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.

SOCIALITES

The voluptuous yawn
does not offend the
tooth. A cigarette
insists upon smiling.
The windowsill has no
reason for appearing
bored. A glass smirks
and swallows. The
silverware brushes up
on her manners. Nobody
catches the cutlery
asleep. Whoever taunts
the night is observed
by the ceiling. Pockets
jingle with the wealth
of summer. Eyes are
not winking. Dinner
is not asleep.

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