The Fiddlehead mourns the loss of Richard (RM) Vaughan and are grateful for his words, which we’ve been privileged to publish over the years. We’re thinking of the way in which both his words and his person helped pave the way for other queer writers. In tribute, we share this excerpt from “Mr. Love Ruined My Life,” from our 2020 summer issue. We hope this brings some light to his friends and family.
A memorial fund has been set up at UNB if you wish to make a donation.
darling buds, each of us
(you can only shrug you can only nod)
once we had days
now in our Decembers, blasts and antitheses
(it all comes back it all goes away)
the midsection, waxy and greenish draws the eye
a lampshade, a mango, a slow leaking wet
balloon, a barge jumpy with hay bales, an amaryllis bulb
on a plinth
keep going, go on
snowglobe mason jar beer stein pumpkin
laundry basket stuffed sack pillow jam jar
"dying can of commodity meat" *thank you Hasil Adkins
wheelbarrow paperweight porpoise business end
of a tuba rubber mallet lucky buddha belly swallowed dead twin
only legs and skull tumour, tumour, viscous bass drum
each darling once buds
(our days are shrugs, only
I was part of something) now many
things are part of me
For those who would like to contribute, the University of New Brunswick has established the RM Vaughan Memorial Fund.
Tributes to Richard:
Coach House: https://chbooks.com/Blog/RIP-RM-Vaughan
Nathaniel Moore, Toronto Star: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2020/10/24/writer-rm-vaughan-lived-with-me-during-covid-19-before-he-died-we-were-friends-confidantes-collaborators.html
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