Today’s
post appears on both blogs.
2012
is the year the Olympic Games come to London and Her Majesty The Queen
celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. To mark both occasions, I have produced a new collection
whose title is, not inappropriately, Tracking
The Torchbearer. Overall, it tries to capture something of the spirit of The Games rather than focusing on sporting events.
The
book costs £9.99 and will be soon available from U.K. bookshops, amazon.co.uk
and some public libraries; there is no charge for postage for UK readers and overseas readers can have a discount on (retail price + shipping) so the cost will depend on where you live.
The book comprises 100+ poems in seven themed
sections - including a gay section - for easy reading. Among poems on love, nature and contemporary society, you will find such themes as the so-called Arab Spring, a tribute to trapped miners in Chile and their dramatic rescue, earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand and the earthquake/Tsunami off the coast of Japan as well as a record of happier occasions like a royal wedding and Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Oh, critics will argue that I include too many poems, but regular
readers say they love having seven little poetry books in one...and you, my
readers are far more important to me than any critics.
Enquiries
to: rogertab@aol.com with ‘Blog
Reader’ in the subject field (or it will probably be deleted). Oh, and
please remember to say what in which part of the world you live. [NB. Some pre-general publication
copies are already available.]
Regular readers will know that I
publish my poetry collections under my own imprint. Most if not all poetry
publishers seem to disapprove of poems on a gay theme appearing alongside poems
on other themes and/or believe it to be a non-commercial proposition. I am
delighted to have proved them wrong. Not only do my books sell well (for
poetry) but gay and straight readers alike frequently get in touch to say they
enjoy them; new readers among the latter usually express surprise at enjoying ‘even’ my gay-interest poems, and some
even start dipping into both blogs. Yes, I get some complaints and
hate mail for supposedly ‘promoting’ a gay lifestyle, but not a lot and it
doesn’t bother me in the least.
Now, no one writes poetry for
profit (just as well!) and sales will pay for a final collection in 2015
(by way of marking my 70th birthday). I have also started work on 2nd
editions of previous titles that will be available after 2015; these will
contain significant revisions of some poems.
Please at least consider buying a copy of Tracking The Torchbearer, but no hard
feelings if you can’t afford it or simply choose not to. Whatever, I will
continue with the blogs for some time yet so you will always be able to view
poems here.
Here's a BIG HUG from your truly because, as I write the blogs, I have a wonderful sense of your being there; it's a GOOD feeling.
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TRACKING
THE TORCHBEARER
No
cheers just for those who win,
everyone
playing their part
in
the race to show we’re human
If
old gods saw the Games begin
and
new gods losing heart,
no
cheers just for those who win,
Torch
lit and crowds making a din,
all
set to make a start
in
the race to show we’re human
Brave
new societies, putting spin
on
an overloaded apple cart;
no
cheers just for those who win
Where old gods stir under the skin,
a new order falling apart
in the race to show we’re human
Come
Apollo, wearing a wry grin
Earth
Mother, raising a shout;
no
cheers just for those who win
in
the race to show we’re human
Copyright
R. N. Taber 2011
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