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

Hello again, folks, from London UK

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

“We must accept finite disappointment, but we mast never lose infinite hope.” – Martin Luther King

“Always remember that you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” – A. A. Milne

“If you are pining for youth I think it produces a stereotypical old man because you only live in memory, you live in a place that doesn’t exist. Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” David Bowie

Hello again, folks, from London UK

No poem today, sorry. I am working hard on the final part of my poetry trilogy, but the heat is getting me down and there is still more of it in my mind than on paper. As regular readers know, years of hormone therapy (only) for my prostate cancer have really messed with my thought processes. Even so, we golden oldie poets are stronger and more determined than we look, so I press on. I am taking a break from Misnomer (3) while we are having to endure a heatwave here in the UK, but hope to finish and post it sometime next week.

The heat makes me feel dead beat. but writing poetry and doing word puzzles help even a gay poet to think straight. 😁  

Reader G J has emailed to complain that “You are very selective with your quotes, always choosing those that support your own views. Besides, some of the people you quote are obscure and unheard of…!” He or she also asks, “Do you realise that you often repeat the same quotes on other posts?” 

Yes, I am selective about the quotes I choose to post, not to support my own views, but (a) to provide the reader with an entry to the poem and (b) to avoid giving the impression that I am simply imposing my own views. As for obscurity, there is an entry for everyone I quote on Wikipedia if anyone cares to look, as I hope they will; yes, the authors may be obscure to some readers, but are well worth looking into, but this is a poetry blog and there simply isn’t room for me to expand.

As for repetition. I learned at an early age that if something is worth saying, it is invariably worth repeating; that’s how memorable quotes become… well, memorable. 😉

I hope some of you will find time to explore the blog archives now and then, although I suspect a heatwave is probably not the best encouragement...

In the course of global warming, I imagine many if not most of us will be having to deal with unseasonal heat and its consequences in the foreseeable future. I can but wish you all to keep well, stay safe and continue (as I do, albeit a struggle sometimes) to nurture a positive thinking mindset, whatever… No, never easy, but there is a lot to be said for the old saying ‘Hope springs eternal’… especially when the going gets tough.

In my experience, too, the spirit of kindness never fails to make itself felt and give hope a timely and very welcome boost

Take care, stay safe and keep well,

Hugs,

Roger