How does Wheelsong contribute to literature?

Artificial Intelligence is a strange one. Often AI makes hilarious errors, and sometimes gets it disastrously wrong. It's like a toddler being potty trained or learning to walk. Comical but also messy. But every now and again, AI can actually get things right, and save us all a fair amount of time. Here's one example, from Facebook's Meta AI model that hangs around beneath posts in Invisible Poets and other groups.

The tab was titled 'How Does Wheelsong contribute to literature?'
Wheelsong Books contributes to literature in several ways:

1. Publishing New and Emerging Authors: Wheelsong has collaborated with numerous first-time authors, showcasing their work in various poetry collections. Some notable publications include:

a) The Sky is a Shade of Forever by Chuck Porretto, exploring themes of nostalgia, satire,
and life observations
b) Echoes of a Fading Star by Emmanuel Chimezie, a daring blend of bold lyricism and experimentation
c) Light Will Return by Iain Strachan, a collection of poetry that explores spirituality, science, identity, and technology
d) Circus of Circles by Aoife Cunningham, a debut collection of poetry that tackles themes of healing, mental health, and vulnerability

2. Promoting Poetry through Anthologies: Wheelsong publishes annual poetry anthologies, featuring over 250 poems from poets worldwide. These anthologies have raised funds for Save the Children, with over £14,000 donated by the end of 2025.

3. Supporting Literary Events and Community Building: Wheelsong organizes roadshows and live events, providing a platform for poets to perform and connect with each other. These events have helped forge lasting friendships among poets and raised additional funds for charity.

4. Mentoring and Developing Writing Skills: Wheelsong publishes textbooks like Creative Deviance by Steve Wheeler, which offers exercises and techniques for poets to develop their skills.

5. Charitable Contributions: Wheelsong's publications and events support Save the Children's global relief work, focusing on education, protection, and aid for children in crisis-stricken areas.

Quite a useful summary of some of Wheelsong's achievements and projects over the last year or so.


Steve Wheeler

Irish Poetry

I have always been attracted to Irish poetry. Maybe it's because my ancestors were Irish (My maternal great grandmothers were born in Cork and Waterford), or maybe it's because I appreciate the lyrical and rhythmic quality of it. I could never get enough of Seamus Heaney, James Joyce (Ulysses, although not poetry, is one of my favourite novels, and has directly influenced my own writing), and William Butler Yeats. Several years ago I was in Dublin with my wife (I was on a speaking trip, and she is a teacher of English) and as we were walking around the city, we stumbled upon the Dublin Writers Museum. We spent a fabulous 4 hours wandering around, just soaking up all the history, memorabilia and sense of awe at the collected talent of Irish poetry. If you're ever in Dublin, it's a must visit!

One of the jewels in the Wheelsong Books crown is a young Irish poet named Aoife Cunningham. She is a rare talent - a poet who writes far in advance of her years, and who taps into the visceral emotions and events that happen around her with brutal honesty and contagious humour. It really is a pleasure to read her poetry, and we had the distinct pleasure to publish her debut collection of poetry, Circus of Circles in 2024. 

Circus of Circles is currently enjoying a surge of interest in sales. Aoife is fairly prolific anyway, so people are reading her work on our poetry groups with regularity. But they are also showing an interest in owning a copy of her beautiful work. Circus of Circles has recently been in the top 3 of Amazon's Irish poetry best sellers (yes, this is a fickle and rapidly changing chart, which depends upon arcane rules and algorithms that I suspect even the Amazon wizards don't fully understand .... since when was Dylan Thomas an Irish poet?) 

Here is Aoife Cunningham's profile: 

Key facts and background

• Aoife grew up in a rural area around Galway, in a family of six children: she is a twin to her brother, with two younger twin sisters and two older brothers. Source: Connacht Tribune

• She began writing poetry at around age 16 following a difficult period with her mental health — writing became a kind of lifeline for her. Source: Galway City Tribune

• Her writing is described as raw, unapologetic, and emotionally honest. She calls herself a “heartist”—combining “heart” and “artist.” Source: Connacht Tribune

Work & Achievements

• Her debut poetry collection is titled Circus of Circles. 

