Volume 4

Volume Four: The Power of Love (Copyright 2005 AD)

Excerpts from the LOVE 2000 AD poetry collection written by W. Diane Van Zwol

Please note that this e-book may be printed out at no charge, by anyone wishing to have a copy of it.

Introduction:

While many recognize the value of poetry, few actually know how powerful 'Love' poetry can be in changing people's lives. Very often the poetic word precedes the words of prose and poetry can state in a nutshell, what prose takes forever to state.

Take this small piece of poetry, entitled 'Love' as an example:

Love,
I'll put my hand in yours,
And if you don't let go,
We'll be together forever.

This poem was included in the 'World's Largest Poem For Peace', at the 'International Society of Poets Conference' held in Washington, D.C., in 1995.

All of the 2800 poets present at the Conference, were invited to write a piece of poetry, on a very large scroll, set up in one of the rooms. The scroll was actually a very large roll of paper, that was being unrolled from one end of a table, over several other tables placed end to end, and then re-rolled on the far end of the last table, after the individual pieces of poetry had been written on it.

While it seemed that there were some new pieces of poetry being written on it at that time by the poets, most of the poets appeared to come into the room, with something that was already written on a piece of paper or in a notebook. They either taped their page on the scroll, or stood there and copied the poetry onto the paper. The paper began to be covered with a multiplicity of handwritten texts, with many kinds of different hand writing in many different colours of ink. In itself, it was really quite remarkable to look at.

This particular poem was written on the spur of the moment and included by W. Diane Van Zwol, on that scroll. In 1997, it was adopted as the theme for the 'LOVE 2000 AD' project, which consisted of poetry in conjunction with artwork and photogaphy under the name of 'Amazon Art Reproductions'.

Imagine for a moment how this one little poem could bring peace to a hurting world!

While many people cannot accept religion or other forms of therapy, when they are hurting or suffering, the concept of 'Love' is a unique and universal theme, that holds tremendous healing power. Every culture and nation knows both the concept and the merit of 'Love', in its multiplicity and diversity of expression.