Not Better, Just Different

When Steve Wheeler asked me to be on the editorial team for the new #4 Edition of the ongoing Wheelsong Anthology Series I was  both thrilled,… and a bit troubled.

I am first and foremost a poet. I have been on the tail end of plenty of rejections… on and off many lists. Yet I was also an editor on my college literary magazine for three years. I understand what it takes to put a book to bed, and respect the tedious process.

Selecting poems for this upcoming book was not an easy task. I read and read for hours! I gave EVERY POEM as much attention as I would want an editor to give mine.

There were over 500 entries in two weeks. Many poets did not make it due to a number of reasons. Publisher and Editor In Chief Steve Wheeler put it best in a recent communique to Invisible Poet Facebook Group moderators:

“The editors worked long hours to wade through more than 500 anonymised submissions. I can guarantee the selection was fair and rigorous. Most poems were rejected for a number of reasons, including length, focus, emotional impact, grammatical and syntactical integrity, intelligability and potential appeal to a wide readership. The message to everyone is, this is a group effort, try not to take things personally, and keep supporting this initiative as it gains momentum. We are only just starting.”

Wheelsong Publishing really does represent the finest intentions of the poetry publishing business. The idea of promoting premiere class poets with an emphasis on charity for Save The Children is one that I am proud to be a part of, and work relentlessly at.

The simple fact is that no poet is better… only different. We are all growing as artists, some perhaps a little further than others. However, we are all growing artists, no matter what “level” we are on. I remain an administrator on Invisible Poets and a moderator on Wheelsong Poetry Facebook Groups  to humbly encourage upcoming poets. 

Although there is no way I could have enough time to possibly read EVERY poem on both groups, I am but one soul out of two teams of capable and caring leaders dedicated to supporting our members, no matter what their skill level. Every poet is special, every voice needs to be heard, every perspective is valid on its own merits. 

If you did it make it this time, congratulations! If you did not, get ready for the next Anthology… the next book… the next opportunity to get better! Buckle down. Try different content, different forms, different expressions, different perspectives…

When I got rejected, it only made me try all the harder. Finally, after all that rejection… all that work… all those many poems, I was lucky enough to be published. I still have not become the best poet I can be, and will not be stopped until I am. Never better than any other poet…. just different. Thanks for reading, and write on poet sisters and brothers.

Matt Elmore

Flame Wars

This post is by one of our moderators Iain Strachan. It's an important message all members should heed, because it will lead to a more peaceful and constructive environment where we can all create our art together:

What’s a “Flame war”? 

It’s when two people on a social media get into a toxic argument and start hurling insults at each other. It rapidly gets out of hand as the combatants try to outdo each other. 

In Invisible Poets group we do not tolerate negative or abusive comments on people’s poems, nor do we tolerate “flame wars”. While constructive criticism is fine, it is not acceptable just to insult someone’s work, e.g. “Your poem’s a load of crap”. 

If you get a comment like this, please don’t be tempted to retaliate. People who make that sort of comment “know” they’re right and they won’t relent, and more than likely they will just double down. Instead, just report the comment to Admin, and we will deal with the offender. We operate a “one strike and you’re out” - so anyone dissing a poem without any attempt to engage with it will get an immediate ban from the group. 

But also, if you get enraged and retaliate, and get into a flame war, you could also get banned, or at the very least strongly restricted. Your poem, whatever its merits, will be removed from the group if you get into a fight like this. We want to keep this group as a safe place. So play nicely!

Iain Strachan

Image used under a Creative Commons licence from Flickr

Social Media Etiquette

It’s amazing how easy it is to hurt peoples feelings… especially when it pertains to their art. 

My girlfriend is a professional chef. I recently suggested that her food is expensive by my means. I never thought that she would take it to mean that her incredible creations were not worth it. I found myself with my fool foot in my mouth, and quickly apologized. 

Poetry is no different. I’ve seen so many poetry groups online that create such a toxic environment with jaunty criticism and self aggrandizing comments. They hurt. No matter how tough a person is… attacking them or anybody by denigrating something they are passionate about ultimately achieves nothing. 

Now an administrator on Invisible Poets, I was once a moderator. I would always accentuate a poets strengths, and treat each poet as a personal friend. Even today I do this when I can, and take great delight in encouraging someone to do something they love to do and are good at doing. That something is writing really good poetry.

