Call for poems: Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 8

Do you want to be a part of something truly amazing? Something that reaches much further than poetry? Would you like to be a part of something that will leave a lasting legacy and do some good in the world long after you are gone? Invisible Poets, Wheelsong Books and a number of other poetry groups periodically band together to raise funds for a well known international children's charity - Save the Children

Together, we will soon be publishing the latest anthology in our charity series. It's number 8 in a book series representing our efforts to make lives better for underprivileged children around the globe. We will literally mobilise poetry against poverty. Each book sold raises enough funds to feed a malnourished child for a month. We would love to include you as a contributor! 

Here is some context: Wheelsong Books Ltd was established in the Plymouth, England in 2020 as a not-for-profit organisation. Its mission statement is twofold: To give emerging poets the means to reach larger audiences and to help children who are in need. Since then, Wheelsong, in partnership with Invisible Poets and its affiliated groups, has published around 60 books including 13 charity poetry anthologies. Here are our anthology statistics: 

Absolutely Poetry Anthology 1: 170 poems (310 copies sold)

Absolutely Poetry Anthology 2: 176 poems (287 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 1: 183 poems (258 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 2: 214 poems (237 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3: 229 poems (417 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 4: 245 poems (395 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 5: 248 poems (348 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 6: 265 poems (353 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 7: 249 poems (295 copies sold)

Invisible Poets Anthology 1: 352 poems (317 copies sold)

Invisible Poets Anthology 2: 242 poems (83 copies sold)

Invisible Poets Anthology 3: 246 poems (84 copies sold)

Invisible Poets Anthology 4: 263 poems (101 copies sold)

No other poetry group on Facebook comes anywhere close to these charitable efforts. (We have published a total of 3062 poems written by more than 500 poets representing 130 countries across all 6 continents, and have sold more than 3470 copies at the time of writing). And that's just the anthologies. 

All the above books are still selling on Amazon and through other online outlets, including Waterstones (UK) and Barnes & Noble (USA). The proceeds from Amazon sales of these books is donated directly to Save the Children - a worldwide charity that cares for children in crisis, providing emergency nutrition, health care, medicine, safety and education. To date, Wheelsong Books has donated approximately £15,000.00 ($18,000.00) to Save the Children and we are only getting started! We plan to publish another Wheelsong anthology this year, as well as two more Wheelsong Anthologies and another Invisible Poets Anthology next year.

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Dear poet, please think about this... You possess an amazing creative gift ... you have the ability to capture your thoughts, ideas, memories and emotions and present them as beautiful, evocative words. 

You can, if you want to join us, use your wonderful talent to freely give back a little to children who are ltrapped in desperate, often life-threatening situations. 

We all want our poetry to be read and appreciated by others. Publishing your work in Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 6 will ensure that you gain a new audience for your poetry, but that's not the most important aim! 

Better than that is this ... your poems will be helping to raise much needed funds to support those children in crisis. You will also retain ownership of your poetry, and Wheelsong Books will protect and administer your copyright for you. 

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To be considered for inclusion in the review process you will need to follow these instructions very carefully:

Firstly, do not bother to submit your poetry if you do not intend to buy at least one copy of the book. We will expect you to pledge to buy at least one copy direct from Wheelsong Books if your work is published. This is a charity publication, and all profits from Amazon sales will go to help children in crisis. If you're not prepared to invest in helping children, we won't be publishing your poetry (we are dismayed that around two thirds of featured poets do not purchase a copy of the anthologies once they have been published). Please give more than you take, because this is not about you or about Wheelsong Books - this is about helping children who are in desperate need. 

Secondly, only submit poetry that is a) your own work and b) has not been subject to any other publishing agreement. Poetry you've shared on Facebook and other social media is fine, but please do not send in work that has been published elsewhere, and is subject to a previous publishing contract. That could lead to legal action being taken against you. The editorial team will also reject poems if we suspect they have been either plagiarised in part or whole, or generated partly or wholly through artificial intelligence.

Thirdly, submit up to 3 poems as either plain text or in a Word file via email direct to this email address: wheelsong6@gmail.com. Submissions by any other means will not be considered. Poetry submitted as images or photos will not be considered, nor will links to external sites. Please supply a title for each of your poems. Please also supply your real name - we will not publish works by poets using pseudonyms. 

And before you ask: There is NO specific theme. Write about what you want. 

Finally, all poems submitted will be subject to review by our editorial team. Your poetry will be anonymised (your name blanked out) so the editorial team can't see who you are. If your poetry is selected, you will be informed via email and a publication agreement will be sent to you for you to complete and return. Your work will be then published under your name. If your work is not accepted for publication, you will receive an email informing you of the team's decision. No correspondence other than via email will be valid. Please don't try to text or direct message us. We won't answer. 

The window for submission is now open, and will be closed at midnight (UK time) on Thursday 16 April, 2026. Any submissions received after this time/date will be not be reviewed. If there is an extension to this date, you will be informed. The editors' decisions will be final. 

Please Note: Shorter poems are more likely to be accepted for publication than longer pieces - space will be limited in the book due to resource and production limitations. Several poetry groups will participate, including Invisible Poets, Wheelsong Poetry, Pure Poetry and Safe Haven. Poets from outside these groups are also eligible to take part, so please point anyone you think may be interested to this blog, and keep visiting this blog to find out news as it unfolds. We look forward to reading your submissions. Good luck! 

