The Year of the Poet III ~ September 2016: Volume 33

Preface Greetings Family, This month i have decided to change things up a bit pertaining my usual preface. This month in Acknowledgement of “The Kosovo International Poetry Festival” which sadly so i was unable to attend, and “The Morocco International Poetry Festival”, which i will be attending and having the opportunity to meet Poets from all over our wonderful world, speak, and share some poetry, i offer to you a poem. This poem expresses my desire to write that special poem that epitomizes the hopes i have for humanity. Also note that our beloved Gail Weston Shazor is in the process of collecting submissions for our third anthological installment of “I want my poetry to”. This anthology focuses solely on the vision we have of why we write and the motivations to do so. For more finite information, please visit : http://www.innerchildpress.com/i-want-my-poetry-to-volume-3.php So, without further ado, here is the poem titled “i want to write some poetry” i want to write some poetry i want to write some poetry, you know, that kind of poetry that makes people feel beautiful again, that makes them lose all their angst and self-incrimination and makes them want to hug each other i want to write some poetry that eliminates all fears we have about social integration, that poem which sets asides the perceptions of differences in our politics, gender, ethnicities, religions and any other institution that causes us to become spiritually kaleidoscopic in our interactions amongst each other i want to write that type of poem that immediately releases us from all preconceived notions of class and rank, that instantly evokes and immerses us in the chasm of unfathomable love i want to write that poem that gives permission for us to cast aside the Band-Aids, crutches, and temporary fixes and allows us to confront our brokenness that we may begin the journey towards healing and being whole again i want to write that poem that our leaders and the elitists feel compelled to read and begin to question their motives of greed, power and indifference and come to a conclusion of just how offensive they have acted toward their brother and sisters, their fellow man i want to write that poem that sings of harmony to all the people and beings of the earth and gives cause for eternal smiles to be permanently etched upon each of our hearts i want to write that poem that puts an inextinguishable light on the senselessness of war, famine, strife, disease, deceit, and other inharmonious traits we have created betwixt us i want to write that poem that restores our souls to its rightful divinity and teaches us to walk unencumbered and erect in and with an unerring nobility i want to write that poem that awakens us so we come to succinctly understand without question what the term “humanity” really means . . . i want to write that poem of congruity, that all hearts can sing and dance to with never ending smiles and unmitigated joy frozen upon our countenance i want to write that poem that makes us all glow, that dispels all darkness and casts all of our misgivings into the abyss of forgiveness & forgetfulness sigh . . . some day . . . Yes, some day i will write that poem because i believe ! i am going to write that poem . . . . . . can you write one too ? “if you can not be the poet, be the poem” right on !!! © 29 July 2016 : william s. peters, sr. www.iamjustbill.com Thank You Bless Up bill Love and Blessings Bill PS Do Not forget about the World Healing, World Peace Poetry effort. Available here www.worldhealingworldpeacepoetry.com For Free Downloads of Previous Issues of The Year of the Poet www.innerchildpress.com/the-year-of-the-poet

Foreword “What is the role of poetry?” This question is often raised and discussed by critics, professors, students, linguists, philosophers, psychologists, scientists, etc., and of course by poets themselves. The same question suggests or even imposes itself again and again on poetry forums, conferences, symposiums, interviews, seminars, classrooms, literary saloons, and other types of poetry events and venues. Thinking of some of the various responses to the question opens our eyes to the learning possibilities and opportunities that poetry makes available for us. If we believe, for instance, that poetry is written and read for its beauty, we may try to have a better understanding of the language since language becomes of prime importance. If we argue that poetry should always deliver a moral message, then we might want to learn how to reinforce morality. And if we insist that the main purpose of poetry is to explore deeper meanings or truths, then certainly we are expected to glean some philosophical insights. Learning will also occur whether we believe that poetry can help us understand the world around us or give precedence to self-discovery or -understanding. While the former encourages us to try to comprehend the complex relationships and deep mysteries of our world, the latter urges us to explore the intricacies and complexities of the human psyche. Even if we view poetry as a means of escape from the evils of our world, we may seek to develop our spirituality, so that we may be able to cope up with the dominance of materialism in our culture. This month, by focusing on education, the Poetry Posse family is exploring a new horizon that offers infinite possibilities. I humbly invite every one of you to read with passion, to enjoy with all your senses, and if possible to ask yourself once in a while: What have I learned from this poetry collection, this poem, this stanza, or this line? Nizar Sartawi Poet and Translator