Larry Jaffe - The Poet Statesman

Words are effective things and their mastery is observed in the poet who uses them like rifles and doves, influencing the landscape of culture. Poets are powerful people and Larry Jaffe is a powerful poet. He has spent a lifetime with words, using them to communicate not only his thoughts and emotions about his own life, but to speak on the critical problems facing our planet giving them the significance only a poet could. Most notably, Jaffe has championed the cause of human rights and his poetry has reached across nations, forging people together over universal topics like ethics and justice. He has redefined the role of the poet, transforming it into a political force capable of influencing the global scene.

Larry Jaffe established himself as the preeminent human rights poet with works like “One Child Sold: Human Trafficking and Rights” and founding Poets Beyond Borders, a group aimed at improving human rights. He helped spearhead the United Nations Dialogue Among Civilizations Through Poetry Project which led to hundreds of poetry readings in hundreds of cities across the world. He was the first poet to be awarded the Saint Hill Art Festival’s Lifetime of Creativity Award and was a former poet in residence at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage. Jaffe has read his poems all over the world, from the Museum of Literature in Prague to the Dylan Thomas Centre in Wales and his poems continue to find an audience internationally.

It is safe to say that Larry Jaffe is passionate about poetry. He’s been performing and hosting poetry readings for many years and his work reflects a lifetime of devotion to words. One of his most popular poems, also the title of one of his books, is “Unprotected Poetry,” a cool, hip piece demonstrating Jaffe’s viewpoint on the subject of poetry. He likes it raw, unrestricted and impinging. Something characteristic of his work is its ability to communicate and present ideas and emotions clearly so they’re easily understood. There’s nothing abstract or vague about his poems. You know what they are about, they hit you in the gut and make you remember them. Maybe that’s the way poetry has to be for a poet trying to wake up mankind from a slumber. The sleeping giant may still be snoozing but not for long with the work Jaffe is putting out these days.

In the poem “Cattle Car,” Larry Jaffe writes about a group of Jews that stood up against the Nazi’s, recognizing their heroism in the midst of overwhelming odds. The world still faces such odds today but fortunately it still has its heroes too. Larry Jaffe is not only fighting to make the world a better place, he’s stepping to the forefront and delivering the words it needs to hear. His podium is large and his impact even larger. He is truly the poet statesman.

For more information on Larry Jaffe visit www.lgjaffe.com

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