The Recognitions

[David Payne]

> On 5/7/2011 3:59 PM, rich wrote:
> > I was alluding to the Kindly Ones and the Color of Night, both well
> > written and insightful but so over-saturated with psychopathology,
> > murder, rape and utterly humorless.
> > my point was too much of a morbid fascination in such things has a
> > small shelf-life. its all so one-sided. a novel solely featuring
> > Blicero would become pretty tiresome.
> > not sure what i'm defending here
> > i've been drawn to these types of books for so long. the tank is
> > approaching empty

Readers, friends, if you turn these pages

Put your prejudice aside,

For, really, there's nothing here that's outrageous,

Nothing sick, or bad — or contagious.

Not that I sit here glowing with pride

For my book: all you'll find is laughter:

That's all the glory my heart is after,

Seeing how sorrow eats you, defeats you.

I'd rather write about laughing than crying,

For laughter makes men human, and courageous.

- introduction to Gargantua and Pantagruel