POETRY: POP! by CORY LOVELL

I have another guest artist today, this time a renegade poet/writer/film-maker/trouble-maker named Cory Lovell. He is a passionate fan of music and directed the rock'n'roll documentary Deer Tick: To the City of SIN!, following the band Deer Tick on tour. His new chapbook collection of poetry and art, named Pop!, revolves around the central idea that pop songs (in any genre -- yes, including heavy metal) are our new hymns. Lovell explains, “These poems are my attempt at pop songs, sans music. Those of you who are instrumentally inclined are encouraged to put music to any of the poems inside. They’re meant to be sung!” So there you are, thrashers and doomsters, feel free to write music to the below poem (selected for this blog personally by Mr. Lovell) and share the ghoulish results by visiting the link at the end of this posting. Here’s an excerpt from the collection:

Underrated Saints (Immortal Rock Zombies)

The unique stupidity,

        the simple-minded genius

of a religion made by, for, and of the mad masses that massacred

                    GOD.

The maudlin, musical marriage of

        piety & sacrilege.

The queer union of

        Jesus & Lucifer.

The rhythm of a thousand saints,

        ordinary dregs, miracle sinners,

bringing us ever closer to the cosmos through

                    SEX & SOUND.

That a boy might know the

        humility and hard-earned innocence of

                    St. Bob.

Whirling drunk in tutu and combat boots,

        Fingers slashed and bleeding, tearing through the heart of sixteen.

That a girl might know the

        worth of word and wood and work.

The soapy, satin soliloquy of

                    St. Karen (of Dalton).

Poor, yet beholden to none.

        Lonesome, yet filled with others.

That a man might know the

        trembling edges of a troubled woman

through the crying caterwaul of

                    St. Karen (of Carpenter).

So generous of love’s bounty

        though fasting herself from it.

That a woman might know the

        avalanche of arrogance of the meager motives of mortal man.

The deteriorating dignity of

                    St. Warren.

His quest to forgive the unforgivable,

        to find the ones who were his friends.

(Cover illustration by Gary Grayson, additional artwork by Cory Lovell)

For more information on Pop! follow this link to Cory’s excellent Thunderbird Blog:  http://thethunderbirdblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/pop-10-new-poems-by-cory-w-lovell.html