Independent Man

Why fight the sheep,

When it is so easy to be carried along

By their soft wool

And steady bleating.

 

You see the black sheep,

And are envious of his wool,

But he still follows the rest

And fights for a place amongst the rest.

 

As you are huddled up

With them all surrounding,

The air thins

Despite the open fields.

 

Every sheep follows the dogs orders,

But it is time

- Finally -

To step out on your hind legs,

And test who you are

Against your own wits

And temperaments,

Accepting the judgements of others.

Take a breath of fresh air,

Feel your own surroundings.

 

Escape.

Manliness

 

It is my contentness,

The curl of my smile

And the strength of my palm

As I shake another’s hand.

 

It is the echo of my footsteps

As my shoes percuss upon the ground.

The sentiment fulfils me

Ensuring the pace of my steps.

 

I am simple and straightforward;

And completely uncomplicated

Within the solid boundaries

Of my sense of self.

 

I feel my fingertips,

Beat with my heart,

See with my eyes

And listen with my ears.

American Psycho

 

5/5 This is a novel with controvery at the centre of it. Yes, it is incredibly bloody, graphic and heartless, but that does not mean you should squeamishly put it to one side. While reading this I had to pause with one hand to my mouth as unspeakable acts were spoken of in depth.

American Psycho is difficult to get through, I’m not going to pretend that I laughed through it but now that I’ve got through the other side I am glad that I saw it through. Once you see past the mindless brands and understand that the novel is a satire (Ellis’ aims were to expose this way of life not to say look how disturbed I am), you can admire the novel for its irony. The film is well known for its business card example and there are more ready to surprise you throughout the text.

I gave this novel a 5/5 as it really makes you think, criticise and question how different we are from the protagonist. No, I am not a mass murderer nor do I fantasise about it, but it did make me question the images that we conform to in everyday lives, as well as our obsession with expensive brands.

If you are going to embark on this literary journey however, I do recommend that you view it from a distance, this is such great fiction as it is fiction. We are meant to be alienated from the characters. 

 

My Last Poem

What is the last poem that I’ll ever write?

Will it be at the hands

Of disinterest,

Or at the hands

Of death?

 

What will the subject be?

Love?

Philosophy?

Or both intwined?

 

If I were to become

Famous and lost in pages,

A hundred years down the line

Only for young academics to

Rekindle my lack of rhyme scheme

Would this be the last poem

- the last thought of mine -

To have resurrected life?

Nature’s Copy

What broken nature lies before us,

Stuck

Like a stick in the ground.

 

It is not meant to be there

And tries to force

And squeeze

Shallow beauty from our hearts.

 

It’s imitation is of a lake,

Or a natural park

And yet, it is transparent and false,

The man-made copy

Is nothing but an empty shell.

Silence

How can a forced silence

Ever be power?

 

Shouting, screaming

Bashing and breaking

Blood in your eyes

When you call the other man a savage.

 

How far can violence progress

When our lives,

Societies,

And beliefs are all built

On words

And their logic.

Who are you to tell me what I cannot hear?

You think I will ever support murder,

You think I cannot fight for myself

And keep my heart at bay?

 

I will not bow down

In front of your ideological train.

The Selfish Man

The selfish man worked hard,

He saved

He spent only what he can afford,

Gets only what he wants.

 

He enjoys the silence,

The solitude,

The smell of leather in his new car.

 

He knows himself,

To the end of his fingertips

And tips of his toes.

Outside his haven

A cloud of spite looms.

 

“Selfish Bastard,” and ”Miser,”

Are names that follow him round.

But their hate is sourced

At their greed.

 

He has

What they want,

He has earned

What they want for free.