Saturday, 8 February 2014

Poetry Corner (Returns) #12: Warmth

Hello Cynics. Today marks the return of Poetry Corner. I decided to bring it back because A) I miss having a reason to write poetry, negative e-mails be damned and B) With the new update schedule I feel we are pumping out quite a lot of words, so hopefully Poetry will mean more quality for less quantity. I'll also be using this to post up the work on re-establishing the What About Cynics Webcomic I've been doing.

The biggest challenge so far has been changing Simon to reflect his new look, everything I've drawn so far makes him look like an angry lesbian nerd. So I tried to draw him as charmingly as I possibly could and the result was... (Can't see the freckles, how sad)

He looks too nice now though, like a Disney Prince, but if I add glasses he looks like the worlds nicest serial killer. Can't win. (Ignoring the fact that this next to traditional Cynics me and Harvey wouldn't be very representative). Anyway, onto the poem.

Background to this poem: As you may/may not know I spend some of my spare time writing fiction, and one particular antagonist of a story I was writing, she was nothing major, just a fire powered lieutenant with reserves about killing. But I'd always had this scene in my head where she has like a break down as her origin story...Then I set it to song and I realised it couldn't be in the book, why can't suspense of disbelief be extended to musical numbers?

In my mind this is sung in quite a specific way, including from happy to sad etc, which is something I don't really know how to communicate. Consequently this might fall flat, but I had fun and it helped me characterise her. 

Despite my best effort, I'm out in the cold
Another failed attempt
I tried to circumvent
But flow the heat did, and I'm out in the cold.

If I had constructive powers.
I'd fill a garden full of flowers.
But alas my powers fire
So it all becomes a pyre
And I'm...out in the cold

My mother and father said, I should try and endear
But despite my intentions, only hate and fear.
I've seen the crowd look, ape and jeer.
Perhaps I'm better off, out in the cold.

I wanted to be normal...loved and adored.
But apparently at best, I can hope to be ignored
I've given up on hope of a prosperous reign
Now I'll just be happy without the phosphorus rain

Honestly, I approach, big eyes, full of lies;I try.
But when I approach the people, my hopes they dash
Run away screaming, convinced I'll make them ash
Maybe I should just let them fry...Hmm.

Now there's an idea.
I'll give them something to fear
I've tried to be nice.
Well now let's add some spice.
They want to push and spurn
Well I'll just watch them burn!

Because if I let my powers go
I won't be out in the cold.

A blanket of fire,
Yes! that is my desire.
No longer out in the cold.

And while the fire's sweeping
They won't notice that I'm weeping
I WON'T be out in the cold.

And when they beg me to desist
They'll have to acknowledge I exist.
...And I won't be out in the cold.


  1. Andrew Lloyd Chapman.

    This reads like a song. I like it.

  2. I've missed this . I have nothing myself but enjoyed yours.

    1. My only regret is I can't do one weekly anymore.

  3. I think Simon should be flattered, he looks anything but a lesbian

  4. Some of my best friends are angry lesbian nerds.

    I'd like to see an excerpt from your story.

    1. There is a bit of angry lesbian nerd in all of us.

      I'll post some soon, when Uni gets off my back.

  5. The voice.

    A voice on the screen
    In written word
    Never seen
    And never heard
    I see with my heart
    Instead of my eyes
    I reach for your soul
    As my soul cries

    A voice on the screen
    The voice of a dream
    But a voice that I know
    Don't go

    1. Damn PoetAnon, I had a similar idea, we in-sync.

  6. I guess Simon has been working out since you last drew him?
    Looks good either way

    1. Working out so hard that even his nose has grown mass.

    2. Somewhere in the middle is Simon's true nose size

  7. Is there still a schedule or did it get ripped up in a fit of apathy?

    1. Going to get it back on track. Not so much apathy but just Aaron being busy and I suffering from insomnia for the week which left my brain incapable of thinking of anything worth writing about. I have a few half finished articles which lack any sort of direction, which at the time seemed hilarious.

  8. Happy Valentines children. Have a good one.

    1. Thanks. You too. Got food poisoning from the restaurant I went to, so it was slightly sabotaged. Trying to continue drinking and having sex with delirious light headedness and gripping sickness wasn't the most romantic thing ever.