You still go back panicked,
groping the old songs,
blinded in tunnels, to soothe
your roughed-up
spirit. The muddy river comes
along
in broken down wooden barges,
loved up
smooth old piers, worn rusted
cranes dipping
their necks into the water, and
no-one
comes to greet you, and no-one is
gripping
fingers tight in comfort, lifting
your burden.
You can hear the sunlight playing,
somewhere
on the waters, a cowherd with cattle;
but here it’s just four small, chocolate
squares
of light on blank concrete, and static
crackle.
The news comes on in the evening,
and it’s
floating seaweed, there’s gunfire
in the distance
mushrooms of smoke and dust on wizened
targets
and faces still lean out, clenched
in resistance,
and refugees are portioned, as if
we’re
barbecue nations. You don’t know
if Suzanne
will show you her harbours, if
she’ll let you near
the river’s wavelength, or if she
at all, can.
A lot of things top-of-mind today. First off, I'll be returning to the A-Z, and no two ways about that. The sign up is today. Not only will I be participating, I am in deeper than previously this year because I am a Ninja Minion on Ninja Captain Alex J Cavanaugh's team. (If I knew the exact emoticon to express the yayness I would totally insert it here. But since I don't, just fill it in yourself) I am also all signed up to participate in the Colours of Life Poetry Festival scheduled for mid-April, which is a(n offline) poetry event in my local community.
It's the fifth anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution today, so my friends there are very much on my mind too. Hope it goes safe and smooth and that they each get what they wish for in 2016, politically and otherwise.
Anyways, the upshot is - April is going to be a superbly amazing month! Can't-wait-but-also-love-the-waiting-and-working-writing-researching-rehearsing-part emoticon here.
Have a great week!
Have a great week!
