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  The Forgotten Theatre
2001 Poems Read
1/07/05
Augusta Free Press Interview
His darker side
Poetry collection shares personal story of growing up, coping with life
Profile
Crystal Graham
crystal@augustafreepress.com
Opening up Riddles of Corrosion is like opening up a chapter of Shea Anthony's life.
A dark chapter, you might say, and Anthony admits as much.
A self-described military brat, Anthony says he learned a lot moving from place to place - and growing up in locales including California and Norfolk before settling in Staunton.
"I was on the sidelines, you could say, and able to watch and make observations on what people were doing around me," Anthony said in an interview with The Augusta Free Press.
And he didn't necessarily like that things that he saw around him.
Riddles of Corrosion, published in 2001, was written in a time where pop culture was taking on the form of grunge, and unattainable lifestyles seemed to be the order of the day.
"People were living in a fantasy world rather than reality," he said. "I think there was an unrealistic, happy picture out there."
It was the era of Columbine - a time perhaps different than the generation before it - where those who were different were lost in the bigger picture of life.
The poetry book that resulted, you might say, served as a therapy of sorts for Anthony.
"This book was about growing up, I guess you could say. I was reflecting on what was going on and coping and dealing with it," Anthony said.
At the same time, Anthony said, it kept him inside, away from many of the outside problems that presented themselves.
The work, Anthony admits, is very personal.
But the book served as an outlet for him - something to perhaps prove that he was not alone in his feelings.
"If I feel like that," he said, "I think others might, too."
What developed was a 100-page paperback snapshot of his emotions.
Long before Anthony considered himself a poet, he thought of himself as a songwriter.
But he couldn't find a way to bend his writing to fit song lyrics, and found poetry to have less restrictions.
Even so, he still found himself identifying with a number of classic rock icons.
Anthony found himself relating to a number of musicians, many who died at an early stage in life.
"They wrote poetry," he said, "but weren't acknowledged for it."
Dylan Thomas, Jim Morrison, Neal Cassady, William Burroughs ... all are honored in Riddles of Corrosion on the dedication page.
All are dead.
The point, Anthony said, is that poetry itself is not dead.
"I wanted to prove that," he said. "If someone out of nowhere could do it, anyone could."
For Anthony, writing his first book was life-changing - but not in the way you would necessarily expect.
"So many writers think once they have that book in hand, they can quit their jobs, start giving lectures at colleges ... I was ready to give my two weeks notice," Anthony said.
It didn't change his life in that way, but it nonetheless did change his life.
He proved he could do it.
He proved poetry is still alive and well today.
And while Anthony hasn't been able to quit his retail job just yet, he has been pleased with the response to his first book.
"I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I said if someone says it sucks, I will quit," Anthony said. "That didn't happen. No one has said that. The response has been very positive."
Get a copy
- Riddles of Corrosion is available at local retailers in Staunton, Waynesboro and Harrisonburg.
- You can also order on-line at http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.
- Read samples of Anthony's writing or order off his personal Web site at www.poets2000.com/draven.
11/29/04
Good news now Riddles of corrosion can be ordered directly from this site as well as my other at poetrypoem.com.
Sorry about being away so long have a bunch of new developements to tell you about and I will be back in a couple of weeks to clueyou in.
Thanks for your support.
7/1/04
Well I'm here and maybe your here and maybe we all are here and watching and reading and wondering about the state of our art and if we fit in..
Maybe we are thinking of our for fathers and what they went through.
How did they do it?
Becuase even poe had to deal with a lack of understanding.. a lack of respect.
Why do we suffer, why do we drink, or smoke, or inject..
Why?
Why do we have this gift that seemingly has no reward?
The same reasons they did.
We are merely projecting that in which we are forced to witness.
A comentary on life that is rejected becuase it is life.
Why do we celebrate miserey?
Why do we finish a page that exudes loss, and tradgedy as if it did not, as if it was something else..
We call it relief, my friends..
We got it off our chest.
We try to entertain you by making you see how truely fu?cked up we are.
And why is it that they don't get it?
Maybe becuse they don't want to or can't identify with it.
Maybe they never lived.
Shea why do you take such a negative approach, surely you can see a light?
Maybe I can't.
I have recently made my way into the entertainment management buisss.