Steve Wheeler (Editor in Chief) 

P. S. It might be worth your while (if you haven't already done so) to purchase an anthology or two just to check out the quality of the poetry, the way it is presented and the various themes covered. That might give you an idea what to aim for if you want to be included in this next anthology...

Photo by Steve Wheeler (with children from the Khayelitsha Township, South Africa)

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

Review of 2025 Part 4

During the latter part of 2025, Wheelsong collaborated with several first time authors, which is always both exciting and challenging. Our first new author out of the pen (see what we did there?) was Chuck Porretto, an American author residing in Tallahassee, Florida. Chuck's poetry is unmistakable, because it slides smoothly between tender nostalgia, biting satire and pithy observations on life. His debut offering, The Sky is a Shade of Forever, is a delightful mix of all these themes, written in his inimitable style.

Following closely on the heels of Porretto's book came the debut collection of poetry from one of the most original new talents to emerge from Invisible Poets. Living in Nigeria, Emmanual Chimezie had already featured in several of the charity anthologies Wheelsong had published. We thought it was about time he was honoured with a collection all of his own, and Echoes of a Fading Star did not disappoint. His writing is a daring blend of bold lyricism and unswerving experimentation. We think this collection will be the first of many from this amazing Nigerian poet. 

Always, around the autumn months, it has been Wheelsong's tradition to collate and publish another Wheelsong Poetry Anthology, so the editorial team of Steve Wheeler, Karin J. Hobson and Iain Strachan began the arduous task of reviewing more than 500 submissions from poets across the globe in just two weeks. It was as ever a challenging task to distill such a huge selection of poems down to around 250 pieces that would then be published in Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 7. This volume is a stunning collection, reflected in the beautiful cover photo of trees on the Dartmoor National Park. All proceeds from the sales of this anthology are donated to Save the Children.

Our final Wheelsong publication of the year had been a long time in the planning. Written by Oxfordshire poet Iain Strachan, a retired computer scientist, Light Will Return is an eclectic mix of styles and themes, reflecting his interests in spirituality, mathematics and science. Iain's playful style of writing spans faith and reason, science and mystery, and the past and future and how each can shape our personal identities. The poetry is both grounded and cerebral. Light Will Return will delight all those who have an interest in any of the featured themes and how they can be creatively conveyed. 

So that's it. That was 2025 for Wheelsong and Invisible Poets. If you participated directly in any of the creative output, or attended any of the roadshows, or if you supported our mission by purchasing books or merchandise - we thank you. And not only do we thank you, but the children of more than one hundred countries thank you - for helping to make their childhoods safer, cleaner and better in every way, through our donations to Save the Children. We want to step this effort up in 2026. We hope you will be with us!

Happy New Year

Steve Wheeler

Review of 2025 Part 3

Spring arrived in the Northern hemisphere, and Wheelsong Books was busy constructing the next books in its sequence of premier quality poetry books. One of our exciting new signings was Ryan Morgan, a Welsh-born poet who now resides in Ireland. Ryan's poetry is stunning to read, and it was an absolute must to bring him on board the good ship Wheelsong Books. His debut publication Elementals was published in April. 

Soon after, in May, we published our latest charity project Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 6. Edited by Steve Wheeler, Matt Elmore and Nadia Martelli. this massive anthology contained more than 250 poems written by Invisible Poets and other Facebook poetry group members that had been rigorously reviewed by our editorial panel. The beautiful sunset over the water image for the cover was photographed by Kelly Rodriguez Cheek, a British photographer now residing in Argentina.

In June, one of our 'old hands' Brandon Adam Haven published his third volume of poetry with Wheelsong Books - Bellowing to a Lost Echo. The book contained a number of dark poems and also the conclusions to several Gothic style short stories that had been introduced in his earlier publication, This Broken House. Brandon has now stepped down from his role as an Admin for Invisible Poets and we would all like to thank him warmly for his valuable contributions in making the group a success, and we wish him well in his new ventures in the poetry world. 

Also in the same month Wheelsong Books published a volume of experimental poetry by Steve Wheeler titled simply: eXp. The collection also featured several short stories, but the poetry contained within covered several experimental techniques including surreal, malapropism, stream of consciousness and caligram poetry.  eXp is a practical outworking of the theory and history featured in the textbook Creative Deviance, by the same author.

All the above volumes are available for purchase from links on the official Wheelsong Books website or by emailing Wheelsong at wheelsong6@gmail.com. You can also click on the links above to find more details on the books, and profiles/images of the authors. 

Steve Wheeler

Review of 2025 Part 1

It's that time of the year again, where we can look back on an entire year and reflect on what happened. In this short series running up to the new year, Wheelsong Books and Invisible Poets, working together have achieved a significant amount. 

Early in the year, Wheelsong published two important new books. The first, one that had been a long time in the making, featured the work of Essex poet Graeme Stokes, whose jocular and entertaining verse has been regaling Invisible Poets for so long. It was about time to enable people to own a collection of his best poetry, so Off the Top of My Head was released. It is a firm favourite with a lot of people. 

In the same month Wheelsong published Creative Deviance by Steve Wheeler. Another book that had been a long time in the making, Creative Deviance has the strap line: How to Become an Experimental Poet. It is a textbook rather than a poetry book, but features more than 50 exercises poets can practice to develop their skills in writing creatively. The result is that those who have purchased the book have found their repertoire of writing styles and range of techniques has expanded and given them greater liberty to express themselves. Look for the hashtag #invisibleEXP to discover many of the poems that have been written under the influence of Creative Deviance.

