100 MEN (THE DOCUMENTARY)

Hmmm. This is a quite curious question. I wrote a book back in 2009 about this very subject, and it was more than a bit difficult to track down all of my former lovers. Many had died of AIDS - most did not want to participate in the project, and the rest were nowhere to be found.

In addition, I had not actually slept with 100 men: I only used the 100 Men I have Slept With title because I was told it would attract a wide audience. This proved to be very bad advise. The book sold very few copies, and I received more ridicule and scorn than kindness and praise. I stopped blogging for a long while, and produced no new books.

Back to reality: I can say with complete confidence that I have slept with exactly 65 men in my life. All of this sexual frenzy took place in the Windy City during my wild youth. I have lived in the City of Roses for 22 years, and I have slept with only one person. Want to talk about hot and cold? I'm the expert on the subject.

Getting back to 100 Men: I am very grateful to have inspired Paul Oremland to take my humble book to the next level, and go places I never dared to venture. I suggest you take a long peek at this most insightful documentary. It is both witty and sad, wise and clueless, but remains entertaining to the very end.

My only criticism is that I did my best to focus on both the personal and the political in my book: Watching my 39 year old lover die from complications due to AIDS in the early 1990s. Clenching my teeth whenever heartless bigots like Ronnie Reagan and Anita Bryant appeared on the TV talking about family values and how AIDS only affected homosexuals, drug addicts, and people without Christian values (big goof there).

Matthew Shepard

In addition, I wrote about Matthew Shepard (1976-1998) and his horrific ordeal at the hands of  two sadistic homophobes. And even though I would have liked to, I never got to meet Matt. I only know that a beautiful soul was robbed of his young life by two very angry and violent straight men. End of story.

But music is life, and so it reflects the lifestyles we adjust ourselves to one decade to the next. Janis said it best:

I'd like to end this essay here. See the documentary - you won't be disappointed. But never forget the book: It's always a good thing to go back to the original source :-)

Dylan Mitchell

P.S. Scroll down to the bottom of my blog if you want to take a quick peek at 100 MEN I HAVE SLEPT WITH, 2009. Amazon still carries a dusty copy or two...

Brokeback Mountain: Iconic image

POETRY: THE MAGIC OF FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE...

I know poetry. I suffered through too many creative writing classes during my youth, and quickly figured out academic poetry is too false and easy: Where are the powerful voices: Keats, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Dylan Thomas, William Carlos Williams,  Charles Bukowski, etc.

You can scan and rhyme until the sun hides its face in shame, and darkness surrounds you forever, but without an authentic voice you might as well throw away your pen (or computer). This little rant is the result of discovering how the academic world continues to reward those poets with too many degrees (and very little talent) - and ignores the powerful voices that are out there both in book form and online:

Walt Curtis, Don Kloss, David Elsey, Jon Varga, Sherry Asbury, Virginia Davis, Douglas Spangle, Guy Kettelhack, James H. Duncan, E. D. Ridgell, Dylan Mitchell (yes, I dare to include myself because I know I ONCE had an authentic voice. However, it was gradually silenced by the academic world which only allows deluded members of quite expensive "workshops" to be called a poet).

Oh, and my best poems are hidden in newspapers, zines, and my private journals which will most likely be chucked down the garbage chute when I finally escape from this crazy money hungry world. Sadly, This is the fate of some of our most gifted poets.

Appreciate the great ones while you can! Don't let the academic world (and its many bitter critics) tell you what to read: Let your heart and mind lead you in the right direction. Trust me, you won't regret it:

Jon Varga, Don Kloss, David Elsey, Walt Curtis, Sherry Asbury, Virginia Davis, Douglas Spangle, James H. Duncan, Guy Kettelhack,  E. D. Ridgell, Dylan Mitchell (saved myself for last). If you like real poetry, these are the poets to seek out and discover what the meaning of life (and death's) really all about. Just do a quick Google search. It's as simple (and profound) as that.

Oh, and stay away from the pretentious University presses: That's where the worst poetry is found. And they charge an arm and a leg big time - just adding more insult to injury. Don't let them play you for a fool.

Poem Copyright 1934 by William Carlos Williams

Rant Copyright 2018 by Dylan Mitchell

SELF-PORTRAIT W/FAVORITE SPANISH TUNE