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Appointment as Chair of Sustainable Business

Press Release

Dr Wayne Visser, accomplished writer, speaker and lecturer in the area of corporate responsibility and sustainability and innovation, has joined the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) as the Transnet Chair of Sustainable Business. The Chair was created with generous funding from Transnet SOC through the Transnet Programme in Sustainable Development (TPSD).

Dr Visser will teach sustainability on the GIBS MBA programme as well as deliver an elective focused on innovation for future fitness. As Chair of the programme, Dr Visser will be dedicated to developing the reach and impact of sustainability-related education and research within the business school.
“It is a great honour to be selected as the first Transnet Chair of Sustainable Business,” says Visser. “I look forward to contributing to the profile and authority of sustainability-related educational activities within the school and the South African business community. My focus for the next year will be on mainstreaming sustainability and encouraging learning from best practice around the world.”

Dr Visser is director of the think tank Kaleidoscope Futures and founder of CSR International, where he consults to and conducts research for organisations like the IFC, World Bank, UNEP, the Wikirate project and GeoWel Research. In addition, Dr Visser is senior associate at the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership and adjunct professor of Sustainable Development at Deakin Business School in Australia. Before obtaining his PhD, he was director of Sustainability Services for KPMG where he established a new consulting and assurance department within KPMG.

Commenting on Dr Visser’s appointment, Professor Nick Binedell, dean of GIBS, said, “Dr Visser brings a dynamic agenda of business scholarship, interdisciplinary and innovative teaching experiences, and expertise in the areas of corporate responsibility and sustainability, all of which enrich and complement GIBS’ mission to significantly improve the competitive performance of individuals and organisations through business education.”

In May 2008, using funding from Transnet, GIBS established its first academic programme in sustainable development: the Transnet Programme in Sustainable Development. According to Claire Thwaits, senior programme manager for the TPSD, the purpose which is to look at collaboration and pressing sustainability issues within business. She says, “GIBS is looking to deepen thought leadership and knowledge around specific issues that are changing the way businesses operate. We are trying to instil in the people who walk through our doors, be they students or delegates, that the economy is interdependent with society and the environment and that sustainability is based on all three of these independent variables. We focus very strongly on leadership and corporate citizenship. Looking at the role business has to play in society is very much a part of our focus area in terms of creating future leaders.”

Dr Visser is the author of 19 books, including “CSR 2.0” (2013), “The Quest for Sustainable Business” (2012), “The Age of Responsibility” (2011), “The World Guide to CSR” (2010) and “The A to Z of Corporate Social Responsibility” (2010). He is a guest columnist for The Guardian newspaper and has delivered more than 250 professional speeches all around the world, with his work taking him to 68 countries in the last 20 years, giving GIBS an important international perspective into the field of sustainable development.

Source: GIBS

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2014 Calendar – Recent & Upcoming Events

January 2014

14-15 January: Bordeaux, FRANCE – Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility (MBA course lectures, Kedge Business School)

February 2014

18 February: Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – Sustainable Design & Technology: “Eco-innovation” (Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership)

20 February – 1 March: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Sustainable Business (MBA course lectures, Gordon Institute of Business Science)

March 2014

6 March: Guadalajara, MEXICO – Sustainability Innovation & Change Management (Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara)

7 March: Guadalajara, MEXICO – Strategies for making  your business  Future Fit (Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara)

7 March: Guadalajara, MEXICO – The Art and Practice of Sustainability Leadership (Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara)

11 March: Ghent, BELGIUM – CSR is Failing: How Can We Make it Succeed? (Keynote speech, Flemish CSR Association)

12 March: Amersvoort, NETHERLANDS – Beyond CSR 2.0: From Responsibility to Resilience (Keynote speech, Beyond CSR)

20 March: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Sustainability Codes and Standards: Influential or Impotent?  (MSt lecture, University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership)

