Now unavailable on Instaflam:
https://www.instagram.com/johntottenham/
… Put it out there and watch nothing happen.
April 9, 2018
Soar Into a Rosy Zone of Contemplation
March 23, 2016
Golden Waters
Instead of doing my own work,
I took a long hard look
at somebody else’s work,
in the hope of being pleasantly relieved
by how bad it was.
But, much as I tried to deny it,
it was undeniably good.
And it pours out of him
like a gusher from a golden fountain
that never stops flowing.
Compared to this strained trickle
from a blocked and rusty faucet.
I take consolation
in how much it has cost me,
as if that might somehow redeem it.
Which, of course, it doesn’t.
But I don’t have much else
to take consolation in.
July 2, 2015
Morbidly Wistful Melancholy
On Raymond Pettibon 
http://artillerymag.com/tottenham-corner-raymond-pettibon/
December 12, 2014
Zouch review
“Extending Larkin-esque British miserablism
to new comic depths”
http://zouchmagazine.com/poetry-review-four-two/
April 22, 2014
The Indifferent Sublime
Immerse yourself in sorrow, rake over pain.
Let the novelty of feeling something
wash through you in purifying waves
again and again. But kindness is unnerving,
tenderness hurts, and empathy
can be an excruciating form of martyrdom.
At the end of the day – when all is unsaid
and undone – you’re better off numb.
April 5, 2014
Let me grace you with my absence…
If you feel up to celebrating National Poetry Month, I will be offering poetic solace and stimulation at the Redondo Beach Public Library. Monday April 14th, 6.30pm. 303 N.Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
January 9, 2014
Let me Ruin your Night
I will be ‘appearing’ as part of this bill in aid of a most worthy cause: ‘An Exquisite Salon for the Benefit of Making HM157 Legal’ at the fabled historic monument/ performance space. 3110 N.Broadway in Lincoln Heights. Saturday night, Jan 18th.
September 9, 2013
All Down the Line
Passing the various stations,
the vicarious stations,
watching the other passengers get off,
without baggage, at the earliest stop –
once they feel they’ve done their time,
but wanting credit for riding it to the end of the line.
For at the terminal, what awaits?
Just a faded ticket, out of date.
June 10, 2013
Woodshedding
Grooming myself for a career in failure,
I studied with masters.
Then I realized: they were successful.
For how would they otherwise be known?
There is a difference between the failures
of the successful and the failure of true failures.
A matter of sliding scale:
The failures of the successful are celebrated,
broadcast far and wide;
while the failures of failures are obscure,
buried with them when they die.
John Tottenham 