Portrait by Evan Jenkins
CAVEAT EMPTOR
A COLLECTION OF 9 POEMS BY
RORY MCBRIDE
"Caveat Emptor'' is a collection of image based poems written from the vantage point of the ex-urbanite. The poems are brought to life by McBride’s hand cut paper illustrations and the project is further complimented by a series of 16mm, 1960s style video vignettes featuring the poet and his work.
“The poems mirror my exodus from city life and discovery of the off-grid existence,” McBride reflects. “I was living in a place called Ferryville, Wisconsin with a population of less than 200. Trains and cars would pass along the water on the Great River Road at regular intervals, sending a steady American cosmology of locomotive elements into my eyes and mind. That interplay of the manmade and natural fueled everything I was writing about.”
The resulting poems oscillate between whimsy and introspection, bridging rich prose and philosophy while pioneering a new style which conjures up the sharpened sensibilities of Leonard Cohen, Jim Morrison and Allen Ginsberg.
︎︎︎ BOOK LINK
A COLLECTION OF 9 POEMS BY
RORY MCBRIDE
"Caveat Emptor'' is a collection of image based poems written from the vantage point of the ex-urbanite. The poems are brought to life by McBride’s hand cut paper illustrations and the project is further complimented by a series of 16mm, 1960s style video vignettes featuring the poet and his work.
“The poems mirror my exodus from city life and discovery of the off-grid existence,” McBride reflects. “I was living in a place called Ferryville, Wisconsin with a population of less than 200. Trains and cars would pass along the water on the Great River Road at regular intervals, sending a steady American cosmology of locomotive elements into my eyes and mind. That interplay of the manmade and natural fueled everything I was writing about.”
The resulting poems oscillate between whimsy and introspection, bridging rich prose and philosophy while pioneering a new style which conjures up the sharpened sensibilities of Leonard Cohen, Jim Morrison and Allen Ginsberg.
︎︎︎ BOOK LINK
I STUMBLED INTO THE ACE ONE NIGHT
WHERE I WITNESSED
THE JUKEBOX AS A GURGLING CREEK
THE CHATTERING BLACK AND WHITE
MINI-SKIRTED BIRDS
AS CREEK FAUNS AND NYMPHS
BLACK CLEAR COAT BIKE ENGINES
WITH MOUNTS CLAD IN LEATHER
SPAT AND SPUTTERED VIOLENT VALLEY THUNDER
THE MELLOW SCENT OF TEA AND CREAM SODAS
BLENDING WITH THE DAZED LAUGHS OF YOUTHS
CONTAINED THE POÉSIE OF A SINGULAR SWAN
IN THIS NEON FILLED CLUB OF ELECTRIC VAST
CHROME MACHINES OF HEAT AND STEAM
SHIMMERED LIKE A FOGGY MOONLIGHT RAIN
I HEARD THE CLATTER OF CERAMIC
AS THE PHASING CRACKLE
OF HICKORY EMBERS
I SAT AND WATCHED THE RHYTHMIC MOTIONS
OF HER DANCE AS SHE BECAME AT ONCE
A GREAT BOLT OF LIGHTNING
IN A RURAL SUMMER STORM
Portrait by Evan Jenkins
SONIC SMOKE
THE GAUZY SMOKE THAT
SHE DRAWS OFF THE WHITE CYLINDER
AND CHANNELS BETWEEN LIPS
AS SHE LAUGHS
IS A PARISIAN SEANCE VICTORY OF SORTS
AND I THERE TO INHALE
THE SECOND HAND GOSSAMER GREY
FOR IT IS AFTER HER THAT
I RETREAT WITH THE OLD MEN
TO A SMOKE FILLED TABAC ROTONDE
IN THE DIXIÈME
FOR A DOUBLE RED ROUND
OF THE PASTIS TOMATE
ANOTHER, ANOTHER
IN ACID HARAJUKU
AT THE SHOKU WITH THE OLD MEN
AFTER AN EVENING GLAZE RAIN
TURNS CONCRETE INTO A SOFT MIRAGE
DRINKING SUNTORY HIGH BALLS
ANOTHER, ANOTHER
ON ESSEX STREET
THE WORLD AT ODDS
VAPOUR SHOOTS OUT OF
STEEL SUBWAY GRATE
2AM DOUBLE COGNAC, ABSINTHE, BORDEAUX
THE WINTER IS WARM
ANOTHER, ANOTHER
WAS THE UNIVERSE CYCLICAL ALWAYS?