Soon February was upon us, and the second birthday of Invisible Poets arrive. To commemorate this, Wheelsong published not one, but two new Invisible Poets anthologies of all the best poems that had featured on the Live Poets Society series of broadcasts throughout the previous year. The mix is eclectic and the sequence of quality poems is stunning. The image on Anthology 2 was taken in New York City in 2015, and the image for the cover of Anthology 3 was captured in South Africa in 2009.

All of the proceeds of these two books is donated to Save the Children, our chosen charity. By the end of 2025, Wheelsong Books has donated a total of £14,000 ($18,700) to support children in crisis. 

All of these books are still available for purchase, and full details can be found on the Wheelsong Books website.  

Steve Wheeler

Light Will Return

Wheelsong Books Ltd is excited to publish our final poetry collection for 2025. It is the debut collection from Oxfordshire poet Iain Strachan, and is intriguingly titled Light Will Return. 

Light Will Return contains diverse and thoughtful poetry that explores the nexus of spirituality, science, identity and technology. Moving smoothly between theology and mathematics, artificial intelligence, psalms and sonnets, Iain Strachan’s collection poses searching questions about personal meaning, faith and what it means to be human in an increasingly mediated world.

Alongside poems that engage with physics, algorithms, and digital culture sit deeply personal reflections about family, memory, love and loss. Childhood, parenthood, doubt, gratitude, and identity are explored with frank honesty and quiet curiosity, grounding the intellectual reach of the collection within ontology—the lived experience.

Playful, questioning and quietly emotional, Light Will Return invites us all to reflect on how faith and reason, science and mystery, and especially our past and future can shape our individual identities. Light Will Return is a delightful collection of poetry that is both intellectual and visceral—and is an offering which we can explore patiently for illumination. 

About the Author:

Iain Strachan lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and daughter. He is a retired computer scientist with a PhD in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). He made a career out of AI for engineering and medical applications and now has a career keeping it out of poetry groups! He has been writing poetry on and off since 1993, and more regularly since joining Invisible Poets in 2022. His work, including the title poem for this book, has been broadcast on BBC Radio Oxford, and he has published several poems in the Wheelsong Poetry Anthologies. He is also a volunteer with the Samaritans, and an active member of Abingdon Local Quaker Meeting. 

Iain says: "I am interested in the connections between science, mathematics and spirituality, and combine these in my poems. I believe writing poetry allows us to discover things about ourselves; often lines or phrases seem to write themselves, and only on later examination do I realise what part of my life, my memories, or my spirituality they come from. A completed poem is like a mirror in which you can examine yourself. I call it 'The Lens of Me.' "

"My years as a Samaritans listening volunteer have also given me a passion for raising awareness of mental health, and many of my darker poems are driven by that desire and feelings of empathy for those who suffer."

"The two greatest things for me about writing poetry are the act of creating something myself, and then when someone says that my words spoke to them. It is my hope that some of my words will speak to you and bring some light for you."

You can discover more details about this book and how to obtain your copies at the Wheelsong Books website.

Steve Wheeler

Making the Invisible Visible

Wheelsong Books has been publishing and selling books since 2020. What started as a very small operation in South West England has now blossomed into a multi-platform movement of online groups, live roadshows, video broadcasts and global publishing including two very successful anthology series. All of the efforts are focused on raising funds for the global relief work of Save the Children. 

The charity delivers aid to children in some of the most poverty and disaster stricken areas of the world. Save the Children not only provides aid in the form of food and medicine, as most other relief agencies do, but it also goes an extra mile, and builds capacity through educational provision in hard-to-reach areas, greening and building projects and protection from human trafficking. It's a huge operation, and requires a constant stream of revenue on a day-to-day basis. 

At Wheelsong Books we are now stepping up our activities to help raise some of this revenue. We have created merchandising in the form of t-shirts, hoodies and baseball caps. If these are successful, we will venture further into other items (share your wish-list please in the comments below). It's great to see these being worn at our live, in-person events such as Invisible Poets roadshows. 

Our most popular item to date is the iconic white Invisible Poets (Poetry Against Poverty) t-shirt. We can raise three times as much money with the sale of each t-shirt as we can with the sale of a book. It makes sense, and it seems that wearing one of these t-shirts is a tribal statement. It means 'I belong' to Invisible Poets. It is becoming a part of the culture of being in the group for those who are serious about their involvement in our fundraising. Thank you to all those who have supported us by purchasing merchandising. 

The baseball caps are high quality, and come in several colours. They are stylish because they are embroidered with 'Invisible Poets' and 'Live Poets Society'. The image above is of one of our published poets, Gregory Richard Barden, with his own bespoke design of a white cap with purple embroidered text.

We also now stock black t-shirts with a unique Poetry Against Poverty text design, and our crowning glory, the black zipped hoodie with a similar text design. These, as with the baseball caps, are available in several different colour combinations. 

If you are interested in owning any of these items, please email wheelsong6@gmail.com with your full postal delivery address for prices in your own currency. Poetry Against Poverty! That's why we do this. 

Steve Wheeler

Top image by Gregory Richard Barden

Other images by Wheelsong Books Ltd

What is Invisible Poets?

