More books than friends
To participate in the worldhave more books than friends.
Days are sometimes hard, and I'm
wary of a certain life goal.
I took for granted I was going
to live. I have for about a decade or
five, just able to summon the energy.
But I don't really get it.
I have always missed
the present moment,
seeking, bumbling.
When I was young
When I was youngmy mother was
good at talking,
my father was
the smell of
formaldehyde.
Schools can break you.
I turned to relationships -
that's how we learn in life.
My way is to bottle it up.
Later in life
I don't have children.
Later in life
I sit on my sofa.
I'm anxious.
I sit on the sofa, gurgling.
I have a conversation with me.
I well remember the ‘Someone who feels connected, purposeful, and excited about life’. I hope she comes back soon. I miss her. This is a well-written and interesting blogpost. It introduced me to the trAce facebook page too. Thank you very much for writing it.
I’m grateful for the power of your memory, Glenis, and for the parts of our history we have shared. Let’s hope I can locate a different me soon.
Excellent dissection of the cross-currents that went on during that interview, and the wider issues that rippled through it.
Thank you for validating my analysis of this interview. There are too many struggles elsewhere for there to be petty in-fighting within LGBT communities. I couldn’t understand the need for Today to try to set up a counter-argument out of context.
You are right in every way Nicki. I have just listened to the relevant section of Today and felt let down by the failure to let listeners know about Greg’s book. He is a wonderful man. It’s time for some pride in the LGBT world – in being literary and cultured!
Thanks David. Why shouldn’t we be proud of being literary and cultured? I want Ruth to join in, too, now I’ve learnt she studied English at Oxford University. Why not be proud of who you are? I also understand how five minutes on a radio show doesn’t show the best of anyone.
Excellent newspaper blackout poetry. I look forward to your book when you write it and can’t wait to read Susan Calman’s book now! Just don’t try dressing Basil in little outfits as Susan likes to with her cat children. He won’t appreciate it!
I hereby promise to spare Basil all outfits – including Batman and Prime Suspect Day outfits. And just maybe there will be a book one day.
Keep swirling and being loving. We will find a way through this pointless hatred. xx