A Poet's Blog: Roger N.Taber shares his thoughts & poems...

Thoughts and observations by English poet Roger N. Taber, a retired librarian and poet-novelist.- "Ethnicity, Religion, Gender, Sexuality ... these are but parts of a whole. It is the whole that counts." RNT [NB While I have no wish to create a social network, I will always reply to critical emails about my poetry. Contact: rogertab@aol.com].

Name:
Location: London, United Kingdom

Sadly, a bad fall in 2012 has left me with a mobility problem, and being diagnosed with prostate cancer the same year hasn't helped, but I get out and about with my trusty walking stick as much as I can, take each day as it comes and try to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life. Many of my poems reflect the need to nurture a positive-thinking mindset whatever life throws at us.

Tuesday, 12 January 2021

Hello, World

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber 

Hello World, from London UK,

Yes, I am working on a new poem, but so stressed out at the moment that I am not sure if I will complete it by tomorrow, so… fingers crossed.

Readers ask how I am coping with the rapid spread of the coronavirus variant, especially here in London where hospitals and Care Homes are under increasing pressure; Covid-19 cases are rising faster than ever before, and, sadly too, the death rate. The death of a loved one is a tragic loss at any time, so our thoughts are with all those affected at what is probably one of the toughest periods in all our lives anyway; we can but urge them to think back to better, happier times, and remember those we have lost as they were then and how they made us happy... and always will.

To be honest, I am not coping very well, but keep reminding myself that there are many people a LOT worse off than yours truly;  all brave those key workers in the front line of any Covid-19 attack, those who have lost their jobs, parents with children whoa are now expected to act as teachers where schools are closed, anyone whose hip or knee operations have had to be postponed due to the lack of hospital beds…to name but a few.  

I see living alone as  something of an advantage at the moment for much the same reason as I hate it, having relatively little everyday contact with others at the best of times. Yes, I miss travelling to visit friends and their coming to see me, but at least I can do my bit, stay at home as much as possible and wear a face mask whenever and wherever I am out and about. Even so, this doesn't stop me feeling lonely and isolated at times, feeling physically sick upon waking up each morning at the thought of another lo-o-o-ng day ahead.

Last night, I slept reasonably well for not having to get up for a pee umpteen times due to the prostate cancer. Consequently, I am feeling better able to cope with whatever life throws at me today than I did yesterday. So… a good start. Although the weather, right now, is overcast and grim, it does not fill me with anywhere near as much doom and gloom as various media reports do; the media may well have a responsibility to tell us what is going on in the world, but most of us could well use some cheering up; the latter being one of the hardest of essential tasks, especially when you live alone and have too much time on your hands to mull over life’s negatives rather than being able to take comfort and inspiration from fast diminishing positives. thate's where creative therapy comes in, of course, anything to 

Oh, well, c’est la vie, coronavirus or no coronavirus. At least humankind is blessed with the greatest if most precarious of mindsets; one whose capacity for hope and positive thinking provides its inner eye with every opportunity to look forward, move forward, anything better than staying still, especially when the Here-and-Now is as wintry as it gets for a mind-body-spirit that finds itself struggling to rise above its worst afflictions.

Yes, indeed, it will take more than any coronavirus for the life-giving, hope-giving, milk of human kindness to run dry and leave us feeling completely stranded and alone.

True, there will always be greedy, selfish, criminal elements in any society, but -on the whole – people do care and will help as and whenever they can. Even the Good Samaritans of this world and mot mind readers, though, so some of us may well have to swallow our pride as ask for help sometimes rather than bemoan the fact that no one appears to be offering any. All of us have to take the rough with the smooth in this life, but it has been my experience that there are a LOT of people out there only too willing to help, but are reluctant to appear as if they are interfering.

Take care, everyone, stay safe, be kind, and keep well. Oh, and be sure to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life... (never easy, but always worth the effort...)

Back with another poem (hopefully) tomorrow,

Hugs,

Roger

PS.A reader complains that I am "too repetitive." Sorry about that. I guess it goes with the territory in hard times, especially as we grow old. I like to think of myself as being 75 years young... but who am I kidding? 😉

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