Invisible Poets is a global community of poets and writers that aims to promote creativity, inspire hope, and encourage one another through the power of poetry. Founded by poets Steve Wheeler and Charlene Phare in February 2023, the community has grown rapidly to more than 75,000 members on Facebook, with many more visitors reading and engaging with their content.

The Invisible Poets group hosts several regular interactive features including Live Poets Society shows from around the globe, picture challenges and the Fantastic Forum. Many poets consider it the friendliest and safest of all the Facebook poetry groups. The group is sponsored by UK poetry publishing house Wheelsong Books Ltd, which funds multiple publications of members work, including the globally renowned Wheelsong Poetry Anthology series, raising much needed funds for Save the Children charity. Wheelsong also funds the Invisible Poets Roadshow with similar charitable aims. 

Key Purposes:

- Platform for Poets: Provide a space for poets to share their work, receive feedback, and connect with like-minded individuals.

- Community Building: Foster a supportive and friendly environment where members can collaborate, learn from each other, and grow as poets.

- Promoting Poetry: Showcase poetry of all genres and styles, encouraging members to experiment and push the boundaries of their creativity.

- Real-World Impact: Use poetry to make a positive impact, such as supporting charities like Save the Children through book sales.

The IP community is built around six core principles:

- Give More Than You Take: Share your gifts and talents generously with others.

- Underground Movement: Focus on the art of poetry rather than seeking fame or fortune.

- Kind Words: Use poetry as a means of speaking truth with kindness and compassion.

- Eternal Quality: Strive to create poetry that will endure long after you're gone.

- Collaboration: Reach out to others and create something beautiful together.

- Support Each Other: Be there for fellow members and offer support when needed.

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 7

Do you want to be a part of something really amazing? Something that reaches much further than poetry? Would you live to achieve something that will leave a lasting legacy and do some good in the world? 

We will soon be publishing the latest anthology in our charity series. It's number 7 in a book series representing our efforts to make lives better for underprivileged children around the globe. We will literally mobilise poetry against poverty. Each book sold raises enough funds to feed a malnourished child for a month.

Wheelsong Books Ltd was established in the Plymouth, England in 2020 as a not-for-profit organisation. Its mission statement is twofold: To give emerging poets the means to reach larger audiences and to help those who are in need. Since then, Wheelsong, in partnership with Invisible Poets and its affiliated groups, has published over 50 books including 11 charity poetry anthologies. Here are some of our anthology statistics: 

Absolutely Poetry Anthology 1: 170 poems (310 copies sold)

Absolutely Poetry Anthology 2: 176 poems (286 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 1: 183 poems (255 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 2: 214 poems (233 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3: 229 poems (415 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 4: 245 poems (392 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 5: 248 poems (341 copies sold)

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 6: 265 poems (339 copies sold)

Invisible Poets Anthology 1: 352 poems (317 copies sold)

Invisible Poets Anthology 2: 242 poems (83 copies sold)

Invisible Poets Anthology 3: 246 poems (84 copies sold)

No other poetry group on Facebook comes anywhere close to these charitable efforts. (We have published a total of 2570 poems written by more than 720 poets representing 112 countries across all 6 continents, and have sold 3055 copies at the time of writing). 

All the above books are still available on Amazon and through other online outlets, including Waterstones (UK) and Barnes & Noble (USA). The proceeds from Amazon sales of these books is donated directly to Save the Children - a worldwide charity that cares for children in crisis, providing emergency nutrition, health care, medicine, safety and education. At the time of writing, Wheelsong Books has donated £11,000.00 ($15,000.00) to Save the Children and we are only getting started! We plan to publish two more Wheelsong Poetry Anthologies and another Invisible Poets Anthology in 2026.

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Dear poet, please think about this... You possess an amazing creative gift ... you have the ability to capture your thoughts, ideas, memories and emotions and present them as beautiful, evocative words. 

You can, if you want to join us, use your wonderful talent to freely give back a little to children who are in desperate, often life-threatening situations. 

We all want our poetry to be read and appreciated by others. Publishing your work in Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 6 will ensure that you gain a new audience for your poetry, but that's not the most important aim! 

Better than that is this ... your poems will be helping to raise much needed funds to support children in crisis. You will also retain ownership of your poem, and Wheelsong Books will protect and administer your copyright for you. 

-----

To be considered for inclusion in the review process you will need to follow these instructions very carefully:

Firstly, do not bother to submit your poetry if you do not intend to buy at least one copy of the book. We will expect you to pledge to buy at least one copy direct from Wheelsong Books if your work is published. This is a charity publication, and all profits from Amazon sales will go to help children in crisis. If you're not prepared to invest in helping children, we won't be publishing your poetry (we are dismayed that around two thirds of featured poets do not purchase a copy of the anthologies once they have been published). Please give more than you take, because this is not about you or about Wheelsong Books - it's about helping children who are in desperate need. 

Secondly, only submit poetry that is a) your own work and b) has not been subject to any other publishing agreement. Poetry you've shared on Facebook and other social media is fine, but please do not send in work that has been published elsewhere, and is subject to a previous publishing contract. That could lead to legal action being taken against you. The editorial team will also reject poems if we suspect they have been either plagiarised in part or whole, or generated partly or wholly through artificial intelligence.

Thirdly, submit up to 3 poems as either plain text or in a Word file via email direct to this email address: wheelsong6@gmail.com. Submissions by any other means will not be considered. Poetry submitted as images or photos will not be considered, nor will links to external sites. Please supply a title for each of your poems. Please also supply your real name - we will not publish works by poets using pseudonyms. 

