i’d rather you lied

i’d rather you lied
Selected Poems 1980-1998
Billy Childish

Billy Childish is probably the most prolific artists of his generation. Not only is he an accomplished artist and musician, this book of poetry was dran from over thirty volumes including two previously unpublished editions.
His style of poetry is considered raw and seething. He had dropped out of school at 16 years old, and was proud that he had lived on the government dole for 12 years writing and creating woodcarvings and drawings. Ultimately, during this time, music was the dominant style of Childish’s artistic expression. He released more than 100 full length albums he recorded independently with The Poprivets, The Mighty Ceasars, and The Milkshakes. After this period, Childish was diagnosed as dyslexic and his previous troubles in several art schools became clear.
His dyslexia turned out to be a blessing for his poetry as the random, unintentional found language it produced became one of his trademarks. “Wild” Billy Childish writes in what is considered the confessional / amateur style of poetry. He has written openly and explicitly about his love-life, childhood sexual abuse, and troubled relationship with his father.
His poem titled, “my father aged 5” begins;
i ran in there
kicked the door back
n grabbed him
round the throat
i got him over the
sink n then banged
his head aganst the
bottle rack
This is just a small example of the seething honesty he brings to all his art. I have loved Billy Childish’s music for several years and was surprised to find his poetry at Woodland Pattern as I didn’t even know he wrote! Great book, great artist, I highly recommend this to all.