Life is a constant learning experience. We can never be perfect. However, we can aspire to be something that we never were before. Once we get there, we can then work on becoming better with each particular endeavor. Eventually, we will be the best we can be… and that is a beautiful thing.

Poetry should not be a competition. It should represent a community based on communication and empathy. The very idea of Wheelsong is to promote quality poets by making a charitable difference. By its very character, it represents the most noble intentions by means of what amounts to a collectively humble poet soul. 

These noble intentions of humility are why I am proud to be a part of the Wheelsong family, and always will be for as long as I am needed… to encourage, promote, and exhilarate premiere poetry in order to make a difference.

Feel free to comment, and thank you for reading!

Matt Elmore

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 4

Wheelsong Books was established in the UK 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, the company has published 36 books including six charity poetry anthologies. Here are the anthology statistics: 

Absolutely Poetry Anthology 1: 170 poems 

Absolutely Poetry Anthology 2: 176 poems 

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 1: 183 poems 

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 2: 214 poems 

Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3: 229 poems

Invisible Poets Anthology 1: 352 poems

(a total of 1324 poems written by more than 400 poets representing 104 countries across all 6 continents) 

All the above books will remain on sale on Amazon and through other outlets, including Waterstones (UK) and Barnes & Noble (USA). The proceeds from Amazon sales of these six books is donated to Save the Children - a worldwide charity that supports children in crisis. At the time of writing, Wheelsong Books has donated more than £2800.00 ($3600.00) to Save the Children and we intend to raise a lot more money. In April we will be publishing Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 4.

Poet, here's the deal.... You have been given a wonderful creative gift, which is your ability to articulate your thoughts, ideas, memories and emotions in beautiful, evocative words. Using your talent, you can 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 4 will ensure that you gain a new audience for your poetry, but that's not the most important aim! Better than this ... your poems will be helping to raise much needed funds to support children in crisis. You will also maintain 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. 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 almost two thirds of featured poets do not purchase a copy of the anthologies once they have been published!). Please give more than you take. 

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. Please do not send in work that has been published elsewhere, or is subject to another publishing contract. That could lead to a law suit. The editorial team will reject poems if we suspect they have been either plagiarised, or generated by artificial intelligence.

Thirdly, submit up to 3 poems as either plain text or in a Word file via email to this 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 other sites. And before you ask: There is no specific theme. 

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 on Tuesday 2 April. Any submissions received after this date will be rejected. If there is an extension to this date, you will be informed. The editors' decisions are final. 

NB: 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 point them 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

Inoffensive Poetry

Have you ever heard music with lyrics that just made you have to cover your ears for the bad language… or maybe it was the message that did not agree with you? Have you ever seen a sculpture or painting that made you uneasy, something that distracted you from the beauty of the piece?

Using expletives in poetry can often create the same uncomfortable reactions… and distractions.

Art is subjective, and impressions of it are limited only by the amount of eyes and ears taking it all in. Interpretations can be based on culture, class, religion, or even a political worldview. Poetry is no different. It represents just as much of an artistic medium as music, sculpture, painting, or even dance does.

Language is the means by which a poet conveys emotion, reason, and an intrinsic message. By blurring the imagery, or smudging the focus, using harsh language tends to divert a reader from the main objective… to get a message across.

Words can get in the way. Ask any writer who rewrites! A writer rewrites with more appropriate phrases and words that accentuate meaning, wiping the slate clean of any “bumps in the road” for the contemporary reader. Bad language, over erotic, or even taboo content, can create “bumps in the road” when seeking a broader appeal beyond darker poetry.

When I taught high schoolers, I would often hear some ripe language in the classroom. I would politely join the conversation and softly say, “Y’know, I’ve heard that people use bad language when they can’t find the right words to say. Do you know the right words to say?” I’d challenge them to be better conversationalists with this kind of reverse psychology… anyone who has had teenagers knows this tactic well! Better articulation for better conversation .

People tend to want to talk to those who can eloquently and politely convey what they want to say. In much the same way, poetry lovers want to read poems that allow them a clear and intelligent means to an end.

Class poems that can deliver the beauty of poetry without the blue smudge of lurid language also offer a better chance of being published by a reputable publisher. Premiere inoffensive poetry with potent relatable content is hard to deny!

