Phil Chamberlin, Raging Pacifist, dies
By Carol
Fondiller
Phil Chamberlin was born on
Feb. 17, 1937. He was married and he wrote some cool poetry and that’s all
I know about him except this:
Decades ago, after a particularly wonderful
Canal Festival, the garbage scow ( in reality a Huckleberry Finn type raft) that
was known locally as the Royal Barge was liberated. About ten people including
myself and Phil climbed on board - most of us including myself were in an
altered state of consciousness brought on by inhlaling some Thai Stick. The
barge was riding lower in the water than usual and Phil was at the helm poling
us through the tree stumps, discarded car parts, scum, feces, chemical waste,
etc.
I am a physical cowaard. The
other people on the raft were very quiet - one could say mute. I tried to
control my apprehension as we glided along the filthy waters.
I whimpered “Watch out!”
as we seemed, to my Herb paranoia, in danger of
capsizing.
Phil, standing tall,
slender, and erect looked down at my crouching craven form and said, contempt
radiating from him... ”Stop it. I am a graduate of
Annapolis!”
Like I say Phil,
that’s all I really know about you and may your journey across the Styx be
as peaceful, safe and fun as that sweet memory on the pungent canals.
Posted: Tue - April 1, 2003 at 06:30 PM