I’ve always approached this blog in a very direct business oriented manner. Strictly appropriated to approaching poetry… the application of it, the nuts and bolts of it, the surface beauty of it all.
But this article is not about that. It is about THE LOVE OF POETRY… underneath the skin of it all… to the heart.
Anyone who has been in love knows one true aspect of it is about give and take. It’s about sacrifice. Time spent with the one you love. The sincerity of it… affection, sharing , and truth. The pure love. The good stuff.
This also applies to loving something other than a person. You think about it, spend time on it. LOVE IT.
Steve’s last blog about generosity in commenting on poetry other than one’s own hit a note with me in this regard. About not only writing poetry, but reading it as well. Beyond that… in encouraging the work of other poets. Not just giving lip service or gilding the lily as it were. But really reading beyond the words to the essence of the works.
The good stuff.
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When Steve approached me to become involved in all the Wheelsong projects, I was instantly drawn to the gravity of his vision. The mission statement of Wheelsong simply encompasses two things:
1.) To utilize the divine gift of poetic skill to make this a better world by giving back in some way bigger than we possess as individuals. To pool our talents together into a beautiful purpose to benefit the unfortunate. The brilliancy of the past and future Wheelsong Anthologies for Save The Children drives that. It’s at the CORE of our direction.
2.)To explore the poetry realms as we know them, on social media and beyond. To invite those wordsmiths, emotion evokers, and profound surfers of human spirit to be a part of our poetry community through participating in and drawing poetry power from our collective collaborations. To build a roster of international poets of renown with a similar vision.
Very simple mission. It is what makes me do what I do in my humble role in promoting the Wheelsong brand. It’s simple. We are a family. And we are growing.
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Today I helped my brother move my niece’s things out of her apartment in the city back to the country. She just graduated college. It was an endeavor! I injured my foot terribly last week, nearly critical. It was an effort. That’s for sure. But I did it anyway… and sang goofy songs with a smile on my face as we moved and had fun doing it, despite the hard work (and pain for me).
Why did I do this? I’m hurting now, as I FINALLY got home. Why?! The same reason I’m writing this after reading Steve’s blog. BECAUSE I LOVE MY FAMILY.
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I don’t just read poems and comment as a moderator on Invisible Poets and Wheelsong Poetry on Facebook. I reach out to members on messenger. I try to read their works and mentor them. I even support them with non poetry issues. Why? BECAUSE I LOVE MY FAMILY.
I don’t just write this blog for some vanity protect. I do so in the hopes that one… just ONE poet might find something of interest and become inspired.
I believe we are approaching a modern poetry renaissance, brought about by a social media that is not being utilized to its full potential. This is why i do what I do. I spend most of my spare time reading and trying to comment on so many poems. Sometimes I ask myself… why am I doing this?!
BECAUSE I LOVE POETRY. And I LOVE MY POET FAMILY.
Thus… I will continue to do what I do… which is encouraging, reading, and engaging with all the poets that are on my radar. ALL the poets, new and old favorites. I keep my palette open for new colors, and I thrive on it.
Steve’s blog said more about being generous and sharing with each other than I could ever say. However, it was THE BEST BLOG I HAVE EVER READ. Why? Because it absolutely reflects everything I feel about being a poet and being part of this poet community.
Let’s be make this poetry renaissance happen by uniting! Together… as a family.
I do hope you feel the same reader! Please FEEL FREE TO COMMENT below and let me know how you feel about this topic.
When I say I’d LOVE to hear from you… now you know why…
Matt Elmore
