MAL FOSTER : a poet of the ordinary man
What do we see in this collusion of mirrors - where do we go when we know who we are?
songs without music & other stories
Many of the poems here are indeed experimental. In fact, most run with a semi-autobiographical theme. They are forged from the heart and reflect my state of mind at the time they were written. Poetry is all about sharing your thoughts and creating a reaction and if that works - then I'm happy!
As for my future writing, let's see where the moment takes me! - All good things, Mal
MAN IN A WHITE SUIT
Suddenly I came here
confused and unprepared
thrown into this oblivion
in a clean white suit.
Suddenly I came here
keen to observe
and with a chance to reflect
as I stand at the back
of this hushed hallowed hall.
Reluctantly I came here
in my new crazy stance
to listen to the soundtrack
that plays out my life
but no-one will see me
as they unbow their heads
from their nervous respect
and no-one will fear me
as I hear what they say
but perhaps they will sense me
as my eulogy is spoken
with my frailties remembered
when the last song is played.
25 March 2010
From Kathy Kelso, Poetry On-Line: A lesser known English poet, he may be, but Mal Foster's poems have thrived in recent years and are among some of the most widely read on the internet. His poem 'The Wedding' seems to pop up just about everywhere and has recently been included in the Australian Anthology 'Poetry Unlocked' that forms part of their secondary school’s educational curriculum. 'Poems 1976-2000' covers what Mal describes himself as his 'Debussy Period' and offers up some whimsical tales of self analysis, social awareness and 'dubious' love. Other poems include his much feted 'The Girl Addict', a story of the Stonehenge Festivals of the 80's and the thought provoking 'Preconception'. This is all very interesting stuff, it’s easy to read and you will no doubt want to re-visit some of the poems over and over again.
