The Wheel Moves On…

/ Al Lane

Hi, it’s been a while… everyone good? … The last time I was on here, I was encouraging you to submit poems for a charity anthology, Diverse Verse, organised by Richard aka https://skaggythepoet.wordpress.com/ . Well, I took my own advice, and am now officially a published poet!

Richard invited me along to the launch on Saturday, so I caught the train over to Walsall to join him and a number of friendly, local poets for only my third ever open mic poetry reading… you wouldn’t believe how much preparation I put into a six-minute open mic slot! I’m planning a post on this in the near future. For now, check out Richard’s report on the launch here, and please support the book if you are able: diverse-verse-2-is-launched It was wonderful to finally meet Richard in person – he was exactly as I expected, although taller! He is the first blogger I’ve had the pleasure of meeting offline. Hopefully not the last 🙂

For those kind enough to have asked, I haven’t gone away completely, although it’s fair to say I’ve lost my love for blogging for a host of reasons, not all of which I want to share. I’m still writing, now performing too (!), and intend to be back here with the odd tidbit now and again. Who knows, maybe I’ll even find the “moderation in all things” approach that everyone keeps talking about!

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The poet in full-on “action mode”

74 thoughts on “The Wheel Moves On…”

  3. Good to hear from you again! Going back to last winter and your poem, The Swamp Monster (Or was it Monster of the Swamp?), anyway it was the one my kiddie class was going to illustrate, I never did send those drawings to you, because out of the five kiddos, only two finished the drawings! Talk about discouraging! Then in the spring only one girl signed up, and she moved before the first class could start. Ya’ think maybe it’s just not in the cards, not meant to be…duuuh?
    I am excited about your involvement in poetry and hope you will keep us posted (pun definitely intended) on the open mic nights and other involvements. I, for one, am interested in purchasing your poems or “hearing” about the poetry groups/classes/readings you get involved in WHEN YOU CAN FIND TIME. So, post again, we are still here and interested in this new venture in your life.

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    • Thank you Rae… I had come across your email again this morning, and had been wondering… Next time perhaps!

      I absolutely plan on putting out a compilation or three this year… The performance poetry is intended to dovetail with this. Plus, trying funny material directly with an audience soon tells you where you need to tighten up! No tumbleweed moments so far, at least! ♥

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  10. I must say I’m really pleased to read you again. I’ve been thinking about you lately, missing your voice, be it here or in my comments.
    I too lost the will to blog for a while, then… poetry is what brought me back!
    I hope those reasons that kept you away are mostly positive, and if some are negative, that nothing was too bad.
    Congrats on the publishing! One day, I have hope… when I don’t have to spend my day trying to write rebukes to my ex’s @&;)-@ allegations.
    As I was telling The Dancer, the ex is still an arse. In some way, there is comfort in this stability!
    Sigh!
    Sending lots of loving energy your way. XO

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    • Thank you, Dawn. I have missed staying in touch with some bloggers, but just can’t find the hours to fit everything in…something had to give. Sorry to hear you’re still on the same merry-go-round.. Plus ca change… ♥

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      • Yes, I know about the trouble finding the hours… I’m doing better at finding a balance (at least by my standards!).
        Just know every time I wrote a limerick, I was thinking of you 😊
        Yes, same merry-go-round, but he’s looking more and more like a jackass and I less and less like a hyena I think, so… not all is lost!
        It inly took me around 4 or 5 hours today to go through the whole process, and it didn’t even make me cry. See, progress!! 😊

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  12. I was just thinking about you this past week so I’m really glad to see this post (I’ve not been reading blogs and barely been blogging lately due to having a deadline for a couple of writing projects myself). Have missed you, my friend.

    Congratulations on being a published poet! May this be the first of many more successes to come!! x

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    • Thanks Teresa. I always think of you as one of “the originals”… early supporters on this blog! It is so hard to keep juggling all the balls, and keep them in the air, isn’t it? Hope you met your deadline…

      To our future success! xxx

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  16. So glad to hear your news Al. Congratulations. I’ve missed your blogs, but understand that blogging can be overwhelming. I’ve cut down my blogs of late as I intend to publish this summer! Will be joining you with my first book – a YA novel with lots of tanka, poems and even some songs in it!

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  17. Hi Al! Congratulations on your published work! I will definitely be checking that out. I’m happy to see that you’re still writing poetry and that you’re now performing. That’s great! Maybe you can share your performances with a vlog here and there? 😉 I miss your posts (as you know), but I’m glad you’re still doing what you love. ❤ xx

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  18. Congratulations! 🙂 That’s wonderful. And I’ll watch for the odd tidbit now and then. You know… Never mind. Be creative. Do what makes you happy. And the rest will follow. The blogosphere isn’t going anywhere.

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  19. Congratulations, Al and welcome back. Any time! I was wondering how you were doing. I sometimes thought about you (in a very positive and envious way): “Instead of using/wasting all his time on blogging, like me, he is actually doing some serious and satisfying real writing,” I thought. It seems I was right! On that note, I have cut down from three posts a week to one (usually), hoping to focus more on my “real” writing as well. The result has yet to be determined, since the last couple of months have been extremely busy for more personal reasons.

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    • Hi Liesbet, great to hear from you! I’m not sure blogging is ever a waste of time, but there are certainly other, possibly more efficient, uses of our time! I hope the “real” writing is a success xxx

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