NEW POEM "Reflections"

 

Reflections

By Richard H. Fay

Each face peering back from the silvered glass
Appears more and more twisted and monstrous.
Each fiend leering back from the smooth surface
Displays greater and greater grotesqueness.
Each aspect glaring so straight back at me
Mirrors a darker and darker being.

Illustration "Reflections" originally appeared as filler art in the Spring 2014 issue of Star*Line.

Back on Twitter/X. For Now (Plus, a Poem)...

My account got suspended for more than 24 hrs, and I thought the suspension was going to be a permanent one. However, I appealed, and it seems my appeal did some good.

After that, I now have to think carefully regaring whether or not I want to remain there. I think I'm going to limit my presence on that platform, restrict myself to posting mainly about sales in my print-on-demand stores. My latest suspension left a bad taste in my mouth.

Anyway, I did write a poem about it:

Social Media Suspension

Exiled from the electronic town square,
Silenced by a system inhuman and unjust,
With soap box snatched from 'neath his feet, 
The suppressed outcast screamed in vain
But no one heard his righteous racket —
An abominable AI despot had choked his cries!

Twitter Exile

Just the other day, I told Michele that I might lose my Twitter/X account. Well, now I have! My account over on Twitter/X has been suspended for being "inauthentic". I appealed stating that I'm an authentic human artist, poet, and seller of PoD merch, but I doubt it will do any good.

11 hrs later, and there was still still no change.

Yep, it's looking like I lost my Twitter/X account for good this time.

I worry it will have a negative effect on my print-on-demand sales, but in some ways, I'm glad to be rid of the fascist Muskrat's Twitler platform. I always felt dirty posting over there.

On the plus side, I only had around 250 followers on Twitler, and the views numbers of my posts there were always in the toilet, so I suppose I'm not really losing much in the way of self-promotional reach. Ever since the Muskrat took over, it was getting worse and worse as a self-promo platform.

23 hrs later, and still no change.

Yes, this Twitler suspension is looking permanent, alright. The system won't even let me deactivate my account.

I guess I'm now officially a Twitter/X exile.
 

NEW POEM "Battered But Still Afloat

Battered But Still Afloat

By Richard H. Fay

Tethered to troubled memories,
I remain caught in crashing waves
Pounding this poorly protective port
Lashed perilously by a pernicious past.
Vile recollections batter this frail vessel
Threatened by thoughts of previous wrongs,
But somehow this assaulted craft remains afloat.

NEW POEM "An Invitation to Elsewhere"

 

An Invitation to Elsewhere

By Richard H. Fay

Luminous orbs dart through the night sky,
Tracing wild figures against the firmament,
Drawing my eyes ever upward and outward.
Brilliant spheres move in serpentine patterns,
Weaving and twisting across the vast heavens,
Performing maneuvers peculiar and preposterous.
Bizarre beings then pilot their dazzling craft downward,
Descending nearer and nearer my drably earthbound form,
Then inviting me to join them among those innumerable stars.

NEW POEM "Too Many Times"

 

Too Many Times

By Richard H. Fay

Forgiveness may be divine,

But you unfairly painted me the devil

Far too many times to ignore.

Forgiveness may be sacred,

But you unjustly treated me as Satan

Far too many times to forget.

Forgiveness may be merciful,

But you unduly called me a monster

Far too many times to forgive.

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NEW POEM "Never a Father"

 

Never a Father

By Richard H. Fay

A selfish, self-centered, substitute sire

So swift with the stern scowls and stiff scoldings

Played the part of pinch parent but poorly.

A brooding, bearish, brute of a buffoon,

With a beetled brow and boneheaded ways,

Proved a wretchedly rotten role model. 

A lanky lunk lacking paternal love,

A self-absorbed simp with scant tolerance,

Neglected his task to nurture and care.

An irascible, immature jackass,

A greatly glowering glob of a goon, 

Utterly failed as a father figure. 

Never a son of yours;

Never a father of mine;

Thank goodness!

NEW POEM "Misfit Among the Masses"

 

Misfits Among the Masses

By Richard H. Fay

A cornflower among daisies,

Bright blue sail among foaming white waves.

A butterfly among moths,

Orange-clad king among grey-garbed serfs.

A tiger among lions,

Boldly striped blazer among drab tan coats.

A misfit among the masses,

Defiant character among the compliant flock.

NEW POEM "Internet Weirdo"

 

Internet Weirdo

By Richard H. Fay

Internet weirdo sits in the bleachers
Taunting a troupe of clowning buffoons
Performing various acts of trollery
Beneath social media’s virtual big top.

Internet weirdo voices his opinions
Countering various groupthink norms
While laughing at those fatuous fools
Failing to ever think for themselves.

Internet weirdo earns his scurrilous tag
Debating so many motley morons
Believing themselves always in the right
While rejecting any contrary thoughts.

Internet weirdo grins at the madcap prats,
Amused by the warped irony of it all,
Knowing the real-life weirdos
For what they truly are.

NEW POEM "Keeping the Flame Alive"

 

Keeping the Flame Alive

By Richard H. Fay

Tech bro oligarchs wage their war 
To dehumanize modern society,
But undaunted human artists 
Continue to fight pencil-and-pen,
Keeping culture's heartbeat drumming
Loud-and-clear.

AI bro sycophants push their slop
To debase contemporary culture,
But undeterred human artists
Continue to generate genuine gems
Keeping culture's creative being 
Alive and well.

AI bots and trolls launch their attacks 
To devalue traditionally-made art,
But stalwart human artists
Continue to create hand-made works
Keeping culture's spirit burning
Clear-and-bright.

NEW POEM "King of the Werebeasts"

 

King of the Werebeats

By Richard H. Fay

The transformed werewolf
Crouching in the shadows,
Bristling with savage rage,
Hungering for human flesh,
Fails to see the tawny form
Prowling the bushy verge,
Protecting his human pride, 
Stalking the lupine hunter,
'Til too late,
Proving the werelion
True King of the Werebeasts.

NEW POEM "Mantra of Socio-Political Extremes"

 

Mantra of Socio-Political Extremes

By Richard H. Fay

Walk like me,
Talk like me,
Act like me,
Feel like me,
Think like me,
Or else!

Like what I like,
Love what I love,
Hate what I hate,
See what I see,
Think what I think,
Or else!

ALL must hold…

The same notions,
The same ideas,
The same beliefs,
The same opinions,
The same emotions,
Or else!

NEW POEM "Dearly Departed Mother"

 

Dearly Departed Mother

By Richard H. Fay

Like an infernal sorceress,
You discharged vile curses.
Like a hellish demoness,
You spread damnable ills.
Like a dreadful dragoness
You wreaked dire destruction.
Like a ravaging ogress
You dispensed wicked harm.
Like the mythical Lamia
You devoured your young.
Like a spiritual vampire
You supped on his soul.
Like a plaguing harpy,
You tormented his life.
Like a sinister horror,
Your downfall was cheered. 
Like a vanquished monster
Your demise was welcomed.
Like a slain abomination,
Your death was celebrated!