Prologue
I remember when I truly came to understand what madness is. It was the day I spun my favorite record of all time, that 47-minute and 3 second trip I took down Abbey Road—when I knew exactly what I wanted in life.
My desire was to create, express, and be understood, and for others to have that freedom as well, to tell of their experience and to be taken seriously. I believe—for good or for ill, interesting or dull—each living soul has a tale to be told.
It wasn’t until a few years ago, at the age of thirty-six, I had only just discovered The Beatles for myself. Sure, I’d heard their music, but the words themselves—how they were selected and strung together and sung— there was power and meaning there. I was overwhelmingly inspired.
Ever a lover of poetry, the likes of masters of words, Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde, moved me in certain, almost spiritual ways. However, when I fully digested the poetry of John Lennon, his lines led me up to the heights of love—and beyond.
I was ecstatic—obsessed by his ability to craft a small collection of words into a concentrated thought, idea, or emotion, that illustrated for all the world’s people what was transpiring inside their own hearts and minds.
Admittedly, prior to this experience, I just hadn’t gotten it. The lyrics claim, “All you need is love.” Now, it has become apparent to me that love isn’t about simply having someone in my life to whom I may exclusively relate; instead, it’s realizing that loving writing is all I need. Everything else comes second—which is what led me to write my first book…
Euphoric Wonderland: An Eclectic Collection of Psychedelic Poetry to Stimulate the Senses and Open the Mind—which is precisely what I’m about to do for you right now.
