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Posted by shoe on December 8, 2010 - 12:32
from the ABC set Some kind of poetry

As children we were always lost
wandering through the years looking
always looking; for a land to claim us
to feel roots tugging at our feet
for a place to own us.

And you would think
wouldn't you, that to come to a place and say
'here, I will live here', would be enough
to offer your industry, your faith, your dead
would be enough, but a land this ancient
has had it's fill and does not need any more bones.

So we drink the silty water, scrape our knees and hands
on granite and whinstone and bleed into the dark acid soil
we shape ourselves to fit the land, learn to believe the lie of it
chanting prayers beneath our breath.

How then can I consider bringing a child here?
to watch her stumble on the outcrops
turn her shoulders to the harrying wind
teach her to mouth the words in another tongue
and recite a history we have no part of.

And to watch - from the borders, from the school gates
with no claim to offer, no foundations for a tiny child to stand upon -
watch her turn - our knuckles in our mouths - without a backward glance,
her credulous hands carving out a place, burying us under the spoil.

Discuss this piece in the abctales forum


Comments

lenchenelf | December 8, 2010 - 13:03

Interesting read atb lena x

fatboy74 | December 8, 2010 - 13:51

This is quite simply marvellous, I have a new favourite poem of yours Shoe, you write the sort of poetry I love to read. :-)

shoe | December 8, 2010 - 15:27

Thanks lena, in a good way I hope.

shoe | December 8, 2010 - 15:30

Thank you very much fb, I thought this may not make sense as it is so much in my head, but it seems to have made sense to you, for that alone I am happy.

Highhat | December 8, 2010 - 18:42

I think it is very profound. I loved it Shoe
;)Pia very good indeed

sue dinum | December 8, 2010 - 22:08

I loved it too, shoe. Very well written and thought provoking. Well done.

sue

JoseHdz | December 9, 2010 - 04:42

great read.

cheers.

shoe | December 9, 2010 - 09:07

Thanks Sue and JoseHdz, much appreciated.

shoe | December 9, 2010 - 09:09

Thank you very much Pia, That means much to me.

MistakenMagic | December 9, 2010 - 17:09

'So we drink the silty water, scrape our knees and hands
on granite and whinstone and bleed into the dark acid soil
we shape ourselves to fit the land, learn to believe the lie of it
chanting prayers beneath our breath.'

- love the images in this stanza, Shirley. Very powerful poem!

Magic xxx

Beeme | December 10, 2010 - 21:24

Stunning poem Shirley, fabulous imagery and a really interesting read. I enjoyed thoroughly.

Beeme xx

Silver Spun Sand | December 12, 2010 - 13:24

I seemed to have missed this one, Shirley. I'm sorry.

There is much food for thought in this poem - one I shall read it quite a few times over before I'm done.

Much enjoyed;-)

Tina

shoe | December 12, 2010 - 15:43

Magic, Beeme and Tina, Thank you so very much for reading and commenting, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

Kahdai | January 3, 2011 - 21:38

This one brilliant shoe! thank you for writing it K

anipani | January 14, 2011 - 09:58

enjoyed. Poignant, unsentimental, and touching.

shoe | January 14, 2011 - 11:40

Thanks Kahdai, I glad you like it.

Hi anipani, thanks for reading, I have just spent a very happy hour reading some of your work, I hope you post some more.