Gorilla Head
Mad Men/Strong Pulls

Kofi Fosu Forson


The strongest of men are those who tug at and pull!

In essence they are driven by gravity in its most grave circumstances. This can be found somehow in the lives of artists and politicians. History reminds us of names like Mussolini and Van Gogh.

Madness is an art within itself. There is however a stigma. An acquaintance was quoted as saying, “Artists aren’t always mad.” But they are. Some attract the attention of beautiful women. Jessica Lange, the Hollywood actress, is known for attracting brilliant mad men.

Is there a correlation between madness and brilliance? As with everything, talent need be cultivated. A research on Charles Bukowski caused me to describe him as a gorilla walking the streets of Los Angeles. It inspired my poem “Gorilla Head.” In which I said...

“Women form like butterflies around gorilla heads lingering hot panties.”

The head of a gorilla therefore signifies the image of an artist as a mad man. As with madness, mania and despondency are the two polar points which define the persona. Given the evolution of a person, the artist is bound to border magnificence as in music, fine art and literature.

How then do women appreciate or not the presence of the artist as a mad man? It is best qualified as an understanding of love, from which we derive lust, sex and existence. The artist knows love. The artist as a mad man exists in love. He benefits as he finds love in his art, self-image and the female.

Mad men as artists are possessed. They are possessed by themselves, spiritually and sexually. For some they need to find an understanding of this possession. The only resolve is to continuously feed their angst for sex. Others, through chastity, prolong the intensity and craving for sex.

In order for most humans to reach the celebrated pinnacle of ecstasy, they need to define for themselves the meaning of love and the acceptance of a higher power. Meaning we are governed by one spirit.

The artist is possessed by a thousand more.