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.

MAN WITH RED TOES

where does this man with red toes come from?
studio
will his laughter sell?
yes yes yes
will his laughter profit vomitting chimneys?
yes
will soot still smoke a hundred a day?
yes
who will buy?
don’t know it will sell
will his laughter frighten frowning bricks?
no no no it will sell
will his laughter split sagging sides?
yes it will sell
where does his anguish come from?
For further information
please ring: Heavenly Angels Distributing
it will sell it will sell

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