I originally set up this blog two years ago in an effort to communicate with a wider audience beyond the confines of classroom walls or close circles of friends. I did not really know what I was doing.

I imagined that the blog would be an extension of the seminars I organized and presentations I delivered when I was still able to work regularly as a teacher and my early posts were duly essays on international politics, English language and literature.

In mid-2014, I enrolled on a blog writing course and was prompted to write shorter pieces on a wider variety of subjects, and included, tentatively, some of the poems that I have been producing for many years. Subsequently, I enrolled on the Writing 201 Poetry course earlier this year and was encouraged and inspired, not only to make public previously unpublished literary endeavors, but also to produce new work at a more regular rate. As a result, although I continue to post more discursive pieces, this blog has become primarily a poetry workshop and has connected me, inspiringly, with a broad range of ‘amateur’ poets around the world.

I am, therefore, very thankful to the organizers of the original Writing 201 Poetry course, to Mara Eastern and Andy Townend, who extended this into the ongoing Poetry Rehab program, and to Sarah Zang, who has kindly agreed to feature a portfolio of my work on her Wordflair website http://www.wordflair.net/ . I am, above all, grateful to all fellow-bloggers who have visited, followed, liked or commented on my posts over the past year and inspired me with theirs. I have learnt much from you all and wish you all a prosperous and productive new year.