Charity And Poetry

As we approach the introduction of the brand new  Wheelsong Anthology Three next week, an article considering the scope of what Wheelsong does is in order. 

Wheelsong Books was formed by Steve Wheeler, and is currently dedicated to funding Save The Children through the total profits of an ongoing poetry series. This series contains many stellar works of a number of both established and little known poets, all of which demonstrate exemplary work in their craft.

There are so many charitable organizations out there, and causes as well.  Some charitable causes include issues related to addiction, race, the blind, cancer, child protection, civil rights, consumer rights, environmental, and health. Also included would be those dealing with housing, human rights, human services, hunger, international relief, LGBTQ+, education, mental health, and police. Let’s not forget reproductive health, terminally ill, women’s advocacy, and youth charities!

The mission statement of Wheelsong is to contribute not only to the discovery and development of poetic talent, but also to doing our part within a global community to make a difference. This article is only a peek into a vast window of opportunities to positively influence so many lives in so many ways… whether through direct donations or by being the voice of a movement.

As an author within the Wheelsong roster… my main motivation is to making this difference. By contributing and buying the Wheelsong anthologies, whether it is one for myself, or as Christmas gifts for my loved ones, I know that all the profits are going straight to children that need the resources. Resources I have and am willing to share! 

This word from Steve Wheeler today…

                                          —

“Hi @everyone 

£3.00 can feed a malnourished child for a month. £3.00 can buy two sterile birthing kits. £3.00 can go a very long way in an area of deprivation or disaster. And guess what? £3.00 is the profit gained from every Wheelsong Poetry Anthology sold on Amazon. 

Wheelsong Books has so far donated £1500.00 to Save the Children from book sales. We would love to send more. If every member of Invisible Poets bought one copy, we could send another £22,000 to help kids in crisis!

This book is published on 19th September. Will you buy into the Wheelsong vision? Poetry against poverty!”

                                           —

For those who live in fields of plenty… a little can mean a lot… to those who have such a small amount of anything. 

Please consider buying a Wheelsong Anthology and keep hope alive for impoverished children around the world.

Matt Elmore

Resources:

Top Rated Charities— 

www.charity watch.com

Types Of Giving: The ABCs Of Donations—            

www.copecorrales.com

Image provided by: Unsplash

A Modern Poetry Renaissance

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.

                                     —

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.

                                     —

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. 

                                     —                                     

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

Lost at sea?

 So you want to be a poet? Feeling lost at sea? 

Finding a starting point is never easy. We know that we have the ability to put pen to paper, yet how do we gain the confidence to publish it in the public domain? Which groups are supportive and encouraging? How come some people are more popular? How do you become popular?

Questions ... so many questions...

Let's tackle these issues one at a time…

Find a supportive group. Look for a warm and welcoming environment, where people greet you with friendliness from the outset.

Are people adding likes to the creations of others? If the answer is yes for the majority of the group, the group could be the one for you.

Are people commenting and interacting with each other and saying what they enjoyed about the masterpiece? That is a good way of gauging that the group is encouraging and inspiring everyone.

You need to put in the time to become popular, and read others' work. Doing so will provide you with inspiration while at the same time begin to build up your own network of fans and followers. On Facebook, the more you like and comment the work of others, the more people will seek out your work.

Groups have Administrative personnel who run the group and Moderators who ensure that the members are kept safe from scams and potential threats. Much of the work looks like it’s focused on the frontal part of the group, however there’s so much more that happens behind the scenes.

Here are the groups that Steve Wheeler and I work in as Admin. We work alongside other colleagues who we admire, because of their dedication and commitment to our projects.

Invisible poets

Wheelsong poetry 

Pure poetry

Charlene Phare 

Writing a Villanelle

This is a blog  that I posted as a lesson in both the INVISIBLE POETS and the WHEELSONG POETS groups on Facebook. Both are living breathing and dynamic aspects of what Wheelsong is about and has to offer. We are very proud of our roster of amazing poets, and their level of engagement. 

Steve Wheeler asked that I place it on the Wheelsong Blogspot as well, so here it is as follows! Please feel free to join in and follow the prompt to post your poems here just as our poets on Facebook do! I will be more than happy to read them and share some collaboration on the colorful villianelle form!

                                      

I’ve been overwhelmed with not only the DIVERSITY of the content incorporated into your group  poems lately, but also the SKILL with which everyone is expressing their themes. 

This exercise is for those poets that are willing to work their expressions into various forms that are used by those masters of old we love so much. Today over our shimmering horizons of creation comes that most versatile of forms, the VILLANELLE (or the VILLAINESQUE).

This form, once tamed, is not as villainous or difficult as it may seem! I would go into the history of it, which is amazing, but this is an exercise. We are focusing on writing here!

It simply consists of five three line stanzas and a final quatrain, with the first and third lines of the first stanza repeating alternately in the following stanzas. These two lines (known as refrains) form the final couplet in the quatrain (or four line kind of line grouping).

Historically, this form on the whole deals with various kinds of obsessions, which appeal to outsiders. The repetition within the verse defies convention to create something very unique. It’s a clever way to write a poem that seems very intricate, but follows a rather simple pattern. 

One of my heroes, Dylan Thomas, used this form to write his master craft poem “Do Not Go Gentle Into The Night”. Notice how the above rules apply in his following effort…

                                     —

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

                                     —

Pay close attention to the end rhymes and where the repeating verses are set within the poem! They are subtle, but are most effective when crafted properly. It’s a bit like fitting your poem together like a puzzle, with a dazzling picture to admire once the puzzle is set out upon your table.

I invite you to stretch your poetic wings and write a villanelle. Start with an overlying theme within the repetitions of the first three lines that you want to dance with, then go on to spin your partner around in the next four three line verses. The end four line verse sums it all up and repeats your theme. There is no syllable count, which is nice. USE DYLAN’S PLACEMENTS AS A TEMPLATE TO REFER TO IN PLACING YOUR WORDS.

This exercise is another step in adding weapons to your expressional arsenal. The more arrows you have in your poetic quiver, the more you can practice hitting the bullseye as a real deal poet with your variable forms!!!

Good luck my poet friends! Also, please POST YOUR VILLANELLES IN THE COMMENTS below so I can acknowledge your works in a subsequent post. The more you write and get your name out there, the more you will get noticed! And you deserve recognition. EVERYONE OF YOU!

Also, feel free to comment on the submissions below. We are here to not only be recognized, but to recognize others. We are learning and supporting each other like all families do. Only our family is WORLDWIDE!!!!!

As always, the writer writes. I am with you, and I will be commenting on your poem as we go!!! Good luck dear poet, and write on!!! 🚀

Moderatin’ Matt Elmore