The Books
Attempt
In the beginning I’ve tried to find my own style, because I didn’t want to write like other writers.
You know what I mean, 6 to 8 lines in mostly incomprehensible sentences, sometimes more meaningful or less. Though mostly far-fetched or futile, as if those lines aren’t alive. A poem has to have his own life, it has to have some meaning, even though it looks easy at first site.
So I had something in my mind like writing longer poems and making them as easy looking as possible, so that everybody who would read my poems could recognize and even understand some parts of it and hopefully completely, after reading them a few times. This way I managed my own ‘One Page Poetry’. ‘One page one poem’ style and wanted to build in something like some kind of red thread, as a kind of relief. Of course it’s relatively impossible to put this kind of level in every poem, but still…
I started using this way of writing in the beginning of the nineties, also used some of the stuff from years before to build up to langer poems. Some of that stuff I still have, ‘cause it’s not always easy to use these little pieces, but I can say that this ‘stock’ already shrunk considerably, which is of course the intention. Sometimes I focus on those page of unfinished material and this way many poems have seen the light.
Some find these poems are to simple, to easy, to obvious, that’s what they say. Maybe they’re right, but what good is a poem, when you’ve already read it more then five times and still don’t understand anything from it. Of course it’s necessary to read a poem more than once, I think that’s an advantage over a book, mostly you’re happy that you finally finished that ordinary book.
You read very slow or maybe very fast, that doesn’t mean though this it’s smooth. Yes, I like to think that the poems that I write have some pace in them, they read rather easy. Yet though you’ll notice that when you read certain poems twice or more, that you need to pay more attention to that little piece of work. Do you understand what I mean, that is something I’m working towards, even though it reads fairly smooth the first time.
Of course it becomes less easier when you read a poem at least three times with less speed but with more focus. You ask yourself, what does the writer mean, what can I deduce from this, I recognize some ‘things’ in it, the reading starts to feel different. At that moment the ‘pace’ will slow down automatically and that’s the intention. The message is not always on top, mostly though these poems have another underlying message, which goes deeper, which you have to discover for yourself, that is what I want to bring.
A poem that you can have a certain feeling with and recognize more other input. So you read it a first time and it seems simple and it reads easy, that’s what I want to reach in the first instance. If there are people who have the courage to decompose that certain poem, they will discover more, they will start to think about it, more and more, finally get a bigger grip on that at first simple looking piece of art.
First Book – Watch Out
The writing went on for many years, of some I was very pleased and I also accepted that not every poem that I wrote could be a good as the other.
Once in a while an incident or a happy event or a drama gave me inspiration, or something that happened to myself or that I’ve seen or heard. Writing a poem sometimes gives me the strength to go on, to be able to express myself in these little pieces.
People told me, you’ve got to do something with those poems, publish them they said. The question was, how do I do this, I didn’t know how to handle this. Till suddenly on Facebook I saw a message about putting your poetry into a book on this organisation calling Xlibris. So I contacted Xlibris and they gave me some information and explained a few things to me.
Second Book – What If
I didn’t make any changes to complete my second poetry book – What If. Just like the first one I picked some poems randomly from the amount that I have written up to date. Almost every month I completed a poem without even thinking about it but soon realizing though that I became better in doing so. Being more able to stabilize my thoughts.
I only want to be influenced by the things in life, whatever they may be. Maybe it’s my luck that I never know what I’m going to write about except for a few works asked for. Even when a poem is ready it sometimes puzzles me where it’s all about.
Xlibris give me chance to get started with both these books ‘Watch Out’ and ‘What If’ and I hope that our cooperation will be successful, so we can work on a third book.
INSIDE ME…
Number three, Inside Me is looking at you, it comes as no surprise to me. I’m glad to be able to show you more of my stuff, hope you’ll like this little book as well.
I still use the same old patterns, same way of writing. I feel good with the arrangements of my poems, only the ideas are new, every time again of course. It’s understandable that my work becomes recognizable, sometimes I try to make something different.
