Roy Joseph Cotton – September 11, '53 – March 10, '85

Roy commenced writing poetry during his latter school years. He read prolifically and was passionate about music and was a devote to Bob Dylan. He wrote many plays or "Musical Paintings" as he called them, and was also busy with two works "Multimythicum" and "Girlpools, Whirpools, and other gusts of Twirling Hair". He wrote from the security of a warm, close family in a comfortable Cape Town (South Africa) suburb. Yet most of his huge output of poems reflect a consuming angst. It was an angst which drove him to search for peace throughout books, music, writing, and religion, and it led to ultimate despair. His highly idiosyncratic way with language and the intense pressure of his emotional and spiritual concerns make his poetry compelling and disturbing reading. His untimely death at age of 31 cut short his promising career as a poet.

A child discovering the sea

A CHILD DISCOVERING THE SEA

On wondrous high
towards the shore
the breakers crash
and sigh, and clasp
his little feet, re-
gurgitating forth waves
of salty sand. Taking
his hand the breeze
leads him in like a
fin. He fashions forth
a mirth of gurgling
gigglings from
out of the belly of the
recurring roar – Time’s
endless water blowing
his bliss towards the
opening cavity of the
horizon.

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