My life has changed a lot since I retired from my job as a teacher. Whilst I did acquire some skills in aspects of business and marketing, especially during the last three years of my career while I acted up as principal of the school, I have found that I needed to further develop these skills in order to promote my chosen new activity of writing and publishing. My inspiration for writing this poem has come from my involvement with a Twitter network which has gained me scores of new friends and has turned the whole process into a fun activity.

 

They say that some teachers live in a cocoon,

That real life passes them by;

Well time really does tick away all too soon,

I cannot tell you a lie.

 

Primary ed took up the first seven years,

Seven more saw me straight through my teens;

Then it was time with the rest of my peers

To decide what to study at Queen's.

 

After four years of uni I had my degree

And then it was straight back to school;

For thirty-eight years that was all I would see

As my days and my nights would be full!

 

Now don't get me wrong for I loved my career

And I have no regrets at all,

But fifty-six years in a classroom! It's clear

That my knowledge of business was small.

 

But now I'm retired and I've started to write

And I'm hoping to sell some books;

Spreading the word far and wide is my plight

With reviews that will gain me some looks.

 

So networking has now become part of my life

In a way that it wasn't before,

And the mysteries of hashtags and blogs have unfurled

As technology knocks at my door.

 

I'm on Twitter and Facebook. (things I swore I'd never do!)

With excellent advice from my sons;

So many friendly people, honest and true,

To chat to between my print runs.

 

Solicitors, architects, locksmiths and more,

Traders of foodstuffs and art,

Singers and tour guides, hotels by the shore,

Great speakers with views to impart.

 

Writers and journalists, media personnel,

Those with events to promote,

Tailors with dapper men's fashion to sell,

Admin staff to keep us afloat.

 

I have contacts and friends now in every employ

And together we aim to empower,

But I want to be honest, no need to be coy,

It's all thanks to the BELFAST HOUR!!

 

Copyright Heather MacQuarrie

19th May 2015

Author of -

A Voice from the Past

In the Greater Scheme of Things

Blood is Thicker

 

The Belfast Hour is a Twitter forum for SMEs and individuals in Northern Ireland. It is hosted by Edwards & Co, Solicitors and takes place every Thursday evening from 9.00 to 10.00 pm. I can highly recommend it - just go to #belfasthour and join in!