Still I can feel that when I read a poem that I’ve written, it gives me shivers, but in a good way as I intend to and so do others to whom I’ve shown my new works.
Still working together with Xlibris, they have helped me with my first two little poetry works, so I decided to start this third book and publish it again with Xlibris.
HOLD ON
Hold On – I have to say that I feel lucky being able to write such beautiful material. The magic is that when I start writing a new poem, it grows on me. The more I get into this poem, the easier it becomes. Thoughts start coming without even thinking about it. At least that’s how it feels, and this feeling is just wonderful.
God is a big inspiration to me, and I know that he believes in me, like I believe in him. Without God, this would’ve never been possible.
I’m very happy to be able to share this gift with you all. This is what I’ve always wanted to do—sharing with the people, giving to the world, making people richer with thoughts and feelings. Let these poems be a treasure and inspiration for us all.
NEVER GIVE UP
I’ve always thought that “Hold On” would be my last book. Certainly after a vicious attack in 2008 that destroyed my life for many years. The writing was difficult, I couldn’t concentrate, didn’t do much writing for several years, due to these injuries and the struggle with my health. So I started to publish my writings in small and cheap little poetry books and that was the positive side of it.
After more than 7 years the doctor finally found a good medicine and it felt like coming alive again. So much energy and inspiration that came back to me, I could focus again without having pain or headaches all the time, I didn’t feel tired anymore, my life had started again.
Again another proof that God is still on my side and I call this medicine the miracle of God, that’s also what I told to my doctor.
So here it is already, my number 5, Never Give Up, and I would like to say thanks again to Xlibris, for hanging on and also believing in me when times were rough.
Sixth Book – Stay Strong
I can’t believe it myself but this book ‘Stay Strong’ is already the sixth one that I wrote. Also this time it’s a combination of 50 poems in English, plus one in French, at the end of the book.
I guess I have to face it; I can’t stop now. So keep on writing is the message, forward to the next book, which will be the seventh one of course. Don’t worry, I’ve already started on that seventh book.
I have the feeling that the poems in ‘Stay Strong’ are a bit heavier, with fiercer language, while the poems of book five ‘Never Give Up’ were a bit softer, easier on the heart. For sure the softest of them all, spoken in general terms of course, while this book ‘Stay Strong’ is just the opposite.
My health has grown stronger, certainly after a last operation in April 2017, so that gave me more strength and willpower to go on.
This means that this sixth book ‘Stay Strong’ is also my sixth book that is being published by Xlibris.
Higher Power
As I had mentioned before in my sixth book, I had already started my number 7. Writing becomes quite a habit, which I like very much of course. This seventh book feels rather fresh; many new ideas came up in my head. The poems are generally on handling lots of stuff.
It’s not particularly soft like the fifth book, Never Give Up. On the other hand, it’s not as fierce and heavy as number 6, Stay Strong, was. It’s a unique collection of many repetitive poems—a style that I have improved a lot because I like writing like that even though it’s not always easy.
The strength to keep on writing hasn’t left me even though bad experiences have been part of my life in 2017 and 2018 due to mistakes of other people who have robbed me in their smiling innocence. Writing makes me forget that many servicepeople aren’t good or willing to help you. But I believe in God.
This seventh book, Higher Power, is also being published by Xlibris, as all the aforementioned.
Having Learned
After seven comes eight, which is only natural.
Another poetry book with new material, some a bit vigorous, some more in the line of patriotic feelings. Other poems are about believing in God, believing in other people and not to forget, believing in yourself.
Love and hate, peace and violence, quiet times, wild times, you’ll find it all in here.
I still remain true to my own style of writing, with all kinds of different poems, some are repetitive, while others are more like a story, told in a poetic form.
It pleases me a lot to be able to present you my ‘Having Learned’. I do hope you’ll this book as much has you done all the previous ones. This number eight ‘Having Learned’ is another book of poetry being published by Xlibris, as all the other English books that I’ve written so far.