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10/29/2004 Entry: "Ode to Syd Barrett -- Duggie Fields"

In my online escapades I find myself returning to find out more about "outsider" art.

In that line, I managed to "get ahold of" a BBC documentary about Syd Barrett.

I was inspired to not write, but rather edit a poem.

The "poem" below was orated by the painter Duggie Fields.

Just to bring y'all up to speed, Syd founded Pink Floyd, who, by the way, composed the alternative soundtrack to "the Wizard of Oz" and were slated to do the soundtrack to a failed "Dune" project.

Anyway, poor ole Syd sorta loses his marbles, gets kicked out of Floyd, and moves in with a young artist named Duggie Fields.

At around 35 minutes into the documentary, ole Duggie tells a little tale that I found interesting enough to painstakingly transcribe in verse. Took several minutes.

I found it interesting, because I found it so fitting and universal. Every time I play chess, or ponder whether I should go see a band, or when I write a song or a cartoon or a letter to the president, or just lie in bed, I find myself in the exact same predicament. So:

Syd's in Bed
by Duggie Fields
(somewhat sloppily edited by DCZ)

I think he spent quite a while
lying in bed
I used to be
in the next room

And... Uh...
I'd be painting
and it was kind of like
the world in between us
would sort of cease
to exist.

And
I knew
he was lying in bed
sort of thinking...

My interpretation was
that was that he was thinking that

While he laid there
he had the possibility
of doing anything
in the world.

But he chose that

The the minute
he made a choice
he was limiting
his possibilties

So he laid there
as long as he could

so he had this
limited future

(But of course,
that's a very limited
presence
when you do that

And a
very depressing one
ultimately.)