Rob Ayling, yer Gonzo Grande Fromage, writes:
"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Thom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied within seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not?
MAKE MINE PAPERBACK
WHEN YOUNG,BOOKS WERE ART
Hard covered,gold/gilt edged/oil paper prefaced
They were objects for veneration and display
(not like those empty books in lawyer offices today)
Big books still rule today.But they have a new child-
paperback progeny who themselves breed prolifically,
and are seen on streets and in cafes living a double life-
as information,art and dispersal of ideas.Small,portable,hardy and
cheap,
paperbacks make both trash and classics weep.
They are everywhere in second-hand bookstores,and persist
in accessing all ages and levels of information.They exist
despite the Internet,and are as temporary as their authors.
My pockets carry them to distant lands,and leave them in exotic
destinations
for other hands to pick them up as seeds for futures as yet unknown.
From Backpackers Hostels to Uluru,paperbacks are the Johnny Appleseed
of Fiction masquerading as Truth.But,then-just as in life-they will
do!