A Street Beyond Stokes Croft

Even though you wear that green sweatshirt,
you swore always brought you good luck -
police drag you across shattered blue asphalt, broken glass
through lines of frenzied police lights, whirling sirens,

batons hammering your soft flesh. Evict you. 
The one who has your foot, torques it,
forces your ankle against the natural logic of bone.
Your limbs are lacerated on a depleted earth.

The crowd suffers a paralysis of breath.

I muse over the life narrative that brought you here,

think how people labelled you, Traveller, dirty gypsy b*****d.

I know now this isn't just about Tescos opening,

outcompeting a few, small grocery stores, corner shops

but people arrested in an ever darkening corner of society.

the closing of all avenues in their lives,

recession; how the suited, batoned men,
treat the lowest strata of society, force them to make fists.

Author's Note

http://newsblogged.com/video-bristol-riot-stokes-croft-%E2%80%9Ctelepathic-heights%E2%80%9D-squatters-eviction-youtube

Reviews

[arbitrary jane]

i am enamored of the way you sing the songs of the voiceless. keeping us transfixed by reality in all of its many faces; both beautiful and ugly. the picture you create here is complete. i am driven to understanding by the force of your words.
it's that last line. 'force them to make fists' ... i know so many for whom that is, absolutely the only option. i am all admiration for your taking up of arms, each time you put pen to paper.

[Emily]

There is such vivid detail and beauty of language in your writing. Just exquisite. I especially love the perspective in this piece. Lovely writing.

[emmajoy]

Our world must be the cruellest in the space on space .. we persecute, we abuse, we murder, we isolate, we detonate, we insult, et al. Bloody flesh amd screaming insults means nothing, neither do tears! Your poem and the video talks/shows scenes I know of, being Brit. I was appalled, horrified and disgusted at what was shown. It wasn't a fiction, it was cold fact and happened - like many others, in a so-called civilised country. Fine writing by you. as always.

[Aidz]

You have a wonderful way of transporting me to your world, to view through your eyes.

[sarah]

wow that is a very good poem you are doing great

[Joiedevivre]

This really moved me.
The one who has your foot, torques it,
So vivid, harrowing almost...
and then you tie it in with the broken earth, so well done.
Then what you do with the corner shops is pure poetry magic, it makes so much sense in your context. The marginilised forcedly held into an ever darkening corner of society.

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

I wish I could write about society in the manner you have here Sel, this is excellent

[SpokenWord]

People without opportunity and hope will soon fold into survive mode and use fists waved in the air to protest a way out. Collapse of societies have happened this way we can not allow the poor to perish for they will fight to survive. Strong poetry!

[Judy Ponceby]

I like your broadened perspective where you take single incidents and broadcast them to greater events. Bringing to light the light and dark sides of being human in a harsh world. Most excellent Sel.