When I Buy Your Book

 
I was also the artist
who ate no meat
unfortunately I had no stipend
or wealthy friends
fame is coming
too late
sesame seeds and honey
were no longer enough
I had to do hard labour to survive

The first bite of meat
gagged me
the artist in me
almost choked to death
when I rejoined mankind

 

Chris Faiers

 

This was the lead poem in the 1983 White Wall Review, the annual literary
publication of the former Ryerson College. I was about to donate this copy
to the local small library by the Marmora dam when I decided to
take a final peek at the contents and decided to share this memory.