Usually, I do not like author's notes, especially in books of poetry. I feel that they interrupt the flow of the book, and distract the reader from the poetry. However, in this case, I felt it necessary to include an explanation of the next poem, so I breached my establish style and here we are. It is not the only breach in relation to this poem. I hope this author's note will serve as a warning and an explanation of the poem.
If You Do Not Read Anything Else On This Page, At Least Read This: Warning - The Next Poem Contains Content Which May Make Some Readers Extremely Uncomfortable.
First: The Explanation of the Change of Style
If you have read the first few poems in this book, you may have realised that none of them are written in first person. This is another style choice; I find that using first person frequently adds an element of self-conciousness which is distracting. But this poem had to be written in first person in order to convey the feelings which I hope to illustrate.
Second: The Explanation of the Content
*Note: The following section contains spoilers of the poem. If you wish, you may read the poem now and come back to this if you feel you require an explanation.*
This poem was not written because I condone the actions described and implied in the poem. They are simply the medium I use to convey the ideas and feelings behind the poem. It is not my desire to offend anyone in writing this poem, and although I realise that it contains content that readers may find disturbing, I stand by what I have written. It is, if I may say so, a good poem.
This poem is meant to be disturbing, and if I have succeeded, it will allow the reader to feel not only the feelings of the narrator, but the feelings of the subject as well.
Finally, I hope that the following quote will serve as a fitting conclusion to this author's note:
"The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium." -Oscar Wilde