Let me tell you it is'nt for the faint of heart.
So much so that I now question all of the artist I admired, so innocently.
That life is not what you think it is by far.
Money, murder madness.
As my hero says, and rightfully so.
Thats what it is but he left out dishonesty, and greed, and a severe lack of compassion.
I'm going to leave it soon, due to the fact that every five min I need another shower.
I don't know about you but I have a nine to five on top of this thing I do.
And i'm required to take another persons dream and reduce it to hours, whats easiest for me to accomplish in furthering this bands dreams..in a few hours.
I don't know about you people but I would fire any one who held my life as a hobby.
So I look at us harder now, my millitant dandies.
And I wonder, just how bad do you want to be a poet?
Do you eat sleep and dream, and pray for it, does it disrrupt all aspects of your life?
It does mine.
Do you..are you able to come back from your ambition enough to enjoy life with poetry waiting?
I can't.
Ya know i quit reading the masters a long time ago.
Why, they are all dead at least 30 years now.
We are here to pick up the pieaces and we don't.
Movies keep going.
Music keeps going.
Novels keep going.
TV keeps going.
Where are the poets, bards, the imagry of a new time, its lost.
But the gift that just keeps giving is still comming and we are much like the amputeee, aching for that lost limb..
"I swear it itches, it can't be gone!!???"
But if we lose poetry than we lose feeling don't we.?
The internet is filled with would be bards, but no one is doing anything..
Is this okay with you?
later
6/27/04
Hi all its me the less than reliable scribe to this page..
I'm sorry bout not speakin at ya but i've been kept rather busy.
An update...
Well,
Theatre is completed and i'm kinda ironing out some details right now, but it will be out soon.
I'm also working on my third work "Consumption"
This one i'm finding quite draining,
its a little more personal than I like.
But true poetry must be personal I suppose.
The Amazon thing is going to hppen so you should be able to Get both Riddles and Theatre through it soon also.
I'm also getting request for an e-mail address so i will put one out in the "About us" section, and as everybody else says "I'll answer as many as I can"
hang with me though, becuase "Consumption" is quietly being previewed on this site even now...
I'm thinking I like this site better, than the other at poetrypoem, so look for me here more often.
later
6/24/02
Okay it went a little further than June 15 did'nt it?
I got my revised copy of Riddles Saturday (June 22)
so its officially available.
Booksurge, to my knowledge still has'nt ironed out its deal with Baker and Taylor so i'm not sure if Riddles is available through Barnes and Nobles.com, or Amazon.com yet.
So unfortunately your going to have to go through the publisher to get a copy.
Bookstores as well.
The price did go down from 15.99 to 12.00
so thats some good news, although I would have preffered it be knocked down to about 7.00, I know, so would you.
I'll keep you posted on when Riddles becomes easier to obtain, just bare with me I'm working hard on it.
later.
6/08/02
Well I know you guys have been waiting but trust me your wait has'nt touched mine.
After over a month of waiting, Riddles has made it through corrections.
I am going to go on record as saying that it will be available by June 15.
The first time around was over a week long in printing so I don't think it wil be done by then but if you guys apply a little preasure who knows.
The Forgotten Theatre is going to come out in October.
I will try as hard as I can to make sure this happens.
This is a long wait, but it would be longer if I went through trad publishing trust me.
As the Poet I am, unfortunately powerless to control the dates in all of this..
Please for give me.
later
5/8/02
I've been putting this off for a while now..
I did'nt really want to say to much about Layne Staley because to be honest it has'nt really sunk in that he's gone.
I know its been several weeks since his death, and the public at large seems not to care to much.
I guess we are just tired of our rock and roll stars dieing of drug over doses, its almost expected.
A DJ last night had some biting remarks about Scott's(STP) recent battles with his own addiction, and i don't know , I find the lack of compassion alarming.
Its human nature to stand on the side lines and play judge to celebritys and the life styles they lead.
But I say with out the life styles they lead, where would there celebrity be.
To often we forget that a true artist not only reflects but must describe the life they lead.
And the level of public scrutiney sky-rockets if they lie about there lives.. we crucify the insincere.
(EX, Vanillia Ice)
So when Layne sang "Whats my drug of choice? Well, what have you got? I don't go broke, and I do it a lot"
Well he was telling us about his life, which he did probably to often.
