What’s good Avant Garders? I’m George, the newly appointed poet in residence here on the Avant-Garde blog. The vibe and feel of Avant Garde is different to 99.9% of blogs on the net, and this is why I’m excited to be offering my talents for your appreciation.

In addition to now contributing here, I use my poetic talents out in the world in two main ways –  as a key tool in my work as a mentor for ‘hard to engage’ young people, and in my work as a personal development poet; using poetry as a mirror to give people a sense of their true potential and worth.

I’d like to invite Avant Garde readers to suggest themes for me to write on. I love getting inspiration, so please feel free to challenge me. Whilst I await Avant Garders to offer their ideas for poems, I will be creating poems that comment on ‘current affairs’ and our relationship with the planet we live on.

Here is the first poem I would like to share with you. I was commissioned to write it for a gig at the Warwick Arts Centre. My aim was to address the silent acceptance of the conflict in Libya…and build from there a picture of how urgent it is to seize our self belief.

I look forward to receiving your poem themes, and hope this poem finds you amazing.

Love and Blessings,

I’d love to awaken your innermost soul

But know I can only attempt a thing so bold

I begin with an enrolling question…the question simply is why

We accept the cost of patrolling the Libyan sky

Why we acquiesce to an open ended campaign

That will cost Billions, deaths, suffering and pain

I make no claim to possess every solution and answer

I just serve our youth and the truth is their future and chance to

Live lives of opportunity with freedom to develop and grow

Is dependent on the seeds we each are choosing to sow

We must show that right from the twenty somethings to the baby boomers

Custodians and mentors can grow from aimless consumers

You may have heard rumours…or already be fully subscribed

To the notion that there’s so much more to this ‘Being Alive’

I won’t be contrite…or mince my words

And I’m holding the mic so I know I’ll be heard

There’s six billion plus people on this beautiful planet

And not one of them has your unique blend of talent

How can I convince you of this brilliant truth

It’s really quite easy – you’re holding the proof

Your fingerprint my friends is the Braille of your soul

A labyrinthine maze that displays the ways to your goal

And if you’ll be bold and believe you’re a gift to the world

Your path with heart will begin to unfurl

And the pearl of ‘wisdom’ I offer tonight

Is to bring to awareness what’s rarely in sight

Which is the potent delight of living your purpose

Through knowing your heart and living its urges

Affirming you’ll be what you dream, to live what you love

For in so doing you’ll be doing more than enough

We are the stuff of the stars and with love I impart

That we heal all life when we follow our heart.