Uploaded August 2013 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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There's only one way to apologise to a poet.
Transcript, info & links below.

For those who don't know him, David Randall Curtis is your next favourite thing. You can find him here: youtube.com/user/DavidRandallCurtis

The music in this video comes from the excellent (and self-taught!):
youtube.com/user/NAUDORDS

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN BLUES by Naudo Rodrigues
youtube.com/watch?v=t6yjyT-rHSs

Briefly, David put out a video 2 months ago, selling off the last copies of his book, 5 HOURS IN THE DARK. I got in touch with him and promised to buy a copy. I just needed to wait a week or so until I had the cash to spare. A lot happened in that week. Most of it would fit nicely into a Neil Simon play, or a nursery rhyme about horses, nails and kingdoms.
In other words, life doesn't have to try very hard to bamboozle me, and I'm often singularly incapable of un-boozling the bams. One day I'll figure out why. I just have a dread feeling that it will be my last, and my final sounds will be "Aha!" and "Doh!"

David's book video:
DRC poetry book 5 HOURS IN THE DARK
youtube.com/watch?v=JPuZPK0yqug


I'm sorry, David Randall Curtis
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I made you a promise I never kept
but it has been something that
turned around in my head as I slept
dreaming of failure
and regret.
I'm sorry, David Randall Curtis

I promised you I'd buy your book
oh, to have that book
would be like
a kiss from Gordon Ramsey
to a cook
I'm sorry, David Randall Curtis

I promised you enough for a fix
and all I delivered was another
dollop of life's hard licks
I left you dry
but unfortunately not high
know I didn't do this for kicks
I am sorry, David Randall Curtis

I won't bore you with the facts
explaining away my negligence
with a deficit of tact
I am just disordered
in the way that I act

So I'm sorry, David Randall Curtis
for trust betrayed
by payment delayed
drinks undrunk and
joints unmade

And if you're sold out
well, that's my look out
I'll still proceed as previously agreed
if only to put my own conscience at ease
but for the sweet love of Jesus
don't waste it on things that you actually need
or you'll be the sorry one,
David Randall Curtis