Nan’s Notebook
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“More Babies!” — video with short rhyming poem, artwork
by New York poet NG Swett
Just a quick video post today, including a couple of extra pieces of material:
notes about the substance of the poem
when and how I wrote it
creating and posting the video
The substance of the poem
The billionaires, plutocrats, oligarchs — some are calling for more babies.
Women should have more babies, some say. Women shouldn’t be able to end a pregnancy under any circumstances, some say. Life is too… precious!
Over a lifetime, families can easily shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars per person for taxes, health care, child care, education, shelter, food, transportation, weddings, and finally assisted living. The willingness to pay is only limited by our means. The value of a statistical life was estimated at $7.5 million in 2020 according to FEMA. Oh how the shareholders must drool at a number like that!
Other happy civilized countries don’t have things set up this way. Every heartstring we have is tapped for all it’s worth. Every fear stoked for our last dime.
There’s pushback on social media to this idea of women as livestock, especially among women. But the good news for the owner class is that they can mute ‘em with algorithms. (Studies show that social media is terrible for women’s mental health, especially secular liberals.)
Scientists proved that the human race is stripping the planet of resources, causing mass extinction, and polluting it to the brink of extinction. So do we really need more people? Or should we get our house in order first?
Writing the poem
So this all tickled my funny bone a little, so I jotted down this little rhyming poem, “More Babies!” just this week in a big black journal that I’ve been using lately for sketching and writing.
To illustrate the poem, I pulled up a painting I did some time ago of a made-up plutocrat, “One.” It’s from a series of a couple dozen mini acrylic paintings I made as art therapy to get me through writing and editing my first novel — a very, very challenging project! The paintings are all illustrations from scenes of the novel.
In the painting, One lounges god-like across a royal-looking chair in front of a glass window at night. You can see a bridge lit up behind him. The rug under his shiny black boots is a rough map of the Outer Lands Archipelago.
Making the videos
With the poem, the painting, and some branding basics for 4seasonshelf, I then made a short video in two formats, wide and vertical mobile. I added two audio tracks, one with the sound of a typewriter and another with the sound of an eerie lullaby…
I’m placing the wide format video here on 4seasonshelf.com first.
Then they will go on the billionaires’ platforms…
Pair of Haikus for our modern times
Earthquake, Solar Eclipse, Apocalypse, oh my!
You just never know what the day will bring...
Today we had a 4.8 earthquake in the region -- New Jersey to be exact. Everyone in the NY metro region felt it, up and down the East Coast.
Nothing was damaged, it seems. Close call?
Do you know where your friends and loved ones are? Everyone seems ok, but are we?
Life goes on. Get back to work?
I mean, it's absurd how much the world has to process on a daily basis. Today an earthquake, on Monday a total solar eclipse will slash darkness across the country. And always lurking in the background is the possibility of a large apocalypse, which is a reality for too many people in too many places around the globe these days.
Altogether the words earthquake, eclipse and apocalypse tickled my funny bone a little, even though the situation’s not really that funny. A haiku is quick, something we can all use to dash off an idea in a pinch, 5-7-5 syllables for three lines, and the last line is supposed to land a little flat or funny. This short ancient poem format is just the thing for a pair of poetic dispatches for today.
Here are a pair I wrote in my notebook then set up in Canva and posted on YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
While it may be wrong to ride a trending wave about a natural disaster, I can assure you that I’m not above it. And I feel it’s right to share an experience with the wider public, and an idea about something big that’s happened, so that we can all share in it.
Turn on sound!
~ Nan
Download Love Poem: “Thoughts Upside Down” by NY Poet NG Swett
Download love poem about love, loss and grief “Thoughts Upside Down” from poetry book HOLD ME TIGHT by NY poet NG Swett. The short rhyming poem is also shown on short mobile video with comments about how people respond to poetry in these busy and stressful times. Poetry can be a weird thing that isn’t seen or talked about every day, and it can be funny to get your friends and family to read and even help with a few.
People really like this short rhyming poem from Hold Me Tight, my book of love poems
“Thoughts Upside Down” from HOLD ME TIGHT poetry book by New York poet NG Swett. On 4x6 adhesive shipping label printed on a thermal printer.
4YOU! Click image for free DOWNLOAD of png for personal use.