April 2014

23 April: London, UNITED KINGDOM – CSR Survives: But Can it Thrive? (Keynote speech, Net Impact).

May 2014

5 May: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Visions of a future-fit world: safe, shared, smart, sustainable & satisfying (Lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing)

7 May: Vienna, AUSTRIA – Moving ahead with technology (Presentation, UNEP-UNIDO Eco-Innovation workshop)

13 May: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA – Creating Shared Value: Revolution or Clever Con? (Speech, Deakin Business School Alumni Network)

13 May: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA – The Art and Practice of Sustainability Leadership (Lecture, Deakin Business School Faculty Seminar)

22 May: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA – Strategies for Surviving and Thriving in the Future (Keynote speech, KOSRI)

28 May: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Your Future Fitness as a Leader & Transforming your Organisation (Dimension Data programme run by Gordon Institute for Business Science)

29-30 May: Harare, ZIMBABWE – CSR 2.0: Beyond CSV and CSR 1.0 (Keynote speech, Regional Centre for Social Responsibility, CSR Indaba)

June 2014

5-8 June: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Innovation for Future Fitness (MBA course lectures, Gordon Institute of Business Science)

July 2014

10 July: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Sustainability Codes and Standards (Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Value Chains, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

10 July: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Leadership for Change (Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Value Chains, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

August 2014

5 August: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Sustainable Design and Technology: Eco-Innovation (MSt course lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

28 August: Ann Arbor, USA (delivered virtually) – The Future of Business: How to Survive and Thrive in a Climate Constrained World (Webinar, Omnex).

September 2014

16 September: Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA (delivered virtually) – Beyond CSR to CIV: Creating Integrated Value (keynote speech, AgendaRSE).

18 September: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – The Quest for Sustainable Business (MSt course lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

19 September: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Strategies for Making your Business Future-Fit (MSt course lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

October 2014

3 October 2014: Colombo, SRI LANKA – The Art and Practice of Sustainability Leadership (Keynote speech, CSR Conference, CSR Sri Lanka).

17 October: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA (delivered virtually) – Futures Thinking (Global Executive Development Programme lecture, Gordon Institute for Business Science)

23 October: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Being an Effective Change Agent (MSt course lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

November 2014

21 November: Moscow, RUSSIAN FEDERATION – CSR 2.0 in the context of modern challenges (Keynote speech, Conference on Philosophy and Culture of Social Responsibility, Moscow State Institute of International Relations)

26-29 November: Stockholm, SWEDEN – Sustainable Development & CSR (MBA lectures, Stockholm School of Economics SSE Riga)

December 2014

3-5 December: Bordeaux, FRANCE – Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility (MBA lectures, Kedge Business School)

8-12 December: Quito, ECUADOR – Creating Shared Value: Beyond CSR and CSV (Part of CSR Week, Hexagon / S2M).

Bookings

For more background information, see my speaking and lecturing profile.

To book a keynote speech, lecture or training event, please use the Contact form.

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Finding your inner sustainability superhero

Finding your inner sustainability superhero

Article by Wayne Visser

Part of the Unlocking Change series for The Guardian.

For change to be sustained and transformational we need to tap into the powers of different types of sustainability superheroes.

Have you ever wondered why do we do it? The sustainability hokey cokey, I mean. Most of us – whether we are sustainability professionals, academics, consultants, students, activists or wannabes – could have pursued different career paths. For my sins, having studied marketing, I could have become a spin-doctor or an ad-man. So what makes us choose sustainability instead? What makes us tattoo the S-word to our foreheads (metaphorically speaking, I hope)?

My research shows that there are deep psychological – even existential – reasons why we ‘do’ sustainability. And you may be surprised to know that it is not because we want to save the world, or because we care about people, or even because we want to ‘make a difference’. At least, not directly. The real reason is because it gives us personal satisfaction – not of the sugar-rush or warm-cuddly variety, but of the purpose-inspired, life satisfaction kind.

