Hello again from London UK

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

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” - Albert Einstein

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” - William Shakespeare [Hamlet]

“Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won't have as much censorship because we won't have as much fear.” - - Judy Blume

Dear Readers

Hello again from London UK. I am working on a new poem, but (very) slowly as I am increasingly unwell these days. I hope some of you may enjoy visiting the archives for earlier poems you might enjoy.

Your support means lot to me as I live alone and every day is heavy-going these days.  Even so, I am only too well aware that there are many people, of all ages, battling with health issues worse than mine; they are an inspiration to us all. Meanwhile, I have the arts and and good friends to help see me through...

Readers sometimes email me to ask how I am coping with the prostate cancer. Well, with difficulty, but it’s Hobson’s choice – press on or give up, and I am a stubborn so-and-so…! Besides, there is always love in in our lives, in one form or another, to help see us all through...

As regular blog readers will know, ten years of hormone therapy for my prostate cancer often leave me feeling confused, even frightened sometimes. I read the riot act to myself every day, telling myself to be philosophical in so far as there’s no point crying over spilt milk… easier said than done, of course, but always helps calm me down.

Medicine meant to prevent me having to get up so often during the night to use the toilet, has never worked for me, although I have devised a compromise of sort which involves taking one pill at mid-day, and it helps some nights. Even so, as my first cancer consultant used to say, prostate cancer has a mind of its own!

As I will have said before, sometimes I start to feel panicky and sorry for myself, so I distract myself from negative feelings by engaging with word puzzles. This not only helps calm me down, but also has the effect of restoring my muddled thought processes into better shape, sufficiently to - slowly but surely - put together another poem and get to grips with what is happening in the world. 

Mind you, the world today is such that I often think I am better off not getting to grips with it. After watching The News on TV, I invariably turn to word puzzles or my poetry to distract myself from the usual doom ‘n’ gloom!

Another reader asks why I haven’t always posted both poems on both blogs. Well, not everyone wants to read a gay-specific poem, but when a general poem embraces all readers, regardless of gender, sexual identity, ethnicity etc. I feel it deserves a place on both blogs. Some gay readers have said they use shared computers and are reluctant to access a gay poetry blog. 

One likes to think that we live in more enlightened times as prejudice - of any kind - against anyone belongs to history. Sadly, as we all know, human nature still has a long way to go before everyone acknowledges the harm any form of perceived prejudice invariably inflicts, whether it is driven by religious, political or personal agendas.

Take care, stay safe and keep well,

Back soon,

Hugs,

Roger