Here is a short video I made of the same poem:
I’ve posted online a few poems from Hold Me Tight. I’ve tried different ones in different ways (e.g., videos, images, audio, etc.). This short vertical video has done the best so far.
As you can see, it types out the poem, and there’s a black and white image behind it of an upside down crystal ball. It shows the minimalist modern aesthetic of the book overall.
Thermal poetry?
I printed the poem above on a thermal printer and I’ll tell you why.
Printing a poem on an adhesive thermal label is an idea I got by two accidents.
One accident was in the original printing of the paperback poetry book. A poem accidentally sucked. So I made a label with a better poem and covered my shame. (And updated and uploaded my files to Ingram Spark and Draft2Digital for the revised hard cover and ebook editions.)
The other accident was printing out a dozen of the same shipping label for an eBay sale. A waste of precious labels, for sure! But printing a dozen poems on purpose and then sticking them up around town might be fun.
When I’ve got some thermal poems in my bag, I keep my eye open for a good spot. What’s a good spot? Visible, public, out of the elements a bit, smooth surface, and possibly used by other sticker people…
Can you see my thermal poem?
In recent years I’ve been selling a few things online, such as eBay, Poshmark and Amazon. I’ve become aware of a huge number of creative, entrepreneurial and community-minded people doing ecommerce, and many of us have thermal printers because of the time, money and paper they save in shipping. The cost of ink these days, am I right?!
People might like to print out a little poem and stick it up somewhere it can be seen. Maybe it will inspire others to write their own poems and paper the world with poetry.
Poetry — the readers, lovers and writers
The angelic people who have taken time out of their busy lives to flip through a few of my short poems have told me that they really like the shortest ones. Haha! But this one titled “Thoughts Upside Down” is one of my shortest though.
Seriously, short poems are easier to share online with the people because they can fit on one visual and in a short period of time.
And what could be simpler than a poem? Especially short rhyming poems, they’re just fun and easy to read.
Poetry is a weird thing
Poetry is a weird thing for most people, and no one really talks about it. You’d have to go to a local poetry jam or writers club to find anyone talking about this sort of thing. In fact, it’s not uncommon for people to be stone cold stunned quiet with nothing to say when called upon to read and comment on a poem or a book of poetry. Although I’ve seen that poetry is enjoying a new popularity which I’m happy to see and even happier to join in on.
So that’s why I like to be on my poetry bullshit right in plain view. It was over a casual lunch at the dining room table one day that I toyed with the title of a new poem in my notebook. I asked my husband to get involved, and “Thoughts Upside Down” is what we came up with. It was a pleasant lunchtime puzzle, and I’m quite pleased with the result.
Love in the air in New York
A lucky convergence of trends as New York poet publishes book of love poetry. According to new studies, New York ranks tops in romance and smart growth walkability. Poetry is also having a moment. Nan gives example of how trends can help with searchability, discoverability.
Love, walking & poetry trending as New York poet publishes book of love poetry
Did you know? Brand new studies say New York is now a top LOVE capitol of America? And most walkable too!
And poetry is red hot in 2024.
Lucky accident! Serendipity! What better time for a New York poet to release a brand new collection of love poetry than during a national love fest for New York?
Oh yes indeed, here are some great trends to hop on for getting the word out about my new book of love poems, HOLD ME TIGHT: 36 stories in short poetic rhymes about love and loss in modern times (blog post about writing and making the book).
More below about how to jump on a trend.
(What about you? Are you working on a project that’s related to any current trends?)
Walkability, Romance Trending in New York
According to one study, New York City is the #1 most walkable city in America, and according to another one New York is the second most romantic state in America.
Walkability
At first, I was surprised to see the Big Apple ranked #1 most walkable city in America*. But think about it. You don't need a car to get around town. There are sidewalks, parks and bike paths everywhere. The walking grid of streets is easy and always interesting. Lovers can easily stroll up and down the town. And what a big, big town it is.
Walkability is a growing smart trend connecting some key groups of people including families, young adults, Gen Z, price-conscious people, millennials, seniors, visitors, tourists, workers, and New York locals — basically for everyone. Walking can help keep us healthy and fit. Owning cars has become too expensive and too much of a hassle. Even public transportation can be too expensive. Walking and biking are better for the environment. A nice stroll is a good activity for getting out of the house for our mental health.
