Aftermath

by Craig Davidson

Half are prepared for the aftermath of a relationship ending. They have planned it, foreseen it, welcomed it even, and thus can move on. The other half were not as fortunate. They were not warned or prepared. At least not adequately. So they stumble now as they stumbled then. And they don't really move on at all. They have nothing to move on to after all. Rather they go backwards. The old days and the old ways are forever played out. In an endless loop. And so even though the previous part was supposed to be the last part, here's some more poetry. And some more prose to explain the poetry. Of course. With what else can I comprehend these strange events, these peculiar dreams and these odd happenings. By what other means can I prevent these persistent memories, these imagined conversations and these warped ideas from piling up inside my head. I guess I am still looking for the answer to such a question.

I don't write this for anyone else. Not anymore. I write all this for myself and myself alone. I appreciate how few if any will read this. And how few even if they knew of these scribbling's would even want to wade through this. I know all too well the limit of my reach. That tide recedes with every new day. Nobody who sees this needs this, nobody who needs this believes this. Yet here it is. Something to remember me by. Give me that at least.

"The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth." Jean Cocteau

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2017

About the author

Craig Davidson is a Canadian author of short stories and novels, who has published work under both his own name and the pen names Patrick Lestewka and Nick Cutter

Born in Toronto, Ontario, he was raised in Calgary and St. Catharines.

His first short story collection, Rust and Bone, was published in September 2005 by Penguin Books Canada, and was a finalist for the 2006 Danuta Gleed Literary Award. Stories in Rust and Bone have also been adapted into a play by Australian playwright Caleb Lewis and a film by French director Jacques Audiard.

Davidson also released a novel in 2007 named The Fighter. During the course of his research of the novel, Davidson went on a 16-week steroid cycle. To promote the release of the novel, Davidson participated in a fully sanctioned boxing match against Toronto poet Michael Knox at Florida Jack's Boxing Gym; for the novel's subsequent release in the United States, he organized a similar promotional boxing match against Jonathan Ames. Davidson lost both matches.

His 2013 novel Cataract City was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2013 Scotiabank Giller Prize.