If we dig a bit deeper, we find that six motivational forces drive our work in sustainability. First, it allows us to feel that our work is aligned to our personal values, whether these are faith-based or humanistic. Second, we find the work stimulating. Sustainability a bit like Sudoku for hippies – it is complex, dynamic and challenging, like an ultimate earth-puzzle that needs solving. Most sustainability enthusiasts share these two drivers.

The other four drivers tend to be distributed across the sustainability tribe. Some find meaning in giving specialist input, while others prefer empowering people. Some are motivated to come up with effective strategies, while others feel most satisfied if they are making a contribution to society. These drivers translate into a set of sustainability leader archetypes – think of them as our very own Fantastic Four, namely: Experts, Facilitators, Catalysts and Activists. Each represents a different kind of sustainability change agent.

Sustainability Experts tend to be focused on the details of a particular issue, with a deep knowledge and understanding, often of a technical or scientific nature. They like working on projects, designing systems and being consulted for their expertise. Their satisfaction comes from continuous learning and self-development. They are most frustrated by the failure of others to be persuaded by the compelling evidence, or to implement systems as they were designed.

Sustainability Facilitators are most concerned with using their knowledge to empower others to act, using their strong people skills to make change happen. They like working with teams, delivering training and giving coaching. Their satisfaction is in seeing changes in people’s understanding, work or careers. They become frustrated when individuals let the team down, or when those in power do not allow enthusiastic groups to act.

Sustainability Catalysts enjoy the challenge of shifting an organisation in a new direction, using their political skills of persuasion to change strategies. They like working with leadership teams and articulating the business case for sustainability. They are often pragmatic visionaries and are frustrated when top management fails to see – and more importantly, to act on – the opportunities and risks facing the organisation.

Sustainability Activists are typically passionate about macro-level issues and their impacts on society or the planet as a whole, using their strong feelings about justice to motivate their actions. Their satisfaction comes from challenging the status quo, questioning those in power and articulating an idealistic vision of a better future. They tend to be great networkers and are mainly frustrated by the apathy of others in the face of urgent crises.

As you reflect on what type of sustainability superhero you may be, I expect all four will resonate to a greater or lesser extent. This is because we are composite beings when it comes to making sustainability change happen. But we do gravitate more strongly to one archetype, based on what gives us the deepest personal satisfaction. And there are three good reasons why you should know which cape and tights fits you best.

First, aligning with your inner superhero means embracing a mode of action in which you are most professionally effective and purpose-inspired. Second, it allows you to check that your formal role, or the direction of your career, is consistent with your archetype – the mask must fit the cape and tights. And third, it encourages you to consciously put together teams with a balance of Experts, Facilitators, Catalysts and Activists – the ideal earth-crime fighting force.

So it is not enough that all change begins with individuals. For change to be sustained and transformational – for sustainability to be a force for good in the world, and to save the earth from humans – we need the joint efforts of the Fantastic Four, each with their particular superpowers: knowledge for the Experts, collaboration for the Facilitators, imagination for the Catalysts, and compassion for the Activists. Will you join in the heroes’ crusade?

 

Download

[button size=”small” color=”blue” style=”download” new_window=”false” link=”http://www.waynevisser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/article_unlocking_change4_wvisser.pdf”]Pdf[/button] Finding your inner sustainability superhero (article)

Related websites

[button size=”small” color=”blue” style=”tick” new_window=”false” link=”http://www.waynevisser.com/books/the-quest-for-sustainable-business”]Link[/button] The Quest for Sustainable Business (book)

[button size=”small” color=”blue” style=”tick” new_window=”false” link=”http://www.csrinternational.org”]Link[/button] CSR International (website)

Cite this article

Visser, W. (2013) Finding your inner sustainability superhero. The Guardian, 21 October 2013.