And before you ask: There is NO specific theme. Write about what you want. 

Finally, all poems submitted will be subject to review by our editorial team. Your poetry will be anonymised (your name blanked out) so the editorial team can't see who you are. If your poetry is selected, you will be informed via email and a publication agreement will be sent to you for you to complete and return. Your work will be then published under your name. If your work is not accepted for publication, you will receive an email informing you of the team's decision. No correspondence other than via email will be valid. Please don't try to text or direct message us. We won't answer. 

The window for submission is now open, and will be closed at midnight (UK time) on Sunday 19 October, 2025. Any submissions received after this time/date will be not be reviewed. If there is an extension to this date, you will be informed. The editors' decisions will be final. 

Please Note: Shorter poems are more likely to be accepted for publication than longer pieces - space will be limited in the book due to resource and production limitations. Several poetry groups will participate, including Invisible Poets, Wheelsong Poetry, Pure Poetry and Safe Haven. Poets from outside these groups are also eligible to take part, so please point anyone you think may be interested to this blog, and keep visiting this blog to find out news as it unfolds. We look forward to reading your submissions. Good luck! 

Steve Wheeler (Editor in Chief) 

Photo courtesy of Save the Children

4 tips on how to improve your performance poetry

In the photo above are Nadia Martelli, Steve Wheeler, Richard de Bulat, Tyrone M. Warren and Kate Cameron. All appeared at the recent Invisible Poets Roadshow, performing their poetry for a live audience.

What exactly does it take to be a successful performance poet? The answer can be multifaceted, not least because we are all different, and have different styles, vocal ranges and various ways of communicating. However, there are some tried and tested techniques that you can adopt and practice to improve your performance presence, no matter what kind of poet you are. 

Yes, performance is all about presence. 

The first tip is to connect with your audience. This can be done in a number of ways, including eye contact, body movement, and gestures. I often meet and chat with members of my audience before I even get up onto the stage. This breaks down barriers, people can see that I am human and down to earth, and that helps to span the gap between audience and stage. I try to find commonalities with each person I meet, and can even mention some of those when I'm in performance mode. Knowing a little about members of your audience can be a nice little touch, especially when you are 'filling in' between poems. It all helps to break down barriers and create a connection. 

Secondly, microphone technique is all important. Stand too far away, or too close, and the sound will be compromised. Some poets seem terrified of the mic. It's not a threat, it's a useful tool to enable you to communicate. Use it badly and it can hamper your performance. Use it effectively, and it is magic. Always hold the mic so that it is pointing directly toward your mouth, not to the ceiling, or to somewhere else. If it's on a microphone stand, adjust it o the correct height and angle before you start. Remember preparation time is all important, so a sound check before the audience arrives is always a good idea. You don't need to touch the mic with your lips (that would be unhygienic especially if several of you are performing). However, you should be able to get the flat of your hand in between your lips and the microphone, so no more than an inch or so. Too far away, and the sound system has to work harder to pick up your voice, and the result can be howl-around feedback. Too close, and the sound can be distorted. 

Thirdly, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! The more you are familiar with your own material, the more slick your performance will be. Several poets have told me recently that their live performances have improved since they began to practice breathing, pausing at appropriate points in a poem, and emphasising certain words and phrases. You can practice different voices, ways of expressing your emotions from whispering to shouting, and modulate your entire vocal range according to the demands of the poem you perform. 

Finally, have fun! If you are exuding happiness and confidence on stage, your audience will sense this and will get on your side, because they want to enjoy the performance too. You don't necessarily have to tell jokes or be a comedian, but humorous stories or anecdotes about how you wrote a particular poem, or were inspired can really get your audience on your side. If your audience is laughing, you are winning. Smiling and other facial expressions can also help, especially if the poem is funny. If you don't have any humorous or witty poetry in your repertoire, you might think about writing a few. 

So that's it. Four tips on how to improve your performance poetry delivery. There are many other tips, such as taking a deep breath or two before you go on stage, pacing your set effectively, or visualising success before you start. Watching established performance poets to see what they do is always a good idea. If you receive any feedback, listen to it, and try to learn, even if it is negative. Ultimately, you will only learn through your own experience. 

Good luck (...you won't need it)!

Steve Wheeler

All photographs copyright Wheelsong Books Ltd 2025

Why people use AI to write 'poetry'

Note that in the title of this blog post I use the word people instead of Poets, and the word 'poetry' is in parentheses. That should tell you all you need to know about my personal stance on this issue. However, let's try to examine this question as dispassionately as we can. It's a question that repeatedly arises whenever AI (Artificial Intelligence) generated poetry is mentioned in my several poetry groups: why on Earth do some people use AI to write poetry?

Firstly, people who use AI to generate poetry seem to have no appreciation for good poetry. If they did, they certainly wouldn't put out the kind of facile, vacuous verse that AI algorithms generate. Any self respecting poet would hate to even be associated with it. AI poetry is emotionless, bland and predictable. Assumption 1 then, is that they either don't have a clue what good poetry looks like, or they are too stupid to realise what they are doing. 

Secondly, people who use AI to generate poetry realise they can simply write a prompt or two and then press a key, and the AI model will do the rest for them, churning out the rubbish it does. It's similar to feeding your dog, and then watching it dump out its excrement onto the ground a few hours later. It's the same kind of process. Assumption 2 then, is that these people are incredibly lazy, and don't wish to invest any of their time or energy trying to create their own poetry.

