Light

33: Touch *

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Chapter 4: Dysfunctionality & Family* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

34: Ro-Ro Rows Her Boat *

35: Quarter-Life Crisis

36: The Family Way

37: Within Me - Beyond Me *

38: The Task Undone

39: A Ray Of Sun From A Pot Of Gold

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Chapter 5: Introspection* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

40: Life Is An Ocean *

41: Self Portrait

42: Forgive Not Forget

43: Two Faced

44: Constant & Changing

45: Walls And Bridges

46: Desire To Fly

47: The Man I Am No One Else Knows

48: Blind To The Me Others See

49: Stock Room Blues

50: But Does God Trust in US?

51: Struggle Against Success

52: Every Eden Has It's Apples

53: See Through Inner Eyes

54: I Am

55: Under The Bridge *

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Chapter 6: Mother Natures Sun* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

56: He Who Laughs Last Will Be A Fertile, Mutant Cockroach *

57: Sleep (Hiding From The Touch Of Death)

58: Leaves

59: Inner Eclipse

60: Full Womb Crescent Moon

61: Moon & River *

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Chapter 7: State Of The Artrocity* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

62: Death Of A Virgin *

63: Artificial Artists (State Of The Art)

64: Artificial Artists (X-Reprise) *

65: Tragedy

66: Artists Are Lonely

67: Where Is My Muse?

68: Philosophy Therefore Poetry

69: A Test

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Chapter 8: Broken Bonds* (click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

70: Drive Home *

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Chapter 9: Loose Ends*(click Chapter Title for excerpts*)

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Seeds And Weeds purchasing info

Publishing of this book is through BookSurge, an Amazon.com company.

click the cover banner above

ISBN # 1-4196-3309-0

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Copyright © 2006 Joseph F Johnson

 All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any manner or form without written permission from the author.

Portions of this book © 2004

US Copyright Office Registration

TXu1-162-978

ISBN 1-4196-3309-0

Publisher:

www.booksurge.com

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If you would like to donate to the upkeep of this website or the upkeep of my life in general, 

you may do so by clicking on the PayPal Donate button below.

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The above Amazon.com A-stores include Books, CD's, DVD's and Tapes of people I admire and ideals I strive for. People included in them are as follows: Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Jesse Jackson, Maya Angelou, Billie Holiday, Matthew Shepard, Oscar Schindler, Al Gore, Michael Moore, Sam Hamill, Dan Wilcox, D. Alexander Holiday, Ed Pavlic, Poet Essence, Oprah Winfrey, Dan Millman, Don Miguel Ruiz, Gandhi, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, Swami Muktananda, James Kavanaugh, Sir Issac Newton, Christopher Reeve, Joe Ponazecki, Vincent Van Gogh, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Don McLean, Harry Nilsson, Badfinger, Pete Ham, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Julian Lennon, George Martin, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Jim Morrison, Jim Carroll, Jewel Kilcher, Phoebe Snow, Cake, Billy Collins, Jack Kerouac, Joyce Carol Oates, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Anne Bradstreet, Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Robert Frost, John Keats, Henry David Thoreau, T. S. Eliot, Edward Taylor, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Edwin Arlington Robinson, Stephen Crane, Vachel Lindsay, Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, Ezra Pound, Marianne Moore, John Crowe Ransom, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Archibald MacLeish, E.E. Cummings, Hart Crane, W.H. Auden, Dylan Thomas, Allen Ginsberg, Diane DiPrima, Denise Levertov, Sylvia Plath. And that only scratches the surface. There are also a great many movies I have included here that have had a profound effect on me. These films are more than mere entertainment, they have deep meaning and reflect how I feel inside. For that alone I am including them here. No one is obligated to purchase anything, I just feel that these stores are a way to further explore my own personality and expand the horizons of others.

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A few words about why I chose to include a Google Search engine on this page. First of all, Google is the search engine I use most often. But that's not why I decided to add their search engine to my site. I don't feel the need to have one at all, but I thought that it made sense to put one on my links page, as the links I have here may inspire some other ideas for things people might want to look up. So why did I choose Google over any other search engine, for instance, Yahoo, which is the company I have my website through? It came down to the situation involving the U.S. Government demanding search requests made by people looking up whatever they felt like looking up. Google is the only search engine that refused to turn over these records, and for that I respect them. If our government wants this information, go to a judge and get a search warrant. The current administration seems to think the Constitution of the United States Of America is beneath them and need not be followed. Regardless of the eventual outcome, Google has stood its ground and has not fallen victim to the bully tactics being used by the Bush administration to rob American citizens of our Constitutional rights.