I am not changing.
This is who I am.
I lack patience and tolerance.
I do not suffer Fools.
The older I get, the more I desire solitude.
The Acceptance
Complaining
I walk to the coffee shop under the darkness of a sky, getting lighter to show the sad expressions of the downtrodden bums seeking change and sustenance, and still, I complain about the less than perfect world.
Later, with coffee in hand my voice mumbles some destain about some perceived injustice or complaint about something and the mentality ill women with the the incredibly bad haircut yells at me to “fuck off” from across the street and I return the greeting and then in the early morning light the absurdity of it all hits me…
I have little to complain about. I should just shut the fuck up and enjoy the ride! Yeah, like that’s going to happen.
Like the rest of humanity, I like complaining.
The Right Choice
There is no right choice.
No matter which way you go…
Shite.
Once you understand that, then maybe you can choose with more silence.
The Major Benefits of Spending Quality Time with the Cruel and Selfish
Once you escape.
Create a safe distance.
Enter therapy!
Heal…
And try again.
If fortune shines your way.
You find someone who is kind and loving.
Only then will you realize that a younger version of you made that choice.
Ancients Song
The Ancients started singing.
In an unfamiliar key.
The Stoners started dancing.
And staring at just me.
The Republicans they were drowning.
Outside the Democratic waves.
The Angel’s started humming.
Just some notes from Jesus’ saves.
A voice spoke said, “You’re dreaming.”
I screamed, “Please go away.”
They kept shaking in the evening.
Through the night and brand new day.
Now, the Ancients are together.
They are smiling like they knew.
Like they’ve known about forever.
And a different shade of blue.
They spoke, “Just keep on going.”
And I drifted deep in song.
Until I woke to someone crying.
I guess I had been away too long.
TAXI (1965) Written by my mother presumably about my father.
A rich man drives a taxi.
A poor man drives a Ford.
But my old man
Goes down the street
With four wheels on a board.
MARGARET MANTIN
The Intergenerational Transmission of Family Disfunction.
I have a rule at home that goes something like this. I don’t care what you tell them out there in the world, but here at home; you tell me the truth.
If I find out that I’ve been lied to, then I usually react in a frothy emotional outburst.
I have noticed that my reactions have neither slowed down the rate of the lies or changed anything.
Therefore, I am beginning to believe that truth is a myth we tell ourselves. Clearly, I don’t know the answers for certain. However, since I used to be physically beaten as a child in an attempt to stop me from not telling the truth; I see this development as steps in the right direction.
Hence, the frothy emotional outbursts have ceased…
Look Them in the Eyes
NEW BOOK RELEASE!
Look Them in the Eyes
Dennis Mantin. Friesen Press, 2023
There are thirty-two ways to write a story, and I’ve used every one, but there is only one plot—things are not as they seem.
Jim Thompson
Following the birth of his daughter, Jackie, middle-aged Zach MacIver is determined to stop what he terms “intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction” from plaguing his family. Over the course of two years, from the time Jackie is eight until she turns ten, Zach recounts his life experiences to her while attempting to navigate the obstacles created by her mother, Tina, who is experiencing her own version of intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction. The story begins during the COVID-19 pandemic when the world and its inhabitants face mounting daily trials and life-altering decisions. From there the narrative proceeds in a non-linear fashion as Zach recounts the roots of his own dysfunction and how his love for his daughter and his desire to be a good father forced him to face his difficulties head on. American author Jim Thompson once wrote, “There are thirty-two ways to write a story, and I’ve used every one, but there is only one plot—things are not as they seem.” This story is a great reminder of that.
Available now to purchase in eBook, paper, and hardcover from Amazon, Friesen Press, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Google Play, and Kobo.
ACCOLADES
Book I wish I could read again for the first time!
Dennis Mantin’s clean characterisation breathes life into the narrative, the realistic portrayal adds to the reader’s understanding of the book’s profound messages on life and people. What’s compelling about the novel is the the Protagonist’s journey, his perspective on “intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction” and how he’s determined to stop that from plaguing his family. The story is neatly told from Zach’s( the protagonist) perspective. It’s a non linear narrative with characters virtually jumping off the page. The characters, their presentation and Mantin’s unique writing style offer readers a fresh and deep perspective.
—Anuradha Basu, Amazon, November 21, 2023
Dennis Mantin 
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