Trevor Maynard

The Poetic Bond IX features 43 poets, of which 14 are new to series. There are 91 poems divided into seven chapters entitled; Love Lost Love Kept, Man's Place in the Natural World, Social Conscience, Resonance and Recollection, Social Ambivalence, Of Maturity and Mortality, and, On the Beat Off the Beaten Track. REVIEWS "Poetry, both reveals and shares our humanity" (Trevor Maynard, editor The Poetic Bond Series) "The poetry that fills this book is moving, deep, and affirming" (Nicholas Chiarkas, USA). "Trevor Maynard combines complicated thematic material and unites fractured images with a sure hand" (The Stage )MEET THE POETS OF THE POETIC BOND IX: Ann Huang (USA), Annette Gagliardi (USA), Anthony Frobisher (UK), Bonnie J. Flach (USA), Brian M. Falconer (UK), Carrie Magness Radna (USA), Cathryn Glenday (USA), Chris Barras (UK), Christine Anderes (USA), Christopher Maloney (USA), Cigeng Zhang (China), Diana Wend (UK), Diane Burrow (UK). Edna George (UK), Helen H. Moore (USA), Henry Bladon (UK), Ian Colville (UK), J. M. Greff (USA), Janette Bendle (Australia), Janice McLauglin (USA), Jim Wilson (USA), Joseph Sinclair (UK), Jude Neale (Canada), Kayla Matheson (USA), Kewayne Wadley (USA), Linda Mills (USA), Luke Zachary Maynard (UK), Lynne Zotalis (USA), Madeline Heit Lipton (USA), Maja Herman Sekulic (USA/Serbia), Mariangela Canzi (Italy). Marie Youssefirad (USA), Marli Merker Moreira (Brazil), Richard Smith (USA), Robert Rubino (USA), R. H. Peat (USA), Stephen Kirin (UK), Stuart Forrest (USA), Tania Melick (Lebanon), Trevor Maynard (UK), William Di Benedetto (USA), Wybrig de Vries (Canada). Each year, the poets published in the new edition of The Poetic Bond Series, are eligible to vote for The Poetic Bond Poets' Choice Awards; a small cash prize given to the three poems that they feel most inspire and entertain. 2019 saw Henry Bladon win for "Path to the Beach", with Helen H Moore's poem "Papaya King" second. Third place went to "I Was" by Brian M Falconer. More reviews: "It has been a joy to read all of you wonderful poets and thanks, once again, to you Trevor, for creating this bond and for including me in it." Neetu Malik (PA, USA)"I am forever grateful, Trevor, for your hard work. I know this project takes much professional/love time out of your personal time. Thank you " Bonnie Roberts (AL, USA)"I have been reading a lot of the work that has gone into the making of it & am very impressed with much of the excellently crafted writing" Robin Hislop (UK, artvilla.com)"The poetry that fills this book is moving, deep, and affirming ... A beautiful publication that will rest on top of my favorite books of poetry. Nicholas Chiarkas (WI, USA)"A wonderful collection of poetry that is made extra special in the fact its writers come from all over the world. Readers will feel joy, sorrow and every emotion in between within each chapter." MB (Amazon)Trevor Maynard has gathered fascinating poems under the themes nature, love, and myth; from award winning artists, writers, bloggers, a Jungian psychotherapist, a linguist, college professors, a spiritual minister, young and old; from USA, South America, to Europe and on to Asia. A book to carry with you for moments of meditative thought. Diane Jardel (Eire). Further publications from Willowdown Books include The Poetic Bond Volume I- VIII, the short story anthologies NINE FRAMES, OUR WORLD, and LIFE DANCES; GREY SUN DARK MOON and KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON by Trevor Maynard; ECHOES IN THE EARTH by Pushpita Awasthi. Websites www.thepoeticbond.com; www.trevormaynard.com; twitter @zonetbm

Vibrant, joyful, despairing, truthful, brave - the poetry of Trevor Maynard is both part of and a reflection of THE HUMAN CONDITION. What a person writes is universal, because they themselves are human, and this can be words of ecstasy, of profound happiness; or it can be the depths of depression, the loss of love; or it can social commentary - putting the world to rights; or merely shooting the breeze - accessing the lexicon to have fun; but all in all, one thing poetry is, and one thing you will find in the poetry of Trevor Maynard is emotional truth. The book has five chapters - BLACK DOG, an exploration of dark corners of the soul, where our fears live, and where redemption is scant. PANOPTICON - the all-pervasive watching eye of society, we are not alone, and Big Brother is out there and to be engaged in battle. OBSVERVATION - the writer watching is not separate from his surroundings, they are also part of it, and the humanity of the writer gives their work its universality. LOVING - what is mankind without love? These poems explore the deepest truth our existence, how we love and are loved, and the complication of human relations - as they are apt it say in the movies nowadays "it' complicated". Finally ANSWERS - yes, this is a poetry book that asks a lot of questions, that makes a lot of observations, but it is also a book of seeking answers. We are not just individuals in a pool of mud forever climbing ladders that sink deeper; we are the individuals, the ladders, and the mud. Our every thought and action is not alone, it is part of the whole, influences the whole, no matter how small we think it we are, in terms of existence, every action is equal to every other, energy (physical, corporal, spiritual) is never created nor destroyed, TRUTH is constant. From a biscuit crumb on your lover's lips, to the death of a Princess, to the formation of galaxies far far away, human is our condition, life is our journey, and come agony, joy, or even world-weariness, people, let's just keep on keepin' on. Other works by Trevor Maynard; THE PATH NOW KNOWN, and GREY SUN DARK MOON. Trevor is also the editor of THE POETIC BOND series - Vols I - IX available now.