It has been quite some time since I Googled my name & poetry (Robert J. Sadler poetry). In fact I cannot remember the last time.
Imagine my surprise to find that there were 5,440,000 results achieved in only .58 seconds. First, yes, I was surprised at how many results were actually about me, my poetry, my novels, etc. Secondly, I was surprised how many results for other ‘Robert J. Sadler’s’ and ‘Sadler’s who are or have been poets. There were also several of these Sadler’s whose mention was an obituary.
A quick pinch-check revealed, yes, I am (this Robert J. Sadler) very much alive. There were twenty or so results mentioning me, my poetry, my novels, or my art before the algorithm snuck in “Mid Century Oil Painting by Robert J Sadler Original Art” for sale on Etsy. Not me, not my painting. Farther down the line I found “Poetic License #4121964 Opus II for sale on a site called “fishpond.com.au" in Australia offering to sell my book for $47.95 (their price) when the list price on amazon.com is $17.00--who will print it in the US on demand and ship the book. Does that mean that the postage to send the book to Australia would be $30.75? I don’t know, however I do believe that Australia does have it’s own Amazon fulfillment printers, which would ship the book at local rates.
Then there was the “Robert Sadler Poem” “The following poem was read out at the unveiling of the plaque to Robert Sadler in Garrett Lane on September 16th 2017. It is by local Tooting poet, John Byrne. Tooting, England. (Grin, not me). You can Google it if you wish to read Byrne's poem.
In Baltimore Robert C. Sadler passed on April 9, 2010, father of among others a son Robert J. Sadler (not me, not my father).
There was the obituary for Robert J. Sadler, 89 of Marysville PA on September 24, 2017. (Not me.)
Then there were results for Californian, Dr. Lynn Veach Sadler’s who had written 40 plays, 8 poetry chapbooks, 4 full-length poetry collections, and 100+ short stories. (No relation).
Then for some reason, the algorithm inserted an URL for poet T.S. Eliot, in which I am mentioned no where—although I did write a rather spritely takedown poem titled: “The Upbraiding of T.S. Eliot”.
T.S. Eliot wrote, in 1915, his poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, thirty-two years before he won the Pulitzer Prize. Here are the excerpted lines in question for which I upbraided Mr. Eliot in absentia.”
“… do I part my hair behind, do I dare to eat a peach
I shall wear white flannel trousers and walk upon the beach
I have heard the mermaids singing each to each
I do not think they will sing to me.”
And here is the poem I wrote in response to having heard the recorded voice of Mr. T.S. Eliot read his poem, in particular the above four lines.
The Upbraiding of Thomas Sterns Eliot
in fond remembrance of the
Carlton InterContinental Canne
in so succinct a fashion statement
as a cloth coat can imbue
on a sunsplashed day⎯she turned
to display
the inner workings it contained
to the world
holding open
its [on her] pendulous folds
to enhance the view
of beachcombers
who might have tired
of looking out to sea
to the dismay
of the now turning heads
she turned⎯focusing the
magnet of her luminous skin
on the room’s interior of which
I was no more
than incumbent furniture
and yet⎯she sought the reaction
that mere rigid furniture could not
give
and got it
it takes no soliloquy Thomas Sterns
whether or not to wear flannel pants
out to the beach
nor moral courage
to eat of the peach
nor vainly posit for whom mermaids
sing is not you⎯for T.S. you’ve not
convinced me that of them
you’ve seen
much less heard
now if you’d seen
a naked temptress of the deep
wearing a virgin wool overcoat
on the balcony of the George V
if you’d dropped your peach
and your white flannel pants
and made love to her
I would have believed you worthy
of your Pulitzer Prize.
©rjs 1/2003 Robert J. Sadler
Poetic Lic. #4121964 Vol 8, Chpt 8,
“After What A Cold Front Feels Like”
Poetic License $4121964 Opus III,
pages 38-39
Enough sanctimony.
I could go on with other surprises of entries mentioning me or someone with the same, first, middle, or last name as mine. But you get the point, I hope. Which is, if you go searching for me as Robert J Sadler or Robert J. Sadler you are likely to also find a number of other Sadler’s who also are or have been creative writers.
I feel I am in good company, surname-wise.
P.S. If you haven't Googled your own name in a while, do so. It might slake your curiosity.