International Human Rights Poet Laureate Makes Twitter his Voice for Peace

International award-winning poet, Larry Jaffe, reaches out to the youth of the world by tweeting each of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 140 characters or less to spread a message of peace and responsibility for humankind.

Tampa Bay, FL, July 27, 2009 - Poet Larry Jaffe has been using his art to promote human rights his entire career. As an official Ambassador for Youth for Human Rights as well as their Poet Laureate, Jaffe has been featured in poetry venues and festivals both throughout the U.S. and abroad. But in today’s “Brave New World” Jaffe is speaking for peace on Twitter, by tweeting each of the 30 articles of Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 140 characters or less.

Jaffe is excited about his poetry foray into Twitter and despite having read his work in such distinguished locations such as the Japanese American Museum, the Jewish Museum and the Museum of Literature in Prague he says Twitter has more ability to reach the mainstream.

Born out of the atrocities and enormous loss of life during World War II, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created by the United Nations to provide a common understanding of what everyone’s rights are. It forms the basis for a world built on freedom, justice and peace.

"Tell the world about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and make everyone you know aware of them, says Larry. “Get these rights taught to our children so they know their birthright."

Larry still loves to read in a variety of bookstores, coffeehouses and bars to keep his roots intact. He says his Twitter tweets will be no different than his usual poetry and will always integrate a strong sense of humor along with a tough stand on human rights and freedom.

Follow Larry via his poetic tweets on Twitter @larryjaffe.

About Poet Larry Jaffe:

From the sensually romantic to humor and social commentary, Larry Jaffe impacts audiences with a rich emotional range, masterfully crafted. His poetry appears in numerous anthologies, magazines, and on the Internet where he has pioneered poetry web sites. Passionate about his purpose to bring Human Rights to the forefront of our youth’s minds, Jaffe said, "Every day I read about various human rights violations and in my heart I know we can make a better world. It is my great hope that we as poets lead the way to a new and better civilization." His poem OWNED has been adopted as the official poem on human slave trafficking. In addition to his Poet Laureate status for the Youth for Human Rights International, Jaffe is also the co-founder of Poets for Human Rights, an international coalition of poets and human rights advocates. Visit Larry at www.reverbnation.com/larry

7/6/2008

Dear Friends, Relatives & Other Assorted Associated Beings,

As my personal calendar progresses, I find myself contemplating the future more than the past. This is a good thing as the past is an impolite mixture of good, bad and the ugly. And as my daughters tell me the past is yesterday – what are you going to do tomorrow?

Contrary to popular myth, my heart seems to grow younger as those birthdays increase in number. I look out into the world in increasing wonder and see the beauty despite its flaws. I live with complete purpose to enhance that beauty and improve conditions on this planet – not so easy perhaps but good strong ideas have made more changes on this planet than guns. Might, might make right.  However, I am a firm believer in integrity of spirit over weaponry in this or any other life we may live. It is not easy to change one's own life let alone the lives of others, but the human spirit is an amazing thing and I know in my heart that all it takes is one good idea and the world can change to a better place. 

 As Poet Laureate for Youth for Human Rights, I have a job to do. It is a simple and wonderful job to ensure that the entire population of this planet is aware of their rights. Even more importantly, we must ensure so that we actually have these precious rights. We have created a subset of YHR with the formation of Poets for Human Rights to amass an army of poets reaching out to society to create a better future.

It is my plan to travel the world, confronting what must be confronted, replacing ignorance with knowledge. This indeed I pledge. I will do this in poetry, in blog, in performance and presentation. Please let me know how I can be of service to you in this way.

The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights like me is 60 years of living. Let us celebrate by empowering everyone with his or her human rights!

Much Love,



Lawrence Jaffe
Poet Laureate Youth for Human Rights

I am tired of Mr. Murphy and his negativity. Whatever happened to making things go right despite the obstacles?  We have all been in dark tangled places and somehow figured out a way to make it work. If not where would the human spirit be? So I decided to out-create Murphy and therefore: Reversing Murphy - Jaffe's Law: Whatever can go right, will go right!  And believe it or not, it does!

YOU

You are a wonder
a maker of miracles
the essence of life
the moods that strike
are not you.

You are your own messiah
your own soul
you are it
the beauty
not the aftermath
not the cargo.

You are truth
life reborn
again and again
in spiritual splendor
not the shell
of one lifetime.

You are you
from a sacred shower
you emerge
unguarded
uncloaked
a faint halo.

– YOU

© 2007 lgjaffe

A LIFETIME WARRANTY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

It is Human Rights Day 07
59 years of guaranteed freedoms
backed by the largest
powers on earth
remain broken
by an oppressive few
who pay lip service to only
the smallest of things

– like human slave traffic
or right of assembly
or even my right to know.

It is Human Rights Day 07
and I wonder if
I have the courage
to stand up to George Bush
And say…
see here Mr. President
we are all guaranteed
these rights
not just you and your friends.

It is Human Rights Day 07
and I want to add
a lifetime warranty
to truly guarantee
them.

 

© 2007 lgjaffe.com