Live Encounters Poetry & Writing January 2025
Word Song, editorial by Mark Ulyseas.
Lyricism is the Word, a surreal dream state where poets scuttle between reams of remembrances, composing incantations to lure readers to embrace and ponder their messages of love, hope and enlightenment.
The path across eons is strewn with these messages that crumble under the thoughtless feet of those that seek meaning in every breath, instead of rejoicing in the Word itself.
Word Song continues to be fuelled by poets castigated by the frailties of humanity, and constantly reminded that this must continue to exist and grow from generation to generation, never halting for war, Nature’s retributions, nor life’s hardships. The lament is ever presence…
“But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
– William Butler Yeats, Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
Not everyone is a poet, just like not everyone can be a car mechanic or aeronautical engineer.
The poet creates and composes because the poet is born with a soul willingly held hostage by the lyrical world. There is little money to be found in this, but a rich legacy to be left behind for the generations to come. And there are no hurrahs for the poet stressed with the tedium of editing and rewriting to the litany of life’s longings.
Standing in the aisles are the critics throwing brickbats and platitudes in rhythm to their own self-importance. Only a reader can be the critic, to accept or reject or worse, ignore. The reader is the solitary figure one sees walking down a deserted street.
Published or unpublished is the difference between heard and not being heard, nothing more. To be heard is to be remembered in time by someone somewhere unknown to the poet. And through this remembrance, the poet continues to breathe life in nothingness.
Poets and writers have travelled over the years through the pages of Live Encounters. Many have revisited on a regular basis, whilst others have cleared the undergrowth of the lexicon to create new pathways into other worlds.
Some poets, whose work had featured in Live Encounters, have migrated to another Time, and they are missed. But their legacies remain in hard copy and online for others to be enriched by their words, among them being – Philip Casey, John Maxwell O’Brien, Kevin Higgins and Breda Wall Ryan.
We are grateful to them for sharing their work with us.
Live Encounters will continue to be a beacon of hope for lyricists and their readers around the world who are smothered by hate, violence and rancid politics.
There is much work to be done in 2025 by this august gathering of poets and writers.
Peace and Love
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om
© Mark Ulyseas
Mark Ulyseas has served time in advertising as copywriter and creative director selling people things they didn’t need, a ghost writer for some years, columnist of a newspaper, a freelance journalist and photo-grapher. In 2009 he created Live Encounters Magazine, in Bali, Indonesia. It is a not for profit (adfree) free online magazine featuring leading academics, writers, poets, activists of all hues etc. from around the world. March 2016 saw the launch of its sister publication Live Encounters Poetry, which was relaunched as Live Encounters Poetry & Writing in March 2017. In February 2019 the third publication was launched, LE Children Poetry & Writing (now renamed Live Encounters Young Poets & Writers).
In August 2020 the fourth publication, Live Encounters Books, was launched. He has edited, designed and produced over Live Encounters’ 300 publications. Mark’s philosophy is that knowledge must be free and shared freely to empower all towards enlightenment. He is the author of three books: RAINY – My friend & Philosopher, Seductive Avatars of Maya – Anthology of Dystopian Lives and In Gethsemane: Transcripts of a Journey.
https://liveencounters.net/mark-ulyseas-publisher-editor-of-live-encounters-magazines/
https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Ulyseas/
Dear Mark,
Your editorial is a timely challenge and spur to poets of today to continue embracing ‘Word Song’ but to also marry beauty with reality. Live Encounters indeed provides an opportunity to speak frankly and lovingly about our world. Thank you for creating such a special space.
Dear Finbar,
Thank you kindly for yoru comment.
Warm wishes
Mark