Thus the Master is available to all people

and doesn't reject anyone.

He is ready to use all situations

and doesn't waste anything.

This is called embodying the light.

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 27

The Master does his job

and then stops.

He understands that the universe

is forever out of control,

and that trying to dominate events

goes against the current of the Tao.

Because he believes in himself,

he doesn't try to convince others.

Because he is content with himself,

he doesn't need others approval.

Because he accepts himself,

the whole world accepts him.

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 30

A Poem For Hilliard

                                                        He comes from the state that gave us James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman and Oprah Winfree, that's why Hilliard is so proactor, that's why he worked on a theater degree towards a Masters in Life,

                                                       He comes from the land that gave us Jerry Rice, Lancaster Gordon, Archie Moore, Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning and Walter Payton, and, that's why Hilliard is so lean:

biking, swimming, running, racquetball, accompanied by Tahoe – four legs and all.

                                                      He comes from the state with abundance of Civil Rights heroes: Fannie Lou Hamer, James Chaney―the freedom rider who gave his life to stop Jim Crow― Clyde Kennard, Raylawni Branch, Gwendolyn Armstrong, James Meredith―the first African Americans attending the Magnolia State's universities― martyred Medger Evers, and Ida Bell Wells, who stopped the lynchings of Black citizens with a well-timed trip to France, that's why Hilliard champions diversity in equality― he's immersed in it.

                                                        He comes from the state with accomplished writers: Etheridge Knight William Faulkner, Richard Wright, Shelby Foote, John Grisham, Al Young, Jim Henson,, Alice Walker, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, so watch out when he writes a grant―so many grants―and, you know, he's no stranger to writing a theater review, or a short story or two,

                                                       He comes from a place with a plethora of music from Opera to Jazz to Country to Blues, yea, yea, yea, they've all paid their dues: Leontine Price, Mose Allison, BB King, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Charlie Pride, Jimmy Buffett, LeAnn Rimes, Blind Melon, and Mississippi Fred McDowell, and with that last name you now know the state, now you know why there's low turnover at Young Audiences: we can all dance to Hilliard's muse, his guitar from Itta Bena, his fiddle from Georgia, and that electric Gibson without the amp, really tell the tale of Hilliard's music camp.

                                                       He's my boss but never bossy, you know he's the chief, but never acts like a lord, he leads by calm, quiet example, your feelings he'll never trample, he lives by a gentle, human code, but this freedom, respect, etiquette of equanimity, equality, & dignity is not written down,

                                                      Like a lean, silver-haired warrior, his hair cut in mod gel style, after you've been with this long distance runner, you're surely likely to smile, his gentle endorphin code unlocking frowns, keeping ajar Young Audience doors, open & fresh, artful & renown, and nothing is written down.

                                                         Mississippi Man, Greenwood Mississip that is, who's manner of speech teeters between California hip and Southern lip grace ― when Hilliard enters the room we feel the gentle space.

                                                        Our director drives himself very hard: grant writing, fund raising, Young Audiences P.R., problem solving, hiring, planning, budgeting, billing, more P.R., yet he always has time for you, time out for people always comes due. Like when I'd drop by the office, he'd come out from behind his desk, always with a smile and forget all the rest,

                                                       He might ask about my family, my daughters, my life, he's a good listener, keen ears sharp, tuned to my tales, my classroom stories of kids learning to write, finding their voices, becoming griots, becoming bards, becoming songs, becoming poems, becoming lights.

                                                        Hilliard's heed motivated me to grow as a teacher, to prepare better, to arrive on time, to be more creative, to lesson plan fun, to lesson plan low risk/high success, to lesson plan love of the spoken word, and don't forget the fun, most importantly, don't forget the fun, if you find the roots of fun you find the fertile talent tree, the art arbole of love...

                                                        And what do his colleagues say about the director of Y.A.S., a member of the board thought: there's nothing false about this man, he inspires me to get involved. Hilliard reminds me of a body of water ― like a lake when the sun is reflecting on the surface, calming and simple in its presence, with depths that are not easily seen― but you know are there...