Thirdly, I have noticed over the last few years that the AI poetry frauds (because that my friends, is exactly what they are) can find a gullible audience who will like, love and share their drivel, feeding back to them a dopamine dose that fuels their fragile little egos. Some fraudsters have even gone on to sell entire books of AI generated poetry, under their own names. Assumption 3 then is that these people commit fraud deliberately so they can receive adulation and praise (and possibly even monetary reward) from ignorant saps who will suck up and swallow any putrid detritus served up to them. 

Finally, just to clarify a key point, I call AI poetry users fraudsters, because that is exactly what they are. AI algorithms work off the basis of trawling all  poetry stored anywhere on the web, and concoct 'poetry' from billions of lines of other people's hard work and creativity, just to satisfy the selfish desires of the fraudsters. 

So there you have it. You may or may not agree with me, but these are my analyses of what I know from a career spent studying the evolution of AI and my lifelong passion for poetry. I can't pull any punches on this, because it's a crime that is prevalent across all poetry communities, damages the reputation of poets everywhere and undermines what it means to be a creative human being. It's also theft and deception, and any self respecting poet should call it out publicly wherever they see it.

Steve Wheeler 

Image source with a Creative Commons licence

Seriously funny

A few remarks on my blog post from yesterday got me thinking. It seems that some poets believe they cannot be taken seriously if they write comedic material. Yes, there are those who specialise in dark and moody poetry. Many do it very well. Some though may feel rather depressed reading it, while others are uplifted by sorrowful poetry. Perhaps these are thinking, I'm glad that's not me! But generally, dark and mournful poetry tends to bring the mood down a little. 

So what about lighthearted poetry? Poetry that is comedic, absurd and even flippant? How does that make us feel, and are we still taking it seriously if we are laughing and giggling? 

Yes, very much so, otherwise, why would we be spending time reading it? Some poetry can be funny and serious at the same time. Poetry about a serious subject that has a comedic twist has impact.

Humorous poetry can be uplifting, improve our mood and perhaps it even inspire us to write our own comedy poems. I can think of many poets (some are even in my online groups) who write seriously funny poetry. One of course, is our own Graeme Stokes. His poetry is cheeky, often very droll, and sometimes contains sledgehammer wit, all wrapped up in incisive social commentary. Go and check out his Wheelsong Books collection Off the Top of My Head to appreciate what I'm saying.

Some of my favourite humorous poets include John Cooper Clarke, Roger McGough and Brian Bilston. I have collections by all three on my bookshelf, because although each is unique in his style, they all have the same effect on me - I laugh out loud, I shake my head at the brilliance of their wit and humour and I feel inspired to create something similar. Personally I like to bridge the gap and write poetry from a dark or dry humour perspective. 

Have you ever broken out of the mould of sorrowful and mournful poetry and tried to write humorous verse? Have a go and see if you can. You might be pleasantly surprised. That would be funny wouldn't it?

Steve Wheeler

Photo from Flicker used under a Creative Commons licence

Are you being taken seriously?

This is an opinion piece, and I anticipate a bit of flak from some people, but I write this post from a position as an editor, publisher and owner/founder of four successful online poetry groups. And do bear in mind, this piece has been written to try to help poets improve their chances of being noticed and possibly even published in due course. 

Please comment in the box below if you want dialogue on this subject. I'm very happy to reply to serious questions and comments. 

How can you be taken seriously as a poet? Firstly there will be some who might reply that they don't really care whether they are taken seriously or not. But I suspect that most people who write poetry want their work to be taken seriously. At the minimum, most poets would rather not be ignored. And yet that is exactly what I see happening in my online poetry groups. Poeple post poetry that is ignored by most. Or it is poetry that fails to get accepted for anthologies or other publications. 

Pen Names. Firstly, writing under your own name, or at least a pen-name that is not ridiculous is an absolute requirement. How you represent yourself is very important, Those who use contrived pen-names, or noms de plume that are jokey do not generally have their work taken seriously. At Wheelsong Books our editors tend to ignore those who we can't take seriously, and the first impression - the name of the poet - is important in setting the atmosphere for any review. 

Emojis. Secondly, the use of emojis and other embellishment in a poem is often a turn-off to a reviewer or reader. The question must be asked: why does the poet use lots of smileys, hearts, and other emoticons in their work? Is it because they lack any confidence in their own writing? It is certainly a distracting feature, and as an editor/reviewer I tend to ignore poems with an overload of emojis. 

Upper case lettering. Thirdly, poetry that is presented totally in upper case lettering seems amateurish. In old money, upper case lettering was considered shouting in text and social media cultures. In poetry, the overuse of upper case lettering makes it appear as though the writer is desperate to be noticed, and again, they lack confidence that their writing alone will keep the attention.

Be original. Fourthly, if you wish to be taken seriously as a poet, make sure your work is original. There is nothing worse in poetry than reading old, jaded phrases that others have used before. The forced rhyme or the predictable line is a clear indication that the poet is struggling to express themselves and maybe has lost their way.

AI Generated poetry. Finally, as an addendum to the last point, you won't be taken seriously (and may even be sanctioned) if you persist in submitting or posting poetry that has been generated by artificial intelligence. You would be surprised by how many posts each day we reject from our online poetry groups. You might also be horrified at the number of people we ban from the group if they persist in this practice. It's dishonest and might even be breaking copyright laws.