I grew into my art by listening to and reading the words of people like Layne, and Scott, and Jim, and Curt and Poe.
I was raised by damned or de-composing artist.
I do not feel like I promote excess in life to propell art.
But I do endorse sincerity in art.
(So does this make me a scavenger, a witness to the murder,
or am I just like you?)
And to often that sincerity, that path you choose consumes you.
After all you only have that muse for as long as that muse wants to be there.
I also believe that you can't be critical of a man's life, espeacially if he or she allows you to come into it, even if it is through a five minute window.
I'm not saying that an artist that lives to a ripe old age is not worthy of my adoration, no, i'm saying that there is just as many years packed into the not so greatfull dead.
How come the phrase "Well, I guess it just was his time"
Dos'nt apply to them.
Its not really tradgic to me.
If asked any of these "Too young" rock and roll stars would tell you that they did not think they would grow old, most thought they would die before they were thirty.
The average person would raise an eye-brow at that statement.
They would attempt to explain to them that life has so much more to offer,..
But to The "To young to die" Artist, its a wasted conversation.
How can you tell them that they're life has more to offer when you are not living that life?
You can not understand my friends.
Most of these stars seek out there death.
They ACTIVELY pursue it, they find something in the pursuit that comes close to meaning for them.
If you want to shoot heroin, you will become addicted to it.
Its that simple and they know it.
None of them would really say and mean "Oh I did'nt think it would happen to me."
Sid claimed he wanted to be on heroin.
Kurt said he took it to help stomach pains,
And they both were probably telling half truths, the reality of it was that they felt like they had to do it to be artist, to be the artist they wanted to be, they needed that perspective.
Jim drank because he believed a poet should drink.
All of his inspiration came from drinking poets.
Its no different than a kid who idolizes Cal Ripken, immulating Ripkens work ethic.
I don't want to spend to much more time on this because it feeds to much into my work and my own life.
I'm at a sort of cross roads between what can be a full life and what could be the life I feel i'm suppose to have.
It scares me that damn near every single person who inspired me to write has either been dead or died before they were thirty.
(In Laynes case 34)
I have said myself not to long ago, but what seems life a different life now, that I did'nt expect to see thirty.
I'm 28 now.
I guess my point is this.
Don't be so hard on those that live the life they want to live.
Even if that life will inevitably kill them it is that persons life.
I have "tried" drugs, but i have never willingly taken anything that I knew would grab me and own me.
It seemed like a pretty stupid thing to do, to willingly be addicted to something.
Which, make no mistake, if you f!@# around with heroin, you will become addicted.
I never saw an artistic advantage in shooting up anything.
I've seen what it does to people and its not cool.
There is nothing in an over dose thats sexy, there is nothing cool about watching a friends face turn blue.
Or trying to carry on a conversation with some one who just keeps falling asleep.
I do not find Heroin addicts romantic.
But thats me.
But I am continually intrigued by these talented people who know what it will do and still feel the desire to do it.
And i'll end this by asking the age old question.
"Well, Layne, after all was said and done, was it worth it? "
4/19/02
Ever wondered what it was like to be somebody else?
Pretty profound huh?
Just ya know wondered if you could walk a mile in some one elses shoes?
Ever wonder if you did?
Ever feel like the breeze on your neck might not be breeze, maybe breath?
Somebody huffing on ya ,
giggling nonsence.
I do though I wonder.
i wonder about my time, and my dealings with time, and how it effects me.
Wonder if I'm good enough, if I can live up to the life set by me.
Set by the ones I admire who are no longer here to see my life go the way it should.
The ones who can't be contacted.
Dead, death ritual.
I am a man on a path already walked my dandies.
If I could, be..
I would be you see is all locked up in our history.
We are not unique..
We are the same, and destine to be repeated.
I'm not trying to be deep here people.
Look around you..
everybody reminds you of somebody.
Why is that?
Its all built up into influences and role models and daddy, and mommy and God.
We look for originality, something new, something different.
Its not there my friends its a myth.
We play with this myth and build it into personality.
I am haunted by somebody, so are you.
A driving force without a name, or form.