It’s all about appeal. Finding better words to replace street language not only projects a more quality image of the poet, it also represents a reputable hallmark of greatness all poets sincerely seek to achieve.

Please feel free to leave a comment on using blue language in poetry below. I’m always open to discussions! Thank you for reading.

Matt Elmore

Getting out of a rut

How long have you been stuck in that creative rut? You know the signs: the tendency to write the same old stuff over and over again. You can't seem to break out of the end rhyme scheme you're in. It's a never ending cycle and you can't break free from it. No matter how you try your writing keeps veering back toward that ABAB scheme. You can't think of any new theme or topic to write a poem about. You stare at a blank page and there is a nagging thought - that maybe your muse has left you and gone off to find some other poet to inspire. Writer's block! You overthink it; you contrive your lines, casting aside sense and purpose to try to force them to rhyme. It doesn't look very good at all. When you write your verse, it reads worse than ChatGPT on a bad day... boring and predictable, and full of cliches. Every poet goes through something like this at some point in their lives. Some are cursed with it forever, it seems.

Well, there are many ways to break out from this rut, so you can start to write creative, unique poetry. Here are ten cool tips to help you (if you know any others, you are welcome to add them to the comments section).

1) Keep writing. Write anything. It doesn't matter if it's garbage, Keep writing, and don't stop. Write down the first words that come into your head. Eventually, there will be a gem or two you can keep and build a poem around.

2) Keep a pad and pen, or your smartphone by your bed. If you wake in the night with an inspiration, write it down. Come back to it in the morning, and maybe there will be something your scribbled down in the dark that you can develop.

3) Ignore all the opinionated 'geniuses' out there who try to tell you what you can or can't write. They are usually pedantic hair-splitters anyway. There are no rules. You can write in any style and in any way you wish, to create your art. Don't stop because you think its nonsense, and don't listen to the poetry Nazis.

4) It doesn't need to rhyme. 

5) Try out some new formats and frames of writing. Experiment with a Pantoum or a Villanelle, or dabble with some Haiku or a freeform piece of writing. This blog is also full of ideas about how to work poetic devices into your poetry. Have a search around, and see what you can find.

6) Try writing from your stream of consciousness. Relax, close your eyes, and wait for the words or the thoughts to come to you. As they do, write them down. They may be disconnected from each other, and quite random. It doesn't matter. Write them all down. You can always edit them later...

7) Open a book at random, and with your eyes closed, point to somewhere on a page. Write about the word or phrase your finger has landed upon. 

8) Use cut-up poetry ideas - the concept of found poetry can have amazing results if you just go with the flow of what you discover. 

9) Ask someone to give you a topic or theme to write about. It can be one word, or a phrase, or a historical event or a person. Just write about whatever they have said. 

10) There are no rules. I have already said this in 3, but it's worth repeating - and this time, imagine an audience out there waiting to hear you perform that poem you're about to write. What do you want to say to them? How do you want to say it? Remember - there are no rules!

I hope these ten tips are useful to you, and help you to break out of the rut you might be in. Please add your ideas in the comments below. We would all love to read them, and try them out.

Steve Wheeler

Image used under a Creative Commons Licence by Smenglesrud

Synecdoche and Metonymy: Poetic Devices

Poetry is often hailed as the ultimate art form, I can understand why people say this. It has the power to evoke profound thoughts and emotions in both the writer and the reader. Two essential poetic devices that contribute to this are called synecdoche and metonymy. While these terms may initially seem daunting, they are actually quite simple and, with practice, can be easily incorporated into your own body of work. I was quite surprised that I have been using these methods even before I knew they were poetic devices and what they are called. These techniques can definitely enhance your poetry.  Synecdoche and metonymy are basically figures of speech that involve using a word or phrase to represent a larger concept or idea. In this blog, I will delve into the definitions of both these devices, provide examples of their usage within poetry, and explore how they enhance poetic expression. 

Explaining Synecdoche:

Synecdoche is a common literary device that involves using only a part of something to represent the whole or it can be vice versa. This can also involve using a specific member of a category to represent the entire group. The effectiveness of synecdoche lies in its ability to convey complex ideas or emotions in a concise and impactful manner. By focusing on a specific detail, the poet can provide a deeper and symbolic insight into the larger context.

Example 1:

"Nice wheels, George Jones ."

