A Southern Missive

I was looking through some old poetry and thinking about how the biographies of some writers I’ve read revealed that they had tendencies to self-destruct. I found this poem I wrote years ago and decided to post it today.

The Saboteur

I am a saboteur.
I know how to derail things,
Lose things, waste things,
And generally screw up.
I juggle knives with amazing ineptness.
I try to dance with nitroglycerin and
Play Russian Roulette with one empty chamber.
I fight with the sun in my eyes.
I can pull the grenade pin and
Then change my mind.
I have cut the wrong wire!
My training has been
Brutal but effective.
I am one you should fear.
I am a  saboteur.

I’ve been listening to Evanescence again today. This song from the Evanescence CD Fallen has been replaying through my head all afternoon while I was doing yard work, so I thought I’d post the lyrics in today’s blog.  Amy Lee has such a fantastic lyric writing ability.  This is a song of despair, a cry for deliverance. I think a movie could be written based on it. I found the lyrics here: http://endor.org/evanescence/lyrics.asp?Submit=View+Lyrics&AlbumID=4&SongID=33
Tourniquet

i tried to kill the pain
but only brought more
i lay dying
and i’m pouring crimson regret and betrayal
i’m dying praying bleeding and screaming
am i too lost to be saved
am i too lost?

my God my tourniquet
return to me salvation
my God my tourniquet
return to me salvation

do you remember me
lost for so long
will you be on the other side
or will you forget me
i’m dying praying bleeding and screaming
am i too lost to be saved
am i too lost?

my God my tourniquet
return to me salvation
my God my tourniquet
return to me salvation

my wounds cry for the grave
my soul cries for deliverance
will i be denied Christ
tourniquet
my suicide

I never miss reading a book by Vicki Hendricks. I discovered her on John Dufresne’s blog. (If you’re a writer, his blog is a great one to consult regularly) He praised her writing extensively. As I respect Dufresne, I decided to read her books. So far I’ve read, Miami Purity, Sky Blues, Voluntary Madness, and Iguana Love. I was delighted to find that her newest novel, Cruel Poetry, was out. I just received it in the mail and am eager to read it. I’ll let you know how the read went. If you want to know more about this fascinating author or more about her earlier novels, visit her Web site here:

http://www.vickihendricks.com/