• She launched “Circus of Circles” in December 2024—at the University Hospital Galway (UHG), as a gesture of gratitude to the hospital staff who had supported her during her difficult times. Connacht Tribune

• Many of the poems in that collection were written while she was in hospital. galwaydaily.com

• She has performed spoken-word poetry at events such as the Galway Fringe Festival (Fringe), at Dublins’ Àras Chrónáin, and at public literary events like those run by Over the Edge Literary Events in Galway. Connacht Tribune

Her Perspective & Style

• Her poetry seems deeply personal and oriented around healing, mental-health journeys, vulnerability — using art as a path to recovery and self-expression. Connacht Tribune

• By choosing to launch her book in the hospital where she had received her care, she deliberately highlights the connection between art, healing, community, and gratitude. 

Circus of Circles is the first we hope of many collections we will see from Aoife Cunningham. Yes, the poetry is as colourful and evocative as the jazzy cover art. It's a volume of poetry that will not age, but will remain a snapshot of her prodigious writing talent. You can purchase your copy of Aoife's Circus of Circles from all good online bookstores *listed here, or directly from Wheelsong books by emailing wheelsong6@gmail.com

*Proceeds of the sales from this book will be donated to Save the Children by request of the author.

Steve Wheeler

Review of 2024: Part Three

Autumn of 2024 was busier than ever for Wheelsong Books. This is part 3 in our review of the year. Part one can be read at this link and part two can be viewed here.

August

As August began, Wheelsong's next publication was released. It was Storming Oblivion by the mercurial New York poet Peter Rivers. This book was Peter's first full collection of published poetry and it certainly caused a small storm with its moody cover design and extraordinary poetry. 

Writing about his debut collection, Peter says:

This collection represents a journey through my own expression, recognizing the potential value within my own voice. Storming Oblivion will present tales of love, loss, fear, doubt, feelings that lack reciprocity and more. Travel with me on my road to self-discovery as I share the deepest parts of my soul with you in my quest for self-acceptance.

September

As the summer drew to a close and the leaves began to change colour, Wheelsong Books published an amazing collection of poetry titled Stealing Fire.  Written by Irish poet Tyrone M. Warren, Stealing Fire is a radical departure from much of Wheelsong's previous offerings. Tyrone is a poet with a difference. He speaks from his own experience about a number of challenging issues including domestic abuse, urban alienation and addiction. His writing is visceral, stream of consciousness style and it utterly captures your attention. Tyrone lived in London for many years but recently made his home in the idyllic Cornish countryside.

He says about his own writing craft:

It’s been a hard graft starting from scratch again and I feel a sincere gratitude to have had this opportunity like God heard my heart and I had the clarity to see and read the signs.

October

The much awaited Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 5 was published as Autumn decended. Edited by myself, with able assistance from Brandon Adam Haven and Charlene Phare, WSPA5 features poetry from all six continents, and has become just as popular as all its previous siblings. The cover art is a photo I took from street level of skyscrapers in Manhattan while working in New York in 2015. 

Containing poems in many styles and diverse themes, WSPA5 is an excellent addition to anyone's poetry collection, and features a number of new poets previously unpublished. 

As ever, sales of every book contribute to Wheelsong's charity donations, with more than £6,500 ($8,100) so far being given to Save the Children to help feed, provide health care and educate children in crisis. Wheelsong will continue to create these books for as long as there is an audience to read them. 

November

The final book of 2024 was published in November and it was quite a pleasant surprise to many poetry fans. Circus of Circles by young Irish poet Aoife Cunningham caused quite a stir, not only due to its fiercely vibrant cover art, but also because of the way the book created a new dimension for Aoife's dynamic and powerful spoken word performances. 

Much of her work in the book derives from personal mental struggles and dark, painful places, as well as life in a lage Irish family, but as ever it is all delivered with her inimitable wit and humour. Aoife presents her art with grace and style, always infused with the unmistakeable culture and charm of the Emerald Isle. 

We hope to hear a lot more from this talented young poet in the coming years. 

December

In the final month of the year Invisible Poets reached the significant milestone of 50,000 members. Less than 2 years old, the group thrives from a range of activities including several regular live shows from the UK, USA, Brazil and other countries, energising experimental poetry exercises and engaging writing challenges, many of which yield a diverse range of poems and creative works shared on the site. 

To celebrate reaching 50,000, Wheelsong has created a special T-Shirt which presents the slogan 'Poetry Against Poverty'. Needless to say, every sale raises a fair amount of money to support children in crisis across the globe. In the new year, Wheelsong has plans to establish an online store selling a range of merchandising that will further support Save the Children. Watch out for announcements on the group sites!

Previous parts of this annual review are available:

Review of 2024 (Part One)

Review of 2024 (Part Two)

Steve Wheeler