So there you have it. Five key points to remember if you wish to be taken seriously as a poet. I believe most of these apply to online poetry groups worldwide, and definitely apply in the publishing world.

Steve Wheeler 

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

An Invisible Poets roadshow near you?

I mentioned on Live Poets Society UK recently that I was considering the possibility of taking Invisible Poets on the road. By that, I meant bringing a live poetry show with performances, interviews, book launch, open mic etc to a place near you. It's a grand ambition and quite daunting but not one that is impossible. I would need local organisers who were willing to commit to doing some local organisation, promotion and other preparation to make an event happen in their home town. So what would be involved? Putting on a roadshow can be complex, and work needs to go into organising, but there are some tried and tested formulae. 

Here are a few ideas and a checklist of things that would need to be in place to stage a successful Invisible Poets event in your home town.

1) We would need a secure venue. It doesn't need to be a massive space, just a place which is lockable, and where we can set up a small performance area, possibly with staging (not essential), and a power supply (required). Wheelsong Books would provide the public address system and lighting rig. Easy chairs for interviews would be required, depending on which poets are being interviewed. 

2) A table somewhere in the venue to display books and merchandising. Wheelsong would supply the materials for display, the merchandise and the paying facilities.

3) Publicity and promotion of the event. Wheelsong Books would publicise through social media, but it would also be up to the local organisers to put the word out that the event was happening, and to do this at least 4 weeks in advance of the event. 

4) Accommodation near to the venue if the host/MC/invited poets required overnight accommodation depending on the travel distances. 

Wheelsong Books would sponsor the event, and that would mean there would be a small ticket price which might also include free merchandise from the book stand. Ticketing would be managed by Wheelsong Books, through an electronic ticketing service, or pay on the door. 

The essential Invisible Poets Roadshow might include the following elements:

a) Headline performances by invited/guest poets

b) Performance by the host/MC

c) Interviews and question/answer sessions

d) Open Mic session

e) Specialist writing workshops (for all day or half day events)

f) Book launches and signings

g) Meet and greet sessions with authors

h) Social event

So who is up for organising an event, either somewhere in the UK (we can do these fairly easily) or farther afield? Please respond in the comments section beneath this post, or email wheelsong6@gmail.com to discuss this idea in more detail. 

Steve Wheeler

Image Copyright by Steve Wheeler, 2025

P.S. The first event is currently being organised in Derby, England, for Friday 30th May 2025. We aim to raise as much money we can for Save the Children, so please do come along if you can and support this event!

Images and Image

Several members of Invisible Poets showed their nastier side recently. They are all off looking for another poetry group now. 

My post about use of images, poets' over-reliance on their use, and the dangers of using copyrighted images went down like a stone balloon with some members. Perhaps I touched a nerve. I was called arrogant, narrow minded and a few other choice epithets. One even asked me who had made me 'the poetry police.' 

These are of course, all what we call ad hominem attacks in the philosophy world. Or in sporting terms... they were playing the man rather than playing the ball. I love a good debate, but when it comes to personal abuse, I don't tolerate it. Invisible Poets is founded on respect and care, and these individuals crossed the line. 

My points were twofold. 

Firstly I questioned the reason why some poets felt compelled to add images to their poetry (some are repeated selfies and other even less relevant, but spectacular images) when in fact good poetry has the capability to entrance with its words alone. In the words of one of our members, many images seem like click-bait. Other members said they scroll past the images because it puts them off reading those poems. 

My second point, perhaps even more importantly, was that many poets in the group are using copyrighted images. They clearly haven't checked to see if they can use them, and in doing so they run the risk of a lawsuit by the owners of the copyright. One person even remarked to me about 'my purist views'. I replied that they are actually legal views.

Let me make it clear. There are legal consequences. 

You should assume that nothing on the Internet is free-to-use unless it is clearly labelled as such. Most images, photographs, artwork etc are the property of someone. There have been several recent court cases where individuals have been sued successfully by the likes of Getty Images and the New York Times. The damages awarded are not small. If you use images without permission, or simply purloin them without thinking, you could be in serious trouble. It is not good enough to post an image and then state: Credit to the rightful owner or similar. This not only demonstrates that the poet has no idea where the image came from, it also shows their ignorance and laziness. Worse, it shows that they really don't care at all about their theft of someone else's property. 

I was trying to convey this warning to our members, but several were abusive to me. They didn't want to be told by anyone how they should behave online. This kind of incident certainly causes the bad ones to show their true colours. 

Here's some good news. There are plenty of sites where you can obtain and freely use images, photographs and graphics. Unsplash and Pix4free are very good sites to use for non-copyrighted materials. Another way to find free to use images is by using Google search and selecting Images. Next go to Tools, and select Usages Rights. Find Creative Commons Licenses and then you can check the free-for-use licences of images available. 

Finally, let me repeat it here for anyone who cares to listen: If you must use images, please make sure a) you own them yourself b) they are licensed for free use, or c) you have permission from the owner of the image. 

Steve Wheeler

Image used under a Creative Commons Licence

 

Sowing the poetry seed

You and I both know--because we are poets--that poetry is one of the greatest, most expressive art forms there is. We also know that it takes a lot to convince some people that it's a worthwhile pursuit. Often we are met within indifference, apathy. It's clear that some others don't share our passion. 

"Yeah, well. Not really into poetry..."

