Poem: The Gates of Dawn

A poem about Syd Barrett’s unique brand of genius

The first Pink Floyd album should
be renamed as Syd Barrett solo —

they never had that kind of chaos
ever again. There were new highs,

but nothing comes close to Barrett’s
way with words or the tone

of his guitar. I think “Crazy Diamond”
unfairly belittles him. In today’s world,

his mental health would not
be weaponised against him; his

unique Overdrive was its own thing,
and it blew my teenaged mind.