The Pub of Transience
A Collection of Poems and Haikus
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Here is an excerpt from "The Pub of Transience", the title poem of this collection:
Pull up a stool At the pub of transience And rest your weary soul. Recharge your intelligence With a cup of candor. Resolve your self-worth With a pint of tolerance. Indulge in a mug of levity Because taking yourself too seriously Is just another addiction. Entrust the barkeep To pour you a shot Of her best caricature— But don’t react too harshly If it doesn’t suit your tastes. After all, one woman’s poison Is another woman’s ambrosia. To some, this is a house of worship, While others call it a den of miscreancy. Depending upon your Viewpoint Preference Inebriation, It can be either, neither, or both. Just as it’s her right To create as she sees fit, It’s not hers to force you to imbibe; And just as it’s your right Not to accept her endeavour, It’s not yours to react violently. The pub of transience Is just that: A public place shared By those who cross the threshold For only a short period of time. It’s best to partake judiciously, Share accordingly, Listen tolerantly, Banter gracefully, React graciously, Understand rationally, Mingle curiously All without demanding of others Their acceptance of your dogma. Leave the pub as neat As possible for those who Come after you because, Don’t forget, you are more ephemeral Than is the pub of transience.
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About the Book
The world we live in is like your local pub – a place for the varied people who populate the surrounding area to hang out, have a drink, and get along, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, whatever the difference. Our culture has become quick to demand respect but reticent to give it. It’s a vicious circle. And the brief time that we all spend here is the transience because our time here is fleeting, at least in the totality of it all. We should spend our brief time here loving others, respecting each other, cherishing the beauty all around us, challenging ourselves, and reflecting upon our mistakes, our past, and our actions. The Pub of Transience is a collection of poems from writer G Damala. The poem topics are varied, ranging from self-reflection (“I Myself”) to privilege (“Entitlement”) to erotic arousal (“The Grain of Sand”) to a stellar metaphor for love (“Love Is a Binary Star System”). Damala takes on a trip with him to Sin City (“Las Vegas”), through lust and yearning (“The First of Forever”), on a crazy bus ride through Europe (“The Morning Bus”), and to your local library (“Public Libraries”). Damala also muses on the good and bad in relationships, he tries to seek advice in the bottom of pints of stout, and speaks about the various aspects of patriotism and politics. Then there is the title poem, “The Pub of Transience”, a plea that we all should heed in this day and age – to treat our planet and fellow humans with respect, love, and dignity. There is sarcasm, satire, and acerbic humor intertwined with pain, anger, despair, and longing ensconced next to cleverness, wit, charm, and inquisitiveness. Damala caps off this eclectic piece of work with a collection of haikus. These are witty, seductive, playful, tantalizing, relative, and utterly fun. There are lessons to be found here, as well, some of it indirect and some of it unmistakably transparent. With a poem to suit your mood, a haiku to enhance your viewpoint, or an observation to challenge your biases both overt and covert, The Pub of Transience is a collection of modern verse to put in your pocket for reading anywhere on this rotating pub of transience.
About the Author
G Damala has been writing since he was 6 years old, when he wrote a short story about aliens and UFOs. He went on in middle and high school to write short stories, song lyrics, daily observations, and poems. He continued writing stories and poems in college and was never disappointed when he had to write an essay or term paper for class (okay, maybe he was just a little bit irritated about it sometimes). He lived in North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Colorado, and California through most of the 1990s before traveling abroad in 1998 and staying there for most of the next decade. The majority of that time was spent in South Korea, but he did spend time living in Singapore, Hungary, and China. In those countries, he worked as an English teacher, Director of Academics, and School Director for various private English-language academies. While living in those places, Damala constantly wrote. His life was in constant turmoil for various reasons and, often, his solace was writing. His writing is almost always based on experiences from his life, specifically his life, loves, trials, and tribulations while being abroad. He writes of failed relationships and friendships and of decisions gone horribly wrong. He jots down thoughts on society, humanity, poverty, and the dichotomy of living life abroad and being conflicted about being an American. Often, he injects humor into his writing, but it's not always so overt. Damala's goal now is the same as when he was younger: write out the stories in his head. For this reason, he always a pen nearby in case he has an idea for a poem or story and needs to write something down. It is also for this reason that he has never stopped trying to achieve his goal of writing for a living, even though there have been times when the goal was placed on the backburner for various reasons. Damala and his wife split their time between living in Seoul and in Los Angeles. They are both teachers, though Damala's wife has plans to own her own business sometime soon.