"Too many thees and thous for my liking..."

"Poetry is boring..."

I'm sure you've heard these types of remarks before. I certainly have. Many times. It's a shame because poetry can be very exciting, dynamic, liberating, inspirational. 

As a poet you owe it to your friends to switch them on to something good!

So what does it take to get people interested in poetry? Well, you need to sow some poetry seed.  Here are a few things you could try:

1. Buy your friend/family member/work colleague/cell mate a copy of one of a great poetry book. One of the Wheelsong anthologies for example. They are packed full of premier poetry, and the poems are diverse. There's something in these books for every possible taste.

2. Show them a video of a poet performing their work. The more dynamic the performance, the more impact it will have. 

3. Set them a challenge to write a poem. Get them to read it out, and then, together, go through it to find the strong points, and areas where it can be improved.

These are all great ways to encourage people to get interested in poetry, but the last one is probably the most powerful. If they realise they can write their own poetry, they will definitely start to build an interest. 

Steve Wheeler 

Image used under a Creative Commons licence

Life in Mali

If you've been around long enough, you'll know that Wheelsong Books and Invisible Poets are supporting Save the Children - a worldwide fund that provides emergency relief and education opportunities for children in crisis. Many of the Wheelsong Books are sold to raise funds for these efforts, and the latest two Invisible Poets anthologies - jammed packed with almost 500 poems from members - is now on sale to continue our pledge to support Save the Children. 

Here are a few stories about how the charity provides safe, educational and creative spaces for children around the globe:

The photo above is of Ousmane, a young boy living in the African state of Mali. The country has been torn by civil war for decades, and many children have been orphaned and displaced. Ousmane fled the violence that killed his father and now lives with his aunt. Save the Children is funding a school in Mali to educate young children, and Ousmane is one of those who have benefited from this initiative. Ousmane says he has thrown himself into his studies and 'I have strength. I am brave. No-one works harder than me.'

It can't have been easy for young Ousmane, but as with many thousands of other children, Save the Children is providing safe spaces for children to build for a brighter future. People like you, who are supporting Wheelsong's initiative to create poetry books are making a huge difference. Please buy copies of the new anthologies to continue to help these needy children.

Steve Wheeler

How to become an experimental poet

Wheelsong Books has published a new book. This one is not a poetry collection, but is a guide to experimental poetry. Consider it a companion to consult on your journey to becoming a better writer. For member of Invisible Poets, Wheelsong Poetry, Pure Poetry and Safe Haven, all copies can be purchased at half price (Amazon price) by emailing wheelsong6@gmail.com.

About the book

Creative Deviance: How to Become an Experimental Poet is an interactive textbook that empowers aspiring poets to break free from tradition and embrace the art of creative risk. Blending theory with hands-on practice, this guide explores the techniques, history, and philosophy behind experimental poetry, from dismantling conventional forms to crafting hybrid works that blur the lines between genres. Packed with prompts, insights, and more than 50 practical exercises, Creative Deviance offers tools to unlock your unique voice and push the boundaries of what poetry can achieve. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just beginning your poetic journey, this book is your blueprint for innovation and self-discovery. Read more at this link.

About the author

Steve Wheeler says he has never really fit in anywhere. He wears it as a badge of honour. He is a performance poet and creative deviant and loves to experiment with all forms of art. A former academic psychologist and lecturer, Steve now spends a lot of his time creating his own versions of music, poetry and many other strange things.

At 16 years, he attended Hereford College of Art where he studied fine arts, graphic design and photography. The latter led him into a career in learning technology, and ultimately a position as Associate Professor in Education at a large British university. He holds a Research degree in philosophy, a Bachelor degree in psychology, a Masters degree in research methods, and two Teacher certificates.

He lives in the Ocean City of Plymouth, on the beautiful southwest coast of England. During his career he has authored a multitude of academic texts and more than a dozen poetry books. Steve is founder of Invisible Poets, one of the fastest growing and most innovative poetry groups on the Web. He is has been a composer member of the Performing Rights Society since 1984, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2013.

A sample from the book 

Experimental poetry should be viewed as more than just a slightly oddball pursuit; the methods contained within experimental poetry can become vital tools for honing your writing skills. Further, it may even make your poetry stand out from the crowd. As we will see in this book, challenging traditional structures and conventions, experimental poetry encourages writers to think outside the box, bolstering their creativity and helping them to innovate their craft.

One of the key benefits of engaging with experimental poetry is the development of linguistic agility. Writing in unconventional forms—whether through fragmented syntax, nonlinear narratives, or abstract imagery—pushes writers to explore a vast range of expressive potential. Furthermore, experimentation with sound, rhythm, tempo and visual arrangement helps poets to learn how they can manipulate tone, mood, and meaning in a number of nuanced ways.

Furthermore, experimental poetry cultivates a deeper understanding of form and structure by requiring writers to invent or subvert them. Through this process, poets become more aware of the implicit rules that govern conventional writing and gain confidence to break them with purpose. This freedom opens the door to new styles, genres, and modes of storytelling.

Experimentation also increases a poet’s appetite for taking risks. By embracing uncertainty and stepping out into unfamiliar territory, poets learn to approach their craft with greater boldness and curiosity. The lessons learnt from failed experiments and crumpled sheets of paper under the desk can often be as valuable as those you gain from successful ones. Failure can foster resilience and flexibility. You should never fear it.

Steve Wheeler