Here are the top 10 walkable metro areas according to the study:
Most walkable cities in America are:
New York City
Boston
Washington, D.C.
Seattle
Portland
San Francisco
Chicago
Los Angeles
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
* Study by Smart Growth America
I Love NY — the Romance
According to another new study**, New York is the second (2nd) most romantic state in the nation as measured by Valentine's enthusiasm (and spending) data. Wow! Gotta love New York.
Only second place? We try harder! LOL.
From the study here are America's top 10 most romantic states:
Most romantic states
Massachusetts
New York
New Jersey
Virginia
North Carolina
Maryland
Florida
Georgia
Connecticut
Colorado
**Study by JeffBett
But hey, no need to spend the most. The moon and the stars are free. Go for a romantic stroll.
Enter new book of love poems by New York poet
Love is in the air in New York!
I caught wind of it last summer when the sky was yellow and out of the blue wrote a book of 36 love poems. I self published the collection, and I'm slowly getting it out into the big old world. (Blog post about making the book.)
(Thanks so much for your encouragement. You know who you are! XO)
Poetry is trending, too.
All kinds of poetry — the good, the bad, and everything in between. I’ve done some market research, and poetry is hot right now. I don’t know how long it will last, but hopefully forever. It is also all over social media.
Poetry is a powerful, elegant, fun and expressive way to describe the world. This first book of poetry was fun to write, edit, format and self publish.
In Hold Me Tight, I tried many kinds of poetry formats from traditional rhyming poems to limerick and haiku, rap to free verse. The nature of the poem’s message and tone was a key piece of which kind of poem I used.
In the poems, I talk about the blind elation of falling in love, the wedding, the lovers spat, the love for children, the courtship dates, the building of a life together, the love of neighbors, artificial intelligence and good friends — and more. And toward the end, I indulge in some strident poetic justice type of topics which may or may not have anything to do with love.
Each of the 26 poems is formatted in a two-page spread with a black and white photo collage illustration. The style is minimalist and modern.
The type is large, and the poems are short. Brevity is a superpower IMHO.
Example of Using Trends
It's good to always be looking for trends to latch onto for key words and searchability and relevance. These NY headlines could be a godsend. It’s worth a try at least.
How to use all this lovely New York news about romance and walking in an announcement about the release of HOLD ME TIGHT (global bookstore links)? Maybe something like:
"As New York strolls in as the smart new cosmopolitan capital of romance and walkability, contemporary New York poet NG Swett gives voice to the moment with a collection of fresh new love poems."
(Too long; needs editing, I know.)
"Love is in the air as New York poet releases collection of new poems..."
or
"New York poet captures a moment with love poetry collection..."
I'll sleep on it.
Maybe I’ll make a blog post about it and make some social media posts... Haha
February 1st*** Update:
Sample New York love video with love poem
Doing my own stunts over here haha! Sharing with you in case it helps.
In an attempt to pull the above trends together and tie them to my new book of love poems, I made the vertical mobile video below.
I made it in Canva and uploaded it to the 4seasonshelf YouTube channel.
And I’m uploading the video as a pin on Pinterest.
So far, all this is done on my desktop.
Uploading to social media next, I’ll use my phone. First I’ll get the video onto my phone and upload it to other social media channels: Instagram, Threads, TikTok. That shouldn’t take more than an hour. I’ll compose the description starting with what I used on YouTube, adapting for each platform, and adding hashtags and audio soundtrack of some kind, like city sounds.
This video runs for a minute. In the next one, I’ll probably add in an analogue
clock showing one minute elapsing along with the hashtag #newyorkminute which might give people a sense of time being more spacious than we think and also to highlight the fact that the poems in HOLD ME TIGHT are short and accessible. I have at least three more similar designs lined up and ready to roll.
*** February 1 is too late to try to start ranking on search engines for anything. On the other hand, maybe we’ll show up in searches as we get closer to St. Valentine’s Day, spring romance, weddings, anniversaries, and who knows maybe even more good news about New York!
Book of love poetry as a gift?
HOLD ME TIGHT is available internationally in hard cover and ebook. Each of the 36 love poems in this new collection of love poetry by New York poet NG Swett is short and is illustrated with a black and white photo collage in a modern minimalist aesthetic.
