S.O.S: Swimming in a Sea of S's until Sodden & Screaming For Salvation from Simply "Sounding Queer"
"LISP" by Sam Sax
Well, if it isn’t that time of the week yet again!
Hold onto your hats, folks, because today’s Ex/rotic Friday poem is hotter than a summer fling on Venus (the planet, not the Bananarama song, or the Tom Jones cover, or the goddess, or the razor, or whoever sang it before Bananarama actually covered it) and deeper than your last existential crisis. We’re delving into the wild, untamed world of Sam Sax, a contemporary American poet whose words are as raw and visceral as a fresh tattoo blistering under layer after layer of freshly Bepanthened cling film. Strap in, because Sax is about to take you on a ride through the twisted landscapes of queer identity, mental health, and unabashed desire.
Meet Sam Sax: The Maestro of Unfiltered Emotion
Sam Sax is not just a poet; he's a fearless voyager navigating the tempestuous seas of queer experience. Known for his unflinching exploration of queer identity, mental health struggles, and the complex labyrinthine paths of desire, Sax’s work is a masterclass in emotional honesty and vivid, gut-punching imagery.
Sax’s poetry collections, including the critically acclaimed "Madness" and "Bury It", are awash with a multitude of themes—love, trauma, addiction, recovery—each explored with a brutal honesty that leaves no stone unturned.
“Madness” (2017) is a bare exploration of mental illness, addiction, and the societal stigmas that accompany them. It’s a whirlwind tour through the chaotic corridors of the mind, where Sax's poetic voice serves as both guide and intimate confessor.
“Bury It” (2018) delves into themes of grief, survival, and queer identity, with poems that pulse with the urgency of a heartbeat after one too many coffees. It’s a collection that doesn’t just ask you to read—it demands that you feel every word. And if you let it in, you surely will.
LISP by Sam Sax there are more Ss in possession than i remembered / my name hinges on the S / is serpentine / has sibilance / is simple / six lettered / a symbol / different from its sign / sound shapes how we think about objects / the mouth shapes how sound spills out / how the speaker’s seen / a sigmatism is the homosexual mystique / my parents sought treatments / i was sent to a speech / pathologist / sixth grade / a student / she gave me exercises / i was schooled / practiced silence / syllabics / syntax / my voice sap in the high branches / my voice a spoonful of sugared semen / i licked silk when i spoke / i spilt milk when i sang / when i sang sick men tore wings from city birds / so i straightened my sound / into a masculine i / the S is derived from the semitic letter shin / meaning my swishiness is hebraic / is inherited / it’s semantic / no matter what was sacrificed / the tongued isaac / a son against the stone of my soft palate / still i slipped / my hand inside my neighbor’s / waistband & pulled back pincers / sisyphus with the sissiest lips / parseltongued assassin / sassy & passing for the poisoned sea / now when i say please / let me suck your cock / i sound straight / as the still secondhand / on a dead watch.
Sax's words slither and strike, each line a coiled spring of tension and release built around the implied & nuanced softness of the letter S. The poem is a symphony of sibilants, a dance of tongues and identities, blending the personal with the profound in a way that only Sax can. The poem speaks of the common thread of queer experience that revolves around hiding, or suppression of the queer self in some way, as a self-preservation technique. Hiding our soft-spoken nature can protect us, but in the long run, I suppose, we all have to do the work to find our way back to ourselves ultimately. And sometimes we become the very person that is an amalgamation of both the masks we used to hide and the masks we longed to show.
Beyond his poetry, Sax is a dedicated educator and activist, tirelessly working to amplify queer and marginalised voices in poetry. He has taught creative writing at numerous institutions, inspiring a new generation of poets to dig deep into their own identities and experiences. Through his activism and art, Sax challenges societal stigmas and celebrates the resilience and power of the queer community.
Must-Reads: Sax’s Essential Works
Do yourself a favour and slide headfirst into Sam Sax’s wondrous back catalogue (and prepare yourself ahead of his upcoming novel):
"All the Rage" (2016)
"Madness" (2017)
"Bury It" (2018)
"A Guide to Undressing Your Monsters" (2020)
"Pig: Poems" (2023)
And mark your calendars for his forthcoming novel:
"Yr Dead" (15 Aug 2024)
The Sax Experience
Reading Sam Sax is like dancing barefoot on hot coals, each step a thrilling, painful reminder of your own humanity. His poetry doesn’t just speak—it sings, screams, and seduces, pulling you into its chaotic embrace and refusing to let go. If you haven't yet experienced the electric brilliance of Sax's work, now is the time to start.
So, grab a copy of “Madness”, get cozy with “Bury It”, and let Sam Sax's words ignite your Friday with passion, chaos, and unrelenting truth.
Now, let's get wild, let's get poetic, and let’s dive into the collapsing heart of another fucking weekend. Happy Ex/rotic Friday, darlings!
Fuel some more chaotic poetry & assure a steady stream of nonsense into your inbox, click the button below to keep those cogs turning. Well, something is clicking… not necessarily turning, but it’s something! The noise is reassuring and unsettling in. equal measure. I like that something is clearly happening somewhere, but also I thought I was meant to be in here on my own, so what or who exactly is making that sound? Maybe I imagined the sound? Maybe I created the sound and forgot? Anyway… where was I?