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Earth Odyssey

1. Earth

Earth
An opalescent sphere
In the vast blackness of space
A pinprick of light
In the swirl of glittering galaxies
Insignificant

Earth
A chance collision of matter
In the explosive chaos of creation
A random collusion of gases
In the exhalation of universal breath
Miraculous

Earth
A fertile womb
For seeding and nurturing life
A stranded home
For birthing and growing and dying
Precious

2. Dreaming

Before Earth took form
Before it coalesced and congealed
Was there a moment of musing—
An impulse for ideation?

Was there a primordial urge
To create, even to play
To splash with light
And to mould shapes and sizes
To brush with colour
And to print tones and textures?

Before Earth knew itself
Before it discovered its solid identity
Was there a pregnancy of possibility—
A desire for dreaming?

3. Incubation

Time …
The thing to know about time
Is that it stretches out
And not just a little bit
A lot
More than a lot
Much, much more than a lot—
Time may even stretch to infinity

Earth …
The thing to know about Earth
Is that it is patient
And not just a little bit
A lot
More than a lot
Much, much more than a lot—
Earth is billions of years patient

That’s important to know
Because Earth took its time
To incubate life
After all, what’s the rush?

4. Secret

Earth holds a great secret—
A secret recipe, if you must know
For aeons, it has not been shared
Not with anyone
(No other planet, at least)
It’s our secret to know
And our secret to keep

Earth’s secret recipe
Did not arrive fully formed
Like all the best recipes
It took trial and error at first—
A dash of this, a pinch of that
It took a lot of adjustment—
A smidge less of that, a tad more of this
It took endless refinement …
Until, at last, it was perfect:

Earth’s Secret Recipe for Supporting Life

(Shhh … don’t tell anyone!)

5. Womb

Don’t listen to Sky
Sky will drone on and on (if you let him)
About how he created the perfect conditions
For life to emerge
Bla-dy, bla-dy, bla

That’s all hot air (if you ask me)
I am Ocean, by the way
And if it’s life you’re interested in—
Especially how it all got started—
Then you need to speak to me

I’m the one who mixed the waters
It was my swaying depths and sweeping breadth
That were fetid and fertile
It was my spewing vents and salted streams
That were fuming and fermenting
What can I say:
It takes a woman’s womb
To incubate life

6. Survival

Many tried and failed, if truth be told—
To survive, that is
It’s not easy, you know
Despite what Sky or Ocean may say
Getting started is easy
Keeping going—that’s the hard bit

And don’t go believing that nonsense
About survival of the fittest
Sometimes the strongest survive
But, more often than not, they don’t
Along with the weakest
And the not so strong and the not so weak

Now, the most adaptable—
That’s another story
That’s the real story of success
The ones who fit best into their changing environment
They were ones who survived
They fitted, for survival

7. Evolution

Earth spins in space
But Earth is not space
Space is mostly empty
(That’s why it’s called space)
But life abhors a vacuum

Life on Earth
Strives to fill in the empty spaces
If there’s a niche, that’s where life is headed
But unlike the void of space
Spaces on Earth are defined
They have size and shape, boundaries
Which means that for each space
Some life fits better than others
And when it fits better, it thrives
That’s evolution for you

The upward march of life on Earth
Is not so much a march as a scramble
And not so much upward and anyward
Life rises and falls, blooms and fades
And yet, is it not beautiful?

8. Synergy

Life reaches out:
Because living can be lonely
And being alone is doomed to failure

Life extends feelers:
Curious about what it might find
Wondering, hoping that there are others

Life makes connections:
With others like itself—how comforting, how interesting
And others not like itself—how frightening, how exciting

Life offers exchanges:
This for that, mine for yours
Until the line between one and another blurs

Life finds synergies:
Better together, the whole greater
That the sum of its parts

9. Balance

Sometimes reaching out and connecting
Is for support, for a steadying hand
Because life on Earth is forever tipping
And toppling, seasons slipping
And sliding, forms flailing
And falling apart, if you’re not careful

Earth is in constant motion—
The ground shaking and shifting
The water flowing and flooding
The air ducking and diving—
All is movement, like a dance
Of push and pull, forward and back
Like a game of give and take, rise and fall.

