angels do not eat
their lips for trumpets made
their whitest teeth a forgiving smile
their throats for His almighty fire
workers, flesh men and women,
need to eat for fuel and joy
food brings heat and sleep and sweat
preventing spirits fade
do not pay heroes with silver wings
though in our hearts they fly
do not pay with hands and drums
though our hearts beat because of them
pay what is right, pay what is just
do it while we still have time
My friends tell me they can see the sea
from their window.
Closer is harder, they say; in sight is in mind.
From my window, if I wipe it,
I see the other side of the cut through,
barred windows breaking up the brick facade.
I have never seen that nest before,
broken twigs, dropped feathers.
I back away from the window.
I do not want to frighten hope.
I tried to storm out
forgetting the quarantine
I felt such a fool
the door slides open
my temperature rises
you are my virus
#haiflu
In the deepest corner of his heart – and he had a very deep heart, as his future life would show – he found the tiniest ember of heroism. He found it and breathed softly on it and it grew and grew until it filled his heart and the flames began to dance behind his eyes and he stood up and said ‘I will. I’ll do it’. And though there was no one else there in the room in the house in the street somehow others heard from him and took heart from his courage and from that moment the tide was turned. It was not over but we knew one day it would be. And that is why we are here to remember.
They told us to wait and then still did nothing
They told us to wait and to stop all our fussing
They worked us to death then applauded our coffins
They told us to wait and then still did nothing
Without them we were not born.
Respect them.
They are not numbers,
except as fractions,
the fractions which together make us one.
Respect them.
Without them we were not born.
