A bad day...
or a bad life?
Me Old Mate
Depression and
anxiety
Old friends of
mine
Before they
became so common
That everyone
wanted to know them
And they lost
all their meaning
A couple of old
trollups
Betraying their
regulars.
Someone fails a
test
Gets into an
argument
Has a flat day
And calls it
melancholy.
I’m sure there’s
plenty
Who have more
shit in their heads
Than I,
But the whole
affair
Has been
trivialised
Gone viral
Mass marketed
The designers
are wealthy
Everyone’s on a
kick back
Except for the
sad bastards
On their backs
Like me.
Sure, it’s a
little easier
Smooth & Even
Like a tan
polished floor
And I’m guess
I’m happy enough
But sometimes
When I don’t see
it coming
I miss the old
days.
Me Old Mate first appeared in Issue 13 of Crack the Spine in early 2012. It is also included in my debut collection, Caged Without Walls out now through Ginninderra Press. Approximately 15% of the poems in the book have appeared before, spread throughout different sites and publications.
Three audio poems come with the book, emailed through myself. You can buy it through me but if you go through the publisher, let me know and I will send the poems your way. Two of them are not in the book. All are read by Sydney Poetry guru, Jack Peck.
anthonyjlangford2@yahoo.com.au
Caged Without Walls Trailer.
Now available at Readings in Melbourne.
Also Abbeys in Sydney.
(As a side note, a major chain rejected me because I wasn't famous enough).
In August, I will be presenting a video series called The 7 Pillars of Love - seven short videos spread throughout the month. For all you romantics hopefuls and sufferers out there.
See you soon.
Cheers
Seems like its at its most vicious when we don't see it coming. This was another humanizing poem, Anthony. Well done. I'm sure many people can relate.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
I read the poem just the other night in your fabulous book. Liked some of the phrasing like - a couple of old trollops. It reminds me of an article I read recently about it being trendy to say you have aspergers syndrome. I think there is too much emphasis in the world about being happy. After all ignorance is bliss. People like me who try to keep up with what is happening in the world and what the future might bring, can't help being a little unhappy much of the time. Not depressed. But unhappy. Anyway, I identify with my thoughts about what your poem was about :).
ReplyDeletewow, the number in the gizmo that you verifies that I am not a spambot and allows me to comment was 42, the meaning of life, so the previous comment of mine must be meaningful.
ReplyDeleteand would you believe the verification number for the follow up comment was 21, so it must be only half as meaningful.
ReplyDeleteI think it's fate Graham! Thank you for your kind words about the poem and book-too many people and company's try to cash in on the notion of happiness - perhaps a poem for another day.
ReplyDeleteAs for spambot, I took it off but received tons of spam so had to put it back on. I know its a pain.
Really good Anthony! It hits home for me. I know a couple of people (one in my immediate family) who seem to come down with every emotional and/or mental syndrome and disorder that comes along. If some doctor or pharmaceutical company came up with "people who poke out their own eye with a chopstick" syndrome, then by god, these two would poke out their own eye! About a month ago one of them told me they had "restless leg syndrome." I just started laughing. I could go on forever with this comment, but I'm thinking I think I feel a blog rant (at my place) coming on in the near future. You've inspired me!
ReplyDeleteThe numeric part of the verification on that comment was 666. What the hell?
ReplyDeleteGeez! I forgot my point...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, these folks are an insult to people who really do suffer from emotional problems.