An entity that has already been and failed, and wants my help, and your help, and any bodys help that will acknowledge him or her, or what ever dogs your steps.
We are vessels for past foul ups.
Believe it.
Our course is marked by anothers.
One soul.
One body.
One cause.
mines a poets who could not be a poet..
and you should guess, but hide your smile as you whisper his name.
last words.
out
4/6/02
Hi and a speacial welcome to all of you from the doors site!!
Guess what?
The Forgotten Theatre is completed and is about three months away from being available.
I have sent out some preview copies and am waiting for some feed back, but I looking at June or July for the release date.
So until then check out the preview on the poetry section and i'll be seeing ya!!
3/10/02
Well hello, how are ya, and what can I tell ya?
Something new you scream!!
I must confess that yours truely has been busy!
I have as soon as tommorrow, set into motion a plan to mass market Riddles.
I'm hearing from a lot of you that its a hard book to get, so I must fix this problem.
And as of, or rather at the earliest, you can now order Riddles hassel free from any book store you want.
The contract I have entered into will see to it.
The poetry section will be updated.
I have completed my second work, and am holding it back until I see how riddles does.
Not that i'm hoping to get rich, I just want to ensure that the people that are handeling it do the job I hired them for before Theatre hits the press.
As I said Riddles wil have those nasty mistakes corrected as well as a new cover.
I'm not satisfied with this work yet, therefore look for a newer(ER) version down the road..
Keep the emails coming!!
love hearin from you.
1/17/02
I have recently had a bit of an awakening.
I was sitiing here frustrated by a great many things.
One of which was a very vague rejection notice from a publisher that will remain nameless.
Then I got to thinking, I'm actually spending more time preparing submission letters and waiting for replys than I am living and writing.
When I started writing I'll admit, dreamed of being published.
But I was never sidetracked from the actual creative process, which was good, because I never lost inspiration, nor confidence in my newly formed voice, or my work for that matter.
You see a poet dosn't aspire to greatness, because we are never satisfied enough to declare our work finished enough to be perfect.
At least I don't. My art grows as I do, and will never stop till I have ceased to be.
So skip ahead, 10 years and I suffer from bouts of depression, doubt, and irritation, writers block, and wwf bouts with my muse, all because of Publishers.
Why?
Why do I put myself through this utter bullshit?
Take the word submission and break it down.
What does it mean for a dog to submit to another or a man?
Its exposing your self at your most vulnerable.
Here, sir here is my work, please tell me you like it, please tell me I'm not fooling myself. Please publish me.
No, I've never begged for anything in my life and I don't know how I lost track of that.
All of the artisit I have come to admire share many common qualities, but one that seems to have excaped my attention was the fact that none of them resorted to months and months of begging for respect in the art they practised, so what am I doing.
I have decided to take matters into my own hands, and doing the whole sha-bang my way, down to the stores my work will be available in.
This way I don't have to explain every phrase to people who don't share in my vision, and I will not have to deal with whether or not I am viable on a mainstream market, when I know I am not.
I was never ment for a mainstream audience, I do not project pretty imagry, therefor a shea anthony work will never see halmark shelves.
I do not need some editor in canada telling me that they would be interested in my work if I was a little better known, how does that even matter?
The literary world is only interested in the easy to adapt print to screen works. they want dead, or over exposed rock stars.
They want Presidents and Captian Kirk.
They have no interest in the integrity of Poetry or her history, or the sacrafise the artist makes in actually practising this art.
In fact I've come to find out that most publishers would'nt touch poetry with a ten foot pole.
All they want is ten books a year from a very select few.
And i'm sick of it.
I'm not a business man, never claimed to be.
I do not write submission letters very well, now I know why.
If one of you corporate publishers want my work from this point on you must take it by my guidelines.
My way.
I have regained my integrity, and in doing so consimated my relationship once agian with my muse.
I have changed my plans a bit, on what I want out of my work.
I do not neccesarily want to write for a living and be bound by the constraints of people I have nothing in common with, or to be exploited as something I am not.
I will write to keep living and to spite this modern belief that my art is infact dead.
all for now my militant dandies.
1/05/02
Poetry is a funny thing you know?
Who aspires for this life?
Its not so romantic as you might think. I thought it would be different. But then again, I am diagnosed with acute Curt Cobain Syndrum, I'm never happy with anything once I finally get it.
