Len Gurts on Len Gurts

“Dissection is a virtue when
It operates on other men.”
—Theodore Roethke, ‘Lines Upon Leaving a Sanitarium’

So I know more than the other boys, as those other boys
are rubbish. Naff. They are so crass, honey. Sorry I meant
friend. They do all sorts to get girls, baby. Women: sorry again.
Not like me though—I understand. I don’t act tough or cool.
Or act: not at all. I don’t play up to you. But let’s talk

about the other boys forever. Let’s compare me to
the other boys who just act silly. They aren’t like me: I am so
serious with my poetry. Whereas they… they act all cool
and false (I should know). And I should know, as I used to
hang around with them a bit, yeah. Yeah—you see

I know how they fake it. O yes—I know all the funny
things they do, like, throwing other guys
under the bus when trying to impress you, acting all cool. You know? I said
“cool” already? Yeah. Well. Yeah. And they don’t
think about things. Or philosophy. Or poems. And their

poetry is dross, if they even do it, that is. Not like me.
You know what, baby? I mean, honey. I mean girl. I mean
woman OK; you know what though? I understand. Those other
boys though? Man. Boys! They don’t know. They aren’t like me.
They’re always comparing, you see. Whereas me… me…

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