And in the dizzying swirl of forever change
Life craves stasis, stability, security
And so it actively adjusts,
Life constantly compensates,
And endlessly equates
And so it just about stays on its feet

10. Improv

Excuse me, may I say something?
I’m Nature, and I need to set the record straight
Just so there’s no misunderstanding
Sure, I like to dance, to swoon and sway
To tap into Earth’s rhythms,
I like to sing too, hit high notes and low
Harmonies that will take your breath away
But it’s not all about balance

Sometimes, I like to lose my balance
I like to miss a step and skip a beat
To sing off key or just hold my breath
Otherwise, frankly, it all gets a bit boring
A bit too prosaic and predictable
Whereas I like to experiment, to wing it
Try new combinations, improvise

That doesn’t make me crazy (despite what you may have heard)
I’m just saying there’s a place for freestyle dance and jazz too

11. Catastrophe

Hello? Hello! Is this thing on?
It’s Earth again
So sorry, sometimes my wilder Nature grabs the mic
And then … well, you heard him
Suddenly anything goes

What Nature failed to mention
Is that improv is all very well—
The results can be spectacular, sublime—
But just as often, it’s chaos
Or worse: catastrophe!

More than a few times
Nature’s little experiments have gone awry
Think fire and ice, fever and hypothermia
Volcanic ashes and biblical floods
Dark days and mass extinctions

More than a few times
It’s been touch and go

12. Resilience

Still, here I am
Here we are, still here

I guess I’m just not a quitter
And I’ve learned a thing or two
About survival, against the odds
Patience helps, so does perseverance
And it’s not passive, wishful thinking
I don’t just lie back and hope for the best
I actively repair, restore, and regenerate
What is damaged, dysfunctional, or dead

I could teach you a thing or two
About resilience
Like always keeping a bit in reserve
Spare capacity, in case of emergencies
And always spreading your bets
Diversify and decentralise
Like always being willing to change

But are you willing to learn?

13. Humans

This brings me to a touchy subject:
Humans

I know, I know, I created humans
The fruit of my Earthly loins and all that
And at first, I was the proudest parent on the playground
Every new step, every new word, every new artwork
Amazing, incredible, so proud!

But lately I’m not so sure
Humans have become so selfish
And don’t get me started on the mood-swings—
One moment they’re happy as Larry, perfect little angels
Next think you know it’s tantrums and fights:
Crying and kicking, bullying and biting

It hurts

14. Hope

I feel I must apologise
You caught me feeling a little down
A little depressed even
But that’s not like me
I’m usually sunshine and rainbows
Upbeat and optimistic
That’s the real Earth me

You see, I have every reason to be hopeful
I still have unwavering faith in humans
Yes, they are clumsy and a bit self-absorbed sometimes
But they are also caring and creative problem solvers
Yes, they fumble and they fall and they fail
But they also recover and they rise and they revolutionise

And truth be told
My health and wellbeing
My fate and future
Is not solely in the hands of humans

15. Rewilding

I think that’s my cue
Nature here
That’s right, I’m back

It’s true what Earth says about humans
I know their machines and misdemeanours all too well—
I’ve been pummelled and poisoned, battered and bruised—
But I heal quickly, given half a chance

I’ve not given up on humans
Nor have they given up on me
They are starting to understand my powers of regeneration
How I can turn wastelands into wetlands
And make the deserts bloom again
How I can reseed the felled forests
And breathe life into dead waters

I will rewild the world
Sooner or later, that’s my promise—
With or without humans

16. Love

That’s so like Nature
Always wanting to have the last word
And so melodramatic!

