Monday, June 6, 2011

One Year Anniversary this week!



Tomorrow Poets United will celebrate its first official anniversary. Our very first 3 posts were posted this day last year and to be honest they have long since been overwritten or deleted. I don’t find that a negative though. I feel it’s more a testament to the growth and progression of this community. I initially started Poets United to be nothing more than a simple blogroll and as we can all see, we have gone well beyond that concept. We have moved from a simple listing page to an entire community that is 250 plus strong and constantly growing.

Poets United has become a wonderful community for poets and writers. Over time we have grown so much that no one person is responsible for this amazing collection of poets. Our members can be found in every corner of the world and are always willing to step forward and help in whatever way they can. For that we are so very grateful.

We have had a few failed concepts: a Forum Page, Poet Trading Cards and Small Group Particpation just to name a few but we have also had many successful and thriving activities: The Poetry Pantry, The Life of A Poet Interview Series and our very own Poetry Anthology are just a few of the many positives we have experienced and are still experiencing. We have many more that are not listed here but we all participate in them in one way or another. Poets United has become more than just an online community. I’d like to think we are poetic family.

This week last year we posted our first ever Poem of the Week "Untitled" by Alexis Hallum

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This poem can be found at:


    "Finding Prose in the Laundry and Poetry in the Dishwasher"                         


(Untitled)

Emotion
fizzles lightly in the belly
then
tickling the diaphragm
building up it grows
Heavier and harder
moving towards the neck,
taking over the back of the throat
pushing the tears out of eyes:
angry and dark
Salt water dripping past tonsils,
sobs spring forth from the chords
first silent then uncontrollable

All she wanted was a glass of milk.


                           Alexis, Monday, February 15, 2010

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We also posted our very first Blog of the Week:  Out of My Ocean by Susannah Bec

Out of my Ocean - "Out of my Ocean" is a poetry blog written by Susannah Bec. Her poems are refreshing while avoiding the cliché. She has a knack for taking everyday life and displaying it from a different angle. If you do not have the time to float through her blog then at least take a moment to read “A Container for the Flow”. This poem by Susannah has to be one of my personal favorites. It makes me reflect on my own need for writing as a release. Her writing is vivid and creates wonderful visuals for her readers.  Susannah's blog is well done, easy to navigate and just like her writing a pleasant escape from the every day grind that is life. Please take a few momemts to visit her blog most folks will really enjoy reading her work.

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If you pull back the curtains and peer behind the scenes of Poets United you will see I am no longer the only one pulling strings. As we have grown so have the responsibilities. We currently have roughly 10 people helping to ensure Poets United doesn’t lose its edge. Should you get the chance please visit our Staff/Contributors Page so you can see all the folks who could use a pat on the back or two.

Ultimately Poets United is your community and we are just lucky to play a part in it. This is a place to meet and make friends. It is a place to lean on when times are rough, a place to share smiles, tears, aliens, fantasies and everything else in between. Your creative talents and imagination are what fuels this wonderful corner of the blogosphere. Do not stop putting pen to paper. Thank you for shaping this community. We look forward to another great year here at Poets United so keep writing, keep reading and keep sharing.

Thank you for the chance to be a part such a great community!!

Robert Lloyd

In the comments section below share your thoughts about Poets United?  What is your favorite apsect and or activity at Poets United?  What do you expect from us in our second year?  Are there areas we can improve on? Please feel free to share anything youd like as this is your community!

29 comments:

  1. The sense of community at Poets United is astounding. Since becoming a contributor here I feel like I am really a part of something special, something that does more than just unite poets, but introduces them to an entirely different way of experiencing poetry and other poets. Thanks Robb, I had this idea myself, but didn't have the stones to pull it off! :D

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  2. A huge round of applause for Poets United. I can honestly say that this site opened up the world of on-line poets to me. Before I linked up I had 6 followers of my blog, now I have 92. This is one of the fore-most places to display your work and to meet other poets.
    No words can express the gratitude O feel towards all those dedicated assistants that help to keep the site ticking, week after week. You guys are super-stars.
    My hope is that PU will go from strength to strength.

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  3. Happy Anniversary Poets United! Thanks for the forum, the instruction and the community. Here's to many more years to come! (raises a glass)

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  4. Thank you, Robert, for the vision you had in mind when you created Poets United. It is always the first place I check after checking my own blog. I have 'met' such nice people here from all over the world. May the second year be even better, if that is possible.

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  5. Well done. Congratulations on making it through your first year!

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  6. Robb, and fellow poets, I live in a cultural desert where, for lack of support and encouragement - or motivation - my writing had almost dried up. A friend encouraged me to start a blog and I went to the blogger forum to ask how to meet other poets. Someone said "why dont you try Poets United?" and the rest is her-story!!! I have been blown away by getting to know such wonderful people and poets from all over the world. It STILL blows me away that people far away are reading my words. And I began to write again till now I can barely keep up . Thank you to each and every single one of you, for your voices, your work, and your good hearts have wrapped a community around me that has opened up the world to me and has re-energized my creativity, no small gift. Robb, your vision has produced something truly wonderful, and I know how much work it was all year, till you finally managed a strangled gasp for help, hee hee! Thanks for Keeping On, and for this wonderful community. And Helpers, thanks to each of you for helping to keep this community alive, vibrant and wonderful!!!!! Poets United rocks!!!!! And it is the relaxed, family feeling that I love most.

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  7. Well, I said a lot, but every word is from the heart!

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  8. Like Mary, I live in a relatively rural area with few opportunities to gather with other poets and writers. Thanks to Poets United, I feel as if I have a personal poetry/writing group. I learn here, share here, grow here. This community provides inspiration and stimulation that writing on one's own often lacks. I cannot thank you enough, Robb, for your creation of this supportive, virtual-yet-very-real world.