                                                                  Another board member commented: an altruistic man who always puts others, esp the community's kids, first; from nothing, he built an organization that's brightened the lives of hundreds of thousands of kids;  he has earned our thanks...

                                                                   Yet another board admirer stated: the part of nature he reminds me of:  ocean waves.  Ocean waves are full of energy yet constant and dependable...

                                                        A fourth member praised with: strong, sturdy, like an oak tree.

                                                        And what about his staff, what do they say: he showed up to work one day in a tuxedo with cowboy boots; for a meeting with musicians he wore his guitar-shaped neck tie. There are a hundreds of windows opened on his computer of "to do" items. We can't even find his desk under the projects of paper! He has two thick stripes blocking the view of his computer screen, yet is more concerned that Sherrie needs a new computer...

                                                       That same colleague said: he has a tender heart, a dutiful passion for this field, great creative and fun neck ties, his energy is persistent and undying, he genuinely loves and supports his staff and artists, he has a keen and critical eye, fantastic hair!, he is a caring and supportive mentor for his staff, he loves the arts and cares about the future of our children...

                                                        Another staff member stated: I see Hilliard as a man dedicated to making a better world through the arts. I respect Hilliard's perseverance and willfulness. He reminds me of a giant ocean wave...

                                                        Mississippi man, motivator, body of water, giant ocean wave, calm lake, chief but never lord, you know how to reach us, by a question, a comment, a silence, a glance, the sun reflects your shining code, ex-sailor from Greenwood, officer, business major, lover of art, music, theater, dance; father, husband, son; you who count in Choctaw, but don't keep score; you who know how to reach us and nothing is written down.

                                                      But now we write something down for you, we write something down to say to you, its our turn to say something, its our turn to sing your song, so one last time as our director, our chief, listen to what we say, what we sing of you:

                                                       Listen....listen...put on your listening hat, listen to the story of the Mississippi man, the man from Spanish moss hanging from lush green & oak brown, blowing in the wind like gray dancers, growing from green lush and brown oak, gray dancing— gray dreadlocks dancing, not swinging, breaking the crush of slavery & Jim Crow's noose.

                                                       Listen...listen...put on your thinking cap, think about a southern man, he heard the refrain—go west young man! So he danced on Kansas prairie, danced on Rockie tops, danced over cactus and diamond backs, then―entonces―he danced with the rainbow sunset over the cutting edge left coast , in ocean abalone rainbow mirrors, rolled up his sleeves and danced for 30 fecund years, a protector of the arts, an artist of arts, alchemist, connoisseur, commander, master chef of diversity, clever resource pilot of people, of time―dancer, you leap and pleea, you pivot and spin, then you dance it all again, & nothing is written down,

                                                      Listen to our song of you, Mississippi man, Greenwood man, Artist man, Oak tree man with art love roots, raised forty miles from Choctaw warriors―you dance the warriors drum; Musician man, you strum your song of honor, you fiddle no time away, and nothing is written down; Thespian man, you have mastered your leading roles, you have learned your lines, your act is smooth grace and nothing is written down; Swimmer man, your stroke calms many waters, and nothing is written down; when you learned your craft near the Father of All Waters you learned to watch for shallow eddies, you learned to Mark Twain the warning, and then you'd write, you'd sing, you'd dance, you'd smile that wise Hilliard smile.

                                                       You can rest now― commander of calm waters, rest beside your silent stream―because of you we are better, we are healing, we are whole, because of you, who wrote no code down. There's no pasture to put you out, there's no pasture for ocean waves, so we refuse to wave adieu, a simple, grateful salute to you, master artist, for a job well done will do, you have earned our thanks. So, a thank you, a thank you for your example, a muchas gratias maestro del corazon y alma y Tahoe for a tremendous time, a most productive time, and this, we must insist, and be assured, be written down.

Jim Moreno, City Heights, March 2010