But I don’t mind
Nature is part of me
Sky, Ocean, Life, humans
You are all part of me and I am part of you
You make me who I am
And I am pretty remarkable
(And remarkably pretty!)
Even if I say so myself

My story—
This Earth Odyssey—
Is your story
And at heart it is a story of love:
My love for you
And (I truly believe)
Your love for me

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together nature poems by Wayne Visser, celebrating the diversity, beauty and ever-changing moods of our planet. The anthology includes many old favourites like “I Think I Was a Tree Once” and “A Bug’s Life”, as well as brand new poems like “Monet’s Dream” and “The Environmentalist”. Then as we turned our faces to the moon / Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune / We felt the fingers of the silken breeze / And made our wishes on the falling leaves / A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh / Among the trees that leaned against the sky.  Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Ocean Dreaming

I. Birth

Life was conceived on our star-lit Earth
Amidst hazy blue dreams of an ocean birth
Seeded and silent the watery womb
Where spirals were spun on its languid loom
Where patterns were woven with warp and weft
From steaming mud vents within rocky clefts
As plankton in bloom and great swathes of krill
Created food webs that spread in the chill
From the icy depths to the shallow shores
With their fins and tails, with their shells and claws
Myriads of creatures made potency rife
And ocean blue deserts burst into life

II. Life

The sway of the tides in the crescent bay
That swoon to the moon in the night and day
The play of the waves in the froth and fray
As they tumble and rumble in the salty spray
On show far below is a world unknown
Where laurels of corals gleam in the gloam
Where seahorses cling and octopus hide
While the swish of bright fish shimmer and glide
With lobtails of whales and dolphins at play
While sharks in the dark are hunting down prey
Each species contributes its mosaic hue
A throng in the song of a rhapsody blue

III. Death

The fishing nets drag like a bulldozer’s claw
The dredge pumps suck at the fragile sea floor
Crashing and crushing, smashing and flushing
Scallops and bays, a haze of destruction
Lobsters and rays, a maze of disruption
Scraping and scuttling, gaping and gutting
To feed the world—so they say—no matter
That millions starve while the fed gets fatter
Gasping and gagging, grasping and grabbing
But taking too much too fast cannot last
For curves cannot bend with no time to mend
And every boom must conclude with a bust

IV. Rebirth

But the race to save our seas is not run
And the face of hope still turns to the sun
It’s our choice: exploit or regenerate
It’s our voice: speak up or resign to fate
If we protect, setting blue zones aside
We can expect that we’re turning the tide
If we restore the great mangroves of old
We can implore to be bullish and bold
When whales are back and salmon are spawning
Rewilding’s on track, and a new day’s dawning
When seas are clean and waters are teeming
We’ll recall these days of ocean dreaming

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together nature poems by Wayne Visser, celebrating the diversity, beauty and ever-changing moods of our planet. The anthology includes many old favourites like “I Think I Was a Tree Once” and “A Bug’s Life”, as well as brand new poems like “Monet’s Dream” and “The Environmentalist”. Then as we turned our faces to the moon / Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune / We felt the fingers of the silken breeze / And made our wishes on the falling leaves / A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh / Among the trees that leaned against the sky.  Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Miracle of Life

Part 1.

In the face of untold devastation from poverty and war
Of pain and suffering and death
How do we keep going?

We keep going by believing that light dispels darkness
And the tiniest spark of a flickering flame
Can transform the world of shadows

For we are the voice of the living and the free
And even when we cannot change the world
We can bear witness to its tragic tales

And when the sorrow threatens to overwhelm us
We stop: to grieve and rage
We pause: to retreat and recover
We rest: until we are ready
To take one more breath of hope

We keep going by trusting that the spirit is strong
Even when the body aches and the heart bleeds
And the mind is bruised and numb

For we are the hands of the willing and the wise
And even the smallest acts of kindness and love
Can make a world of difference to someone

We keep going by seeing that the future is never fixed
And the human bonds we forge and cherish
Are a testament to the miracle of life

Part 2.

In the face of wanton destruction of the living earth
Of poison and pollution and plunder
How do we carry on?

