deepundergroundpoetry.com
Durban's ironic celebration of resurrection .
Street-lights
casting rainbows through
main street
pot-holes
flickering themselves
to a dark death
-while wounded clouds
pour tears
at hunger;
drenching
the thirst for bread
Thunder screams
cultural
war-cries
with each
shock
of electric intent
shattering
the earth's silence
Adrenaline
holds
the baby against
her left breast
while the right
searches
her grade school
daughter's
voice
in washed
death-traps;
caused by
a nation
praying
for far to much
Christianity
celebrates
in chocolate
for one
-while counting
the drowned bodies
un-found
un-treated
un-fed
Published 18th Apr 2022
Author's Note
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/rescuers-hunt-missing-after-south-african-floods-kill-more-than-400-2022-04-17/
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
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Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
Anonymous
18th Apr 2022 9:19pm
There’s some genuinely striking images in this.. adrenaline holds the baby against her left breast for one. That clash of vulnerability against something so stark is a good use of drawing in the mind’s eye of the reader.
This theme kind of continues throughout the poem in a sort of ricochet — the poor and the rich, the existence and the disaster, the Christian goodwill and the starving. And I feel like ricochet is a good word for this poem as a whole.
Flooding can be devastating— our little island is no stranger to it at all. I take comfort in the knowledge that it takes time, but people can and will rebuild. It’s amazing how resilient human beings can be, even after disaster.
Thanks for sharing this and bringing this to the attention of the world.
-M
This theme kind of continues throughout the poem in a sort of ricochet — the poor and the rich, the existence and the disaster, the Christian goodwill and the starving. And I feel like ricochet is a good word for this poem as a whole.
Flooding can be devastating— our little island is no stranger to it at all. I take comfort in the knowledge that it takes time, but people can and will rebuild. It’s amazing how resilient human beings can be, even after disaster.
Thanks for sharing this and bringing this to the attention of the world.
-M
20th Apr 2022 10:53am
I've been working on imagery, so I'm rather grateful that it shows, I feel that poetry needs imagery, to reflect the humanity in us on the page.
I'm rather glad that relationships between the problems in that area are seen by a reader as well, and I think the word "ricochet" is one I'll gladly take. Thank You for that...
Flooding is devastating of late. I find my heart aches a little though in these natural disasters that seem to leave the poorest of the poor so very destitute. It's so very sad. But yes, our president says... "we can't make electric, but we'll try fix those people's lives (somehow)" God bless Africa!
Thank you for reading, for commenting and puting some hope and affirmation on this page.
I'm extremely grateful!
Bluest Skies at you
Al
I'm rather glad that relationships between the problems in that area are seen by a reader as well, and I think the word "ricochet" is one I'll gladly take. Thank You for that...
Flooding is devastating of late. I find my heart aches a little though in these natural disasters that seem to leave the poorest of the poor so very destitute. It's so very sad. But yes, our president says... "we can't make electric, but we'll try fix those people's lives (somehow)" God bless Africa!
Thank you for reading, for commenting and puting some hope and affirmation on this page.
I'm extremely grateful!
Bluest Skies at you
Al
