Greetings! I began my writing career in 2015 following the death of my beloved mother. The lessons and world views she instilled during my life as I grew and developed maintain a strong thematic presence throughout much of what I write. Her emphasis on the importance of love, kindness, and concern for all is the primary influence behind my material focusing on occasionally uncomfortable topics like emotional vulnerability, abuse, and existentialism. It isn't all mopey, though - I do like to let the hair down and writing about the fun things in life. Like owning an adorable dog that has enormous, "I just saw a ghost" eyes, for instance. While I use this website predominantly for hosting poetry and/or thought pieces, my primary commercially-marketed project is a sci-fi/fantasy series of novels which I originally self-published. The first is titled Continuity and was published in 2016. A sequel, Continuity: Coalescence, was released two years later. I'm thankful to say both were recently picked up by a traditional publisher, Wild Ink Publishing that will be releasing one, consolidated version of both in December 2024. Announcements on this moving forward will also be posted here. As far as the rest, I'm an ex-Vanderbilt baseball player (c/o '09) with a degree in Economics & Corporate Strategy who is ironically trying to forging a career that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with either of those things. Before my scribbles began, I was an insurance agent for the better part of a decade. Other than that, I enjoy simple living along with my aforementioned co-author, Pip the Pekingese! Thank you for visiting the website. I hope you enjoy your stay, and I look forward to connecting with any and all. No matter who you are or what you believe, you are warmly welcome! M.E. Shao
If only the hands Of this clock would move slow More open, it’d be This frozen window So brief is the moment Shall we go left or go right? Our life is so riddled Each choice is a plight We look back with regret We look forward with hope We decide every day How to … More Decisions
Unforgiving, relentless, cruel More sour than lemon or lime Yielded by Life, this emotionless tool Deals pain that’s inevitable: Time No matter the love or the laughter it sees It strikes without warning or sign Its flame turns to smolder the most peaceful of trees All beginnings, it ends by design Why, all too often, … More Love & Loss
Softly cup my hand to ear As wind blows whispers that I hear Sadness, loss, regret they bring All shadows from my yesteryear Words escape me, ones I’ve lost I never knew how much it’d cost When I thought not to buy a ring The path I should, I never crossed Now I’m forced to … More Winds of Change
Friday night, bars are closing I don’t know why I’m here Feelings hit me deep inside, stepping in this Uber ride It’s loneliness I fear Every time, inside my head I say that she’s the one Naïveté and ignorance have got me acting with no sense So why oh why do I keep saying this … More Woe is Me
Put my whistle to the wind, there’s naught another ‘round Divided is the road I’m on, my choice shall prove profound “Go left,” says he, “Go right!” says she The demons, they’ve misled I ask “which way?” “That way!” They say And so I point my sled Every choice we make is a decision in … More King in all but Name
Sure a catchy title, no? I mean its kind of right Said before, I’m sure it’s so But came to me tonight Some day an agent reading a Submission (one of mine) Will finish it and be like “Shit!” “This author I must sign!” But then the intern (her name’s Pam) Will come … More You Can’t Spell Fame Without Me
Some people get it, most people don’t Some people will, most people won’t Some people love, most people hate Most people: good. Some people: great. Maybe I’m the one who’s been mistaken after all Maybe all this fighting’s a good reason for a wall The more I see the more I hear the less … More The Old Unknown Aristocrat
A never-ending story is what all of this appears to be This book of life we write together seems to me a tragedy The prologue speaks of hope and faith, introducing you and me Act One of Three disguises the forthcoming, sad reality Characters, they come and go, most are just supporting cast Center … More Pages
The fire raged as Nero played While Rome was burning bright And yet the man had not betrayed As they all say, that night He was not the man you thought At least, who bards all say The truth is far from what they’ve taught No songs were sung that day Till second world war’s … More His’trys Writ
I put on my old socks, ever so slowly I should take them to church cause my socks are so holy But before this day starts, I must say that this chap Shall first drop a deuce, ‘cause he don’t give a crap Flip a coin in the well, but it wasn’t well-spent Matchbox 20 … More No Pun Intended
How the World Should Work 