Yet still I live

though wax moons shine

and shed tears of blood

causing the shadow of the goddess

to fall like rain

upon my face

The primal chant wells in my soul

the symphony rising

in my drumming blood

her language coming unbidden

to the tongue

the essential worship beginning now

Flashback to my first book of poetry, Defenestration, published in 1997. Now back in print.

~~~

Defenestration, my book of poetry, was launched in July 1997. I invited everyone I knew. Kaf made divine nibblies, my dad helped get in the wine and Stephen turned up with a crate of books. I told him to bring a lot. He was dubious. Poetry isn't a big seller and not many books are sold at launches. I insisted, politely. He obliged, kindly.

The night was awesome. We packed out a room at Gorman House in Canberra. Stephen launched my book and I read some poems. He sold 96 put of the 100 copies he had brought along with him. Almost half my 200 copy print run!

After my book was published, I suffered second book syndrome. It’s the one where you question everything you write before you even put pen to paper. Will people like it? Is it good enough? Will anyone get upset? When you write in anonymity you write what you want. When the spotlight is on, it gets hot.

Then everyone started asking when the next book was coming out. They were only being polite, making small talk but I froze. And the writing dwindled away to nothing…