LIKE THE PLUMES OF CIRCULAR GREY?
THAT COME OUT OF THE CHIMNEY
AS I NURSE A POTBELLY STOVE
TO BOIL WATER
IN THE BACKWOOD
OF AN AMISH FARM
THE GAUZY SMOKE THAT
SHE DRAWS OFF THE WHITE CYLINDER
AND CHANNELS BETWEEN LIPS
AS SHE LAUGHS
IS A PARISIAN SEANCE VICTORY OF SORTS
AND I THERE TO INHALE
THE SECOND HAND GOSSAMER GREY
FOR IT IS AFTER HER THAT
I RETREAT WITH THE OLD MEN
TO A SMOKE FILLED TABAC ROTONDE
IN THE DIXIÈME
FOR A DOUBLE RED ROUND
OF THE PASTIS TOMATE
ANOTHER, ANOTHER
IN ACID HARAJUKU
AT THE SHOKU WITH THE OLD MEN
AFTER AN EVENING GLAZE RAIN
TURNS CONCRETE INTO A SOFT MIRAGE
DRINKING SUNTORY HIGH BALLS
ANOTHER, ANOTHER
ON ESSEX STREET
THE WORLD AT ODDS
VAPOUR SHOOTS OUT OF
STEEL SUBWAY GRATE
2AM DOUBLE COGNAC, ABSINTHE, BORDEAUX
THE WINTER IS WARM
ANOTHER, ANOTHER
WAS THE UNIVERSE CYCLICAL ALWAYS?
LIKE THE PLUMES OF CIRCULAR GREY?
THAT COME OUT OF THE CHIMNEY
AS I NURSE A POTBELLY STOVE
TO BOIL WATER
IN THE BACKWOOD
OF AN AMISH FARM
Portrait by Evan Jenkins
MIRRORS & EYES
MIRRORS AND EYES
FILL CARS OF STEEL AND GLASS
TO THE BRIM
ALL TRAIL BEHIND
THE ENGINE CAR
WHERE
THE MONTE CARLO DOUBLE CLOCK
SCREAMS AND PULSES
WHILE
HUNDREDS OF CARBON COPY VOICES
EMANATE FROM FOAMING JAWS
AND STRETCHED OUT SMILES
EXUDE
THE KIND OF DELIGHT WHICH STRAINS
AND NEVER HAS A NAME
MILLIONS OF MIRRORS
MILLIONS OF EYES
FORM AN ENDLESS AFTERIMAGE
REFRACTING AD INFINITUM
LOOK OUT!
BILLOWING SMOKE THROUGH THE NIGHT
ON A TRACKLESS COURSE TO OBLIVION
FLOATING AND JAGGED IN EVERY DIRECTION
THE MASS MOVES IN PERFECT PROCESSION
WITH ITS RED HEADLIGHTS
BARRELING FORWARD
A MAD STEAM ENGINE OF VANITY
MIRRORS AND EYES
FILL CARS OF STEEL AND GLASS
TO THE BRIM
ALL TRAIL BEHIND
THE ENGINE CAR
WHERE
THE MONTE CARLO DOUBLE CLOCK
SCREAMS AND PULSES
WHILE
HUNDREDS OF CARBON COPY VOICES
EMANATE FROM FOAMING JAWS
AND STRETCHED OUT SMILES
EXUDE
THE KIND OF DELIGHT WHICH STRAINS
AND NEVER HAS A NAME
MILLIONS OF MIRRORS
MILLIONS OF EYES
FORM AN ENDLESS AFTERIMAGE
REFRACTING AD INFINITUM
LOOK OUT!
BILLOWING SMOKE THROUGH THE NIGHT
ON A TRACKLESS COURSE TO OBLIVION
FLOATING AND JAGGED IN EVERY DIRECTION
THE MASS MOVES IN PERFECT PROCESSION
WITH ITS RED HEADLIGHTS
BARRELING FORWARD
A MAD STEAM ENGINE OF VANITY
Portrait by Evan Jenkins
READINGS ON SOUNDCLOUD
CONTACT
EMAIL: roy@rorymcbride.com
INSTAGRAM: @rorymcbrideofficial
PHONE: +1 815 980 8191