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  9. What a great year! Congrats Poets United!

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  10. First year anniversary congratulations Poets United. May we have many, many more!

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  11. I too have been associated with Poets United, from its early days.
    I welcomed the opportunity to have a sense of belonging to a wonderful Community.

    Happy Anniversary to all my Poets United friends and supporters.

    Best wishes, Eileen T O'Neill

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  12. Happy Anniversary to you! Happy Anniversary to you! It's a great neighborhood!!! Thanks so much!

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  13. I want to add my congratulations and thanks as well. I was encouraged to come here by my friend Mary and what a gift that was. I have gradually started finding my way around and love getting to feel like I am familiar with some more poets.

    Even though I had a professional prose writing career with a newspaper and live in an area that is far from a cultural desert, I must say the main place I have developed as a writer and gained the confidence to actually share poetry I write is on-line. (with a long-time small writing group and now the expanding internet poetry community). For some reason I have never found people in my every-day life receptive to poetry and it is such a personal form of expression I am hesitant to even talk about writing poetry to non-poets. And so I love being part of this community.

    Thank you all for participating and for making PU what it is. Also, Rob let me know if you need help as I would be happy to help.

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  14. Robb and fellow poets, I am so thankful you are here doing what you do for poetry and poets. I have been touched to have a poem and my blog honored here, but more than that, encouraged to keep writing. I have been a poor responder to other blogs and poets and that is not right. I hope and intend that the second year of Poets united will see more participation and commitment from me. Thank those of you who are already doing the work and having the discipline to make this marvelous site work.

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  15. I am so thankful for this site and the opportunity it gives me to hob nob with poets and have my words read. You are awesome, Robb and all those that help. Thank you for leading me here, Mary. This is the best and I know it is a huge labor of love. Thank you all for being here.

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  16. Wow Robb, a year already!

    I feel so priviledged to have been here since the beginning and have been really inspired by watching your vision grow into this wonderful entity that is Poets United.

    I have also learned a lot by observing how Robbs enthusiasm and drive began and nurtured this place into a community and somewhere that feels so welcoming. Well done for all you have put into this Robb, I really have found it inspiring, watching it turn from an idea to a reality that has now taken on a life of its own.

    I have met many wonderful people through being a member here and like Kerry have seen the readers of my blog grow and have discovered so many beautiful poets and people.

    Happy Aniversary Poets United and Well done Robb!

    Great thanks also to all those who now help to keep this place running, you have my gratitude and respect.

    Here's to the next year!

    Much love to all.

    Susannah x

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  17. I'm new here, so, honestly, I'm surprised that Poets United is only one year old; it seems more mature than that. I'm grateful to Robb and Mary and everyone else who keeps this great site up and running. It has broadened my online poetry experience. I have met some fantastic people through this site, and have read lots of wonderful poems. What could be better? Thanks, Poets United - and happy anniversary!

    Richard

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  18. Congratulations! You've all done a terrific job. Rob thanks for initiating this movement. I feel so fortunate to participate. (Sorry I haven't been able to for a while.)

    I am grateful to this forum and forsee much success in the future.

    Myrna
    (for some reason blogger is only letting me comment as anonymous, though I have a blog - Daily Spirit.)

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  19. Congratulations & Happy 1st Anniversary Poets United!

    I echo the sentiments of everyone before me.

    I remember when I first came across PU a few months ago. It was a time when I had just started blogging and I was so scared to comment, let alone enter anything I'd ever written...but I kept spying from the sidelines & thought this wasn't such a scary place after all:-)

    My first entry was to Poetry Pantry #33 & I've been hooked ever since. I'm a fairly new member & thought PU had been in existence for years!

    Robert, you should be very proud of how far PU has come. My sincere thanks to you for allowing us to share in this poetic family. I must also thank the helpers who do an outstanding job of keeping PU running day after day, even when Blogger has other ideas!

    This is a wonderful community and I foresee even greater success for us. We should have a group photo to show off all the flavors of PU...now that would take some undertaking!

    Let's keep on sharing, supporting & encouraging each other and make this a place no one wants to leave!

    Happy Anniversary Poets United!!

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  20. Congratulations on your first year! Like Sherry Blue Sky, I live in an area where most people either feel writing is a waste of time or too intellectual. Poets United has helped me keep my sanity as well as linking me with a great group of supportive and talented people. It's been a blessing. I've been exposed to poetry many different styles of poetry and received great feedback from a wide range of voices. Thank you so much!

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  21. Congratulations! And happy anniversary!

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  22. Ah
    Congrats on this first anniversary- shame I've not taken part as much as i would have liked... but so proud to be part of this
    My poem today goes to you
    and poetry...
    :-)
    Thanks so much for your amazing work and contribution

    Dulce

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  23. Congrats and happy anniversary, Robb. I for one am glad I found this site. May next year be even stronger.

    Pamela

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  24. Thank you Robb and staff for all you do~ I am so amazed by this unique group! I look forward to look at this links; I am so happy to be part of such a diverse gathering of creative souls! Thank you~
    Cheers and Congrats to Poets United!!!

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  25. congratulations! like my friend has said - we will have many many more. Thank you Robb. I am so glad to be a part of this.

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  26. Thank you so much Robb for creating such a wonderful site for writers to connect. It has been a blessing to be a part of!! :-)

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  27. P.S. Thank you for all the help with my blogger posting issues! You are brilliant! :-)

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  28. Happy anniversary Poets United! And a wish for many many more....Thank you for creating this site, great work and huge support to poets!

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  29. i love the poetry community and i feel the two best sites for promoting poets are Poets United and One Stop Poetry. your various features each week are fabulous. thank you to everyone involved, especially Robert Lloyd. keep up the great job!!!
    dani

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