Can you go through the step-by-step process of writing this poem from the moment the idea was first conceived in your brain until final form? Originally, Good Morning to Everyone Except Men Who Name Their Dogs Zeus was strictly about Zeus and his violent and duplicitous sexual escapades. I hate how Zeus is portrayed as this charming womanizer when he is a serial rapist. I set out to call a spade a spade. But I realized I couldn’t do that successfully without involving my own experiences.
Click on the link below to read “9 Instances Where Zeus Acted Creepy”
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/9-instances-zeus-acted-totally-creepy
Then came the challenge of writing about my experiences with sexual assault. Before this book, I think the only people who knew about my rape was my therapist and my wife. Every time I sat down to write about it, I would get blocked. Finally, I decided to directly address that block and write about how I couldn’t write about it.
That’s how “I Can’t Talk About It” came to be. It’s one of the most important poems in the book, and I read it for every performance of Zeus that I do.
Click to hear Lannie Stabile read some of her Zeus poems and writing about her rape including “I Can’t Talk About It” on WEDNESDAY NIGHT SESSIONS
Where were you when you started to actually write the poem? And please describe the place in great detail. I wish I could tell you, but to be completely honest, I don’t even remember writing the poem. This has happened a few times. I come across a piece of mine, and I’m like, “You’re telling me I wrote this???” Dissociation is amazing.
What month and year did you start writing this poem? I cannot remember the exact month, but I know this was written in 2018 because I submitted it to a lit mag, it was picked up immediately, then published shortly after that.
Were there any lines in any of your rough drafts of this poem that were not in the final version? And can you share them with us? The line “I swallowed his apology and his three paintings of a single taupe flower” did make the final cut, but it was on the chopping block for a long time. It’s a very personal line, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to include it. In the end, I decided, if this asshole ever picks up my book and reads that line, I want him to know I haven’t forgiven him.
What do you want readers of this poem to take from this poem? If you are a survivor: Healing takes a lifetime, but it does get easier.
If you are an ally: Please call out your friends who say and do dumb shit.
If you are a man who named his dog Zeus: Grow up.
If you are a dog named Zeus: I still love you; you’ve done nothing wrong.
Click to view the website of Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
Which part of the poem was the most emotional of you to write and why? This entire poem tore me apart to write. And it tears me apart every time I read it aloud. It’s the first time I ever sat down to write about my sexual assault, instead of someone else’s. It was hard. I had no idea where to start, so I literally wrote the words, “I can’t talk about it.” And, slowly, I started talking about it.
Has this poem been published? And if so where? Yes! It was published in 2018 in Cauldron Anthology. Unfortunately, I think the poem has been archived.
Click on the below link to visit Lannie Stabile’s website.
Most of the BACKSTORY OF THE POEM links can be found at the very end of the below feature:
http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2021/02/will-justice-drakes-intercession-is-251.html