We carry on by knowing that the alternative is collapse
And it is in our coding to protect and create
More than to exploit and destroy

For we are the guardians of the green and the wild
And nature is resilient and endlessly forgiving
If we give her time and space to heal

And when the anxiety threatens to paralyse us
We stop: to breathe and calm down
We pause: to reflect and reset
We rest: until we are ready
To take one more step of faith

We carry on by seeing we have brilliant solutions
Ready to displace the legacy of satanic mills
And the wilful inertia of incumbents

For we are the tenders of the garden of Eden
Believing that as we nourish and nurture its web
The living world can flourish once more

We carry on by trusting that we shape the future
And our children and grandchildren give us courage
To never give up on the miracle of life

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Adventurers

Let’s all be adventurers, willing to explore
To walk the path less travelled, and open every door
Let’s all be brave explorers, happy to be wild
To let go inhibitions, and free our inner child

For when we open our mind we soon find
That the world is wonderful and wide
That all those sharp bends and dead ends
Are part of the existential ride

And when we open life’s book and we look
At the words with fresh unfiltered eyes
A story emerges of hope where we cope
As we fall and still find strength to rise

Let’s all be adventurers, willing to take a chance
To place our bets, feel the beat and never miss a dance
Let’s all be bold explorers, happy to get lost
To face our fears, dare to live and never count the cost

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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The Good Life

I’m living the good life, as best I can:
I’m giving as much as taking, and more –
I’m opening every door of opportunity, taking
To the floor and dancing to the giddy swirl
Of opposites, of yin and yang, the flash
Of fang and claw, and the tranquil pond
With its unfurled frond of knowledge, reflected
In the unfathomed depths of wisdom’s eye
That ripples and trickles into a burbling stream
Of consciousness, that eddies and readies
The mind for clarity of thought, even while
Feelings froth in rapids and undercurrents,
Churning and yearning for the endless ocean,
Flowing unknowing towards a greater fate,
A larger identity, in sync with the moon
Of enlightenment, swaying to the rhythmic tides
Of love and fear, from forces near and far,
The star of destiny and the crashing waves,
Surfing the changes as each pattern rearranges
To reveal a new face, a fresh chase, a long race
To the beginning, beyond losing and winning,
At the heart of pain and joy – this is the art
Of living the good life, as best we can.

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Together, Forever

Whatever life conjures and throws at us
We’ll take it and face it together
With the power of love that still grows in us
We’ll stand strong and make it forever

If it means more adventure, let’s add to the spice
We’ll will it and wing it together
If it means taking chances, let’s throw down the dice
We’ll busk it and bet on each other

Whatever the year holds in store for us
We’ll meet it and greet it together
With the power of waves on the shore for us
We’ll swim strong and surf them forever

If it means stopping to rest, let’s take a deep breath
We’ll pause it and play it together
If it means battling our fear, let’s just do our best
We’ll live it with love for each other.

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

Icarus: Favourite Love Poems

This creative collection, now in its 2nd edition, brings together love poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology traces love’s agony (“Broken Dreams”) and ecstasy (“Galaxies Cart-Wheeling”), from first blush (“Almost Strangers”) to full bloom (“Say ‘I Do!’”), as we fly to love. You’ve given me the gift of golden wings / The endless sphere of blue imaginings / The chance to rise above the silver clouds / The will to cast off untold ghostly shrouds / Don’t fly too high / Don’t rise too fast / Don’t tease the sky / Don’t taunt the past / You’ve given me the hope of warmer days / The blessed kiss of the sun’s fiery rays. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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The Way You See It

What if everyone saw the world
The way you see it – as vital and alive?
Would we see new dreams unfurled
And a new story of hope – where nature thrives?

What if everyone saw potential
The way you see it – as a tiny seed?
Would we see new vision fulfilled
And a new Garden of Eden – verdant and treed?

What if everyone saw beauty
The way you see it – as spectra of light?
Would we see new creations emerge
And a new alchemy – a future more bright?

