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To be or not to be? Delete it.





To be or not to be?


There are deleted scenes, deleted chapters, deleted people (if only), so why not a deleted poem?

The poem below originally featured in my debut poetry collection, Caged Without Walls. At the last minute I asked the publisher to remove it. For some reason, it just didn't sit right with the other poems, or with me. I never minded it as such, I thought it amusing and not without truth, yet it didn't seem to quite find a home with the rest. Perhaps it didn't matter. You be the judge.

So here it is, complete with the original writing dates, the one here being the July edit.





Damage


16/4/08
And Feb 2012
And july 2012


I once knew a girl
Who didn’t know herself
She tried to discover it
In every man she met.
Some women too.

She tried to find it with me.
Tempting.

She had a body that required the administration of a legion of sins
And I’m as lustful as the next man
But I didn’t want to be another
Well… comparison.
She was as passionate as she was unstable
And I didn’t want to contribute
To the inevitable volcanic eruption
Coming to your Neighbourhood soon.

Yet I played around the fringes
Scarcely, a little, a tad
But the damned guilt kicked in
You evil fucker
 It said
And still says
Preventing me from being the provincial labourer of Seeds
I was born to be.

I just want you to know
That I did resist
A little, a tad
Yet with the barest scrap of persistence
She wins me over.

Let’s just say,
I wish I had taken out insurance.

Atyia03 by akanay at deviantart
Now I was only a foot soldier in that legion
Keen to work towards General…
But I never saw her again.

Even though I’m wondering about her now
I’m glad I wasn’t there
When that Volcano finally erupted.






Christmas Present


A great idea for a Christmas present as it is full of little stories like these. You don't have to be a avid follower of poetry to enjoy it. I'm happy to sign it for you. Also comes with three bonus mp3's of poems not in the book plus a mini book of poems. 



Caged Without Walls Trailer.




If you haven't got the book yet, without any bias at all I suggest that it is well worth it. You can email me at anthonyjlangford2@yahoo.com.au or directly form the publisher. (Cheaper through me however)  It is also available at Gleebooks, Abbeys and Better Read than Dead in Sydney and Readings Carlton in Melbourne.


If you can help me out by sharing this page it would be hugely appreciated.
Thank you.

Now available directly, cheaper, signed, through the author....




6 comments:

  1. Great trailer for a brilliant little book.
    Will write you soon, when I have more time.
    xoRobyn

    ReplyDelete
  2. Liked the poem, and I got a laugh, a rye one at the end.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love it! Great poem you should not have deleted it - one for the next collection.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks guys - nice to share it anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  5. PS I'm in agreement, actually. It feels like it belongs elsewhere. It's more specific --about you and one woman, whereas your poems in Caged are more generalizable to humanity.

    Cheers.
    xoRobyn

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's a good point Robyn. Something about it didn't feel right in the context of the others. There is another about a girl and I, A Caged Memory... but this was a little flippant.. awkwardly comical.. i don't know.. i don't mind it per se.. yet...

    ReplyDelete

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