Abstract

The poems in We’re Not Going To Do Better Next Time are anchored around the biblical parable of Samson and Delilah (spelled “Dalila” here). Approaching the story from a secular contemporary perspective, the poems focus on the two characters themselves, rather than the religious elements of the traditional narrative. We’re Not Going To Do Better explores the dynamics of a flawed relationship and how two people relate (or fail to relate) to one another. Instabilities in the narrative’s consistency reflect Dalila and Samson’s dueling perspectives and the fallibility of memory, as well as how the choices made in a relationship can lead to many possible outcomes. The work falls into four sections: Prequels (to root the work in its source text), Encounters (relaying the relationship’s beginnings and progression), Fallout (how the relationship disintegrates), and Cleanup (the characters’ lives beyond each other). While the individual poems should be able to stand on their own, this collection is intended to be read as a narrative.