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.

THE ANGELS CARRIERS

THE ANGELS CARRIERS:

Maybe even now
– Yes you
– Yes now
the angels are carrying
prayers of tidings
beyond the great
barrier reefs
of the Unexplored
beyond the realm
of the Eye;
Yes; maybe even now
– Yes you
– Yes now
even for you even,
angels are dragging
up caskets of prayer
from beyond the flinderlace
factories of the sky. Yes
prayers are smoking, drifting
rolling
with the angels,
the mighty angels,
the mighty angels carriers
of ruby torches,
bearers of light and prayer.

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