I Have a Cunning Plan


from the ABC set Keep Apart Two Chevrons

‘In Bonobo society, females form alliances to intimidate males, sexual behaviour (in virtually every partner combination) replaces aggression and serves many social functions, and unrelated groups mingle instead of fighting.’

I am going to put everything back as it was:
haul up the cord borderlines, like old cables
from the ground, cut the wire mesh with pliers,
hook fingers under a bend, peel back the grid
like rind, hoodwink the coordinates,

pat down mountain ranges, smooth the creases
unravel the equator ‘til it spins
night day-night-daynightday dizzying itself
to its own pent-up rhythms, slot, push, thrust,
I’ll drag them together if I have to.

I will do the introductions: Brazil - Cameroon.
Then they can sort it out between themselves.
When all the keys clink in the bowl
France will be spooning Dover
Italy will sink her heel into Morocco’s back,

finally fulfilling his fetish. The will-they-won’t-they
saga of Somalia and Yemen will be a full-on snog
that makes the Red Sea bubble, platonic plates
will buckle to see them together after these years apart
sending missiles, like love arrows, one to rouse the other.

Discuss this piece in the abctales forum


Comments

DavidK | March 1, 2008 - 18:57

Lovely idea nicely delivered.

Doeslittle | March 1, 2008 - 19:21

Yes, also loved it as well as Moon and Sixpence. Both excellent poems.

Ewan | March 1, 2008 - 19:22

Ahh. Just fabulous a funny and clever conceit. And who knows? It could even work. Platonic plates very clever indeed. The earth moved for me.

Ewan

HaiAnh | March 1, 2008 - 19:36

So we think the plan might work yes? Good. Thank you very much for the comments. They have fired me up to write more poetry to tonight!
Ax

HaiAnh | March 1, 2008 - 19:37

Also - thank you Ewan, I can't resist a pun when the opportunity arises.