this poem may well have been be the 'best' one i wrote in 2017, since it has been particularly popular among some editors/readers. although i have been nominated 10 times for the Pushcart, and this is the third time my poetry has won the Best of the Net nomination, i have never had any poem actually included in either of the two anthologies. nevertheless, such nominations make me feel good about what i have been doing as a hobby.
2. in late october and early november last year, i created Happy Yangsheng both on facebook and as a blogsite (at happyyangsheng.blogspot.ca), but thus far, the pageviews have been increasing far less than i had anticipated. i thought such a site would be a great idea and won instant popularity; alas, people show little interest in what i am trying to do for their wellbeing. i often wonder why so many people are interested in what i find to be just crap. once a media guy, i realise i may have lost my contact with the intellectual reality of the common people. i simply do not understand this phenomenon.
3. want to write a 'big' poem tentatively titled 'mutating' or 'subverting', hoping to voice out my concern about what we have been going through in recent decades -- we seem to have become a different species now. also, i often feel the urge to write a long poem about the quest for human happiness, but i would not force myself to embark upon such a writing project. as always, i just want to go along with 'karma'.
4. got 15 acceptances in december 2017, and 16 in january this year, including Into the Void, THIS and South Dakota Review.
