GENE BANYARD. A 31 year old who resides in Wellington and holds a BA in Theatre and Film Studies. A poet who is cautiously entering the arena of prose. An actor, whose greatest influence is Antonin Artaud. A visionary who tends to look at the darker aspects of human nature and relationships. An artist who wants to give up his day job. A person who is happy to be alive.


Aquarium

Let’s see.

Showered, accessorized, identity configured and suitably desensitized.
Belongings in place with everything to make me feel nice.
Music loud, room clean. messages checked, everything is green, everything is five
but what is wrong?

Down the street, headphones on, cap down,
having a smoke, chewing gum, looking cool,
eye you up or not even twice
but why don’t i feel, nice?

Another shift, it went OK, well that’s what I’ll keep telling myself anyway it’s time to go...the night, the city, the street, the alley, the queue, the club, the light, the fight, the might, the sound, the rub, the hub-a-bub, I’m far too drunk, I can't seem to... I don’t... black... curtains... footfall... girls... cigarette holes... fists and highlights... pools... concrete... blood...carpet... bed... death in the morning cold grey dawn devoid of meaning with no care for my shattered frame... I wish

A symbolic motion to poison the animals.
The grope in the blind darkness for meaningless comfort.
An environment of swill and plenty.
I have been rendered functionally invisible to the level of practical decoration.
A harmless figurine to serve their pointless exercise.
We, the prisoners of the glass, servants to the liquid, fish in the aquarium.

Let’s see?