Happy Anniversary Covers!!!!!!!!

Feel free to share,no matter how long you've been at the Cove,you deserve a round of applause for being a cool Cover.

Don't get discouraged if the list is shorter than others,as the whole point is to see how far you have come.

So here we go:

1. No matter how big or small,I like to think I help poets. I said a year prior before the Cove I said I was going to help poets and two years later,now I am. Primarily as a source for encouragement, yet I think that moving traffic is more than raging on cars at a freeway.

2. My first NAPOWRIMO.And I have @Rachel Glass to thank. I'm saddened that the Covers that were with me during that time,looks like they aren't here anymore. Because I had a blast reading poems not my own but others to read. And I did all the prompts. Even if I had to write 5 poems in one night to get caught up. NAPOWRIMO 2021 was the first taste of what the Cove can be and is today.Looking forward to what the Cove ends up becoming.

3. Performing again,which I wasn't going to do however, after a pep talk of sorts, I performed and had a KICK ASS debut at Poetry Cove Open Mic. Then later in the year,I had perhaps the BEST performance I have done in all my 5 years doing spoken word poetry.Lets just say,if it was a poem that impacted me,I would do all I can to do the same thing. And I did, as some Covers probably have thought I embody this poet from a generation.Along with being hard to top, it's cool to know after all these years,I didn't skip a BEAT!!!!!!!

4. Submit poetry to a radio station.Huge one. I never thought I would submit my poetry to a radio station. Let alone anything and a worldwide radio station.Yet,in the fall of last year,I did. I submitted like crazy because I wanted the station to be special.Even if my poems are everyone's least favorite poems to be listened to(as there are far more intriguing poets to listen to than this writer) I believe I had something to prove. Mainly to myself. That….

5. My best days are not behind me.HELL,do BEST days even exist???Because I prove I still got it.Evidence??????????My first poetry cove series. Technically second,since the first was really during NaPoWriMo 2021. I had such a BLAST creating this series, as this was the FIRST time I was tested. Not only in topics, but even poetry forms and having an audience of poets reading my work was kinda nerve wrecking. However, when all was said and done, I did what I didn't think was possible: STARTING AND FINISHING POETRY COVE SERIES!!!!!!!! Felt unreal, however, I did it and I do have @Suchita Senthil Kumar to thank,and Covers that were a part of it for leaving supportive comments. It was so surreal(AND SO CRITICALLY ACCLAIM!!!!!)That the series will return.More on that in a bit.

6. Made a lot of poetic friends here.Honestly,this might be the BIGGEST win I had in a LONG time.For so long, I was around people that never understood me. Nor even listen to me. Do poets understand me,COMPLETELY?Not necessarily but they understand me more than physical existence and a book about….I'm not going there.Point being,poets are very special and there are none I would friend than poets of on this yellow brick road. My presence might be gone,yet my aura is here.

7. Being C.O.O, perhaps the first C.O.O that was brought on. Quite honestly, I took this opportunity because I didn't know how to blog.And while I would love to be on the blogging team, I figure my inexperienced blogging would bring the team down. However, being C.O.O of Poetry Cove was a blessing in disguise because it's worthwhile. I gained experience from being C.O.O but more importantly, this was a mission worth embarking on. Honestly,I just know that this is a home I'm helping build. And making sure the Cove is built to its fullest capacity,is so much more important than a vanity project( AKA YouTube channel that I'm thinking of laying that to rest) I do have @Adam Gary to thank for helping me be a C.O.O.While I'm at it,I will thank @Sophie for being awesome editor/blogger and ,@The Garish Grackle for the incredible analysis.

8. Poetry workshop happens way later but thanks to a colorful class of characters, I was able to enjoy my first poetry workshop. It did help that I had a performance coming up yet I will say, this not only helped me learn the poet's thought process but also help me understand emotion and how to tap into a specific one. And it works. Because not only was the performance worked on,my entire direction in spoken word. My most recent spoken word piece was the most brilliant 3 minutes of that night. Why? Maybe someone had chills or something. Or,just like my debut I reluctantly agreed to,all I needed was three minutes to make a statement. I do have @Ken Merchant to thank for the EPIC workshop and will drop by when I can. While I at it,I will thank @Marc Brimble for featuring my poem on his YouTube channel.And @Masie Eccles for being apart the first Poetry Cove Workshop.It wouldn't have been the same without you and cannot wait to learn more from you.Sooooooo.....anyone free on Saturday?????

9. Talking to you Covers. Regardless if it was via forum, zoom, or member chat, I was able to chat with you guys. Even if it was for a minute. You guys are a very friendly bunch. Thank you all for putting up with my craziness. Very appreciative and can't wait to talk to new Covers in this upcoming year. I'll give a shoutout@Shen Friebe and your amazing contributions to the Cove.Along with your wonderful analysis,I'm still shock there's no book publish by you.Perhaps your debut television series will showcase your prowess.

10. Saturday School,in fact I'm putting a poetry series together based on what I learn from the Best Hour of The Week. And it was. When? This Spring. The biggest reason for it being Best Hour of The Week is fairly simple. I BECAME A KID AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!It's refreshing to just be a kid,after years of heaviness and working NON-STOP,I just get to be a kid.And learn alot from Saturday School. About forms, performance and even editing. The teacher was incredible to learn from. Perhaps my favorite teacher,as this teacher made learning FUN, not boring academia.(YAWWWN NNNN 🥱 🥱🥱🥱🥱)excuse my modern academia yawn.What the hell was the point of those thirteen years anyway??????? Hopefully,when I find a job best suited for my limited skillset,I will take on more classes.At least for me anyway, poetry school is FUN and refreshing to go learn from and be around poets.

11. First 100.I am one of the first 100 to ever find this place. Which is FREAKING cool!!!!!!I like to say I'm one of the founding fathers of the Cove. Might not be true,however,I'll just ignore my self doubt and believe in my hype.

I made an appreciation post a while back. And while I did mean a lot of what I said,it didn't age well,unfortunately. I like to think this list proves that I didn't just twiddle my thumbs and wait,like I have done for the majority of my lifetime.I took charge. Even if reluctant at times. And I do have all you to thank. Not everyone in their young adult years can say "I'm a C.O.O of a poetry forum". I can. Which is freaking cool. Yes, thank the founders,editors and even leaders of a workshop. Honestly,everyone that read this and has been with me from NaPoWriMo 2021,to my first poetry forum post, to radio stations, to open mic hiccups to having some of the most KICK ASS performances of the year, to the first poetry cove series to the 1 year anniversary of the Poetry Cove,deserves massive thank you all for This Poetry Cove Experience. And an incredible path to be on. And it's only the first year.I do know when the forum keeps progressing,new poetic foundation is on the horizon.

Happy anniversary to Poetry Cove and

Continue to contribute til your heart's content my friends.

🍻 to new beginnings!!!!!!!!

What are your wins,Covers???

Would 🤎 to hear them!!!