A book of love poetry is a romantic gift for any occasion — a lovers stroll, Valentine’s Day, springtime romance, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and engagements.
Treat yourself to some poetic inspiration! It’s perfect reading for coffee cafe lounging and people watching.
The poems are about love, relationships, falling in love, everyday love, long term love, love of children, self love, reflections on the world at large, declarations, city life and country life.
Poetry of Love?
Nan writes about publishing a book of love poems, from original inception to international distribution through print on demand platforms. Topics include why write a book of poems, how to create it, publishing platforms, costs, ISBNs, universal book links, Canva, Amazon, Ingram Spark, Draft2Digital, Books2Read, social media, and book promotion.
As Canadian wildfire smoke turned skies orange way down here in the Outer Lands Archipelago, I wrote love poems…
TikTok video of Stolen Moment, one of the first poems
in the poetry collection Hold Me Tight.
Why A Poem?
At our wedding, our best man advised us to follow the KISS principle: keep it simple stupid — the shortest speech in the history of weddings. Now that we’ve had a lot of time to think about it, that was darn good advice for a twenty-something guy to give.
And now, what could be simpler than a poem?
And did you know, poetry is alive and well? So I thought I’d give it the old college girl try.
Immediately yes! I loved it. I’m a pen and paper note taker, a list writer, a scrapper, a note hoarder. My entire career thus far has been about making stuff up, fitting it into impossibly small spaces, and broadcasting it.
More Love
You’ve probably heard some version of the Cherokee legend in which an elder uses a story of two wolves to explain to a child how to choose a course of action. One wolf is FEAR and the other LOVE, the one we feed is the one that will survive.
In that vein, I started a new project early in the summer of 2023 — a series of love poems — to be dedicated to my husband of more than three decades. I carried around a notebook almost everywhere I went. When I got an idea, I jotted it down. When time allowed, I worked poems out like word puzzles.
I kept the poems short to make them easier to read and share.
Before long, there were a dozen poems. I started setting them up as a collection of love poems in a 6x9” book format using Canva. I created a black and white photo collage illustration for each poem. Each poem got its own two-page spread.
As I finished poems, I added them to the book. By Labor Day weekend, I had 36 poems. That was a good place to stop, I decided. When you’re the decider, you can decide anything!
With the world burning, I wanted to give love more oxygen in my life.
I played around with the title, subtitle, description, and cover design. I researched key words and categories. I added the dedication to Cary and a copyright page, the inside title pages and the acknowledgements — and a couple of About pages.
Cover reveal
So here is the final cover:
Can you spot the typographical error?… I’ve decided to keep it there lol, at least for now. And also to give my inner perfectionist a chance to relax.
Going Wide, Going Global
I purchased a bundle of ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) from Bowker and published the book as a paperback on Amazon, as a hard cover on Ingram Spark (which offers it to independent bookstores, libraries, and other retailers), and as an ebook on Draft2Digital.
The book is now available on a wide range of platforms all around the world. That’s cause for a celebration right there! No?
Draft2Digital offers a nice thing called a Universal Book Link on its sister platform Books2Read. Using one link, you can direct readers to get the book in all of its formats wherever they get books around the world. I’m slowly building those links… Here is the UBL for my book of love poems, Hold Me Tight.
Time & Money
This little poetry collection took six months to conceive and bring to this point. It’s been a labor of love! The main investment was my time and focus, which I borrowed from my loved ones a day at a time.
How Print on Demand Works
Print-on-demand publishing is free for authors who can create, edit and produce their own books and upload them. Only when someone orders the book is it printed/produced. The author sets the book’s price and receives royalties from any sales. There is no up front print cost.
Sharing Poetry
I’ve definitely been dragging my feet about sharing the book, even though I feel pretty good about its contents. As the lion in The Wizard of Oz said, “C-c-courage!”
Final Thoughts for Today
Though published, the book is still a work in progress.
I’ve barely touched the promo work that would have to be done for readers and the book to find each other.
I’ve learned so much, and there’s still a lot to learn.
Writing a love poem can lead to the permanent existence of a book of love poems for posterity, what’s left of it.
~ Nan
P.S. I made 4You a FREE pdf sampler of the poems in the book. Click here!