I don't know man, i just really thought that there would be more to all this.
I did'nt start writing poetry for the money, and thats a good thing because lets face it my militant dandies there is'nt a whole lot being dished out for poets now a days.
I don't do it for fame, lord knows that poets are legendary by excess standards not literary merit. There is always a comment in every conversation about great poets about what that poet drank, shot, smoked, or what ever. I'm no exception.
I'm not a great poet either.
But,
Whats the difference between a great poet and an addict?
One has a contract.
And I did'nt do it to get girls either.
So why do I do it?
Why do I get up at 5 every morning and scour the internet and trade rags seeking publishers and all that?
Why do I constantly have to scrubb black ink from my hands.
Why do I write every thing down that I dream about,
why do I dream about writing.
Why are the only people that inspire me dead poets?
This life I have chosen is'nt rewarding.
It allows me to talk to you and in doing so express a side of me that this world would not in any other way allow.
Poetry is a disease.
I feel like i'm living my life by standards set before I was born. Just to see how I stack up after I'm dead.
People will tell you in this racket, that the only way you will be crowned a poet, to truely hold that title is to live like your never going to die, and to suffer for it.
The whole time asking heaven what will it take, what hav'nt I already done.
They will tell you that your voice, and art will only really be born after your dead. and that sucks you see because nobody wants to die..
I don't want to die just so you people will say I had talent!
Whats the point in that.
Poetry just makes me sad, not for the content, but because it just.. its like that person you ignore, and ignore, and ignore, while looking for something speacial in all other people around you, only you can never find it, until one day you turn around and that person you chose to ignore is gone, and it hits you that, that person who you never noticed before had everything you always wanted, but now its gone and you try to find it agian, but its just gone.
So you lament, and build up this persons myth.
Makes me wanna wretch.
But hey its the age old question right?
What did Jim Morrison say.
"Why do I drink?
So I can write poetry.
Why do I drink?
So I can deal with ass-holes,
this includes myself"
yup thats why I write too
12/31/01
Welp, I'm back i'm sure you missed me.
Where have I been?
I have bee everywhere, checking in from time to time, and it appears some of you have lost interest a bit, although there are some still hangin out shaking there heads at how my dissappearence was'nt so completely unpredictable.
Anyway, While I was away and while you were too, I managed to get picked up in three anthologys.
The Still Horizon.
Under A Quick Silver Moon,
and another that remains nameless.
I'm excited about it but not contenet.
The Forgotten Theatre, the second in my trilogy is completed and I am currently looking for a home.
I will be placing some of it under my poetry section for your viewing pleasure.
I also have been quite active in this latest poetry movement.
It started about three months ago on the doors web site, where me being my usual quiet subtle self made a proposal to give up my first book Riddles of Corrosion to Bright MidNight Records if they would launch a poetry publishing branch.
Thats right my first book and what ever profits came from it to them 100% there way.
Alas I came across as insane, or crazy, or shameless. But let me tell you my militant dandies it was so much fun.
Got 100s of emails about this idea, some good some not so good, including one from Danny Sugerman the doors manager nearly blowing me off untill he saw that his inbox had blown up with the same offer I gave..
Sometimes baby its just to much fun.
Better still Russel Simmomns started a Def Poets show on HBO basically doing the same thing I wanted.
He scooped me, but hey so what same cause right?
I don't hate ya Dog, In fact I can't thank you enough.
So anyway i'll be submitting some new stuff here this year so keep comin back.
Shea
Okay heres the news, although i don't think its news to you.
We were attacked, not a surprise, like i said.
Stop mourning we waste valuable time mourning.
This is a call to arms like no other, and although i advocate anarchy, I do not want to be missinterpreted,
I call you my militant dandies for a reason.
You feel the aggression so act on it.
We can not make a change in this world unless we have the right to show our selves.
I propose we show our selves.
Now.
Look to the skys we use it, so do they.
Arm your selves, but remember you are americans.
This is a fight for freedom, make no mistake about it.
If we loose, we loose everything.
We will not loose, atomic science proves this.
So stand tall, be CYNICAL but keep it quiet for now.
I am for ever in love with neutrality.
We need to pick sides for now.
Get them before we can't...