In this example the phrase "Nice wheels George Jones.” is used as a synecdoche to represent an entire car. The word "wheels" is used to refer to the whole motor vehicle. See how clever and witty Synecdoche can be. 

Example 2:

"All hands on deck, except Donald Dole” 

The initial part of this phrase is commonly attributed in various shows and books , this one in particular employs the synecdoche of "hands" to represent the entire group or team, instead of fleshy human hands. It implies that everyone is needed for an assignment, a particular communication or task at hand… well except for poor Donald Dole that is as he was left out perhaps due to his shenanigans. 

Explaining Metonymy:

Metonymy is practically a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is substituted with another word or phrase that is directly associated with it. Unlike synecdoche, which focuses on parts representing wholes, metonymy involves using related concepts or attributes to represent a larger idea. This device allows poets to add layers of meaning and create vivid imagery through indirect associations.

Example 1:

"Brandon you need to hit the gym”

In this example, “Brandon you need to hit the gym” is a slang phrase that incorporates metonymy because this is implied that Brandon needs get off of the couch and go to the gym and exercise rather than put on a boxing glove and literally punching the gym, which can be painful as you all know. The word hit is used symbolically for exercising. 

Example 2:

"Steve Wheeler brought down the house in Live Poets Society tonight."

Here is another clever use of Metonymy. Here this implies that Steve Wheeler put on a great performance compared to him crumbling a house literally on all of us. The term house symbolizes the audience.

There’s many benefits of Using Synecdoche and Metonymy which can expand the writers communication toward the reader by communicating complex ideas and feelings in a memorable way. This can also enhance the imagery of your poem, more effective use of symbolism and can add different layers of meanings in the writer’s composition.

Synecdoche and metonymy are powerful poetic devices that allow for concise and impactful communication. These figures of speech enable poets to represent complex ideas or emotions by using a part to represent the whole or by associating related concepts. By employing synecdoche and metonymy, poets can enhance their imagery, convey layered meanings, and create powerful symbols. The use of these devices enriches the reader's experience, making poetry a vibrant and profound art form. I encourage you to experiment with these methods and poetic devices, and I look forward to reading your articulations that implement these techniques.

Brandon Adam Haven 

Support your local poet

Are you doing enough to support your fellow Poets? No, I'm not talking about buying their books, although if you can, that would be wonderful. No  I'm talking about totally free support you can offer. The image above says it all.

1) You could quickly 'like' or 'love' a post. Not only does this encourage a poet, it also increases the number of other people in the group who are likely to see the poem pop up in their timeline. That's the Facebook algorithm works.

2) You could leave a quick message of support or encouragement. Any message from another poet is usually welcomed. If you're offering some advice, do so kindly, and most poets will value it. Posting a comment also makes you more visible, and others may read your poems because of your comment.

3) You could share the poet's work (with their permission) to other groups or sites to raise their profile and spread their art more widely. This is more easily done if the group is public (like Passion for Poetry, or Invisible Poets.  

4) Finally, you could 'favourite' the post. As with likes and shares, favouriting a post raises the visibility of the poet on other timelines.

All of the above actions take very little time, and absolutely no cost. The more poets support each other, the stronger we will become as a community. Give more than you take! 

Steve Wheeler 

A Book Review Of “All The Best” by Steve Wheeler

So many poetry books can be one shot wonders… perused then buried within those old dusty bookshelf graves. Then there are books that come along that irresistibly beckon for continual enjoyment and inspiration. Some may even offer sophisticated references as to how writing premiere poetry is really done. Behold…! All Of The Best” is THAT book.

This masterful collection from accomplished author, philanthropist, publisher, and retired university professor Steve Wheeler spotlights his most brilliant works from 2020-2023. Just shy of 300 pages, this book lavishly lives and breathes! It both whispers and shouts! It represents an epiphany of modern poetry… an absolutely fresh wind of wonders.

The names of chapters, portrayed in striking Latin and Greek terms such as “Vita et Mors” (Life and Death) or “Nepios” (Small Child), create lascivious layers of potent secrets laid out throughout the book that Wheeler has become so well known for.

Thunderous themes branch out into exuberant impressions to create a tempestuous tapestry of opulent observations. 