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Beauty

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder
That’s true, and yet conceals a greater truth:
Beauty flies in blue skies, bigger and bolder
Than the flushes of charm and the flowers of youth

Beauty rings with the call of the wild and free
And whispers in the wood on starlit night
Beauty sings with the hope of the child in me
And shimmers on the lake with a silver light

Beauty throbs with the pulse of a music beat
And smiles with the stroke of an artist’s brush
Beauty moves to the mood of our dancing feet
And sighs with the swoon of a lover’s blush

Beauty may catch our eye, but that’s only a ploy
To make us pause, to see the harmonious whole
Beauty may lift us hight, and that’s always a joy:
To perceive the patterns of heart in sync with soul

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

Seize the Day: Favourite Inspirational Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together favourite inspirational poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology takes us on a journey through the peaks and troughs of life, celebrating the indomitable human spirit.. It includes many old favourites like “Poets Must Be” and “Chasing the Blue”, as well as brand new poems like “The Writer” and “Making Ripples”. Sages through the ages wisely say: / Carpe Diem – seize the dawning day / Oh, would that I could assuage that thirst / But the day conspires to seize me first! / With the hurry and scurry / Of home’s frantic flurry / And the hustle and bustle / Of work’s tangled tussle. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Dear Me

Dear me, my future self, traveller in time,

Are we still friends, or strangers? Do we still chime
In our ideas and how we see ourselves and the world?
Has our life been a zig-zag, a rising arc unfurled,
Or something even more unexpected, a surprise
That revealed something hidden, a deeper disguise?

Are those I love safe and happy, and do I love them still,
Or have the tides shifted? Were some things beyond my will?
Were there cul-de-sacs, or unfortunate endings?
And what of new beginnings? Did I make a fresh start,
A brave leap into the unknown, and was that smart?

So many questions I have, but I guess you have questions too?

Let me try to imagine what they are, and answer a few:
Yes, I am happy right now, but I think not naïve
I can see opportunities, and despite the risks, I believe.
Maybe not so much in politicians or the news
But in myself and in innovators, the creative muse.

Yes, I am in love, with no regrets about getting married,
And I already know that love takes work. I’ve carried
Enough burdens to be a realist, yet still to hope
For a better future, for we are strong; we will cope.

So no matter who you are – who I am, and what we’ve done –

I want you to know, you are loved by your younger one.

Wayne Visser © 2025

Book

String, Donuts, Bubbles and Me: Favourite Philosophical Poems

This creative collection, now in its 3rd edition, brings together philosophical poems by Wayne Visser. In this anthology, he muses on subjects ranging from space, angels and destiny to time, science and meaning in life. According to scientists / The world’s made of string / That buzzes and fuzzes / Or some such strange thing / It’s also a donut / That curls round a hole / With middles and riddles / Just like a fish bowl / And there’s no mistaking / It’s more than 3-D / With twenty or plenty / Dimensions unseen / Still others insist / It’s really a bubble / That’s popping and bopping / Through the lenses of Hubble. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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Fifty-Four

An unusual year of voting and war
Syria’s new hope and Israel’s death score
A Labour landslide and Trump back for more
(Elon’s a turncoat, and X is his whore)
More storms and wildfires, while glaciers thaw
No new plastic deal, and COPs are a bore
More solar and wind on land and offshore
More calls to rewild: let nature restore
And in my small world, I opened a door
This unusual year I turned fifty-four

Wayne Visser © 2024

Book

Life in Transit: Favourite Travel & Tribute Poems

This creative collection, now in its 2nd edition, brings together travel and tribute poems by Wayne Visser. The anthology pays tribute to the likes of Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Barack Obama, Antoni Gaudí & Leonardo da Vinci, and reflects on travels ranging from China and South Africa to Ecuador and Russia. Life is lived in the in-between / In transit / Between coming and going / Between staying and moving on / Between here and there / And what we call home / What we call settled or contented / Is merely a resting place / A station for refuelling / A nexus for reconnecting / A junction for changing direction. Buy the paper book / Buy the e-book.

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