deepundergroundpoetry.com
an author of the highest reputation
“100th anniversary of the birth of Roald Dahl. Associated with antisemitism and not regarded as an author of the highest reputation.” - minutes from a meeting of the British Mint
looking at my dream bookshelves
I wonder who could stand
atop the plated plinth
or look up from a coin
and say ‘I never thought ill thoughts
and always paid my round’
to say it plain:
a bastard sometimes makes
a good writer
- not evil, mind,
just rotten in ways,
clutching a glass of port
and ranting on the feared Other
through yellowed teeth,
tobacco smoke, and arrogance -
it’s out of personalities
that literature’s wrought
and men without them are
the only sinless ones
looking at my dream bookshelves
I wonder who could stand
atop the plated plinth
or look up from a coin
and say ‘I never thought ill thoughts
and always paid my round’
to say it plain:
a bastard sometimes makes
a good writer
- not evil, mind,
just rotten in ways,
clutching a glass of port
and ranting on the feared Other
through yellowed teeth,
tobacco smoke, and arrogance -
it’s out of personalities
that literature’s wrought
and men without them are
the only sinless ones
Published 28th Jan 2022
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The author encourages honest critique.
28th Jan 2022 5:59pm
29th Jan 2022 9:07pm
Loved this! Makes me feel less guilty for my wayward personality. I'm just trying to be a better writer...
2nd Feb 2022 3:07pm
Excellent perspective. Who at the Royal Mint considers themselves to be the judge & jury on ‘highest reputation’ anyhow? It’s possible (and not unreasonable) to detach the author from their personality. Larkin was similarly smeared for his political views. Does that dethrone him as one of England’s greatest poets? Just think of the millions of kids who have read Dahl with absolute wonderment. The ‘woke’ generation will always cast the first stone. Even the old guard left-wing (myself included) are becoming tired of woke-this woke-that.
2nd Feb 2022 3:40pm
My problem with the current culture war is that it isn’t even about making a better world, really. I can understand, say, ending a living entertainer’s career if they’ve been associated with multiple crimes of sexual violence. I’d imagine that few people want to see Kevin Spacey in new movies, or Bill Cosby fronting a new family sitcom. But outside that, who in this world is perfect? Cancel culture is just people wanting to tear others down for their own sadistic satisfaction. It’s just social sadism.