This will be fun....
You freaky people are invited into yet another jaded, clouded
mind.
You get front row seats to a work in progress...
My hands are sweating with annticipation of just whats going to
spill out on to this screen.
Yessssss...... all of you will be my muse.
I will add daily until the full body of the Forgotten Theatre
is exposed...
Breathe in...breathe out, gonna give you what you came for.
Gonna break it out...
Shea Milton Anthony 01/01/01
01/05/01
Ahhh my militant dandies...
I see i have got some attention, and some sweet spice in
the mail.
Keep it coming, last i checked 7 of you joined this struggle,
and today 14 more inlisted.
Look its up to you how long this goes on.
It started that way and you will end it.
My pain ignites my fire and pain has become neccesary for
my theatre.
Keeep reeeaaaading,
with your help my pages will become velvet.
You will share trust in me.
Why not?
Shea Milton Anthony.
01/16/01
I see i have got your attention, and as promised it is
nessecary fuel.
Many things are forming friendly on this jaded souls horizon.
Starting with the exploitation of corperate plastic soldiers.
raises my eyebrows nightly how full of s!@# these people are.
Traitors at best. But never you my militant dandies.
You my one true love lure me back. We will give birth to new rebellion.
Its the dawn of great things.
New legends will be made, and as i
said before, you have front row seats in this drama unfolding.
Stay with me. i promise i won't dissapoint.
Shea Milton Anthony.
you have front row seats to this drama unfolding.
02/23/01
Well now it seems you guys have strayed from the path, what are you looking for something new?
Yeeeessss of course thats it we all are looking for something new huh.
Never fear though your jaded favorite has been working hard on something you can hold on to.
As i said before i have found a sucker to take up my fight and give me a plat form..
Riddles of Corrossion is due out in about a month.
check it out you won't be dissapointed i guarentee it.
So thats why i havnt added lately.
63 have ventured into the mind others have purposely ignored as they have you.
We have a reason to celebrate my millitant danies..
Yes we do, because if i can do it so can you.
Remember, to achieve power, you must first wear a horribal, terrifying mask.
8/20/01
Riddles of Corrosion was born a couple of months ago and so
far has been recieved fairly well.
Although the price at 15.99 was not looked upon fondly i was able to talk it down to 12.00.
I wanted it at about 10.00 so, since i had to settle for some where in between, i've decided to make it worth your while.
I am giving Riddles a huge face lift, i'm adding 125 pages plus some interesting little eye candy.
And of course you can still get the original five day mind
!@#$# while i'm working on it.
Keep reading
Shea Anthony
8/25/01
I was bored last night so i started surfing the web for some kind of mind fodder, something to think about while i battled my nightly fight with insomnia..
Came across a web site about satanism.
I know what your thinkig, but no i don't buy in to the whole devil worship thing never have.
but it was an interesting read.
I think it was called The ninth covenent or something like that.
It was really nothing more than a realistic view of God, and our place under him.
Very complete arguments against the bible.
They claim a sort of self worship, and as i said view religion as a colossal waste of energy and more importantly
time.
While i buy into a lot of what they are saying i still hold to the traditonal fear of God"s wrath over aligning myself with his only real adversary.
(The very phrase, God's wrath further proves they're arguement against God's imperfection)
So anyway I would advocate them if they called it something else.
Following Satan is pointless, he always loses, the very foundation of life is faith, and hope.
Lets face it the devil will never win, and why follow a loser?
Anyway just thinking me thinks..
On that note i recently got an email from one of you about my spelling, and grammer ect.
While this is helpful to me i don't think he/she got my point.
Theatre is like my studio, i try out new work here, i usually write(type) as fast as i can and try not to think to much about whether i'm spelling correctly or any of that.
It would get in the way of my creative process.
I post these works for you to see and comment on or what ever.
Mostly its to see if they will find themselves in future manuscripts.
So they are in essence rough drafts.
So be gentle with the poet why don't you!!
(Not to mention when i'm working on them, i'm also working on a pretty good buzz, so please understand the atmosphere here)
So keep reading and emailing and all of that, i really do read all my mail and sometimes your advice resounds through my theatre.
Shea Anthony
©2000 - 2008 Individual Authors of the Poetry. All rights reserved by authors.
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