The theme of revering innocence of children always seems to remain closest to Steve’s heart. Of little babies, Wheeler writes “… your life is precious pure and new, heaven is made of ones like you” (Suffer Little Children). In “World Of Wonders” he displays a plethora of his impressive adventures traveling the world, yet humbly concludes with “… no wonder of the world could so assuage my darkest fears as the wonder of a new born child”. 

The poem Yasmina is a hidden gem. Yasmina is a pet hen that a young Syrian boy innocently and obliviously mourns the loss for in becoming a necessary dinner…. it truly represents the best of “the best”.

This crafty balance of his extensive experience, with an impassioned representation of the human condition, make up but one facet of the author’s dense repertoire. Wheeler possesses a penchant for assonance and alliteration like no other… a metaphor master supreme. Steve becomes a wizard of poetic tools and devices to be learned from and to celebrate with this massive monument to his talent.

He also repeatedly turns a delightful phrase with pointed lines like “I’m having the time of your life” (from Borrowed Time), or “I have a way with words and words have their way with me”.  (from The Poet).

His poems dance upon extensive topics of what he refers to in the book description as “love, faith, nature, war and peace, dreams and nightmares, fantasy, science, and travel”. 

He expounds on the ethereal to the absurd with seamless grace, navigates realms of pop culture and lost love, from divine revelations to everyday Joe observations, with a tactile turn of every dreamy page.

On being rich Wheeler writes “… he drank like a fish and slept like a cat, with golden cushions wherever he sat..” (On Top Of The World). Of related excessively privileged revelry, he reveals “… you pays your money, drinks your beer, but it’ll all end up in tears if your actions make you disappear from the eternal inventory.” (Gardening Leave).

Poems on the homeless read “… the earth shall inherit the meek” (Homeless People).

So many inner city issues and observations shimmer in light and dark shades here. The poem Urban Transgression is a sequenced ambitious concept work which always comes first to my mind with this book. Its performance quality, flow, and rhythmic conceptualization accentuate a delightfully frightful rouges gallery of everyday souls. It is an incredibly raucous rant about divergent directions of characters and classes that encapsulates the imagination.

Of war he records “…although grandfather bravely soldiered on, He never made it to the river Sonne” (Star Of Mons), “… the bar will be open till we’re all dead on the floor, and the last person standing will be standing no more” (What Are You Wearing For World War III). 

Of art, he rhythmically writes with wry musicality “Earth takes to the floor with the moon, Moving to the rhythm of the old Nep-tune.” (Music Of The Spheres). Of the environment “This is the final log for what it's worth, of our good ship planet Earth” (Still Writing As The Ship Goes Down).

As a man of God and sincere faith, Steve devotionally reaffirms his Christianity over and over successfully throughout. On the divine purpose he writes full of the spirit, “… they’ll never find life while His truth they deny”. 

Yet his watchful gaze also encompasses the entire picture as well. On misdirected churches he prays “… help us lord, to build a church where people love to flock, as they visit our museum, a hearse made out of rock.” (Stained Glass Avatars).

Of love sweet love he covers both ends of the fidelity fence, starting with everyday adoration “… when it’s all said and done, tell me what’s in your head, show me stories you read ,then take me to bed” (Give Me). 

Of domestic squabbles “Best of friends now two of a kind , you in your neck brace, and I in mine” (Fight Club), or “You’re the one that love (and hate) the very most”. He perfectly wraps darling love up in this beautifully ending sonnet couplet “For you, oh rise and setting of my sun, I cannot say how deep my love may run” (from the glowing love poem How Deep).

A comprehensive review of this magnitude could never be possible with the brevity of a simple blog like this. An entire book could be written about the utilization of Steve Wheeler's playbook of advanced executions. Dizzying amounts of essays could be recorded on studying the many incorporations of all the effective tools in his poetic tool belt. Antithesis, paradox, allegory, metonymy, etc… from the humorous to the sublime… at times both… this one has it all.

“All The Best” sits on my desk as an ever accessible roadmap of expression and application that I now and forever will refer to for inspiration in my own writing. It constitutes everything about the street poet soul I have always aspired to capture. 

This book is not only a reference guide of inspiration for writers. I simply believe it contains some of the greatest contributions to modern poetry to date. If you are a writer, or just simply a lover of entertainingly provocative and beautiful poetry … you need this book. Period. Ad Infinitum.

Matt Elmore