On your knees now ! How much can you give ?
What you got left ? Let your mouth touch the ground
that’s it closer, until the sand, papers your lips
with grit
and stings the white of your eyes
——
Your body sags with GRIEF, she clamps you to her chest
can you hear the sound of tanks ?
smell the stench of human sweat ?
and feel the dry desert heat ?
Louder ! Louder! There’s foot soldiers on the march
and the hurrr of the Humvee
so close, elephant wheels treading tik -tik flies and
roasted lice
that stick to the tyres, a crusted blood ballet of
wing tips, antennae and thorax
——
Thumpety Thump bump bump
pressure builds
your jaw locks -body shock
spasms like wasps on jelly,
a flea crawls in your inner ear
biting, sniping a morass of fear
head crack -snap back
your voice entombed in saffron sands.
Saira Viola
Illustration: Elena Caldera
Powerful stuff, Saira, powerful stuff. Thank you.
Comment by Jennifer Knight on 5 May, 2016 at 9:15 pmOnly to be sung, of course, when your baby is already sleeping; otherwise you’ll have a very restive child on your hands, too afraid to sleep for fear of nightmares. btw, the musical theme points to an important aspect of Saira Viola’s work — she writes poetry that is meant to be recited, rather than merely read; it makes for a very exciting oral performance, and it would be nice to hear the poet as well as read the words — Maybe IT could arrange to publish recordings of the poet’s work?
Comment by Jon Anderson on 6 May, 2016 at 5:17 pmAlways surprising, always insightful, and quite powerful.
Comment by Verge Le Noir on 6 May, 2016 at 5:28 pm