An empty space….

When I was younger poems were something I loved to read but was no good at writing. I mean yeah I could string the words together and could write but not poems. Poems for me weren’t like story’s, you could lose yourself in a story but a poem? that could transport you to a mystical magical place…. Thats how it was for me. I tried poems, I wrote them to friends, in birthday cards and letters. Everyone I knew said they were great but I didn’t believe so.

I went round to a friends one day when I was 16 and a man was sat in a chair drinking a cup of tea. I didn’t know him didn’t recognise him but he was a friend of the family and my mate Lee’s parents weren’t back yet. It was Lee’s birthday and I gave him his card with another poem in it, Smiling he said to this man that I was good at poems. Handing him the card to read he disappeared and came back a few mins later with every poem, letter and silly story I had ever writ him, I was kinda shocked he kept them. The man sat reading them quietly for ages then said to me and this I will always remember….

“If you write with your heart, like you do here, your writing will always be the best you can give.”

He also said that the best writers are those that aren’t afraid to write about any topic, he was talking to me personally  about poem writers but it applies to all.

I took what he said and remembered it. I try very hard to make sure that every poem I write has feeling, that hopefully, you the reader enjoys it. Good, bad, happy, sad, emotional, anger, despair, depression, love. Sometimes I have to look so deep into myself to find that feeling in order to show it in a poem. No topic is safe. I will write about anything and everything. Every poem I write is not necessarily how I’m feeling that day.

That man? the one who told me that? He’s an author and grew up with Lee’s dad in America. I didn’t realise till about 5 years later when I saw his picture on a dust jacket of the book I was buying. At the time, being 16, and the way I was it was more interesting breaking the law and ignoring adults than listening to what they had to say. Lee and his family went to Australia for a better life when I was 18. I spoke to him a few days ago and he told me he still has those letters and poems and stuff. I laughed and asked why he would keep them? His answer? “When you finally publish something, it’s gonna be great, and, I’m gonna blessed that not only did I know you first but I have my own private collection of the real you.” How cool is that? I was stunned into silence!

My next post will be number 200 on wordpress. I didn’t think I would carry this on but, I found I like not just the writing but more and more, I like the publishing! And it’s so incredibly cool that I get to read the work of so many very talented people! And look at the most amazing photos! You all should be proud! 🙂

So I don’t know what post number 200 is gonna be yet? Maybe I should pick my favorite posts of the other 199? Or maybe just another poem? We’ll see….

Happiest of hugs to you all, I hope the weekend is just fabtastic for you!

.x.