I guess it makes sense
that my only male cousin
would be the one who would introduce me
into the wonderful magical world of Moorcock.

Michael Moorcock is a fantasy author
and my older cousin Dan
told me all about his stories
with twisted characters like Elric and Corum
and Jerry Cornelius and the Eternal Champion and Jesus.
Dan also showed me strobe lights and Elton John.
It was the early eighties; a wild time.

I looked up to the guy
and I learned a lot
without understanding much of anything.
I appreciated the high fantasies
about the cosmic balance
and the ever-reincarnating hero
always returning with a thousand faces
to forever fight
if not constantly for good.

The themes stuck with me.
The literature fed me.
The music, eventually, too.

I even got a strobe light.

Thank you, Dan,
for showing me all about Moorcock.
I had to find Phil Dick
altogether on my own.