Thank you all for your continued encouragment. The advantage of this is that it is all my own, everything is my choice. The disadvantage is that it is all my own ! In March of this year I wrote this piece as a response to news headlines. I am even more uncertain particularly around the idea of commenting on the world (Who do you think you are? echos around me). Anyway here it is for what its worth. Comments good bad and indifferent welcome as usual.
World news came to me through my iPhone screen:
St. Petersburg underground exploded;
in London people on a bridge were mowed,
they came to see how old democracy
looked on an ancient river, calming it;
runners on a street in Boston blasted,
limbs scattered, lives lost; in Nice children and
grans felt bullet and truck during fireworks.
The new US orange faced chief harked back -
brakes on basic things - health, rights of all sorts;
a stocky Russian leader grabbed countries
and states and lands with impunity while
a head of Syria slaughtered fellow
but different countrymen and women,
- gas attacks the latest weapon of choice;
Egypt held thousands of men without trial.
Back on this venerable divided isle
a leader hugely overstayed his welcome;
men continued to kill or maim women;
gangs shot gangs, practised extermination;
bosses lost money, sacked the little fellow;
a rich man spent lots to defend his name;
posh thieves worked over banks successfully,
justice miscarried all at our expense.
Leo S
02.09.2017 10:17
Well captured, Peter, in few but arresting words. I'd like you to develop one or two of the incidents into a stand alone. London bridge 'mowed' 'old democracy' 'ancient river' is asking for more.
Catherine Darker
31.08.2017 13:01
You have captured so much of the chaos and the horribleness in one poem - it makes for grim reading when its all gathered together!
Clíodhna
31.08.2017 06:50
That sums it up. I think it would be even more powerful if you intersperse moments of beauty with all that awfulness.
Latest comments
25.11 | 22:15
Grief is experience through the mundane. Simple but powerful. The accompanying image really compliments the poem.
07.11 | 11:14
Hi Peter,
A great observation! Social media can be a scary place... I also need to reduce my time there
Hugs,
John.x
06.11 | 16:24
A great one, Peter, in the context you describe. I don't read social media myself, I doubt my equilibrium could stand it. 'The balance of his mind disturbed' yes, I think it would be.
06.11 | 15:59
Yes, gossip is a weapon of mass destruction.
In my business as well as personal life I have zero tolerance.
Echoes of the Old on the New Battlefields
Warrior chiefs of the GAA were early on the field to prepare:
Posts and cones positioned to mark territories
Very young novices came later by parents’ chariots
clad and shod for the ensuing battles
Firstly, paced for speed, resilience and flexibility,
then marked off into opposing teams
Each warrior chief led a young squad of hopefuls
in further exercises to bring them to fit levels
There followed a huddle, an exhortation rant,
responded with clamour of intent and enthusiasm
Skirmishes began, speed across the field, hunt for the ball,
to be delivered as the goal, or to be prevented at all costs
Warrior chiefs egged on, instructed, altered the field of play
the young ’uns complied with fighting spirit
For every fall and hurt spells were cast on the side line
till fitness returned and they were entered back into play
Scores mounted, roars enhanced, casualties grew,
novices flagged and regrouped across the fields
Between bouts came the talks of encouragement
Stay back, pass, pass, pass, keep the pace.
Old hands passing skill onto new palms with dedication,
a gift of generous wisdom gladly given
Peter Clarke
20th April 2024