Many thanks from a republican who respects one King

[Rob Van Vlierden]

Dear mister King,
On a beach of Koh Thao ( a small and beautifull island in Thailand) i bought a thumbed copy of Everything’s eventual from an old vendor (but he did not look as old as this edition of your wonderfull book, wish i also knew the story of this copy, how many readers did it have, where has it been,… ).
In the introduction you wrote that I, the reader, can let you know what i think of these 14 tales. English is not my motherlanguage (i am from Belgian, from the north where people speak Flemish which is very close to Dutch) Guess i could understand about 80% of your writing and that was much more worth to me than many Flemish books which i can understand for 100%.
I am a republican, that is: i do not like kings. You are the first and probably the last exception (we still have a king in Belgium, 6th generation. The second one, king Leopold 2, killed millions in Congo when this was still his private property; king Leopold 3 collaborated with the Nazis, his son, Boudewijn was involved- together with the CIA, in the killing of Lumumba. Now his brother, Albert 2, is in power, he is not doing too much harm except for ****ing around a lot when he was young. But at least he did not rape any women. As far as we know).
You wrote in your introduction that poetry is not a lost art. Glad to read that cause i am a poet. In Thailand i wrote an English one: for 3 young ladies, working as a waitress in a cafe. They did not only serve a damned fine cup of coffee (as this guy was saying in David Lynch’s Twins Peak) but they told me also a lot about their life. Though they were laughing a lot, (as Darlene in that beautifull story ‘Lucky Quarter’, my favorite in your book) their life was hard: working 14 hours a day, 7 days a week (only one holyday a month, unpaid that is) for about 200 dollar if they are Lucky with tips,…They asked me what i do. Told them i am a poet to impress them (though i do not even earn 200 dollars a year with my poems, i make a living as a social worker and i am not complaining) Than they asked me if i could write a poem for them. So i had another damned fine coffee and this is what i wrote- in less than 5 minutes- it was just waiting in my hearth to be written:

For Pem, Gi-Gi and Na
Have a coffee in the Veranda Cafe
You’ ll get a smile, sugar and cream.
Look in her eyes and read her dream.
Dark is her skin, her mind is strong.
Same, same the coffee she brings along.
Coffee and sugar. Coffee and cream.
Look in her eyes and read her dream.

I hope these ladies enjoyed my poem for a few minutes. I sure enjoyed your 14 dark tales for many hours and i thank you for that.
Kind regards,
Rob Van Vlierden, a Belgian republican who respects one King J

[Lily Sawyer]

Hi, Rob - welcome to the Board. I think you'll find a lot of interesting folks here, none of whom have killed 3 million in Africa, some of whom are poets like yourself, and all of whom share your fondness for Mr. King. (Excluded are the trolls who discovered that all the profits generated by Mr. King's essay on guns in the U.S. go to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. They got their bowels in an uproar by his opinions, came here with the express purpose of using the website as a toilet...and then left. The good news is we've survived.)

Do you live in Thailand?

[GNTLGNT]

using the website as a toilet...and then left. The good news is we've survived.)

...but laws a'mighty...the tomato juice we've had to use to quell the stench!.....

[CCAL]

That was a lovely poem-ty! I love to see when someone cares to share their thoughts. Republican or democrat or whatever hat you wear, if you enjoy King you have found a place to come to and rub elbows with fellow constant readers. I love it when that happens! Read on!